The World Premier of the 2020 5th Generation Tanaka X-Series
From left to right: 1st gen Tanaka 300X Turbo (1989), 2nd gen Tanaka 300X Turbo Spec A (1998), 3rd gen Tanaka 300X GT (2006), 4th gen Tanaka 450X S (2010), 5th generation Tanaka 450X S (2020)
Since its debut in 1985, the X-Series has always been Tanaka’s flagship GT car. In 1995, the 2nd generation was born and it was very popular. The 3rd generation, which was introduced in 2005, was a technological marvel. The current 4th generation X-Series has been in production since 2010. It was clear that a replacement was essentially needed to keep the evolution going.
Tanaka 450X S shown
Introducing the all-new 5th generation X-Series, another revolutionary chapter in Tanaka’s history. This new GT car still retained its sporty and full of character soul, only that it is more elegant and luxurious than ever before. Clearly by seeing it, the car is more taller and longer than the outgoing generation. People used to complain about the 4th generation’s cramped interior, the new generation solves it. The pure driving experience is kept from the previous generation, thanks to the NA 4.5 litre V8 in the 450X which revs up to 9300RPM. You still have a chance to buy an NA car from us. AWD is optional if you can’t handle the power. We also still kept the variable hydraulic power steering instead of our usual variable electric power steering. No steer-by-wire for our sports cars. We want car enthusiasts to enjoy our sports cars.
Tanaka 450X shown
But first, let’s take a look at the X-Series in its purest form, the 450X. The body was beautifully sculpted and designed by Lavelle Studios (special and warmest thanks to @titleguy1 ), with Tanaka designers tweaking with details all over the car. The front gives an elegant yet aggressive stance. The sides have vents which lets hot air go out of the engine and also adds to the side profile. The side windows are visually connected to the rear window with a gloss black trim which goes through the B-pillar, again adding to the side profile. The rear is meaty and aggressive, continuing the theme from the front. Part of the taillights goes down to create a contemporary look. It also have some uses which includes having space for a side indicator and make the rear vents become part of the taillight. The rear foglights and reflectors are also integrated cohesively into the rear diffuser. The ducktail spoiler is actually a part of the body and the truck seamlessly. The result is one of the most beautiful and attractive looking modern Tanaka vehicle ever.
Open the door and sit inside the new X-Series, you wouldn’t want to get out of the car again. The interior is also sleek and attractive. A classic clock by Richard Mille is put in the middle. High quality material was used in the interior. Starting with the seats, which are made with luxurious leather (surrounding the inserts) and wool (for the inserts). One line of wood trimming goes surrounds the interior of the X-Series, making it look cohesive. Tanaka’s luxury infotainment system is shared with the Aventus, which is Tanaka’s flagship full-size luxury sedan, which is innovative and ergonomic too. The screen is as big as an Ipad Pro (in its biggest available size). The gear lever is rectangular-shaped wrapped with leather with crystal inserts. The steering wheel is wrapped around high quality leather (or optional alcantara) with some parts being wood as a trim. No blank switches to be seen, no visible plastic to be seen, only the highest attention of detail was put in the X-Series to ensure a luxurious, prestigious, elegant and amazing experience.
The chassis of the Tanaka 450X
The drivetrain of the Tanaka 450X
Of course like all generation, the 5th generation is front-engined. The chassis is made of glued aluminium, with double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension. Depending on the trim you chose, you have the option of either a 444HP and 333lb-ft of torque 4.5 litre NA V8 (engine code: Z45DI-A2, only available in the 450X and 450X AWD and it revs up to 9300RPM) or a turbocharged version of the same engine (engine code: Z45DI-A2 Earthboost, only available in the 450X S and 450X S AWD), which produces 590HP and 559lb-ft of torque. AWD is optional on all current versions. To insure your utmost safety, all the safety systems available today are in the X-Series. Autopilot is also included.
Specs:
| Trim | 450X | 450X AWD | 450X S | 450X S AWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension Type (F/R) | Double wishbone/Multi-link | - | - | - |
| Transmission | 7-Speed DCT | - | - | - |
| Differential | Electronic LSD | - | - | - |
| Tire type | Dunlap Sport Compounds | - | - | - |
| Tyre Size (F/R) | 220/240 mm | - | 220/245 mm | 230/245 mm |
| Wheelbase (m) | 2.78 | - | - | - |
| Engine | Z45DI-A2 (DOHC 4.5 litre 32 Valve Direct-Injected naturally-aspirated V8) | - | Z45DI-A2 EarthBoost (DOHC 4.5 litre 32 Valve Direct-Injected turbocharged V8) | - |
| Horsepower (HP) | 444 | - | 590 | - |
| Torque (lb-ft) | 333 | - | 559 | - |
| Fuel recommendation | 95RON Unleaded Premium | - | - | - |
| Top Speed (mph) | 204 | 196 | 210 | 202 |
| Acceleration (0-60mph) | 4.3 seconds | 4.2 seconds | 4.0 seconds | 3.2 seconds |
| Lateral G (around a 20m radius circle) | 1.08 | 1.07 | 1.12 | 1.12 |
| Curb Weight (kg) | 1837 | 1914 | 1907 | 1999 |
| Fuel Economy (US MPG) | 24.3 | 23.7 | 22.2 | 21.5 |
| Brakes | Vented, 2 piston front & 1 piston rear | - | - | - |
| Seating | 2 front 2 rear | - | - | - |
| Interior | Luxurious leather with wood trimming | - | - | - |
| Infotainment System | Tanaka Luxury Infotainment System | - | Tanaka Luxury HUD | - |
| Traction Aids | ABS+TC+ESC | - | ABS+TC+ESC+LC | - |
| Suspension (springs/dampers/sway bars) | Active Comfort/Semi-active/Passive | - | Active Sport/Semi-active/Passive | - |
| Active Aero | None | - | 3-stage Active Aero | - |
| All-Wheel Drive | None | Yes (F/R torque split : 40/60) | None | Yes (F/R torque split : 40/60) |
| Base Price (without mark-ups, taxes and shipping costs) | $118000 | $127000 | $120000 | $132000 |
(Note: The hyphen (-) means that it is the same to the left)
All test drive request are welcome! Just make sure to PM me (@Aaron.W). Stay tuned for tomorrow as we use our historic sports car to set a lap time on the Goodwood hillclimb.
Special thanks once again to @titleguy1 for taking the time to design my car!