Japanese cars have been exported to Malaysia since the 1950s, becoming dominant until the national carmakers started. Then came Japanese motorsports (besides Japanese food and supermarkets) and now, we also have a Japanese motorshow coming to Malaysia for the first time this year.

It’s not the Tokyo Motor Show but the Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS) which, though younger by 29 years, is today well established and as popular as the Tokyo Motor Show. However, the TAS is a different type of motorshow and has focussed on performance and aftermarket instead of new cars and concept car.

Nevertheless, in recent years, the event has also seen participation from major carmakers who have promoted their performance products to more receptive visitors. The TAS has thus grown in significance in the same way that the SEMA show in America.

Leading automotive lubricant company Castrol once again hosts their Castrol Hari Mekanik. Celebrated annually in March, this is the fifth time the event is held and this year, it has the theme “Celebrating Malaysian Mechanics”.

The theme was curated as an initiative to show appreciation and raise awareness towards the unsung heroes of automobile experts in Malaysia. It kicked off this year with a unique one-of-a-kind video entitled “A World Without Mechanics” and was showcased on social media platforms, YouTube and Facebook.