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Japan is a nation obsessed with design where new trends come and go in a flash. But for a culture so into its visual language, it is surprising that it hasn't to date revealed a similar confidence in its car design, or has it, asks Nargess Shahmanesh-Banks.

The Honda Imas interior (right) works in harmony with the exterior (below) to highlight the clean body lines

Olivier Boulay, design director at Mitsubishi, told me at the Geneva Motor Show that Japanese carmakers have finally found confidence in their own design heritage. In fact this has been evident in the last year or so, most notably voiced at the Tokyo Motor Show where the likes of Toyota and Honda, with CS&S and Imas respectively, oozed masses of self-confidence in their unique take on Japanese design.

Imas is the second generation hybrid car for Honda, which made its European debut at Geneva. In charge of the design project was Argentinan born Jose Wyszogrod. "I began by working alone, making some sketches," he recalls. As soon as the ideas were formulated he gathered a group together, developed the prototype further and presented it to the board of directors who agreed to go ahead and the car was completed in just over seven months.

Aerodynamic requirements essentially determind the shape of Imas. Wyszogrod notes that the car is more dynamic from the inside, which in turn works in harmony with the body, accentuating the exterior lines. "The whole interior is based on a bycicle frame, which is very lightweight, but at the same time can hold so much," he explains.

Inside the navigation system and other electronic functions are mounted on a transparent structure that is both stylish and adds to the unclutterd feel. Japanese supplier Tokyo Seat helped with the seat design, which are lightweight and made of material Wyszogrod says inspired by Italian fashion label Prada's sports shoes. This adds to the feel of weightlessness inside and gives a touch of style.

There is room for four adults in the Imas with clever hidden legroom for rear passengers under the front seats. "Everything is functional and ready for production," adds Wyszogrod.

You cannot pin point what exactly is Japanese about Imas. Perhaps it is in the clean lines, or maybe in the clever use of space, the techie material or just in the way it modestly wispers modern design.

"Our main challenge was to create a car that looks futuristic, can fit in four people and have a new powertrain," says Wyszogrod. Most importantly it had to look like a Honda. "The proportions are Honda and it definately looks like a Honda." he notes confidently.

"Show cars are the only way we can try out new ideas," says the Honda designer. He explains that these design ideas are implementable, but at the end of the line they get hacked for the fear that the customer may not approve, though on a more positive note most of the solutions here will be seen on the market in the next five to ten years.

Perhaps a car like Imas is only possible in a country like Japan where aparantly people drive very strange cars. Coming from another culture, but speaking the language, Wyszogrod has made some thoughtful observations about the Japanese.

"With some things they are very conservative. For instance they wear simple grey suits to work, but when they buy a car they want to show their true personality," he explains. Japan's main cities like Tokyo are overpopulated with people living in tiny flats, so in a sense the car is an extention of their homes. Or as Boulay says, you cannot just come up with a pretty car in Tokyo, you need something that is a trend setter.

"Tokyo is so populated, everything is packed together," explains Boulay. "Therefore if you don't have any colour in the streets, nice shops, or nice things that are in a way extensions of the people's apartments, then life could become extremely boring over there.

"This is why constantly you have this movement of new things and people. If you were to open a new restaurant in Tokyo you are extremely lucky if you can keep it for five years. People get bored, same for cars, fashion everything. In Japan we say that we are trend slaves."

Working in Japan was initially very difficult for Wyszogrod, but then he says you learn the ropes. "I initially thought that people would be very conservative in the studio, but they said make whatever you want. They are so open about strange concepts." he adds. So perhaps designing a car like Imas is only possible in Japan.

The Japanese are relatively new to car making. They learnt the skill a bit like an apprentice, first by copying the Americans in post war years for dynamism, then the Europeans for technology, but now they have perhaps reached a stage and calibre where they can experiment with various interpretations of Japanese design heritage.

Cars like Nissan's Cube, the Mitsubishi Se-ro and "i" concepts, Honda's Imas and Toyota's CS&S are clear visions of where the future lies not just in Japan, but perhaps with other carmakers. After all we live and work in Japanese inspired environments, wear Japanese minimalist fashion, eat Japanese fusion food, so why not drive Japanese designed cars.