What is this?

[the_saint]

Can anybody read Japanese? I've seen these on a few Japanese Vitz sites and am curious as to what the hell they are. From what I can tell, they go on the underside of the car...close to the front suspension I think :iono:
My guess is that they are air deflectors of some sort.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1258/huhpk2.jpg

Yahoo Japan auction (http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g44810816?)

[vodkalush]

Crappy Translation of "Description"

The latent energy from 50km/h. The [eachiyun] wing which is effective in sport & safety drive. “[gurandoehuekuta]”
* It is effective in high speed
Becomes high speed the extent down fourth which powerfully occurrence. The body sinks at once and is packed and, actualizing the straight advancing kind of stability which it sticks to the road surface.
* It is effective in the corner
Down fourth showing tire original ability to the limit. Traction control characteristic with line trace and the corner startup of according to image improves.
* It is effective in the rain
Down fourth to control the unstable behavior change of the car even at day of rain where grip of the tire decreases, safety drive is possible.
* It is effective in [huwatsuki]
The down fourth which occurs from 50km/h, the [huwatsuki] impression of spoiling driving pleasure at a stroke cancellation. Changing attenuation power of the shock to footwork feeling which one it made rank made raise.
* It is effective in the brake
Actualizing the stopping where at the time of the braking whose attitude of the car is unstable, down fourth supports attitude and stabilizes.

[eTiMaGo]

sounds aerodynamic all right... to create some kind of suction under the car?

[firefly1_0]

someone needs to make a sucker car out of a yaris...

http://www.insideracingtechnology.com/Resources/chaprlfan.jpg

[07WYarisRS]

Creates more downforce at highspeeds for better traction

The down side is they kill fuel mileage

[the_saint]

Ok. So now I have another question.
Do they work? Or are they just Japanese snake oil like those rare earth magnets for the fuel line. lol

[eTiMaGo]

airflow is something quite a bit more realistic than thew magnetic alignment of fuel particles!

[07WYarisRS]

similer items have been used on formula 1/Karts etc
I'm sure they do work... but how well with the egg body shape may be another thing.
For instance the may work great on an Acura intergra set up for touring cup racing but an echo or yaris does not have the same aerodynamics and these spoilers may not have the same affect.

I can not see a company spending thousands and thousadns of dollars enginnering and designing then testing this component for a factory econo box...