You learn something new... - Cars you didn't know existed, until now!

[homeforsummer]

But as the poor sales of the Copen in Europe prove, even if you do follow European regulations (which were the ones to force Daihatsu's hand in changing the Copen's engine to a 1.3-litre engine) there seems to be a rather empty market for such a car. While the efficiency is hard to argue with, it won't matter if there is no profit to be gained from selling these cars. That was why Daihatsu left all non-Japanese markets, after their vast range of small but efficient cars failed to gain leverage in a competitive world.

Daihatsu was doing okay in Europe - it was certainly doing enough to keep ticking along. Unfortunately, when the financial crisis hit it played havoc with exchange rates and it became no longer financially possible to continue selling. Had they managed to survive that, they'd probably be fine today - the cars would be great value in Europe right now, as the Yen is quite weak.

Copens actually did okay in the UK, both in full kei-car spec and with the 1.3. Generally, the cars were pretty good alternatives to Suzuki, but I think Suzuki was able to ride the storm a little more easily.

I can tell that you love the Insight because it does all the things required out of a mundane family car, but without forcing you to take frequent trips to petrol stations due to too much baggage...

More than that really - it does all the things required of a mundane family car, but isn't actually mundane. Not using much fuel is its USP of course, but being technically intriguing and even pretty good to drive, really help it as an ownership experience.

Not quite enough for me to justify keeping it alongside the Mazda (I don't have space for two cars, so the Honda is for sale), but enough that were I not working for a magazine that specialises in performance cars, it'd still be my daily driver.

Loving this view. You can even consider that fewer/lighter materials means the parts for those cars can be brought together with less effort, saving on energy during manufacturing

Exactly. And it's good from an ownership proposition too - small, light components cost less to replace than large, heavy ones. I can't imagine the tyres on that concept would cost much (nor wear too quickly) either.

 

[TexRex]

Why did Daihatsu shrink a Cerbera down to Copen size?

Uhm...because it's an awesome idea?

 

[Dennisch]

Daihatsu was doing okay in Europe - it was certainly doing enough to keep ticking along. Unfortunately, when the financial crisis hit it played havoc with exchange rates and it became no longer financially possible to continue selling. Had they managed to survive that, they'd probably be fine today - the cars would be great value in Europe right now, as the Yen is quite weak.

One of the problems Daihatsu faced, at least here in the Netherlands, is that parts are ridiculously expensive compared to other Japanese brands. Stuff like control arms are almost twice as much as something like Suzuki.

 

[homeforsummer]

One of the problems Daihatsu faced, at least here in the Netherlands, is that parts are ridiculously expensive compared to other Japanese brands. Stuff like control arms are almost twice as much as something like Suzuki.

How weird. Any reason for it? They're basically Toyota products underneath, aren't they?

I suppose Suzuki probably has greater economies of scale than Daihatsu did. It sells in more markets and sells in huge numbers in places like India.

 

[Dennisch]

Any reason for it?

Toyota

Tada!

I remember looking for a heater core for a 1992 Starlet. Nowhere to be found on the junkyard.

Price new?

€518,- ex taxes.

 

[homeforsummer]

Hah. I've never really thought of Toyotas as potentially expensive products before, but I suppose Toyotas and Hondas certainly aren't as cheap to replace bits with as say, Fords and Vauxhalls. Less likely to break in the first place of course, but more expensive even so.

 

[Nessy]

The headlights of the Daihatsu X-021 reminds me a bit of this:

O.S.C.A Dromos.

I think it's a bit ugly at the front (imo). Though it makes me think, of a mid engine late 80's Alfa Duetto that's been taking steroids.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Uhm...because it's an awesome idea?

Hehe, I didn't say anything against it, you know.

Daihatsu was doing okay in Europe - it was certainly doing enough to keep ticking along. Unfortunately, when the financial crisis hit it played havoc with exchange rates and it became no longer financially possible to continue selling. Had they managed to survive that, they'd probably be fine today - the cars would be great value in Europe right now, as the Yen is quite weak.

Copens actually did okay in the UK, both in full kei-car spec and with the 1.3. Generally, the cars were pretty good alternatives to Suzuki, but I think Suzuki was able to ride the storm a little more easily.

Well, there was a glaring lack of image; most people in my home country have next to no knowledge about Daihatsu's products, and many just mocked the Copen for looking too much like a toy car and left it there. It is very difficult to come across an used Daihatsu for sale that isn't a Terios, and overall numbers of registered Daihatsus in Portugal must not be much better than those. It didn't help that it was priced in the same range as a MX-5, which is of course a far better known car (and brand, since Mazda does have a decent representation in Portugal)...

Despite barely having any decent city cars, Suzuki still has some presence here, which proves that they have a better knowledge of the market than Daihatsu's, at least.

More than that really - it does all the things required of a mundane family car, but isn't actually mundane. Not using much fuel is its USP of course, but being technically intriguing and even pretty good to drive, really help it as an ownership experience.

Not quite enough for me to justify keeping it alongside the Mazda (I don't have space for two cars, so the Honda is for sale), but enough that were I not working for a magazine that specialises in performance cars, it'd still be my daily driver.

Fair enough, the Insight does have that going for it. It's no performance barnstormer, but it does deliver a comfortable ride and economical fuel spendings. Then there is the fact that it's reliable enough to be used daily and not just as a secondary quirky choice.

 

[homeforsummer]

Here's an interesting one.

Now to be clear, I knew the Volkswagen Concept 1 existed already. I remember seeing pictures of it at the time, three years before the New Beetle hit the road.

What I didn't know was quite how different it was to the production car. It was Polo-based, rather than Golf-based. 300mm shorter and 85mm narrower, but with a 10mm longer wheelbase. Only 905kg too, rather than the 1200kg-odd of the production car. Note how it's actually not a great deal bigger than the original, here.

Which all leaves me feeling like we got the short straw with the production car. The styling isn't to all tastes but it's unique and nicely-detailed (more so than the concept), so I can respect it. But in production form it was needlessly large and rendered impractical to drive by the huge dashboard and relatively low seating. I feel like had the car been smaller it would at least have made more sense to the people who inevitably bought it. We were short changed on the specs too - had the production car been 900kg there would have been genuine merit to it as an economy car. As it was, it needed larger engines (the 1.4 and 1.6 sold in Europe were not quick cars) to move it along.

I'm sure being Polo-based it wouldn't have been great to drive, but that's besides the point with a car like this. The current Fiat 500 isn't great to drive either, but it's small enough (and inexpensive enough) to make sense as a city runaround or a first car. The New Beetle's biggest problem wasn't the goofy styling or the fact it was FWD, it was that it moved away from its humble roots.

 

[SVX]

Speaking of Toyota concepts, 1987 Toyota GTV:

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Haha, "two-shaft".

Childish joke aside, a gas turbine engine? Very interesting, that's yet another engine technology that Toyota didn't exploit thoroughly even after showcasing it in a concept car...

 

[SVX]

One I forgot, I had no idea they made a AWD E90 sedan, thanks to Best Motoring, now I do:

Haha, "two-shaft".

Childish joke aside, a gas turbine engine? Very interesting, that's yet another engine technology that Toyota didn't exploit thoroughly even after showcasing it in a concept car...

Was 100% fully functioning too. Awesome stuff.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Was 100% fully functioning too. Awesome stuff.

Uh-uh, that is indeed very good on Toyota's part, it shows that they had a good grasp on gas-based technology. Shame they didn't go through with it, but at least they showed it was possible within certain limits... Is it still around, or did it get destroyed?

 

[SVX]

Uh-uh, that is indeed very good on Toyota's part, it shows that they had a good grasp on gas-based technology. Shame they didn't go through with it, but at least they showed it was possible within certain limits... Is it still around, or did it get destroyed?

I think it's in the America Toyota Museum? @ilikewaffles11 might be able to correct me on that.

 

[Tornado]

I'm guessing the Polo -> Golf platform change might have been so they would have an easier time getting it approved for sale in North America.


And laziness.

 

[ilikewaffles11]

I think it's in the America Toyota Museum? @ilikewaffles11 might be able to correct me on that.

Nope, unfortunately not at the Toyota USA museum.

 

[Heldenzeit]

They did have something similar there (pictured far right). Looks just like an SC.

 

[homeforsummer]

I'm guessing the Polo -> Golf platform change might have been so they would have an easier time getting it approved for sale in North America.


And laziness.

Good point, I'd not really thought of that. Given how vital the US market was for a car like that, the Golf platform makes more sense.

Still, I feel like it's a car I'd have liked a lot more if it was a third of a ton lighter and didn't have the deck of the USS Nimitz as a dashboard.

 

[ilikewaffles11]

They did have something similar there (pictured far right). Looks just like an SC.

Yup it's an SC show car if I remember right. Interior wasn't complete or anything.

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Saw this on my Instagram feed. Not this pic but it was like this this one.
It's a Fairthrope TX-S, they were built in the U.K.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

1954 Chevrolet Nomad Concept; I didn't know that there was a corvette based Nomad.
http://www.conceptcarz.com/z18478/chevrolet-nomad.aspx

and the 2004 Chevrolet Nomad Concept

 

[TexRex]

I didn't know that there was a corvette based Nomad.

Two years later they showed the Impala concept, also based on the Corvette.

 

[D.Kadettdriver]

The Mitsubishi Pajero Junior Flying Pug:

 

[Legro]

The Mitsubishi Pajero Junior Flying Pug:

Wonder, who they tried to sell it to. Mitsuoka owners who wanted to be able to go off road some day?

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

Vauxhall Cavalier Calibre

 

[Niku Driver HC]

I almost thought for a second that the car was some sort of one-off "Chav Special", but it's actually an Irmscher car, isn't it? Never thought that they worked on older Opels/Vauxhalls...

 

[Legro]

I almost thought for a second that the car was some sort of one-off "Chav Special"

Can't blame you as it really does look like one with those wheels.

Although, the original ones aren't really much better fit for the car.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Well that's between an 8 and a 80, isn't it? You either make the car look like a chav-owned Cavalier (although I doubt that the Cavalier is a popular car in the chav scene with its image) or keep the stock wheels and risk being confused with an old man in his 50's who thinks go-fast decals and large-faced rims were and still are the sh:censored:.

I do have to ask, were the modifications done to the Calibre mostly cosmetical?

 

[Legro]

I do have to ask, were the modifications done to the Calibre mostly cosmetical?

It had an exhaust system by Irmscher, but otherwise it's pretty much like any red top spec RHD Ascona with a garish body kit.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

It had an exhaust system by Irmscher, but otherwise it's pretty much like any red top spec RHD Ascona with a garish body kit.

Well that is somewhat disappointing, but at the same time I was already expecting an answer like that. Guess a garish Cavalier is still a slow Cavalier in the end... or if you prefer, the only good Cavalier is a BTCC Cavalier.