I have a massive soft spot for the Daihatsu Copen. Which is why I ended up buying one some years ago. Daihatsu has now announced a spiritual successor to the original car.
And it has grown up. The current two generations of the popular two seater convertible qualify for Japanese tax rebates due to their kei car dimensions. The Vision Copen concept, however, does not.
That’s because it has grown in all metrics to just run slightly afoul of the regulations. In fact, this seemingly production-ready concept car now has a footprint not-too-dissimilar to an ND MX-5.
But the alteration of the Copen’s basic formula goes far beyond just an increase in its footprint. The Japanese automaker has made its MX-5-rivalling intentions clear in its choice of powertrain too. If it does enter production, expect the car to come with a 1.3 litre engine, which will send its power not to the front wheels like the current car, but to the rear axle.
It’d also be tuned to run on Carbon-Neutral fuels.
The styling of this concept has clearly been inspired by the OG Copen, so at least its adorable looks have been preserved, albeit modernised for the 2020s. Here’s hoping that Daihatsu actually puts this roadster into production!
The Vision Copen will make its public debut at the Tokyo Mobility Show, joining three other Daihatsu Concept Cars at the Daihatsu booth.
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