Mitsuoka is certainly Japan’s most eccentric car builder.
A company founded some years ago to produce low volume cars that emulate British design of the fifties and sixties but using modern underpinnings and parts from Japan’s mainstream makers.
Last week heralded the arrival of the Toyama based coachbuilder’s latest model.
The Himiko is based on a Mazda roadster and uses the same 2.0 litre engine producing a fairly subdued 120 ps.
Pricing starts at 4,950,000 JPY and it will enter hand finished production next year.
Unsurprisingly due to the rather niche nature of the car Mitsuoka don’t intend on producing many Himiko’s and state that only 35 a year will be built.
The wheelbase has been extended and a custom front and rear has been added complete with old fashioned fenders resulting in a car that looks very much like a Morgan.
Mitsuoka’s major market is without a doubt its home with only a sprinkling of overseas outlets spread across Asia and the Middle East. It’s common to see one of their many creations on the roads of Japan although it will be interesting to see how they survive the current gloom and doom of the marketplace.
The Himiko is probably one of the more universally appealing designs of the successful styling house and taken in isolation is an attractive product. The front is particularly well resolved but well…..er….no…..i like it.
Mitsuoka Himiko
