Official: Daihatsu Copen to be resurrected and may come Stateside as a Scion?

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To rival modern Honda Beat

A recent report says Daihatsu plans on bringing back to life the Copen in the near future.

A couple of days ago we saw Honda’s S660 concept which serves as a preview for a modern Beat due in Japan in 2015. Now, British media is reporting Daihatsu plans to resurrect the Copen and thus recreate the Beat vs. Copen comparisons even though the production years of the two models never collided. Daihatsu did show a D-R Concept at last year’s Indonesian Motor Show which could indicate the production model’s styling approach.

While the original model was a kei car, it is not known whether its modern successor will fit this category which requires (as of October 1, 1998) vehicles be up to 3.4 meters long and 1.48 meters wide, while the engine must have a 660cc capacity and a maximum output of 64 HP (47 kW).

There are some rumors suggesting the Honda Beat will be sold outside Japan with a larger engine, leading us to believe Daihatsu could sell the model in other markets as well, such as United States where it could be badged as a Scion since Toyota has a majority stake in Daihatsu.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11310256...ected---report

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By Seyth Miersma
Posted Sep 25th 2012 2:16PM

Click here to view photo gallery

Daihatsu, everyone's seventh-favorite Japanese automaker, is making big waves at the Indonesian Motor Show this year. Typically writing a sentence like that one would preclude such news to follow from, well, being newsworthy here in the U.S., but we've always been such fans of Daihatsu's cheeky Copen convertible Kei car that we couldn't resist reporting on the model's spiritual successor.

Called D-R, this sprightly concept droptop is obviously heavily reminiscent of the Copen, though more modern, with an oversized front fascia, Audi-style aluminum windshield frame and a leather-lavished interior that has a zero-percent chance of making it to production. It's also 100-percent more endearing than the similarly sized D-X Concept that was shown at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

We're told that the D-R showcar has replaceable resin body panels – fit to be switched out when the conceptual owner requires a freshened visage. Inside, a central touchscreen does most of the heavy lifting in terms of driver controls, while an LCD screen has taken the place of a traditional instrument binnacle.

The fully functional D-R concept is powered by a 600cc turbocharged two-cylinder engine. Get all of the Daihatsu details from the company's official press release.

Press Release

UFC and AYLA to Be Exhibited at 20th Indonesia International Motor Show

P.T. Astra Daihatsu Motor (ADM), a subsidiary of DAIHATSU MOTOR CO., LTD. (Daihatsu) in Indonesia, plans to exhibit four concept cars, including the UFC, which will be shown for the first time anywhere in the world, and AYLA, which is set to reach the market, along with a range of new technologies at the 20th Indonesia International Motor Show to be held from Thursday September 20 to Sunday September 30, 2012 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

For this year's Indonesia International Motor Show, Daihatsu has adopted the slogan "Daihatsu is Best Friend of Life," and will demonstrate Daihatsu's corporate group attitude of offering vehicles suitable for Indonesian life using fuel-efficient, eco-friendly, and affordable technologies for compact cars.

UFC is a concept car that ADM took the lead in developing, using Daihatsu's expertise in compact cars, which has been honed through manufacturing mini vehicles. ADM has carefully studied customers' needs in Indonesia and has achieved a compact body, stylish design, and large interior space. The seats can be arranged in different ways and the car has slide doors. The ADM is surprisingly convenient and can be used in a range of living conditions in Indonesia. It conforms to the theme of the exhibition: "Best Friend of Life."

D-R and D-X express surprise and amusement stemming from completely different styles on the same chassis. D-R is stylish and elegant, while D-X is tough and aggressive. A resin-based body whose parts are interchangeable allows owners to enjoy two different styles. The car has a two-cylinder engine with direct-injection turbo. With this engine, Daihatsu has pursued conventional technology and struck a balance between the joy of driving and fuel efficiency. The vehicle offers a driving experience with that sense of oneness between driver and vehicle that only a compact car can provide, as well as a new form for a sports car.

FC Show CASE, developed as a zero-emission, next-generation mobility solution, employs a next-generation unit equipped with liquid fuel cells that contain no precious metals. With this offering, Daihatsu suggests new possibilities for a compact car as a zero-emission vehicle that leads the way to a secure and free energy future.

ADM will exhibit five units of the AYLA, soon to reach the market, including two vehicles with
special colors.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/25/d...pen-successor/

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There are titan rivalries – 911 vs GT-R, Ferrari vs Lamborghini, Viper vs 'Vette – and there are smaller ones. But the smaller ones can be just as fierce. Like the rivalry between the Daihatsu Copen and Honda Beat.

Both were Kei roadsters built by major Japanese automakers with tiny form factors and even tinier engines. And while their production runs didn't overlap, they straddled the turn of the millennium close enough that they bred close comparison.

Neither are still in production at this point, but that could be about to change. Honda is presenting the S660 concept at the Tokyo Motor Show next month, and the latest reports indicate that Daihatsu is planning a Copen revival of its own. The company has, after all, showcased a couple of concepts hinting at the prospect over the past few years since the Copen's cancellation.

Whether the new Copen would strictly comply with Kei car regulations that limit both size and engine capacity, or grow beyond that class remains to be seen. As does the question of its export, but considering Daihatsu is more or less a division of Toyota these days, we could see room in the Scion lineup for a baby FR-S. Couldn't you?

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/23/d...copen-revival/

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Daihatsu D-R Concept 2013! Daihatsu D-R Concept 2013!

Though Daihatsu may be out of sight out of mind for many Americans, due to its several-decade-long American hiatus, it is actually alive, well, and thriving in smaller markets, like Indonesia.

Most Daihatsu vehicles are very utilitarian, providing little thrill and tons of functionality, but it looks as if Daihatsu may be working its way toward a new area with its latest D-R Concept, the Daihatsu D-R Concept 2013.

At the 2012 Indonesian International Motor Show in Jakarta, Toyota subsidiary, Daihatsu, unveiled its all-new Daihatsu D-R Concept 2013 roadster. The exact details on the model are still a little scarce and the chances of it hitting the market are positioned somewhere between hell freezing over and the day it rains frogs, but the concept at least gives you an idea of the direction Daihatsu is looking to take its automobiles.Currently, the most popular Daihatsu is overwhelmingly the Xenia, a compact 7-passenger MPV, and this roadster is anything but the Xenia.

Exterior

This super-compact car boasts a wide front grille outlined in a matte grey with a mesh-like insert. The sharply angled headlights are underlined by louvered air-intake vents and a blue bar runs up the side of the vent, giving it an intimidating stare that you wouldn’t expect from a kei car.

The side door handle of the Daihatsu D-R Concept 2013 is hidden inside an indentation in the rear of the door, giving that side a clean finish and the shallow-raked windshield gives the side profile a nice overall look – even though the windshield looks a hair too big for the car. At the corners, there is a set of silver rims donning body-color accents to tie it all together.

The rear fascia boasts a lower grille with the same mesh insert and matte grey surrounding as its counterpart on the front end. At the base of the rear fascia, there’s a stylish center-exit exhaust system that allows this kei car’s petite powerplant to exhale.

Interior of the Daihatsu D-R Concept 2013

Inside, the customer gets a very clean and unexpectedly elegant package. The seats, steering wheel, dashboard, and gear shifter are all draped in a medium brown leather that is accented by the lighter brown base color. The steering wheel features a light grey center section and paddle shifters.
The center stack is neatly arranged with limited buttons on a gloss-black panel. Behind the steering wheel is an LCD-based instrument panel that is clean and easy to read.

Engine

The details of the engine are very limited. Considering the power output by similarly powered kei cars, we anticipate that the engine of the Daihatsu D-R Concept 2013 produces upwards of 70 horsepower, which is likely more than enough for this car, as we figure it cannot weight more than 2,000 lbs.
Though the engine specifics are not known, Daihatsu does claim that this is a fully functioning model that runs and drives like a production vehicle.

http://www.wikipediatrade.com/daihat...-concept-2013/

[rice_classic]

I love it.

One of my favorite cars in the world is small, has 2 doors and only came with 105hp at the flywheel. I like the idea of getting back to small sporty cars with small engines.

By the time you supe them up, they're juuuuuuust right.

However, I would not own the Copen... but I like the concept.

[dem00n]

D'aw, so cute.

[R.S-HawK]

What in the world is that thing...

[sklimo]

Is that a Macdonald's toy?

[kanundrum]

Looks like a Cappuccino/ K-Car

[Whitigir]

Originally Posted by sklimo

Is that a Macdonald's toy?

The thing that comes with kids meals ?

[Dimman]

How long until some noob starts a new Supra thread with these pics?

[bakerr6]

Originally Posted by Dimman

How long until some noob starts a new Supra thread with these pics?

I can do it if you want

[n2oinferno]

Good. Kill off the iQ and sell this instead.

[Trashed675]

Small and simple, I vote yes.....conditionally. As long as they offer it with a proper manual transmission or atleast a modern auto(dual clutch). For some reason i'm sort of doubting it though.