The compact Daihatsu Copen roadster has been on the market for more than one year and it is one of the most interesting cars of this class, but with its drawbacks – limitations in size and engine characteristics due to the requirements for kei cars. But that could change in the future as Daihatsu has unveiled the Vision Copen, a near-production version of the larger, more powerful roadster with a distinctive design and the same name. Only without restrictions for kei cars.
The concept became longer and received an increased wheelbase, and also became wider, but at the same time lower. Instead of a 0.6-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine, a 1.3-liter turbo engine settled under the hood, and rear-wheel drive replaced front-wheel drive.
Specifications of the Vision Copen have not been revealed, but it is known that the engine is mated to an automatic transmission. The engine itself is designed to run on carbon-neutral fuel to meet modern environmental trends. In official photographs, the roadster appeared with an open top, but a removable hard roof was announced for the new product – similar to the Active Top module from the first generation of the roadster.
DaihatsuDaihatsu
Daihatsu
The two-seater interior is designed in a deliberately ascetic style – the digital instrument panel is complemented by a small display of the multimedia system, a multifunction steering wheel and a minimal set of keys on the center console. In its concept, the Daihatsu Vision Copen is close to the Mazda MX-5, and its increased dimensions make the concept car a direct competitor to the super-popular roadster. But if the Mazda model is already in production and has even undergone another update, the serial prospects for the new Daihatsu product have not yet been indicated.
Japanese “techno heels”
