Ten Weird, Wild & Wonderful Japanese Cars We Never Got to Buy

http://www.cars-directory.net/specs/mitsuoka/ and http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/top-2001-Mitsuoka-Orochi-Concept.htm Mitsuoka. In the Uk there's several Viewts, Rays and Le-Seydes. You don't know what you've missed.  Most based on standard Nissan cars.

Must be nice to live there, my post was taken from the North American viewpoint though.

By and large, the Honda Beat is the one I see the most of out of your list.  Any of the sub-700cc carry alls (like the prolific Suzuki Carry - http://www.suzuki.co.jp/dom4/estimate/frame.htm) and the Diahatsu Copen (2-seater hardtop convertible - http://www.daihatsu.com.mt/copen.asp) are some I would add to the list immediately! :D

re: "Rike a Lock"

China has no R.  Japan has no L.  So, it's Like a Lock.  But, usually it's an L in the middle of a word or close to another consonant, especially quartery (quarterly). 

I asked my Japanese wife to write down "Like a Rock" and she gave me "Rike a Lock". I think its a case of her overcompensating - and me trying to be cute

In addition to the rather cool vehicles the article mentions, there were loads of wonderful micro and mini cars that never made it anywhere beyond Japan or nearby Asia.  Among the best - the Mazda 360, a very neatly styled little coupe.  Also, there were many ultra-efficient little sub-660cc trucks that are just the thing we need in America today!

Fortunately we did get some of the really good early Japanese vehicles, like the 60s Datsun pickups, and the great 3rd generation Honda Civic (a wonderful car that unfortunately is prone to rust).

These things would never compete with the MX-5 (you call it a miata). They're miniscule, and pack a 600cc 3 cylinder engine. The mx-5 would wipe the floor with them, and rightly so at a bit more than double the price. They're not competitors at all. Its like saying that ugly daewoo thing would compete with the TT - totally different markets.

I dunno, most of the MX-5 (or Miata, i prefer the original name contemporary with the early 90s Beat) i see are not driven as weekend racers but as cute commuters - a role in which the Beat would be extremely competitive IMHO. And at half the price? Honda made a rare mistake in not bringing the Beat overseas.

Most people who own Miatas may not race them, but most weekend racers are indeed Mazdas (with a substantial proportion of them Miatas).

 It would be interesting to see what a Beat could do on an autocross track, but I would be pretty surprised if it outperformed the Miata. 

Could we call the race "Miata Beat Manifesto"? Please?

Nissan did actually export the Skyline GTR outside Japan. The car gained a huge cult status as a very capable race platform both on the street and on the track in Australia. We (here in the land of OZ) were pretty much the only other nation to get them, compliments I think due to their use in the Bathurst 1000 racing series before the 'Big Two' OZ car makers - Holden and Ford - got a bit scared about competition and got the rules changed so that most other vehicles - except for their V8 engined, rear wheel drive, 4 door sedans - were inelligible to enter.

That's a very good effort to show us the weirdest and wonderful cars of Japan that we can not buy.

Shiotsu Autotrade
http://www.shiotsu-used-car.com

I wish I could buy some of these cars !!

Japanese Used Car

THIS IS ONE VERY INTERESTING SITE THAT SHOULD BE VIEWED BY CAR AFFECIANADOES!!!

MAY I SUGGEST THAT YOU ALSO LOOK INTO THE FF. CARS THAT I HAVE SEEN ONLY IN JAPAN .

AS JAPANEESE FRIEND OF MINE ONCE SAID . THEY ARE FOR JAPANEESE CONSUMPTION ONLY.

1 TOYOTA CENTURY
2 TOYOTA MEGA CRUISER
3SUZUKI CAPPUCINO
4 I SAW THIS ONE IN MY LAST VISIT TO OKINAWA A DAIHATSU THAT LOOKS LIKE A SMALL HUMBEE
5 NISSAN PRESIDENT

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

M ANNY B.