Car Spotlight>> A Lightly Tuned Daihatsu Copen

I've liked Daihatsu Copens for a few years now. Like many in States, I was first introduced to these cars from video games. 

When I landed in Japan, got into Tokyo, and started seeing these tiny, tiny cars all around, I fell in love. So it was natural for me to fall in love with this tuned Copen that was at Top Secret's shop. 

Just as we arrived at Top Secret, one of the guys was moving this Copen out of the garage to make room for the white R34 (next to the Top Secret CR-Z in the back of the photo) so it can be worked on in the shop. 

I love how gigantic a normal sized Japanese man looks in a Copen.

It's hard to know just how small these cars are until you realize that in this photo, the license plate is not a comically larger sized but it is normal sized!

The car has been slightly dropped on a set of coil overs and is rolling on a set of what looks like some old school Sparco wheels (can anyone take a guess what these wheels are?). For added fun, the owner opted for a set of Yokohama AO48s tires.

When I first set my eyes on this car, I noticed the power bulge on the hood. And since I was at Top Secret, I was hoping under the bulge was some monstrously tuned engine. 

Sadly, that wasn't the case.

The JB-DETi 660cc engine has been lightly modified. The turbo's intake has been upgraded as well as an upgraded intercooler. The engine has been tuned with an HKS F-Con V Pro. The original 64 hp has been boosted to a little over 100 hp.

That's stock Miata power, but in a car that's 1000 pounds lighter. Copen's may be front-wheel drive but imagine flogging this car around with its upgraded suspension, sticky tires and with 100 horses to play around with. Sounds like a load of fun to me!

Upgraded power means that the exhaust needs some bigger pipes. What’s a normal sized pipe on a regular sized car looks gigantic on the Copen.

The Z3 fenders I'm a bit iffy on, but I'd say that could be overlooked for the fact that this Copen is overall pretty sweet. 

On a perfect day, with the Copen's top down, and on the perfect road, I'm 100% certain that this car would put a huge smile on your face.

100hp on a 1700lb car, how can that not be fun?

-Linhbergh

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1

Like the infamous Robin, this is another car Americans will never get to appreciate.

2

Don't worry a second about the 100hp, the original 64 is good enough to have your spine in an S shape by the end of the day. these cars grip phenomenal. when working in the garage we took one of these cars to get up an down to the macD's and my got that milkshake got shaken!

maybe if the go cheap second hand it would be funny to have one aside in the car park

3

we get these in the UK with an 84hp 1.3 in there :)

4

Every time I see a male driving one I always hope it's his daughter's, girlfriend's or wife's….the car has ZERO masculinity, it's a cute girlie car at best.

5

I would buy that in a sec, love small cars!

6

any chance on more info on the white R34?! lol no really....

7

any chance on more info on the white R34?!

8

Sweet ride, I love kei cars in any shape or form <3

9

Mehh!! Just shove a Mazda 3 rotor into it and just call it a day. ;)

10

When was the last time a Miata weighted 2700 lbs?

11

The wheels look sort of like Weds Sports (TC-005's), too much space between the dual spoke sections to be Racing Hart CP-035's

12

@Alex



My 1990 NA6 weighs 2100 stock.



And to those that say this is a girly car, you need to get your priorities in order. Who cares if it's a "girly" car? I'd be grinning from ear to ear in that little rice rocket.

13

i could appreciate this car...but if the stig and clarkson couldn't resist rolling the damn thing, i wouldn't drive a robin either!

14

Don't worry a second about the 100hp, the original 64 is good enough to have your spine in an S shape by the end of the day. these cars grip phenomenal. when working in the garage we took one of these cars to get up an down to the macD's and my got that milkshake got shaken!

maybe if the go cheap second hand it would be funny to have one aside in the car park

15

Cute... =D

16

it looks like a Japanese version of the VW beetle. The front is the same shape as the back.

17

That's adorable. I bet I could fit one in the garage along with my 2 Miatas....

18

the rims are southern ways s-05, i have no idea what brand they are except that they look good haha :)



http://www.bcautodesign.com/Old_Website/Products_R_SouthernWays.html

19

Turned on my PS3, popped in GT5....And in process of building one

21

@seanic

good on you sir :D now you have the right mindset.

as for the copen, its like a beetle on steriods!

22

When people say Girls car are just Ignorant. I rather have bunch of girls drooling over a "girls car" then having bunch of old man hanging around a mustang. If your worried about your manly hood cause you drive a "girls car" then you have a problem. you have a tiny ****

23

@seanic:

That's exactly my point.

I know Miata's are light. Way lighter than 2700 lbs.

Linhbergh stated that the Copen is at least 1000 lbs lighter than the Miata (whatever Miata). This tell me Linhberg has no fucking clue how light Miata's are. Then at the bottom of the feature he states that the Copen weigh 1700 lbs. Thus my sarcastic comment about being 2700 lbs.

Go figure

24

that sucks that it's FF.

25

Cappuccino's are way better, and RWD

26

I've seen these a couple of times (in Europe) and they really are extremely small. Always thought they were RWD though, not that it really matters with 100 hp (or less, I think about 80-90 stock here). Always thought they were just more of a joke with the small output and like I said you can't fit in there, unless you're Japanese and even then it doesn't really fit that well haha.

27

Kei sports cars are badass, sure, but give me an older gen Suzuki Alto Works, Daihatsu Mira TRxx Avanzato, or a Honda Beat any day.

28

Copen - 1800lb

NA6 Miata - 2150lb

Slightly less than a 1000lb differential.



29

Daihatsu ... Pfff ... it's Dramatic.

30

@seanic:

That's exactly my point.

I know Miata's are light. Way lighter than 2700 lbs.

Linhbergh stated that the Copen is at least 1000 lbs lighter than the Miata (whatever Miata). This tell me Linhberg has no fucking clue how light Miata's are. Then at the bottom of the feature he states that the Copen weigh 1700 lbs. Thus my sarcastic comment about being 2700 lbs.

Go figure

31

SWEEEt. i love little lights..

32

@Alex and BoostedNA, I'm curious, where do each of you live and what do you drive?

33

how about 100 horse power on a 300 pound 600cc motorcycle..... this is stupid.

34

im with andylaurel on this one, the daihatsu is nice, but i'd prefer an older gen car any day.

35

damn it lihn..

36

im glad sppedhunters isnt always showing us monster-tuned engines, i like these simpler car mods.

thx speedhunters!

37

The day after Tokyo Auto Salon ended, John Leigh and I headed to Top Secret. Smoky Nagata told us to

38

I've own and driven all sorts of RWD cars, from 2.0l Fiat 131's to 5.2l Camaros, I live RWD, I feel safer in RWD cars, I can handle oversteering but not understeering. However I do own a 89HP Copen (as well as a couple of other cars). True, if this car was RWD, it would be perfect. But also very true what the review says: On a perfect day, with the Copen's top down, and on the perfect road this car DOES put a huge smile on your face. It turns extremely well. Mind the bumps though,

39

i have one. such a fun tiny little car. why dont you took a test drive?

40

Hi, thanks for this report! I drive a Copen in Belgium and am looking forward to tune my Copen in a similar way. It's stylish and discrete. Perfect! Who can I contact to get an overview of what has been done to the car?

41

@ThomasSnoeckx yo también tengo un copen

42

@ThomasSnoeckx yo también tengo un copen

43

@ThomasSnoeckx yo también tengo un copen

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