Japanese brand breathes new life into this cute convertible – and it’s cuter than ever
Kei convertible
Meet the K-Open Concept, a preview of the next-generation Copen. And it looks to be a particularly fun toy. Until now, you’ve known the Copen as a light, front-wheel-drive convertible with just enough power to have fun with it without losing your license. The new K-Open breaks radically with that tradition: it gets rear-wheel drive! That is a big step for a rock car, because in such a small size it is technically a huge challenge to fit an engine, transmission and drive shaft. Yet Daihatsu has succeeded.
660 cc
Under the hood is again expected to be a 660 cc three-cylinder gasoline engine – you can’t go any bigger in a kei-car – with turbo. So no electric or hybrid drive, just gasoline, manual and lightweight. Exactly what many Copen fans want to hear.
Retro with a wink
In terms of design, the K-Open harkens back to the first-generation Copen from 2002. Think round headlights, flowing lines and a roguish face. Yet it’s not just nostalgia: the bodywork looks more muscular, with wider hips, vents on the hood and a centrally placed exhaust.
Inside without fuss
Inside, Daihatsu has kept it nice and simple. No excessive screens or touch panels, but digital clocks behind a classic three-spoke steering wheel. A real gear lever, a traditional handbrake and a set of sport seats. That’s all you need in a convertible less than 3.5 meters long.
Akio Toyoda is a fan
Special detail: none other than Akio Toyoda, former Toyota top executive and now self-proclaimed “Master Driver,” is going to personally test the K-Open. Or as he himself puts it, “I’m going to test it often and hard.” Freely translated: when Toyoda finishes with it, it’s really ready for production.
But is he coming to the Netherlands?
Then the bad news: the chances of it coming to Europe are (very) slim. Like its recent predecessors, the new Copen will remain exclusive to the Japanese market. The previous generation disappeared from Europe after only a short time, and Daihatsu itself withdrew here years ago. A shame, because with its low weight, compact dimensions and manual transmission, we would love to give the K-Open a go.
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