Ah Daihatsu, my favorite kei car makers. Made me wonder what the heck they’ve been up to for the past year. If there’s an automaker that could’ve capitalized on the small car demand, it should’ve been Daihatsu.

Anyway, Daihatsu will be showcasing three car concepts for this Tokyo show all of them packing 660xx Daihatsu goodness.

The first one’s a e:s which basically looks like a rip-off of the Mini but is smaller. With all the ecomentality, Daihatsu’s not looking into building hybrids. The 660cc cars are enough to deliver for city drives so they concentrate on lightweightedness to improve efficiency.

The next car’s the Deca Deca brings in some interesting features for a small MPV like its fold out doors. The small engine’s slapped with a turbo to help pull whatever cargo’s packed into its cabin space.

Finally, there’s the Basket which is based on the Mira. The car’s converted to 4WD and packs a separate front and rear roofs.

Here we go again with the Japanese and their famed kei cars. I have to admit that I am quite fascinated by these wee machines. Their kei-fest last Tokyo Motor Show had quite excited with the future of these cute vehicles. The sales of the Alto, the Yaris, the Fit and the Mazda2 are testaments of how the public is receiving these cars.

Remember the Nissan Cube? That kei car that looks like a box with wheels? Well, say hello to a new box-with-wheels on the block – the Daihatsu Move Conte. And when it comes to kei cars, there probably isn’t a batter maker than Daihatsu.

To give you how kei the Move Conte is even shorter that the Fiat 500 but the boxy design and the layout of the (compact) engine compartment and seats give enough space for four (svelte) people to fit inside the cabin.

The Move Conte will be powered by a naturally-aspirated KF-VE 3-cylinder engine that dishes out 58 horsepower which is quite enough to pull its boxy shape for city driving. A “pumped-up” version is also available in the form of a KF-DET (T stands for turbo) engine that dishes out six more horses. Options include relaying power either to the front wheels or all four wheels.

And safety is also made a concern with the addition of ABS, driver and passenger airbags. The car will be available at a price range of $9,133-$14,714.

Source: Inside Line

Okay, I have a Clarkson overload for today. But aside from what that Clarkson for PM bit, it’s quite interesting for him to write about cars and computers. I’ve watched him do that Inventions that Changed the World BBC special on computers years back and I’d have to say Clarkson doesn’t quite accept all of the new technology that comes out.

In his latest feature on Times Online, he bashes the Apple iPhone as he reviews the Daihatsu Materia. Here’s an excerpt of his thoughts on Apple building a car:

Read the rest of this entry »

Daihatsu may not be that big a brand outside Japan, but I’m a big fan of its superminis (kei cars in Japan), especially the Mira/Charade. Hey, you still got to love them, they’re a Toyota affiliate anyway.

The Tanto was first unveiled as a concept in the 2003 Tokyo Motor show. It featured a tall look making it look like a box on wheels more than anything. In any case, Daihatsu will be featuring a redesigned Tanto and Tanto custom at the Tokyo Motor Show this year. The new Tanto will feature a pillarless power-sliding door. It’s designed to be a mini-people mover. It would even sport wood-grain flooring.

It’s a small and agile car with the space to fit passengers and some luggage.