What a Charade...Daihatsu Takes Toyota Yaris Leftovers to Create a New Model

Daihatsu may be getting ready to pull out of the European market, but as a last call, the Japanese firm will introduce one more model to its range, the new Charade. And as you've probably guessed by now, the “new” Charade is in fact a Daihatsu-badged version of the outgoing Toyota Yaris, the successor of which, has already been introduced in Japan and will be showcased through a hybrid study in Geneva. Read more »

Daihatsu Launches New Move, Claims Title of Japan's Most Fuel Efficient Non-Hybrid Passenger Car

Toyota Motor Corp's small-car making subsidiary, Daihatsu, has unveiled a new generation of its Move mini in Japan. The five-door hatchback has been redesigned from the ground up and is claimed to be the most fuel efficient, non-hybrid, gasoline passenger car in Japan achieving up to 27.0km/liter, which is equal to 65.5 mpg US and 3.7 lt/100km.

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Revised Daihatsu Copen Roadster Adds New Ultimate S Variant

Daihatsu has launched the 2011 model year version of its tiny Copen roadster in Japan. In order to keep buyers interested, Toyota's subsidiary enhanced the base trim level with additional standard features and introduced a new Ultimate S Edition that gains a restyled grille, dark colored 15-inch BBS alloys, a Momo steering wheel and gear lever, plus the option of full leather sport seats or a set of Recaro buckets draped in Alcantara.

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Daihatsu Materia Icecube by Inden Design: Euro-Tuning for Scion-Like Model

German tuning house Inden Design promises to turn your ordinary Daihatsu Materia - a very Scion-like model that is also sold in Japan as the Daihatsu COO, Toyota bB and Subaru Dex, into something far more cool (...hence the Icecube nameplate) with its new aftermarket program.

The cosmetic treatment begins with a special matte white paint job for the body and black finish for the roof that costs €5,500 and continues with a full bodykit that includes headlight covers, side skirts and wheel arch extensions (€448), rear bumper with an integrated diffuser and two large tail pipes (€448) and front bumper fascia with day-time lights (€230).

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VIDEO: The Japanese Will Drift Anything, Even Mini Pickup Trucks

When you put the Kanji for "道楽攻暴　走行会" into the Google translator, it comes up as "Practice Committee debauchery violence attack". AltaVista comes up as "Dissipated attack violent travelling meeting".

Buddy Yuichi K got at some people for a translation and got "the debauchery-assail drive". No matter what, the words "violent", "debauchery", and "attack" feel just about right.

What it appears to be is Daihatsu farm trucks sliding around a track mad-crazy like. Enjoy the video of Japanese niche-racing at its finest. Oh, if anyone here is Japanese (or speaks it fluently), throw us the official meaning. Rock and roll.

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Tokyo '09: Daihatsu Shows its More Feminine Side with Mira Cocoa

As if Toyota's affiliate Daihatsu wasn't enough unpopular with male consumers, the company that is known for the most part for its small kei- and city- cars introduced the Mira Cocoa at the 2009 Tokyo Show. The delightfully tiny hatch targets female buyers with its near cartoonish appearance inside and out. It is powered by a 0.6-liter three-cylinder engine that makes 58 horsepower and is available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations with price in Japan starting from 1 million yen or about $10,900 USD.

Photo credits go to our Tokyo Motor Show reporter, Phil Alex

Tokyo '09: Daihatsu's Pint-Sized Basket Concept

Seen by many as a modern-day Fiat 500 Jolli with a Japanese twist in it, the Basket is one of four new concept models unveiled by Daihatsu at the Tokyo Motor Show. The 3,395 mm long canvas-top Basket is based on the JDM Mira matching a 600cc 3-cylinder gasoline engine to a four-wheel drive system. Seating up to four people, the Basket's rear seats can be folded down turning the car into a miniature pick-up with a completely flat bed. Live shots after the break.

All Photos Shot by our Tokyo Motor Show man Phil Alex

Tokyo '09: Daihatsu Deca Deca Mini MPV Concept

Making its world premiere at Daihatsu's Tokyo Motor Show stand alongside the Basket and e:S concept models is the Deca Deca. Measuring just 3,395mm (133.5-in.) in length, the odd-looking, boxy shaped mini MPV features a pair of pillar-less fold out doors on the passenger's side while the vehicle's simplistic interior is distinguished by the slim fold-away seats that can be arranged in numerous ways either to perform work inside the car or to increase the cargo area.

The Deca Deca is motivated by a three-cylinder turbocharged engine that drives the front wheels through a CVT.

Daihatsu Basket Concept Heads to Tokyo Motor Show

Bearing a resemblance or two to popular European golf-cart-like canvas top minis of the 60s and 70s such as the MINI Moke, Citroen Mehari and Fiat 500 Jolli, the Basket is a concept model from Daihatsu and it will make its world premiere at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October. The pint-size four-seater features a targa-like removable hardtop roof over the front seats and a removable canvas top over the rear seats. More pictures after the jump.