DAIHATSU COPEN BOWS OUT

Six years ago Daihatsu South Africa launched the Copen roadster, at the time the smallest roadster in the market. It was not very cheap, not at all powerful. But damn was it loads of fun to drive! Plus if you drove one you became very popular with little people. Of all ages. Now we hear the Copen is saying goodbye.

Apparently Daihatsu has sold about 56 000 units of the Copen worldwide. We don’t have Mzansi figures though, but we suspect it was less than 56. Well, not that little. So in order to say goodbye properly, Daihatsu will launch a 10^th Anniversary Edition to be sold only in Japan in very limited numbers. It will feature a 660cc turbo engine worth 47kW, pulled on by a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic, a chromed front grille, 15-inch wheels, black leather seats and red stitching among others.

We probably won’t see it in Mzansi though, given that we haven’t seen one since launch in 2006.