For decades, Japanese car manufacturers had two types of cars they sold. The first were JDM cars produced for the domestic market, and the second ones were models sold in the rest of the world. True JDM connoisseurs knew that sports cars were never offered to outside markets deep in Japan and lusted after those exclusive machines. Today, we will tell you more about 10 forgotten Japanese sports cars that are rarely seen outside Japan.
1. Isuzu 117 Coupe
The gorgeous Isuzu 117 Coupe was never offered on the American market, which is a shame. Even with its limited production, it became one of the early Japanese classics and a very influential model. The company needed a halo car to turn the industry’s attention to Isuzu and present them in the best possible light.
So, they used the existing passenger car rear-wheel drive platform with a 1.6- and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and went to Italy to find a fashionable suit. There, Isuzu contacted famous designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who provided them with an elegant, cool-looking coupe design. This was the final piece of the puzzle, and in 1968, the beautiful Isuzu 117 Coupe debuted. The car stayed in production until 1981 and was sold in reasonably large numbers.
2. Honda S600/S800 Roadster
Honda was one of the first Japanese car companies to enter the American market in the ’60s. However, the first Hondas weren’t cars because the company made and sold only small but durable scooter motorcycles at that time. Honda has always had an ambition to start proper car production, and one of their first models was a cute little roadster called the S600.
Introduced in 1964, the S600 was a two-seater convertible with extremely compact dimensions, light weight, and powered by a small 600cc engine. It had 57 HP but a pretty lively performance since it weighed 1500 pounds. Interestingly, the S600 had a chain drive, a primitive drivetrain system from motorcycle production. In 1967, Honda introduced the S800, an upgraded and more powerful version with a bigger 800 cc engine and 70 HP, also available as a coupe.
3. Nissan Silvia CSP 311
You all probably know Nissan Silvia for its widely popular S14 and S15 versions, which were produced in the ’90s and became the definitive drift cars. However, Silvia’s story as one of Nissan’s most legendary sports cars dates back to the mid-’60s and the cool-looking Silvia CSP 311 coupe, which was one of the first modern and proper sports cars from this brand.
Introduced in 1964 at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Silvia CSP 311 was a big step forward for this still obscure manufacturer. The car had European looks and proportions, and it was a luxurious (for the Japanese standards of the times) sports coupe with rear-wheel drive. It was powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 96 HP, which gave it decent performance.
4. Mazda RX-3 Coupe
Despite the limited appeal of Mazda’s Wankel engine offerings, problematic durability, and unusual driving dynamics, the company continued to offer this type of engine in various models for USA buyers, even in compact pickup trucks. But in the early ’70s, a small but lively RX-3 Coupe was the most interesting.
This tiny car was a nicely styled fastback coupe with modern design cues, although on a much smaller scale than contemporary models from the USA or Europe. The most important was the engine, and under the hood was a two-rotor, 1.1-liter Wankel unit with 91 HP. We know it doesn’t sound like much, and foreign markets got the same engine with 115 HP, but domestic emissions regulations choked this little Rotary motor.
5. Autozam AZ-1
If you don’t know what this is, nobody could blame you. It is a tiny sports car powered by a turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 660 cc and 64 hp. It was built by Mazda and sold by Suzuki in limited numbers from 1992 to 1995. During that time, fewer than 5000 were made.
Despite its size and 1500 pounds, the Autozam AZ-1 was a proper sports car; some consider it the only supercar in the Kei Car segment. Perfect chassis, gullwing doors, and decent performance made it a favorite driving machine in Japan at the time. The bizarre styling but lively driving dynamics give the driver a unique driving experience, which is one of the reasons you should consider importing this little gem, since it was never officially sold outside of Japan. You can now import it in the USA since it is older than 25 years.
6. Mitsuoka Orochi
One of the world’s most obscure supercars comes to us from Japan in the form of the Mitsuoka Orochi, a pretty groovy-looking two-seater with Lambo doors and a controversial design.. This crazy design is, in fact, a regular production model even though it looks like a dragon-like creature from somebody’s worst nightmares.
The Orochi is based on the Honda NSX platform but powered by Toyota’s 3.3-liter V6 engine with 240 HP. Not much, but the car is light and nimble, so the performance is satisfying, to say the least. The Orochi was never intended to be sold outside of Japan or selected Asian markets, especially not in the USA. First of all, the car is only made in right-hand configuration, and second, Mitsuoka is not interested in foreign buyers.
7. Suzuki Cappuccino
If you are a fan of Kei Cars, Japanese micro automobiles with diminutive dimensions, small engines, and a lot of fun, now is the time to show it. This tiny roadster is built out of aluminum with rear wheel drive, a cramped interior, and a small trunk. You probably think the smallest Japanese convertible is the Mazda Miata, but the Cappuccino is almost half the size.
The engine only has 64 hp from a 670 cc three-cylinder unit, but it likes to rev. Thanks to its only 1400 pounds of weight, this car has lively performance and unbelievable driving dynamics. Produced in right-hand-drive configuration only and sold in selected markets in Asia and Europe, the Cappuccino is quite a rare car with a total production of around 28,000 examples. The prices are not high, but they will gain value when US enthusiasts buy them.
8. Honda S660
Some enthusiasts call the Honda S660 “shrunken NSX,” and the similarities are more than just design. Like the NSX, the tiny S660 has a mid-mounted engine with just three cylinders, 660 cc, and a turbocharger. The result is 63 HP and practically ideal handling.
The car is available with a choice of 6-speed manual or 7-speed CVT automatic, and despite its lack of power, a Japanese journalist declared it one of the best-driving Kei Cars currently on sale.
9. Daihatsu Copen
Daihatsu is one of the prime manufacturers of Kei Cars, with its entire range dedicated to small vehicles. Their most interesting model is definitely the Copen, a tiny roadster. If you want to visualize what Copen is like, try a Miata, but half the size.
The Copen was introduced in the early 2000s and is in its second generation. As expected, the 660 cc engine is under the hood, and power is below the 70 HP mark. However, the turbocharged engine is highly tunable, and this compact roadster can deliver some pretty lively performance.
10. Toyota Sports 800
This was the first of Toyota’s sports cars, introduced in 1962. At the time, Toyota was a small and totally unknown company, so it is not strange that sales were limited to Asian markets only.
It had a diminutive 800 cc engine with 45 HP, but despite its extremely modest displacement and power, the Sports 800 had some performance credentials since it was extremely light and agile. Production stopped in 1969 after over 3,100 examples were built.