At the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, the Japanese company Daihatsu showed four different prototypes at once. One of them is the Noriori concept for people with disabilities.
This car has large sliding doors and special platforms that allow you to enter the salon in a wheelchair from the side or rear.
Interestingly, when parking, the concept automatically lowers the ground clearance, which also contributes to easier entry / exit. The Daihatsu Noriori cabin is spacious enough and there is enough space even for two passengers with wheelchairs.
Another concept that Daihatsu will show in Tokyo will be the Hinata. It is a kind of successor to the Move Conte kei-car. The main feature of the concept is its multifunctional interior with an easily modified seating pattern. The overall dimensions of the prototype are: 3,400 mm in length, 1,480 mm in width and 1,670 mm in height.
Also noteworthy is the concept of a compact van Tempo, which Daihatsu specialists built on a lightweight front-wheel drive platform. The Japanese have turned the car into a kind of "counter on wheels", which is ideal for selling fruits and cocktails.
The fourth new addition to the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show will be the D-Base key car. The concept is the same length and width as the Hinata, but is 180mm shorter in height. In the press, the prototype has already been named the successor to the compact city car Daihatsu Mira.
Note that all four prototypes are powered by a 0.66-liter three-cylinder petrol engine. The motor is combined with a variator and is highly fuel efficient. Thus, the declared fuel consumption when driving in mixed mode is less than 3.0 liters per 100 kilometers.
Other details of the concepts will be revealed directly at the Tokyo Auto Show, which will open on October 30, 2015.
Photo of the Daihatsu Noriori concept
Daihatsu Kogyo Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Japanese company Toyota, specializing in the production of Daihatsu cars. The headquarters is located in Osaka.
In 1951, during the reorganization of the Hatsudoki company, a new company, Daihatsu Kogyo Co., was formed, which currently produces mini cars (Q-class in Japan or A-class in Europe), small cars of B and C classes (in European classification), compact and medium SUVs, minivans and light trucks. However, the history of Daihatsu begins much earlier: it dates back to 1907, when professors of Osaka University Yoshinki and Turumi founded a company for the production and sale of internal combustion engines for industrial use. The company was named Hatsudoki Seizo Co. and produced natural gas engines. In 1919, two prototype trucks came out. Serial production did not begin until 1930, when Hatsudoki released the three-wheeled HA model, which became Japan's first domestically produced car.
By 1957, the company decided to switch to exporting Daihatsu three-wheeled vehicles, which sold very quickly. The three-wheeled micro-car Midget appeared on the Japanese market, which gained great popularity.
In October 1960, the Hi-Jet pickup with a 2-stroke 356 cc engine and two cylinders was released. In 1961, the 2-door Hi-Jet van was released, and in 1962, the New-Line pickup appeared, which was larger in size than the Hi-Jet and was equipped with a 797 cc water-cooled engine. The second generation Hi-Jet saw the light in 1963, and in 1966 the 2-door Fellow passenger car appeared.
In 1966, the Daihatsu Compagno became the first Japanese car to be imported into the UK. A year later, in 1967, Daihatsu Kogyo entered into an agreement (which effectively meant care) with Toyota Motor. In 1968, Daihatsu launched the Fellow SS, a mini-car with a 32-horsepower twin-carburetor engine; in the compact car industry, it was the first model to compete with the 31-horsepower Honda N360.
In 1971, a hardtop version of the Fellow model appeared, and a year later, in 1972, a 4-door sedan. At the same time, for reasons of fuel economy, the engine power was reduced from the then 40 hp. up to 37. In the export version, Fellow was called Daihatsu 360.
In 1974, Daihatsu Kogyo was renamed Daihatsu Motor Company.
The compact model Daihatsu Charmant is produced on the basis of Toyota Corolla in 1975.
In 1976, the Cuore (Domino) model appeared with a 2-cylinder 547 cc engine and the first four-wheel drive Taft SUV produced by the company (it was equipped with a whole range of engines - from a liter gasoline to a 2.5-liter diesel). A year later, the Charade model came out.
In 1980, a commercial version of Cuore appeared under the name Mira Cuore, in 1982 it was renamed Mira, and a turbo version came out a year later.
In 1984, the Rocky SUV replaced the Taft model, and the assembly of Daihatsu cars began in China.
By 1985, the total number of cars produced in the entire history of Daihatsu reached 10 million units, Alfa Romeo began to produce Charade for the Italian market. In Europe, mini-cars were very popular, and Daihatsu's sales in the European market grew steadily.
In 1986, the assembly of the Charade began in China, and a new model was released - the 3-door Leeza, also available in a turbo version, developing a power of 50 hp.
The new Applause and Feroza models were introduced in 1989.
In the early 90s, Daihatsu entered into a technology agreement with the Korean company Asia Motors and released the Sportrak model. In March 1990, the new generation Mira was fitted with a 4WS system together with 4WD for the first and only time in the history of compact car production.
In 1992, the Daihatsu Leeza was replaced by the 3-door Opti, and in Italy, jointly with Piaggio V.E. the enterprise began production of the Hijet. In 1993, the Charade Gtti took first place in the A-7 class in the 41st Safari Rally, and the Opti received the 5-door variant.
In August 1995, the new Move compact car was introduced to the Japanese market. Its design was developed in conjunction with the Italian company IDEA and displayed concessions in the allowable size of K-cars upward. With a short body length, the Move body has a height that allows the driver to ride in a tall hat. A year later, in 1996, a more traditional model was released - the Gran Move (Pyzar), as well as the Midget II and Opti Classic models with a retro-styled front end.
1997 - the company turns 90 years old, and the number of cars produced over these years reaches 10 million copies. The lineup is joined by the compact all-wheel drive Terios, as well as the Mira Classic with a retro design. The Move family has been expanded with the Move Custom model.
In 1998, the company celebrates another round number - the total number of cars produced reaches 20 million, the Terios Kid models appear, which debuted at the international exhibition in Frankfurt, an all-terrain vehicle in the Daihatsu range. This is a small, five-seater car, quite suitable for the role of a family car for trips out of town. The Sirion and the second-generation Move also appeared, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and in 1999 the Atrai Wagon, Naked and Mira Gino were added. Tada factory receives ISO 9001 certification.
In 2000, the Ikeda, Shiga and Tada factories received ISO 14001 certification. The expansion of the model range continues - this time the Atrai 7 and YRV are new, and in 2001 - the Max, which has the same technical characteristics as the Move. Move production by this time has already reached a million units. In Venezuela, together with Toyota, Terios begins to be produced, and at factories in Japan, a minimum percentage of emissions of harmful substances is achieved. In addition, a new Topaz catalyst is being developed.
In 2002, a catalyst appeared that independently regenerates its components from valuable metals. A novelty appears on the market - the stylish Copen Roadster.
At the recent Frankfurt and Tokyo showrooms, Daihatsu presented mostly concept mini-cars, from the 2.5-meter 2-seat Micros-3L with a targa body (removable roof panels) to the 5-seat compact 3.8-meter monocab. YRV. The cubic EZ-U is a city car concept with the largest possible interior size for its class: with a body length of 3.4 m, it has no front and rear overhangs. The micro-roadster Kopen is a kind of scaled-down replica of the European Audi TT with lighting technology from New Beetle. The off-road option is the SP-4 concept mini-SUV with a sliding rear roof section and permanent all-wheel drive, supplemented by a transfer case. The production model based on the SP-4 is likely to replace the veteran Feroza.
Today Daihatsu is a company with almost a century of history, the philosophy of which is the corporate slogan: "We make it compact". In the rapidly expanding automotive market, compactness will be the key concept, according to Daihatsu. The compact minivan class is now booming in Japan and Europe, and Daihatsu is beyond competition here. The company's cars are currently supplied to more than 100 countries around the world.
Daihatsu (Daihatsu) Is a Japanese automobile company. Initially, it was exclusively engaged in the production and sale of internal combustion engines for large industrial purposes. Then she began to produce cars and household appliances.
The history of the founding of the automobile brand Daihatsu (Daihatsu)
In 1907 Professors of Osaka University Yoshinki and Turumi founded a company for the production and sale of industrial combustion engines fueled by natural gas. The company was named Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd.
In 1919, two prototypes of trucks appeared, but it did not come to mass production. It only started in 1930, when the Hatsudoki company released the first car in Japan (among other things, a three-wheeled, model HA).
The company received its modern name in 1951. The word "Daihatsu" indirectly (through hieroglyphics) indicates the location of the company in Osaka and the fact that it produces engines.
In 1957, the company began to export Daihatsu three-wheeled vehicles which quickly gained popularity. A three-wheeled micro-car entered the domestic market Midget, also in great demand.
In 1960, the production of a small pickup began. Hi-Jet with a two-stroke two-cylinder engine with a volume of only 356 cc. see Two years later, a slightly larger pickup appeared New-Line with an already 797 cc engine. In 1961, production of the 2-door van began. Hi-Jet, and in 1966 a 2-door passenger car appeared Fellow.
In 1966, the Daihatsu Compagno became the first Japanese car to be imported into the UK.
In 1967 a merger agreement was signed with the company. In 1999, control of the company passed to Toyota Motor Corporation..
In 1968, Daihatsu released a mini-car Fellow SS with a 32 hp twin-carburetor engine; it was the first compact model to compete with the then popular Honda N360.
In 1971, a new version of the Fellow appeared, and in 1972, a 4-door sedan. Fellow was exported under the name Daihatsu 360.
In 1974, the Daihatsu Kogyo company was renamed, from that time it is called Daihatsu Motor Company.
Another compact model, Daihatsu charmant, was released on the basis of the famous Toyota Corolla in 1975.
In 1976, the model appeared Cuore (Domino), it was equipped with a 2-cylinder engine with a volume of 547 cc. The company also launched its first all-wheel drive off-road vehicle, the Taft.
In 1977, car production began Daihatsu charade.
In 1980, a new version appeared Daihatsu cuore named Mira cuore, but two years later it was renamed to Mira.
In 1984, instead of Taft, the company began to roll off the assembly line. Rocky SUV, in October of the same year - the first models Daihatsu 850 Cab and Daihatsu Cab Van, and since November the model has been added to them Daihatsu hijet.
By 1985, the total number of cars produced in the entire history of the company reached 10 million. Alfa Romeo began producing the Charade for the Italian market. As compact cars became more and more popular in Europe, sales of Daihatsu models grew steadily here.
In November 1986, production of the Daihatsu Charade also began in China. In the same year, a new 3-door model appeared. Leeza.
Models entered the automotive market in 1989 Daihatsu feroza and Daihatsu Applause.
In 1990, Daihatsu began to cooperate with the Korean company Asia Motors Co., Inc.
In January 1992, Daihatsu together with P.T. Daihatsu Indonesia has commissioned a new plant. At the end of 1992, the company, together with its partner Piaggio V.E, began production of a car Daihatsu hijet in Italy. In the same year, instead of the Daihatsu Leeza model, the production of a 3-door car was launched. Opti... The following year, a 5-door variant of the Opti model appeared.
In 1993, the team, driving a Charade Gtti, took first place in the A-7 class and fifth overall in the Safari Rally. In the same year, the 7,000th electric car was sold.
In 1994, the company's 10 millionth engine was released.
In April 1995, a new one entered the Indonesian market. Daihatsu Zebra Espass, in August of this year, a subcompact compact passenger car appeared Daihatsu move... Its design was developed jointly with the Italian company IDEA; dimensions slightly exceeded those that have already become de facto standard for compact cars. Perhaps this is partly why already in the next, 1996, a new compact model of traditional sizes was released, Gran Move (Pyzar) as well as models Midget ii and Opti classic.
In 1996, the production of the Daihatsu Hijet began at a factory in Vietnam, and the model was received. Daihatsu midget ii... In the second half of 1996, the company released another compact car Daihatsu Pyzar (Daihatsu Gran Move) station wagon.
In 1997, Daihatsu celebrated its 90th anniversary, and the number of passenger cars produced during these years reached 10 million copies. There are new models - compact all-wheel drive Terios, Mira Classic(with retro design), Move Custom.
In 1998, a passenger Daihatsu sirion, and in the Malaysian branch of the company on the basis of Daihatsu Terios began the production of an all-wheel drive car Perodua kembara... The total number of cars rolled off the assembly line of all varieties has reached 20 million.
Models entered the market in 1999 Atrai wagon, Naked and Mira gino, and in Indonesia, car production began Daihatsu taruna... In the same year, in Pakistan, it began to roll off the assembly line. Daihatsu cuore, and in Malaysia - a car Perodua Kenari (Daihatsu Altis)... Soon there was a compact Daihatsu Atrai 7 station wagon and compact Daihatsu YRV... As of 2000, Daihatsu has produced 8,000 electric vehicles.
In the 1990s, the company pays much attention to the implementation of quality standards and environmental management systems (ISO) at its enterprises. In 1998, one of the factories - Kyoto - received the ISO 14001 certificate. In 1999, another plant of the company, Tada, received the ISO 9001 certificate. In 2000, a more stringent ISO 14001 certificate was received by the main plant Daihatsu, then the Ikeda, Shiga and Tada plants received the same certificate. The company is actively solving the problem of environmental pollution - at all local factories, industrial waste has been reduced to zero, and a highly efficient TOPAZ catalyst is being developed.
As of 2001, the number of produced cars of the Move model was more than a million copies. The company has released a new car Daihatsu max... Together with a company in Venezuela, Daihatsu launched a model Daihatsu terios.
In 2002, the company established the holding group Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn. Bhd. headquartered in Malaysia. A passenger car appeared Daihatsu copen... Daihatsu's development team has created a smart catalyst capable of regenerating precious metal components.
All this time, the company continues to do what it started its business with - the production of industrial engines. In 2003, he completed the construction of the Kagami plant, designed specifically for this purpose. In the same year, the company launches a number of new products - Daihatsu terios, Daihatsu tanto... Model production begins in Indonesia Daihatsu xenia, in the development of which Toyota took part.
In 2004, a model appeared on the market, jointly developed by Daihatsu and Toyota, it was named Daihatsu boon... The company is refining, improving its unique Rapid Catalyst Activation System and proving its practicality. In the same year, another Daihatsu Auto Body Co., Ltd. plant was opened. Oita.
The company's slogan throughout its centuries-old existence remains unchanged: "We make it Compact"("We make it compact"). Daihatsu is a leader in compact minivans. Cars such as Daihatsu Terios, Daihatsu Sirion, Daihatsu Move, Daihatsu Mira, Daihatsu Hijet, Daihatsu Delta, Daihatsu Copen, Daihatsu Charade, Daihatsu Applause, Daihatsu Altis are supplied to more than 100 countries around the world. © ves4i.com.ua
Daihatsu official website: http://www.daihatsu.com/
Daihatsu (Daihatsu) - a subsidiary of the Japanese automobile corporation Toyota, which specializes in the production of micro and small cars, minivans, SUVs and trucks. Daihatsu is often referred to as "the big small car manufacturer". All Daihatsu models are assembled at factories in Japan, Indonesia and Venezuela.
The history of the brand goes back over a hundred years. In 1907, Osaka University professors Yoshinki and Turumi founded a company to manufacture internal combustion engines for industrial use. The company was named Hatsudoki Seizo Co. In 1951, Hatsudoki underwent a series of reorganizations and was renamed Daihatsu Kogyo Co.
In 1957, the company decided to export its three-wheeled vehicles to Daihatsu. At the same time, the Midget three-wheeled micro-car appeared on the domestic market, which has become quite popular.
In the fall of 1960, the company launched its first pickup truck called the Hi-Jet. The car was equipped with a two-stroke two-cylinder engine with a volume of only 0.35 liters. A year later, on the basis of this model, the production of a two-door Hi-Jet van was launched, and in 1962 the company released its second pickup, New-Line. It was larger than the Hi-Jet model and was equipped with a 0.8 liter water-cooled engine.
In 1963, the second generation Hi-Jet was introduced, and in 1966, the two-door Fellow passenger car. At the same time, the company began exporting cars to the UK, with the Compagno being the first to be exported. In 1967, a landmark agreement is concluded with Toyota Motor, and Daihatsu becomes its subsidiary. In 1968, the company introduced the Fellow SS, a mini-car with a 32-horsepower carburetor engine. This model was a worthy competitor to the 31-horsepower Honda N360, which was popular at the time.
In 1971, the brand expanded production of the Fellow model with the introduction of a hard-top version, and in 1972 a modification with a four-door sedan body appeared. The model was also exported under the name Daihatsu 360.
In 1974 the company changed its name to Daihatsu Motor Company. In 1975, the compact Charmant model was released on the basis of the Toyota Corolla. In 1976, the company launched its first off-road vehicle - the Taft model. The car was equipped with a whole range of engines - from a liter gasoline to a 2.5-liter diesel. Also this year, the Cuore (the second name is Domino) appeared with a 547 cc two-cylinder engine.
In 1977, the Charade model was released. In 1980, a commercial version of Cuore appeared under the name Mira Cuore, in 1982 it was renamed Mira, and a turbo version came out a year later.
In 1984, the Rocky SUV replaced the Taft. At the same time, the first Chinese plant, Daihatsu, was opened. In 1985, the brand celebrated the release of the 10 millionth car. The company's cars were successfully sold on the European market, mainly due to the popularity of mini-cars.
In 1986, the assembly of the Charade started at a plant in China, and a new model appeared - the three-door Leeza, which was presented simultaneously in a turbo version equipped with a 50 hp engine. In the early nineties, the automaker, together with the Korean company Asia Motors, manufactured the Sportrak.
In March 1990, sales of a new generation of the Mira model began, on which the 4WS system was installed together with 4WD for the first and only time in the history of compact car production. In 1992, the 3-door Opti replaced the Leeza. In the same year in Italy, together with Piaggio V.E. the enterprise began production of the Hijet.
In 1995, a new compact car Move entered the Japanese market, the design of which was developed in cooperation with the Italian company IDEA. A year later, the Gran Move (Pyzar) model appears, followed by the Midget II and Opti Classic models with a retro-styled front end.
In 1997 the brand celebrates its ninetieth anniversary. In 1998, the company produces the 20 millionth car. The Terios Kid debuts in Frankfurt, featuring good capacity and excellent cross-country ability. In 1999, the lineup of the company was replenished with such new items as Atrai Wagon, Naked and Mira Gino.
By 2000, the production of the Move model reaches one million copies. In addition, the company boasts that its Japanese factories emit a minimal percentage of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
In 2002, a catalyst was developed and introduced into production, capable of self-regenerating its components from valuable metals. Also launching this year is the Copen, a stylish and modern roadster.
In subsequent years, the company has been actively expanding its model range, presenting more and more interesting and concept cars. If you are the owner of a Daihatsu car, then you have the opportunity to leave your feedback on our forum.
The company successfully embodies its motto “We make it compact” in its cars. In the rapidly expanding automotive market, compactness will be the key concept, according to company representatives. The compact minivan class is now booming in Japan and Europe, and Daihatsu is unrivaled here.
The catalog on our website Auto.dmir.ru contains the most popular models of the manufacturer with a detailed description of the technical characteristics and photos.
An article about the history of the Japanese automobile brand Daihatsu - interesting facts about the formation and development of the concern. At the end of the article - a video about the history of Daihatsu.
The content of the article:
One of the oldest Japanese automakers, the king of small cars, the "dark horse" in the automotive world - this is all Daihatsu.
Industrial scientists
One of the largest Japanese universities, located in Osaka and having the status of "royal", has graduated many famous people: the Nobel laureate and Wolf Prize laureate, physicists and chemists, even the co-founder of the Sony concern.
Two prominent engineers and professors from the Universities of Yosinki and Turumi did not gain worldwide fame, but contributed to the creation of a unique automobile brand, whose models are now sold in 140 countries.
Once the gentlemen decided to move from theory to practice and start producing industrial engines. For more than two hundred years, engineers from different countries have fished out the maximum that it can give from an internal combustion engine. However, the industry required engines with very high efficiency, as well as the ability to use cheap, economical fuel.
The enterprise of scientists, in the distant 1907 still bore the name of Hatsudoki Seizo Co., began to produce units operating on natural gas, as well as diesel engines. Their products have been used in the marine, mining and energy sectors, and on the railroad.
A few years later, Japan began to experience an acute shortage of transport, which prompted many companies to reorient themselves to the development of domestic cars, trucks and cars. The professorial brainchild was no exception.
History has not preserved documentary materials and photographs of the first two developments of the Hatsudoki Seizo in a new field - compact trucks. The model, which is considered to be truly the first real car, was the Type HA three-wheeled tricycle. This rather strange means of transportation can be compared with the cargo-and-passenger "Ant" produced in the Soviet Union in the 60s.
Although the professorial creation could hardly be called a car, it came in handy on the narrow, crowded Japanese streets, which required special maneuverability.
In addition, the tricycle had a number of undeniable advantages: simple design, maintainability, low cost, meager production tax, and a good 500 cc engine.
In the wake of the success, albeit not grandiose, the company continued to expand the range of its compact trucks. But the underdevelopment of infrastructure in the 30s made it difficult to actively sell, and therefore the army became the main consumers of Hatsudoki Seizo products.
Japan had already embarked on the path of aggressive militarism, and therefore orders fell like a cornucopia so much that, thanks to the profit received on tricycles, it was necessary to urgently build another plant in Ikeda.
In 1937, engineering professors attempted to design a standard 4-wheel vehicle. They even demonstrated their creation to the domestic consumer under the FA index, but in the pre-war years there was neither interest nor opportunities for it, and therefore the curiosity was quickly and safely forgotten.
Korean relations
A strong thread tied the Japanese manufacturer to Korea. In the 90s, Daihatsu worked with the Korean company Asia Motors to develop the Sportrak compact SUV. The model was powered by a 4-cylinder 1.6-liter gasoline engine paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. The body itself was offered in two versions - with a hard or soft top. And a few decades earlier, it was Korea that saved the automaker from complete decline.
During the war years, and even more so after the defeat of Japan in World War II, the production of Hatsudoki Seizo practically stopped. There were no orders, the available copies were not sold out, the funds for the release of new models were exhausted.
And then the Korean War broke out, which allowed a new look at such simple but comfortable and reliable three-wheeled trucks, and at the same time at the high-quality engines still produced by Hatsudoki Seizo. The army ordered them at such a pace that by the 50s the company got back on its feet and even thought about exporting.
Four-wheel drive or controllability - do you need to choose
The Mira model, outwardly very similar to the Soviet VAZ, began to be produced in 1980. By the third generation, the company's engineers decided to experiment and, for the first time in the history of compact car manufacturing, installed a 4WS system in conjunction with 4WD on a car.
The 4WS system provides handling, maneuverability on all 4 wheels, and 4WD is an all-wheel drive system. The first had 2 modes of operation - at high and low speed. At low speed, turning the steering wheel turns the front and rear wheels in opposite directions, while at high speed it turns to one side. This maneuver allows you to change the trajectory and at the same time go into a skid.
However, the combination of both systems was not to the liking of car owners, who were accustomed to using only one of them, so the next generation took on a more traditional all-wheel drive look.
Big Brother
To buy up shares of not a competitor, but Toyota's colleagues began half a century ago and gradually owned 51.2% of Daihatsu's assets. There was a certain benefit in this interest - Toyota planned to launch the Yaris and was looking for new capacity.
Control over Daihatsu allowed the project to be carried out without opening its own additional workshops, and the model, by the way, immediately received the title of "Car of the Year".
Having completely absorbed the automaker, Toyota did not deprive it of its name and history, making it its own, but still an independent division specializing in minicars.
The president of Toyota called this merger the path to globalization of the Daihatsu brand, which is now truly in demand all over the world. Big Brother himself was able to meet the needs of motorists in fairly specific models, without wasting his own resources.
Lost in translation
In 1951, Hatsudoki Seizo Co not only decided to enter foreign markets, but also underwent a reorganization. Within its framework, it was decided to change the name, which is difficult for other countries, which is difficult to remember and even more difficult to pronounce.
It was born as follows: the first three letters are formed by Japanese characters, designating Osaka as the company's headquarters, the next - a combination of the phrase "engine production". Thus, the founders of the brand emphasized their historical roots and the engineering ideas that prompted the founding of the company.
If you look at the Cuore model from 1980, you can find painfully familiar features in it. It turns out that the Soviet automakers borrowed it for the design of the domestic small car - "Oka".
We must pay tribute to our engineers - they only spied on the body and a couple of technical ideas, independently developing the entire chassis and engine. The power unit was planned to be installed similar to the prototype - 3-cylinder. But by the appointed day of the start of production, it was still not ready, and therefore it was necessary to hastily replace it with a 2-cylinder, reworked from the VAZ-2108 engine.
The original engine was able to be finalized only by the 90s, but then a crisis broke out in the automotive industry and the introduction of the new product did not take place again.
With regret, it is worth admitting, looking at the photographs of the latest generation of Cuore, that Russian engineers will no longer catch up with their Japanese colleagues.
African-Italian roots
What can an Italian sports car and premium car manufacturer have in common with a Japanese subcompact specialist?
Not the most powerful, but quite reliable, economical, maintainable model Charade was born in 1977. And in 1985, when the Japanese brand already boasted 10 million cars produced, Charade became interested in Alfa Romeo.
In the 1960s, many European automakers began building factories in South Africa to produce left-hand drive vehicles. Alfa Romeo was no exception, launching its production in Britts, next to Pretoria.
Sanctions from Western countries led to the complete self-sufficiency of South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s. Even in the automotive industry, the state preferred local manufacturers, which led to a rapid increase in the number of vehicles. The sales volume of the same Alfa Romeo in South Africa at times exceeded the interest in its cars in its native Italy.
In these profitable years, the Italians sent into production their favorite Daihatsu Charade model, intended for both local car owners and for export to Italy, which was beneficial in terms of bypassing the import tax.
However, in 1985, some time before the international scandal and the boycott by the apartheid states in South Africa, Alfa Romeo hastily curtailed its enterprise and left the South African market. All remaining property was destroyed, as transporting it to Italy would also be subject to huge taxation and would not justify the cost. Remained on African soil and Charade.
Today Daihatsu is a unique, self-sufficient brand with almost a century of history. The philosophy of the company is to package dreams in a practical and compact format that absolutely meets the modern requirements of environmental friendliness, manufacturability and style. Daihatsu is confident that with a rapidly developing car market, the future lies in compactness, and the sales volume in more than a hundred countries confirms this opinion.
Daihatsu video:
