At the 2012 IIMS in
Jakarta, Daihatsu, unveiled its all-new D-R Concept
roadster. The exact details on the model are still a little scarce and the
chances of it hitting the market are positioned somewhere between hell freezing
over and the day it rains frogs, but the concept at least gives you an idea of
the direction Daihatsu is looking to take its automobiles.
The first thing that is striking about the D-R
Concept is the fact that the body panels are resin-based, not metallic, so they
resist dents like Saturn Saturn once did and they are fully interchangeable, so
you can quickly customize it. This super-compact car boasts a wide front grille
outlined in a matte grey with a mesh-like insert. The sharply angled headlights
are underlined by louvered air-intake vents and a blue bar runs up the side of
the vent, giving it an intimidating stare that you wouldn’t expect from a kei
car.
Inside, the customer gets a very clean and unexpectedly
elegant package. The seats, steering wheel, dashboard, and gear shifter are all
draped in a medium brown leather that is accented by the lighter brown base
color. The steering wheel features a light grey center section and paddle
shifters.
The details of the engine are very limited. All we
know is that it is a 660 cc, 2-cylinder turbocharged engine. Considering the
power output by similarly powered kei cars, we anticipate that the engine
produces upwards of 70 horsepower, which is likely more than enough for this
car, as we figure it cannot weight more than 2,000 lbs.
