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2018 Mitsuoka Himiko Switches Mazda MX-5 NC Underpinnings For 1.5-liter ND

British classiness with Japanese idiosyncrasy. That might (or might not be) the reasoning behind Mitsuoka, with the newest model of the lot coming in the form of the second-gen Himiko. A simple look at the interior of the Jaguar XK120-inspired sport car reveals how the cookie crumbles, and that cookie is Mazda’s MX-5 Miata.
2018 Mitsuoka Himiko 15 photos
Photo: Mitsuoka
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“Wait, but wasn’t the original Himiko also based on MX-5 Miata underpinnings?” You’re spot on, dearest reader, but that was the NC with the 2.0-liter MZR four-cylinder engine. The newcomer, by comparison, borrows the platform of the ND and the 1.5-liter version of the SkyActiv-G engine, packing 131 metric horsepower.

Torque is rated at 150 Nm (111 pound-feet), mirroring the specifications of the fourth-generation MX-5 Miata. What’s not so similar is curb weight. Tipping the scales at 1,130 kilograms (2,491 pounds) in its most spartan configuration, the Himiko is an idea heftier than the 1.5-liter MX-5 (990 kilograms; 2,182 pounds).

Available in three trim levels (S, S Special Package, S Leather Package), the 2018 Mitsuoka Himiko can be had with a six-speed manual transmission or a torque-converter automatic with the same number of forward gears. From a design standpoint, the Britishness of the Himiko can be noticed even with the headlights, which appear to be sourced from an old MINI Cooper.

Mitsuoka went so over the top with the exterior styling of the all-new Himiko that it comes as a surprise the interior doesn’t live up to the cartoonish design. With the exception of a different logo on the steering wheel and more snazzy upholstery for the seats, just about every other single piece of trim is sourced from the MX-5.

666 millimeters longer than the world’s best-selling two-seat roadster, the Himiko won’t be offered in markets such as the U.S. and Europe. Pricing for Japan hasn’t been released either, though it’s a given that Mitsuoka will ask more than the 2,494,800 yen (approximately $23,330) that Mazda charges for its great-handling roadster.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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