Mitsuoka Rock Star Is Half Mazda MX-5 Miata, Half Chevrolet Corvette

From the exterior, the design of the alloy wheels and mirror caps give away the donor vehicle on which the Rock Star is based. The cabin is also MX-5 Miata, and so is the SkyActiv-G four-cylinder engine connected to either the standard manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission.

Taking inspiration from the convertible body style of the C2 Corvette, the Rock Star also features a lot of chrome, front, rear, and side profile. The circular headlights are another nod to the second generation of America's sports car, whereas the vents in the hood level up the visual appeal of the exterior.

Pricing starts at ¥4,688,200 for the entry-level configuration, which comes with 130 horsepower (132 PS) and 112 pound-feet (152 Nm) of torque from the 1.5-liter version of the SkyActiv-G engine. That's almost half the output of the C2 Corvette with the 5.3-liter V8. Translating to $41,700, the Rock Star happens to be almost ¥2 million more expensive than the MX-5 Miata in Japanese specification (¥2,554,200).

As with every other model produced by Mitsuoka, the automaker doesn't plan to bring the Rock Star over to the United States or Europe. There wouldn't be a market for this sort of vehicle either, more so if you bear in mind that sports cars are losing ground to crossovers and SUVs.

Despite the trend, the MX-5 still is the best-selling two-seat convertible in the world. The millionth example was produced in April 2016, and since then, the Hiroshima plant in Japan has provided plenty more in both Miata (soft top) and RF (retractable fastback) configurations.

Now in its fourth generation, the MX-5 has been updated for the 2019 model year with more power and torque for the 2.0-liter engine, superior convenience, and more standard features.