topgear.... have quoted as saying the Honda will not be made outside the US "For Honda, the motor show lineup consisted of not one but two mid-engined turbocharged sports cars, one with twice the cylinders of the other. The new NSX (above), with V6-plus-electric power, is already in position as one of the hottest newcomers of 2015. The three-cylinder S660 will be on the market sooner than that, but unfortunately, only in Japan." http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/tokyo-motor-show-blog-2013-11-22 but interesting have also said in a different article which I now cant find that unlike in previous years where concepts never got past show, due to recession etc that if it is here at the Tokyo then it is likely to be made! COME ON KOPEN!!!! super excited, but like someone else said, cant be dealing with automatics!!! and want a 1.3 version of these cars. BUT THE STYLING! swoon! HOORAY!
sorry I meant outside Japan not US! silly me! thanks scooty for the youtube video - i have watched it a few times now.
They have now launched a facebook page, all in japanese although bing does translate some of it, but the pictures are worth looking at! https://www.facebook.com/copen.jp.official msn news http://cars.uk.msn.com/motorshows/l...ihatsu-kopen-concept-changeable-body-panels-1 "So we suspect it's all just an attention-grabbing stunt for a rather more conventional Kopen (or Copen), which is set to go on sale – in Japan only – next year."
Will it get to the UK/Europe though? seeing as they de-turbo'd the Copen to continue sales in Europe and elsewhere (Oz?), will they make the effort again and drop in a bigger toyota engine? I'm not convinced. Also because they pulled out of Europe they've got to return first. I'm not seeing it being on sale here. There will just be private imports then.
Are the panels that easy to swap? It may mean you don't need a body shop for a scrap or prang, just buy some new panels. But how much will they cost! Although aftermarket parts will be interesting as you could get a completely different looks, not just the with the bumpers. But, what stops someone coming along in the dead of night for you to wake up and find you have a bare Kopen! Are they securely fixed in anyway?
I assume......... that they will launch under toyota badge? I really hope it doesnt get to the point of private imports this will be really sad :-(( yeah I definitely wouldnt want that option, maybe you will have a special key which relates specifically to your car which "unlocks" your panels, like a special allen key. Or maybe you would have to unlock your car with your blipper to unlock the panels?
looks like magnets to me for the initial placement...... who knows after that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5oMgqVc4uY
Great video, those girls could attach my panels anytime. I couldn't see how the panels were fixed and really can't see the point of being able to remove them. A new set will no doubt be very expensive so you aren't going to change them because your mood fancies a different colour. It's a strange one.
This video shows the panels being removed. They clearly aren't properly fixed the girls just lift them off. You couldn't drive the car like that the panels would blow or vibrate off. As a demo to the press its a bit pointless as that can't be the finished product. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF8dPwaQ0zU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Oh the grumpy old man! I said they would be expensive before you did But I agree, travelling along at 60-70 mph raising the roof back in place , any wind getting between a panel and the body I think could whip it off. If once one connection is separated the rest would go, the panel wouldnt hold on. It appears to me the panels pulled into position which suggests magnetic. There is no real force applied to push clips in. And it must be easy as they let the girlies do it to show this must be easy if teeny girls more interested in hello kitty than car mechanics can fit them then anyone from Sunderland would have no troubles. I also agree, they could tighten my wing nuts any time
Also if you have 2 sets of body panels, and 2 assisting Japanese girls in colour coordinating belt and gloves, you need one of those body panel boxes to store them in to stop them getting damaged. How much would just the box be from a main dealer! $$$$$$
Keep the girls, at least they could both fit into one seat they are so slim, though be careful you dont also loose them in the wind with the panels! I would rather have Kim Kardashian and a professional do mine, because I would like to emphasize that I dont think she is talented enough to even be in charge of switching car panels - oh and she could smooth out my dings with that enormous fat arse she has. Maybe it is for the resale/custom market of Japan where they love respraying cars with their own colours see this http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/23/article-2375120-1AF418A7000005DC-680_964x499.jpg
Sorry for pinching your expensive comment I didn't know you'd copyrighted it. Less of the old man as well 85 is the new 50 don't you know. Where the panels fit there are recessed holes in the bodywork which implies that is where they are held. Magnets can't be used for a working car so the demo was a bit pointless with the girls. How do we know the final fixing method will be so easy that Japanese beauties can do it? Showing the press something that won't be like that in the finished article is a bit daft really. Thinking about it if that was the finished product I'd rather have Velcro than magnets. Those girls just lifted the boot off with no resistance. Velcro would gave at least put up a fight.
My Citroen pluriel had removable roof arches to make it into a full convertible and Citroen sold as an extra bags to put them in and a hanger to hang them from. The cost of the steel hanging frame and bags was ridiculous, I just took mine off and put them on the wheelie bins in the back garden. You could do that with the Copen panels and save the cost of the box. You can see the arches, in black on this car, incase you don't know what I was on about...... And with the arches on the wheelie bins.....
