The Daihatsu Copen (#55 D-SPORT HALFWAY RACING RALLY TEAM / Taisuke Aihara and Tsukasa Hagino / JR3 class), which will be competing in Rally Japan for the third time, was finally unveiled at the shakedown at Kuragaike Park.
The engine has been upsized (to 770cc) to near the limit of the KF engine, and the power output has been increased. It has been fitted with wide fenders, the tread has been widened, and the body is 40mm wider on one side. In other words, it has been made to go beyond the boundaries of a light car, and its components have been utilised to maximise its ideal performance.
The Copen actually took part in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship ‘Yuji Kasei Cup MONTRE 2024’ in June, before entering the Rally Japan, as a test of the ideal form of the smallest sports car. At that time, the engine displacement had been increased, but the car had not yet been given this styling. However, at the Monterey Rally, the car was unable to run at the level of its increased power due to insufficient cooling. The team entered the race in the RC5 class and recorded 12th place overall.
Based on the results of that race, this time they made some changes to the cooling system. The layout involved storing a huge intercooler core in the front grille, with a radiator grille placed behind it. Together with the wide fenders, this gives the front of the car a very flashy look.
The world’s smallest rally car is sure to evolve even further than before, so we’re looking forward to seeing how it performs.
