Daihatsu

The Daihatsu Copen Coupe will make its in-the-flesh debut at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon before going into a limited production run. Based on the 2016 Copen Cero concept, the production version of the coupe features a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic roof and a glass rear window which doubles as a hatch.

The biggest automotive brands in Japan are joining forces to work on ways to make internal combustion engines more efficient. A new consortium known as the Research Association of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines (AICE) has been established, with Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki and Daihatsu all signed up with the aim of improving fuel efficiency levels by 30 per cent for internal combustion petrol and diesel engines by 2020.

The Daihatsu UFC sounds like the roughest, toughest people-mover on the planet. The quirky bright orange concept was revealed overnight at the Indonesia international motor show in Jakarta sporting a name more commonly associated with mixed martial arts promotion company, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In reality, the Daihatsu’s full name is far less intimidating, with the acronym expanding to Ultra Functional Compact.