Daihatsu UK: 1966-2011

[Vinylseats]

As you've probably already heard, Daihatsu are pulling out of the UK. Full story here: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/262258/daihatsu_stops_european_sales.html

 

They were the first Japanese maker to sell cars in the UK, back in 1966 - but what did Daihatsus look like then, and do any still exist? I remember seeing plenty of Charades around in the 80s.

 

Feel free to post any other Daihatsu models from over the years.

[Alexg]

That reminds me... I saw one of these the other day

 

[dieselnutjob]

3 cylinder diesel

discuss

[garycox]

Wasn't this the first in the UK?

 

[Negative Creep]

That's a shame. They've never really had more than a foothold in the UK and to be honest imported very few cars of note

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Daihatsu Compagno pick-up by zenithfivenine, on Flickr

 

Here's the pick-up version.

 

Daihatsu's early attempt was abortive, I think they got screwed over by the importer or dealers, they returned to the UK in the late '70s with the F20/F50 4x4s.

 

The old Daihatsu Charade diesel is a curious thing, I'd love to try one. I don't think they are much more economical than a Peugeot 205 1.8D for example in day to day use though, due to having to thrash them to make progress. The TD must be a lot more agreeable.

[Alexg]

When I was 3 (talking 1984) my dad went out and bought a Charade identical to this...

 

I remember my Grandad came to visit a year later. He always had Marinas, Itals and Avengers but randomly bowled up one of these...

 

 

 

 

On another note the 3 door Charade looks awesome

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

More cars should have portholes.

[Vinylseats]

Corrrrrr... Sorry, I mean Cuore.

 

[Timewaster]

I remember in 1985 my dad came very close to buying one of these:

But went for a mini instead.

 

My personal favorites:

Want!

 

Dont want but admire the siliness.

 

Extreme silliness.

 

And always with a sense of humour!

 

So long Die Hard Sue.

[fotorabia]

[oldford]

2011?, there haven't been any new Daihatsus imported since 2009. The end of 2009 was the deadline in which to get any new Copens registered, as apparently they couldn't be registered after this date as they didn't conform to some new piece of legislation.

 

Daihatsu intends to formally cease the sale of new cars into the European Union from 31 January 2013 onwards. The Terios, Sirion 1.0 & 1.5 will be available in Europe upto this date with the Sirion 1.3 being replaced by a re badged Toyota Yaris.

 

The current Daihatsu importers intend to have an aftersales and service agreement with Daihatsu in place to run from 31 January 2013.

[Jon]

I remember in 1985 my dad came very close to buying one of these:

 

In 1988 my dad went one step further and actually bought one! It was ordered as a RHD model when we were living in Germany (and so was labled as a Domino, not a Cuore), then came back after about 6 months when dad got posted back to the UK. IIRC it was about £3000 all in, as it was a tax free purchase or something. It was a red 5 door one registered E744WWT when we arrived back I think. I remember looking at the brochure before picking up and then being a bit peeved that he hadn't opted for one with wheeltrims, so I guess it must have been a base model.

 

I think it was much loved by dad, as he kept it for 5 years. I've heard a story that there was a photgraph on the wall of the officers mess in Germany that had dad sat at the bar in the car, after a few of them got a bit carried away! My sister used to catch a lift to work with him back home and said that he'd be up to an indicated 85mph on the dual as soon as possible - the 3 cylinder engine did make a quite cool sound, I remember. In the end he sold it to a work colleague and bought a 1986 Rover Sterling in gold - from the ridiculous to the sublime!

[eddyramrod]

My 1981 Charade, which I owned in 1989-90...

 

!981-ish Charmant, still active on the roads of Paphos even now! 1100cc and aircon, FTW...

The owner also has a Rover 2000 which comes out occasionally.

[Vinylseats]

My 1981 Charade, which I owned in 1989-90...

 

That's a nice, proper-looking, sturdy little car. Why did they have to go a bit weird? I can't think that I've seen that model of Charade before, despite being a car spotter since I was about 2 years old when your Charade will have been new. I only remember the mid-80s sort onward which were a bit bland.

[GrumpyCat]

I want one of these...

[CreepingJesus]

Personally, I think it's a little sad - Daihatsu have always been a little odd, and it'll be a shame to see them go. I think the point of the little 850cc turbo'd K-cars was a little lost to the UK buying public. So other than the rave reviews of the Charade GTti back in the day, and plenty of love (and engine recycling into Land Rovers) for the 4x4's; they haven't really ever hit the big time.

My dad had one of those little minibus terrors, when he ran a cleaning business. He gave me it to drive, one day, saying "You'll love it - it's just like a little Midi". Initially I didn't take to the roller-skate qualities of it, but it wormed its' way into my affections, by being just damn good fun to drive. That one had the 1300 injection engine, and amazed by pulling all the people and kit it was ever asked to, without complaint.

^Want that Trevis! Tho' an original Charade GTti, Cuore Avanzato TR-XX, or Sirion X4 (did we even get those here?), would do nicely.

[eddyramrod]

 

BMW, are you looking? THIS is what the replacement Mini should have been!

 

And vinylseats, thanks! I came to that from a Triumph Dolomite 1850, and found it a barrel of laughs. 3 pots, 993cc, no turbo or owt to worry about; 5 speed box. It went like greased manure off a freshly buttered shovel, with a glorious rasp. I miss it.

[Guest]

Bear in mind that they are still huge in Japan - Daihatsu sell more cars a year for the home market than Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru put together. They have a large presence in the rest of SE Asia too.

 

I've gone into more detail on OJC, but I generally feel that their lack of popularity in Europe is more down to the cluelessness of the importers than anything else. They've had more than enough opportunity pass them by. Though I have to admit that they have also suffered from exchange rates - they're probably the only Japanese manufacturer left where nearly (if not all of - unsure) the complete range actually still comes from Japan instead of some Eastern Bloc joint, which obviously keeps prices high.

[catsinthewelder]

I've never owned a Daihatsu but have had them as work vans since I passed my driving test 5 years ago. I've got so used to HiJet pickups now that I don't think I could bear to be without them

 

The first time that I borrowed one and took it out of town I was scared to take it over 40, that soon passed, they hit the rev limit in 5th at 85

 

I was working for my current employer part time when I first started driving so tried a few other jobs trying to find full time work. One of them was a local caravan dealers where I was performing Pre-delivery inspections on brand new caravans. There was an interesting company fleet there consisting of a middle aged Audi A6 to deliver the caravans to the eager punters. An early Clio for pottering into Leominster for supplies (tyres mostly). The interesting one though was a totally knackered old Daihatsu 4x4. It wasn't roadworthy and hadn't been for quite some time. There were no numberplates fitted but there was the remains of one in the back with a w suffix. It had severe corrosion all over, the bonnet had a hole in over the air filter that you could fit your arm through and it generally looked like it had been though the Vietnam war then left in a ditch ever since (did I mention that the remaining paint was green and the canvass back/roof a sludgey brown sort of colour?)

This was the vehicle that we used to move the caravans around the yard, which it did very well with its torquey engine, short wheelbase, and generous steering lock. It was a great vehicle so long as you were content with 1st gear and reverse. The gearbox was fine but any attempt at 2nd gear on the 200 yard trip from the car park out front to the back of the yard would see you disappearing into a cloud of choking black smoke. Dunno why, maybe it was the boss's way of keeping it on site.

 

Unfortunatly I think a Defender 90 has replaced it and Clio since I left

[gricer]

If you're realy desperate, all Peroduas are Daihatsu designs, with added Malaysian build quality. And the Piaggio Porter is an Italian-made HiJet...

[flat4alfa]

1958 Bee

 

1965 Compagno Spider

 

1967 360cc P-5

 

1975 Mini Mix

 

in 1983 this

went into Bertone's Mini body

 

1995 Midget II

 

2004 Naked. Silly sods.

[barefoot]

Curiously, I was given a lift in a 3 cylinder Sirion last Wednesday.

It was very roomy in the back, but the (elderly) driver kept trying to pull away in second up hill.

There was a lot of whirly revvy noise but very little forward movement.

[catsinthewelder]

If you're realy desperate, all Peroduas are Daihatsu designs, with added Malaysian build quality. And the Piaggio Porter is an Italian-made HiJet...

 

The 2 HiJets that we've had at work were built in Italy by Piaggio, I assume they made all the European ones.

[M'coli]

I've always quite fancied a Sirion in 1.0l flavour with the 3-cylinder engine, but a little research has shown the 1.3 to have 100bhp ! That's got to be sleeper of the decade!

[michiel]

Try to find the 4wd version, mine has the 1.3 and fwd... quite fun when you can use all the horses, but you need good tyres and a dry road - mine has cheap rubber and I live in the Netherlands. Still like it though.

[lovejoy]

I have been playing Charades for quite some time now, when I met the to- be -wife, she had a G11 that just went on and on

(aaah, THAT's where she gets it from....) and survived all the bruising that 3rd World Island roads could throw at it, so I have enjoyed a handful of them back in uk over the years, bought 'em cheeep as runabouts, the first being a G10 with the electric release tailgate from a radio-type knob on the dashboard, then 4 more G11's, which I love, especially the highroof versions, most of which seemed to come with an electric sliding roof.

The one below I still have, & is a very low mileage, lethargic auto, compared to the lively 5-speed manual version, which were brilliant, and still resides in darkest western Cornwall for local transport on my summer visits: give us a wave if you see it pottering down tiny Cornish lanes en route to Lidl !!!

[dollywobbler]

If you're realy desperate, all Peroduas are Daihatsu designs, with added Malaysian build quality. And the Piaggio Porter is an Italian-made HiJet...

 

The 2 HiJets that we've had at work were built in Italy by Piaggio, I assume they made all the European ones.

 

My understanding is that Piaggio just bought the licences and starting churning them out in Italy.

[face]

Bit gutted by this news...

 

 

 

Still quite fancy a YRV 130 Turbo one day

 

 

Or a Sirion Rally

 

[fotorabia]

i saw this one today