Mitsuoka History
Added on 03-07-2006
Mitsuoka is a company enjoying reputation of the most original and extravagant among Japanese car enterprises, and it’s also one with the shortest history. Its founder, Susumu Mitsuoka got employed at Hino Motors Company right after completing a technical college. However he didn’t like that job, that’s why in 1968 he left that company. That very year Mitsuoka rented empty horse stables in Toyama prefecture and arranged there a workshop repairing and making pre-sale preparations of cars.
At that point the history of Mitsuoka Company started; at that time it only had 3 workers in addition to its founder. For the first several months the business didn’t go well, but in a year it took a turn to the better and in several years the company developed an effective network of 20 offices all across Japan.
After energetic crises resulting in a sudden increase of fuel prices in Japan Mitsuoka started importing 1-seater mini-cars with engines of some 50 cc volume. For driving them no diving licenses were required, because according to the local laws they were just like scooters.
Since Mitsuoka Motors started producing mini-cars of their own construction. They were nicknamed Bubu Shuttle and targeted primarily physically handicapped people. During next several years the model row was extended by new models until Mitsuoka decided to start producing full-sized cars.
For realizing this old dream of his Mitsuoka went to USA and studied elaborately the principles of functioning of smaller car enterprises producing so-called replics, the copies of old car models. Using the experience he obtained he started releasing replics on a plant in Toyama prefecture. They set glass-fiber bodies replicating the features of prestigious famous cars of the past – Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Daimler models.
The release was limited, only several hundred units of each model were produced; the demand for them was guaranteed. In May 1990 Mitsuoka released an original Le-Seyde model; its 500-unit issue was sold out in 4 days. In 1991 another original model was released, named Dore; in 1993 – Viewt model.
The legendary Jaguar Mark II 1956 served as the basis for construction of Viewt; during the first year of its production 1000 units were sold, and that’s basically quite an impressive number for a retro-car. Vewt was equipped with 1000 cc or 1400 cc of 60 or 85 hp output and an automatic gearbox; all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive configurations were available. Its price was just fair, around 20,000 USD.
In 1994 Mitsuoka constructed Zero 1 model. He was trying to design a car of traditional Japanese spirit; and the sales rates indicated that he managed to do that. Thanks to Mazda motor of 1800 cc volume and 130 hp power capacity and glass fiber body Zero 1 made up to 160 km/h.
That very 1994 Mitsuoka Motors got a certificate from the Ministry of Transport of Japan that permitted them releasing cars of their own construction, so Mitsuoka became the ...
At that point the history of Mitsuoka Company started; at that time it only had 3 workers in addition to its founder. For the first several months the business didn’t go well, but in a year it took a turn to the better and in several years the company developed an effective network of 20 offices all across Japan.
After energetic crises resulting in a sudden increase of fuel prices in Japan Mitsuoka started importing 1-seater mini-cars with engines of some 50 cc volume. For driving them no diving licenses were required, because according to the local laws they were just like scooters.
Since Mitsuoka Motors started producing mini-cars of their own construction. They were nicknamed Bubu Shuttle and targeted primarily physically handicapped people. During next several years the model row was extended by new models until Mitsuoka decided to start producing full-sized cars.
For realizing this old dream of his Mitsuoka went to USA and studied elaborately the principles of functioning of smaller car enterprises producing so-called replics, the copies of old car models. Using the experience he obtained he started releasing replics on a plant in Toyama prefecture. They set glass-fiber bodies replicating the features of prestigious famous cars of the past – Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Daimler models.
The release was limited, only several hundred units of each model were produced; the demand for them was guaranteed. In May 1990 Mitsuoka released an original Le-Seyde model; its 500-unit issue was sold out in 4 days. In 1991 another original model was released, named Dore; in 1993 – Viewt model.
The legendary Jaguar Mark II 1956 served as the basis for construction of Viewt; during the first year of its production 1000 units were sold, and that’s basically quite an impressive number for a retro-car. Vewt was equipped with 1000 cc or 1400 cc of 60 or 85 hp output and an automatic gearbox; all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive configurations were available. Its price was just fair, around 20,000 USD.
In 1994 Mitsuoka constructed Zero 1 model. He was trying to design a car of traditional Japanese spirit; and the sales rates indicated that he managed to do that. Thanks to Mazda motor of 1800 cc volume and 130 hp power capacity and glass fiber body Zero 1 made up to 160 km/h.
That very 1994 Mitsuoka Motors got a certificate from the Ministry of Transport of Japan that permitted them releasing cars of their own construction, so Mitsuoka became the ...
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