No kidding, this is the rock star from Mitsuoka, and when it comes to car names this goes up pretty high on the list for the most absurd names for a car.
For those who don't know, Mitsuoka is a small Japanese car company dedicated, essentially, to giving a “retro look” to contemporary cars. The results are often at the very least... dubious. The super-sportsman Orochi is also hers, who also presents himself with a very unique style…
His latest creation relies on the Mazda MX-5 (ND) as a base — he'd already used it to create the Himiko, which turns the MX-5 into something akin to a pre-War... Morgan or Jaguar. This time, Mitsuoka headed to the US for inspiration, transforming the contemporary MX-5 into what appears to be a mini Corvette Stingray (C2 or second generation).
It is the first time that Mitsuoka is inspired by an American model — all its transformations are based on European models from other times — and it also serves to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary.
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surprisingly good
Considering Mitsuoka's visual history — worthy examples of a kitschy aesthetic — this Rock Star actually turned out pretty well. The proportions of the small Japanese roadster fit almost perfectly with the proportions of the Corvette C2 — long bonnet and recessed cabin.
It is certainly not a replica but the similarities are obvious. It's full of curious details, like the small circular front optics — the Corvette had retractable headlights — the L-shaped bumpers and the air vent behind the front wheel, replicating or interpreting the same solutions as the Corvette Stingray. From the MX-5 there seems to be only the doors and the windshield.
The Rock Star's specs also remain identical to those of the MX-5 1.5. There are three versions, one of them with an automatic transmission, and it will be available in six colors, all of them with very American names: Los Angeles Blue, Chicago Red, New York Black, Cisco Orange, Washington White and Arizona Yellow.
The price for this MX-5/Corvette “rock star”? Just over 36,000 euros (base version), almost twice as much as an MX-5 in Japan. Mitsuoka has just announced 50 units, at least for now…
We already have the “look”, just need to change the engine to an LS V8…