2025 Mitsuoka M55

[Carbon82]

Without seeking help from Google, can you guess which model is the donor for this fake Dodge Challenger?

Coachbuilding is almost a lost art, but Japanese company Mitsuoka is trying to keep the magic alive. It has built some weird cars over the years, including a retro Miata that looked like a Morgan Aero 8 and a Jaguar XK120 had an affair. The most unconventional build in recent memory was this – the M55. Initially a concept, the fake muscle car is going into production.

Unveiled in November 2023 to celebrate Mitsuoka's 55th anniversary, the quirky Dodge Challenger lookalike is actually a Honda Civic underneath its vintage body. In the months that have passed, the company has received more than 1,300 messages from people wanting to buy the contraption: "This was the first time for us to receive such passionate messages directly from so many people of all ages and both sexes."

Due to popular demand, Mitsuoka has decided to make the M55 a reality. However, it's going to take a while. The company intends to have the car on sale near the end of 2025. Additional details are yet to be disclosed but we'll remind you the concept was based on the Civic five-door hatchback and had a 1.5-liter engine hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox.

While the car's front says Challenger, the rear makes us think of 1970s Japanese coupes, such as a Nissan Skyline or a Mitsubishi Galant GTO. The profile is an obvious reminder that the automotive oddity is a Civic at its core. Inside, Mitsuoka went through the trouble of adding retro-looking blue upholstery and it swapped out the Honda badge on the steering wheel for its logo.

Mitsuoka certainly has imagination, and there are apparently enough people interested to warrant the development of a production model. This is more than just a comprehensive body kit since the headlights and taillights are also tailor-made, as is the front grille. The rear window louvers seem to take inspiration from a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1.

Mitsuoka reckons it won't be able to build enough cars to meet demand because the conversion will take time since all necessary changes will be performed manually. Pricing has yet to be disclosed but given the extent of the modifications, it's safe to say it won't be cheap.

[PSP415]

On 3/1/2024 at 11:41 PM, Carbon82 said:

Without seeking help from Google, can you guess which model is the donor for this fake Dodge Challenger?

 

Coachbuilding is almost a lost art, but Japanese company Mitsuoka is trying to keep the magic alive. It has built some weird cars over the years, including a retro Miata that looked like a Morgan Aero 8 and a Jaguar XK120 had an affair. The most unconventional build in recent memory was this – the M55. Initially a concept, the fake muscle car is going into production.

Unveiled in November 2023 to celebrate Mitsuoka's 55th anniversary, the quirky Dodge Challenger lookalike is actually a Honda Civic underneath its vintage body. In the months that have passed, the company has received more than 1,300 messages from people wanting to buy the contraption: "This was the first time for us to receive such passionate messages directly from so many people of all ages and both sexes."

Due to popular demand, Mitsuoka has decided to make the M55 a reality. However, it's going to take a while. The company intends to have the car on sale near the end of 2025. Additional details are yet to be disclosed but we'll remind you the concept was based on the Civic five-door hatchback and had a 1.5-liter engine hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox.

While the car's front says Challenger, the rear makes us think of 1970s Japanese coupes, such as a Nissan Skyline or a Mitsubishi Galant GTO. The profile is an obvious reminder that the automotive oddity is a Civic at its core. Inside, Mitsuoka went through the trouble of adding retro-looking blue upholstery and it swapped out the Honda badge on the steering wheel for its logo.

Mitsuoka certainly has imagination, and there are apparently enough people interested to warrant the development of a production model. This is more than just a comprehensive body kit since the headlights and taillights are also tailor-made, as is the front grille. The rear window louvers seem to take inspiration from a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1.

Mitsuoka reckons it won't be able to build enough cars to meet demand because the conversion will take time since all necessary changes will be performed manually. Pricing has yet to be disclosed but given the extent of the modifications, it's safe to say it won't be cheap.

Article mentioned Honda Civic. 

😅😂

[Brass]

On 3/1/2024 at 11:41 PM, Carbon82 said:

Without seeking help from Google, can you guess which model is the donor for this fake Dodge Challenger?

 

Coachbuilding is almost a lost art, but Japanese company Mitsuoka is trying to keep the magic alive. It has built some weird cars over the years, including a retro Miata that looked like a Morgan Aero 8 and a Jaguar XK120 had an affair. The most unconventional build in recent memory was this – the M55. Initially a concept, the fake muscle car is going into production.

Unveiled in November 2023 to celebrate Mitsuoka's 55th anniversary, the quirky Dodge Challenger lookalike is actually a Honda Civic underneath its vintage body. In the months that have passed, the company has received more than 1,300 messages from people wanting to buy the contraption: "This was the first time for us to receive such passionate messages directly from so many people of all ages and both sexes."

Due to popular demand, Mitsuoka has decided to make the M55 a reality. However, it's going to take a while. The company intends to have the car on sale near the end of 2025. Additional details are yet to be disclosed but we'll remind you the concept was based on the Civic five-door hatchback and had a 1.5-liter engine hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox.

While the car's front says Challenger, the rear makes us think of 1970s Japanese coupes, such as a Nissan Skyline or a Mitsubishi Galant GTO. The profile is an obvious reminder that the automotive oddity is a Civic at its core. Inside, Mitsuoka went through the trouble of adding retro-looking blue upholstery and it swapped out the Honda badge on the steering wheel for its logo.

Mitsuoka certainly has imagination, and there are apparently enough people interested to warrant the development of a production model. This is more than just a comprehensive body kit since the headlights and taillights are also tailor-made, as is the front grille. The rear window louvers seem to take inspiration from a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1.

Mitsuoka reckons it won't be able to build enough cars to meet demand because the conversion will take time since all necessary changes will be performed manually. Pricing has yet to be disclosed but given the extent of the modifications, it's safe to say it won't be cheap.

Good enough. Since there were never any RHD challengers.

[Soya]

Love the 80s style rear louvres 

 

[Heartlander]

The vents at the dashboard scream Honda already. Not many models to guess haha.

[Davidklt]

Consider this is an attempt at a retro car, this means the Civic's interior is not so modern looking after all.

[Carbon82]

@PSP415 this is not a guess the car post, just asking all if you can tell the model at the first glance 

Even as a car fan, there are little tell tale signs on the outside other than the chrome piece on the C-pillar, which demonstrated how much efforts Mitsuoka has put in to transform the model.

The profile of this M55 reminds me of the Datsun 120Y from the early 70s...

 

[Watwheels]

There are a lot of exterior Mitsuoka can modify but the windows and windscreen are the only things that they cannot change.

There are also not many cars that still offer the stick shift.

Got to say they did a good job making a baby Dodge Challenger that's tax friendly. 

[PSP415]

On 3/2/2024 at 3:48 PM, Carbon82 said:

@PSP415 this is not a guess the car post, just asking all if you can tell the model at the first glance 

Even as a car fan, there are little tell tale signs on the outside other than the chrome piece on the C-pillar, which demonstrated how much efforts Mitsuoka has put in to transform the model.

The profile of this M55 reminds me of the Datsun 120Y from the early 70s...

 

😂.... No problem. I went on to read article prior to close scrutiny. Hence, secret is out for me by then. 

Haiz. 😅

[Jamesc]

What a great looking car!

Hope we get more of them.

[Koster]

Nice leh

[ER-3682]

On 3/2/2024 at 6:52 PM, Jamesc said:

What a great looking car!

Hope we get more of them.

Likely over $220,000.00.....Should use the MX5 RWD Set Up.

[inlinesix]

On 3/3/2024 at 3:37 PM, ER-3682 said:

Likely over $220,000.00.....Should use the MX5 RWD Set Up.

ND too small

[Datsun366]

kenmeri skyline

https://japanesenostalgiccar.com/mitsuoka-m55-nissan-skyline-kenmeri-honda-civic/

[Vidz]

where did i keep the bell bottoms?? 😀

[inlinesix]

On 3/4/2024 at 4:26 PM, Vidz said:

where did i keep the bell bottoms?? 😀

Buy a new one.  Most likely cannot fit liao

😂

[citydrivingsg]

Nice but I think they should stick to more luxury models, like homage to Bentley for instance..

E.g.....Bentley Continental GT 4.0A V8