New Daihatsu Copen GR Sport launched

This is the new Daihatsu Copen GR Sport. It’s an upgraded version of the standard Copen roadster, which is sold as a kei car in Japan, and it has been tuned by Toyota’s performance subsidiary, Gazoo Racing - Daihatsu is part of the Toyota group of companies. Like the standard Copen, the GR Sport will only be sold in Japan, where it will carry a price tag of around ¥2.4million (roughly £17,500). Revisions are limited to styling tweaks and suspension upgrades.

Exterior cosmetic revisions include an exclusive set of BBS alloy wheels, a new front bumper fitted with unique fog lights, a more aggressive rear diffuser and fresh LED headlamps. Buyers can also spec a larger front splitter, front canards, finned side skirts and a boot spoiler as optional extras.

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Inside, buyers get a new leather-trimmed Momo sports steering wheel, a fresh GR-branded instrument binnacle, piano black trim for the dashboard and a pair of unique Recaro sports seats, embroidered with the Toyota Gazoo Racing emblem.

Chassis upgrades for the Daihatsu Copen GR Sport include stiffer springs and dampers, a reconfigured electric power steering system and a limited-slip differential for the manual- equipped models. There’s also a host of additional chassis braces fitted to the front axle and floor, which Toyota says improves the Copen’s handling.

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To ensure the Copen GR Sport meets Japan’s rigorous kei car regulations (which dictate its physical dimensions and performance), it’s powered by the same turbocharged 660cc three- cylinder petrol engine as the standard car. The engine produces 63bhp and 92Nm of torque, which is fed to the front wheels via either a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT auto. 

What do you make of the Daihatsu Copen GR Sport? Let us know in the comments section below…