Tokyo 2015: Daihatsu D-Base hints at next Mira – P2?

Greetings from Tokyo, where this writer is part of the paultan.org team covering the bi-annual auto exhibition live. Plenty of lovely cars for you to pore over and dream of (we’re just clicking away, no time to stand still and appreciate!), but of the lot, this world debuting concept from Daihatsu may be the most relevant to Malaysians. Here’s why.

The Daihatsu D-Base Concept is not a flight of fancy, or even a quirky JDM model, and is on the compact car maker’s main stand for good reason.

DMC says that its “DNA of innovation has always created the base for the next generation, and that process is now being succeeded by the D-Base”. This showcar – also described as a “vehicle that embodies the concept of the next generation compact cars of Daihatsu” – could be an early preview of the next-gen Daihatsu Mira mini-car. The current Mira has been around since 2006.

Use the regular motor show concept car rule here – disregard the 18-inch showy wheels, fancy lights and unrealistic interior trim – and you have a design that’s pretty production-ready.

Design highlights include a grille that spans the width of the face, a stepped window line and “hidden” rear door handles in the style of the Alfa Romeo 147 and Honda HR-V.

Inside, the simple dashboard layout has the central and driver air vents as extensions of the instrument cluster binnacle. The fancy mouse-like gear selector is between the seats and the lack of a traditional centre stack allows for easy movement. The square meter panel houses a central analogue rev meter, which in turn contains a digital speedometer.

The D-Base measures 3.4 metres long, 1.48 m wide and 1.49 m tall, and has a 2,455 mm wheelbase. The concept car is powered by a 660 cc, 12-valve three-cylinder e:S technology engine, as per Japanese kei-car convention.

The Mira has long been a base for Perodua models. The Kancil was based on the L200 Mira, the Kelisa on the L700 and the Viva on the L250 from the early 2000s. P2’s latest compact car, the Axia, takes inspiration from the JDM Mira e:S.

Will this “Next Basic” D-Base Concept form a base for Rawang’s next model in the medium future? Not unlikely, but if that happens, expect significant changes on the upper body design, as the Malaysian arm has been entrusted to do so of late.

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