Daihatsu have released an all new Mira Gino in Japan recently that Daihatsu hopes will give them a 30 percent market share of Japan’s minicar market.

The New Mira Gino

The Daihatsu Mira Gino was first released in 1999, it was based on the standard Mira of the time but it had a new front and rear end treatment that made it look like a classic Mini. There even was a version called the Minilite that featured the famous Cooper S type wheels and driving lights.

The New Mira seems to be a complete reskin of the old car and unlike the old model it’s styling features nothing in common with the rest of the Daihatsu range. Now more rounded, there is no mistaking the similarities between this car and a 1960s Mini. The interior is all new as well and is more in keeping with the retro feel of the car than that of the previous model.

The Mira Gino will be targeted at young woman drivers and is expected to be priced between 987,000 yen and 1,386,000 yen, Daihatsu hopes to sell around 3,500 Gino’s a month.

The Gino is available in both 2wd and 4wd, both versions come with a 3 cyl 660cc engine that delivers 43kw at  7600 rpm. Automatic transmision is standard.

The 1999 to 2004 Mira was also sold as a Curore in some markets, Daihatsu’s musical model names dates back to the early 1980s when the Mira was also sold as a Handivan in Australia, a Domino in the UK and a Curore in many other Countries. The new Mira which has very little in common with the new Gino is also currently sold as Charade in many countries, replacing a separate car of the same name.