Body building is almost a lost art, but Japanese company Mitsuoka is trying to keep the magic alive. She’s built some weird cars over the years, including a retro Miata that looked like a Morgan Aero 8 and a Jaguar XK120 that had an affair. The most unconventional build in recent memory was this: the M55. Initially a concept, the fake muscle car entered production.
Unveiled in November 2023 to celebrate Mitsuoka’s 55th anniversaryth anniversary, the original Dodge Challenger lookalike is actually a Honda Civic under its vintage body. In the months that have passed, the company has received more than 1,300 messages from people interested in purchasing the machine: “It was the first time for us to receive such passionate messages directly from so many people of all ages and both sexes.
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Due to popular demand, Mitsuoka decided to make the M55 a reality. However, this will take time. The company intends to bring the car to market towards the end of 2025. Additional details have not yet been disclosed, but we remind you that the concept was based on the five-door Civic hatchback and had an engine of 1 .5 liter connected to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Last month, Honda showed off a Civic RS sports prototype at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Show, perhaps hinting at a Civic Si hatchback with a stick shift. It would be great if Mitsuoka built the M55 with the larger and more powerful 2.0-liter engine. Regardless, the fake right-hand drive Challenger will only be sold in Japan.
While the front of the car says Challenger, the rear makes us think of Japanese coupes from the 1970s, like a Nissan Skyline or a Mitsubishi Galant GTO. The profile is an obvious reminder that the automotive oddity is essentially a Civic. Inside, Mitsuoka took the trouble to add retro-looking blue upholstery and replaced the Honda badge on the steering wheel with its logo.
The M55 may be an acquired taste, but credit must be given to it. Mitsuoka certainly has imagination, and there are apparently enough people interested to warrant developing a production model. This is much more than just a complete body kit as the headlights and taillights are also custom made, as is the grille. The rear window louvers appear to be inspired by a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1.
Mitsuoka estimates that it will not be able to build enough cars to meet demand because the conversion will take time since all necessary modifications will be done manually. Pricing hasn’t been disclosed yet, but given the scale of the changes, it’s safe to say it won’t be cheap.
