Product Code Database
The lead=yes is a kei car with semi-coupé styling manufactured by Daihatsu. It was launched in Japan in December 1986, and discontinued in August 1993 after had been largely replaced by the Daihatsu Opti in 1992. While having coupé lines, most of the Leezas sold in Japan were technically commercial vehicles (with strapping points and temporary rear seats) to take advantage of ample tax breaks for such vehicles.
Reviewers said while the Leeza offered a modern and clean design for its time, and with an airy interior, the sloping rear glasshouse made the rear seat rather cramped. The front seats were claimed spacious, but at the expense of the rear space — fitting four adults in the Leeza would not be comfortable for any of them. The version (with a five-speed manual transmission) went from 0– in 21.3 seconds in a period British road test, reaching a top speed of . Gas mileage when "driven hard" returned a fuel consumption of , although one could expect much higher with some economising. In short, all design parameters of the Leeza were designed with city use in mind, making it not very well suited to highway use.
Five months after the update, the turbocharged OXY-R (with the maximum allowed to kei cars) arrived, with a prominent bonnet vent for the intercooler. Daihatsu also went through the effort of making the two-seat roadster version of the Leeza called the "Leeza Spider" ready for production. It was previewed by a 1991 concept car called the FX-228; this was essentially a production-ready Leeza Spider fitted with a different front bumper and some other eye-catching body modifications. It was first shown at the 1991 Geneva Auto Salon. The production version of the Spider (chassis code L111SK), only fitted with the turbocharged engine, arrived in November 1991 and lasted until the end of production in August 1993. The Spider received a standard leather interior.
|
|
