Although notorious for producing the god-awful Orochi “supercar”, Japanese coachbuilding company Mitsuoka does occasionally get things right.

Take, for example, the newly-unveiled Himiko hardtop convertible. Yes, it’s yet another product of Mitsuoka’s peculiar fetish for retro-British styling, but unlike the ungainly Jag and Rolls clones that bulk out the rest of the Mitsuoka stable the Himiko actually looks… well… nice.

The rear lights are a bit naff and the wheels probably should be replaced with something that more properly befits the Himiko’s old-skool image (wire wheels with knock-off hubs anybody?), but the rest of the car is a pleasure to behold. Think Morgan Aero 8, except with slightly better headlights.

Unlike a Morgan though, there’s no ash-wood frame and BMW V8 beneath all that custom coachwork. Nopes, instead there’s an NC MX-5 hardtop whose only major structural change is a substantial stretch in wheelbase ahead of the A-pillar.

While the lengthening process has likely robbed the Himiko of the MX-5’s crisp steering response and nimble handling, it’s no biggie. The Himiko is built for turning heads, not attacking the touge.

The interior is more or less standard MX-5, albeit with some extra woodwork and a smattering of Mitsuoka badges. The engine bay should also be familiar to NC owners too, with the latest-gen MX-5’s 2-litre MZR four being available in both 119kW and 125kW guise. As with the regular MX-5, the higher-output motor gets a six-speed manual while the 119kW engine comes with a six-speed auto.

The Mitsuoka Himiko is currently available for order, with deliveries to commence sometime in 2009. They won’t exactly be cheap though, with prices starting at 4,950,000 for the Himiko Standard and rising to 5,650,000 for the Himiko Hi Premium. And, like all slightly oddball J-car specials, it’s on sale in Japan only. Doh.

[Source: Mitsuoka, via Autofiends]
[Images: Mitsuoka]