Daihatsu Fellow Max
Encyclopedia
The Daihatsu Fellow Max is a small Japanese automobile in the Kei car
class. Originally introduced as the Daihatsu Fellow, the name was partially retained for the Max Cuore (1977) and then again for the 2000 Daihatsu Max.
and a four-speed manual transmission. The self-lubricating (Oil-Matic) little engine weighed only 58 kg (128 lb). The Fellow was the first Japanese car to be equipped with rectangular headlights.
As a result of Honda's 31 hp N360
being introduced early in 1967, a Kei-car horsepower war broke out. Daihatsu's response, the Fellow SS, was presented at the 1967 Tokyo Motor Show in October but did not go on sale until June the next year. A LeMans-style sportscar prototype, the "P-5" with the SS engine was shown alongside. The 32 hp "SS" could do the 400 meter sprint in 21.2 seconds.
The Fellow also received a slight facelift in October 1967, with a new dashboard and steering wheel most noticeable. Another minor change came in January 1969, with a fixed drivers' side headrest and seatbelts installed because of new safety regulations. In July, along with what was literally a facelift (the front bumper was now mounted higher), the lesser engine's output increased to 26 hp and a comparatively luxurious "Custom" version was added at the top of the lineup. The size of the taillights also increased somewhat.
regulations, although the wheelbase was stretched by 100 mm to 2,090 mm. The engine was a 360 cc two-cylinder two-stroke ("ZM"), offering 33 PS at the time of introduction. In July of 1970 the SS version appeared, featuring a twin-carb, 40 PS (SAE) version of the ZM engine - a specific output of over 112 PS per litre. Top speed was 120 km/h, compared to 115 km/h (120 and 115 km/h (74.6 and 71.5 mph)) for the lesser versions. In October 1972, for the '73 model year, engine outputs dropped somewhat, to 31 and 37 PS respectively to lower fuel consumption and meet new, more stringent emissions standards.
As if the existing four bodystyles didn't suffice, a beach buggy version was introduced simultaneously. While highly prized by collectors today, the Buggy only sold about 100 examples and was only available for a single model year. The 440 kg Fellow Buggy was actually not a "real" Fellow, as it was built on a Hijet
chassis, with fibre-reinforced plastic
bodywork. The Buggy also used the Hijet's lower powered (26 PS) engine, providing a top speed of 95 km/h (59 mph).
The Fellow Max received a steady stream of facelifts during its existence. It underwent minor changes in March 1971 (new grille, dash modifications), March 1972 (new dash, round headlights and a new bonnet with longitudinal creases), May 1973 (changes to the fenders and new bumpers that fitted into the bodywork, and another new bonnet) and in October 1973 (new safety equipment). In February 1975 the bumpers were modified again, to allow for the fitment of new, larger license plates. The grille and front bumper arrangement was changed yet again. At the same time the interior saw some changes and the powerful twin-carb model was dropped as it wouldn't pass new emissions regulations. In May 1976 the car underwent more thorough changes as new Kei car regulations were introduced. This also marked the end of the Hardtop versions, which anyhow had lost relevance once the twin-carb engine was discontinued.
New bumpers meant length and width were up marginally to 3120 mm (122.8 in) and 1305 mm (51.4 in). Claimed top speed was 110 km/h (68 mph), somewhat lower than that of the 360. With Honda withdrawing from the Kei market segment, Daihatsu became the only maker to offer a Kei car featuring front-wheel drive. The Van used the front end and front doors from the two-door Max, but with a more square-rigged rear end featuring a split tailgate (divided horizontally) and a folding rear seat which allowed for a flat loading floor.
, while the name "Max" disappeared entirely from the Cuore.
In Japan, the 1979 Max Cuore was available as Standard (2dr), Deluxe (2/4dr), Custom (4dr), Hi-Custom (2/4dr), and Hi-Custom EX (4dr). The top of the line Hi-Custom EX was new for 1979.
The Daihatsu Max is a newer version of the Daihatsu Fellow Max. It appeared in 2000. In October, 2001 the Daihatsu Max 5-door wagon arrived with the same technical data as the Daihatsu Move
, though 10 mm lower. In 2006 the Max was replaced by the Sonica
.
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
class. Originally introduced as the Daihatsu Fellow, the name was partially retained for the Max Cuore (1977) and then again for the 2000 Daihatsu Max.
Fellow
On 9 November 1966, Daihatsu introduced the Fellow, also known as Daihatsu 360 in export markets. Originally only available in DeLuxe and Super DeLuxe equipment levels, a Standard version joined in February 1967. Also available with a wagon body (Fellow Van), as a mini-pickup truck and as a panel van from June 1967, the L37 was conventionally built with a front-mounted engine and rear wheel drive. It used a 23 hp iteration of the 356 cc, water-cooled two-cylinder two-stroke "ZM" engine already seen in the HijetDaihatsu Hijet
The Daihatsu Hijet is a microvan and pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Despite the similarities between the Hijet name and Toyota's naming scheme for its trucks and vans , the name "Hijet" has been in use for Daihatsu's Kei trucks and vans since 1960, over two decades before...
and a four-speed manual transmission. The self-lubricating (Oil-Matic) little engine weighed only 58 kg (128 lb). The Fellow was the first Japanese car to be equipped with rectangular headlights.
As a result of Honda's 31 hp N360
Honda N360
The Honda N360 is a kei car, designed and built by Honda and produced from March 1967 through 1970, while its larger N600 brother lasted three more years. After a January 1970 facelift, the N360 became the NIII360 and continued in production until 1972...
being introduced early in 1967, a Kei-car horsepower war broke out. Daihatsu's response, the Fellow SS, was presented at the 1967 Tokyo Motor Show in October but did not go on sale until June the next year. A LeMans-style sportscar prototype, the "P-5" with the SS engine was shown alongside. The 32 hp "SS" could do the 400 meter sprint in 21.2 seconds.
The Fellow also received a slight facelift in October 1967, with a new dashboard and steering wheel most noticeable. Another minor change came in January 1969, with a fixed drivers' side headrest and seatbelts installed because of new safety regulations. In July, along with what was literally a facelift (the front bumper was now mounted higher), the lesser engine's output increased to 26 hp and a comparatively luxurious "Custom" version was added at the top of the lineup. The size of the taillights also increased somewhat.
| Daihatsu Fellow L37 Data | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Engine | Power | Torque | Dimensions (mm) | Weight (kg) |
Top speed (km/h) |
Gears | Production | Note | ||||||||
| hp | kW | @ rpm | kgm | Nm | @ rpm | length | width | height | wb | begin | end | ||||||
| Std, DX, SDX | Water-cooled 356 cc ZM two-cycle two-cylinder | 23 | 17 | 5,000 | 3.5 kgm | 4,000 | 2,990 | 1,285 | 1,350 | 1,990 | 515 | 100 | 4MT | 66.11 | 69.07 | Std. from 67.02 | |
| Std, DX, SDX, Custom | 26 | 19 | 5,500 | 3.5 kgm | 4,500 | 495 | 110 | 69.07 | 70.04 | facelifted version | |||||||
| SS | 32 | 23.5 | 6,500 | 3.8 kgm | 5,000 | 115 | 68.06 | 70.04 | |||||||||
| Van Std, SDX (Pickup) |
23 | 17 | 5,000 | 3.5 kgm | 4,000 | 2,995 | 1,295 | 1,430 (1,420) |
1,940 | 545 (500) |
85 | 67.06 | 69.07 | 300 kg (350) payload | |||
| Van Std, SDX (Pickup) |
26 | 19 | 5,500 | 3.5 kgm | 4,500 | n/a | 69.07 | 70.07 | |||||||||
Fellow Max
In April 1970, the front-wheel drive L38 Daihatsu Fellow Max was introduced to replace the rear-wheel drive Fellow. Originally only available as a two-door sedan and three-door van, a sporty hardtop coupé with a lower roofline and a somewhat baroque front-end treatment was added in August 1971. SL and GXL Hardtops received standard front disc brakes. In October 1972 a four-door version appeared; it was the only four-door Kei car at the time of its introduction. Dimensions were 2,995 x 1,295 mm as dictated by the Kei carKei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
regulations, although the wheelbase was stretched by 100 mm to 2,090 mm. The engine was a 360 cc two-cylinder two-stroke ("ZM"), offering 33 PS at the time of introduction. In July of 1970 the SS version appeared, featuring a twin-carb, 40 PS (SAE) version of the ZM engine - a specific output of over 112 PS per litre. Top speed was 120 km/h, compared to 115 km/h (120 and 115 km/h (74.6 and 71.5 mph)) for the lesser versions. In October 1972, for the '73 model year, engine outputs dropped somewhat, to 31 and 37 PS respectively to lower fuel consumption and meet new, more stringent emissions standards.
As if the existing four bodystyles didn't suffice, a beach buggy version was introduced simultaneously. While highly prized by collectors today, the Buggy only sold about 100 examples and was only available for a single model year. The 440 kg Fellow Buggy was actually not a "real" Fellow, as it was built on a Hijet
Daihatsu Hijet
The Daihatsu Hijet is a microvan and pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Despite the similarities between the Hijet name and Toyota's naming scheme for its trucks and vans , the name "Hijet" has been in use for Daihatsu's Kei trucks and vans since 1960, over two decades before...
chassis, with fibre-reinforced plastic
Fibre-reinforced plastic
Fibre-reinforced plastic is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibres are usually fibreglass, carbon, or aramid, while the polymer is usually an epoxy, vinylester or polyester thermosetting plastic...
bodywork. The Buggy also used the Hijet's lower powered (26 PS) engine, providing a top speed of 95 km/h (59 mph).
The Fellow Max received a steady stream of facelifts during its existence. It underwent minor changes in March 1971 (new grille, dash modifications), March 1972 (new dash, round headlights and a new bonnet with longitudinal creases), May 1973 (changes to the fenders and new bumpers that fitted into the bodywork, and another new bonnet) and in October 1973 (new safety equipment). In February 1975 the bumpers were modified again, to allow for the fitment of new, larger license plates. The grille and front bumper arrangement was changed yet again. At the same time the interior saw some changes and the powerful twin-carb model was dropped as it wouldn't pass new emissions regulations. In May 1976 the car underwent more thorough changes as new Kei car regulations were introduced. This also marked the end of the Hardtop versions, which anyhow had lost relevance once the twin-carb engine was discontinued.
550cc era
In May 1976, responding to a change in the Kei car regulations, Daihatsu increased the Fellow Max' engine size to 547 cc and gave it a new chassis code (L40/L40V). The name remained, although the "Fellow" portion received less prominence and some marketing material simply referred to the car as the "Max 550". The new "AB10" four-stroke two-cylinder engine replaced the old two-cycle "ZM". This, developed with help from Toyota, was an overhead camshaft design (belt-driven) which also featured balance axles to smoothen the inherently imbalanced two-cylinder design. The AB10 engine was also briefly sold to Suzuki for use in the four-stroke version of their Fronte 7-S. The cleaner four-stroke offered less power than the revvy 360, down to 28 PS at 6,000 rpm. Torque increased somewhat, to 3.9 kgm at a significantly lower 3,500 rpm.New bumpers meant length and width were up marginally to 3120 mm (122.8 in) and 1305 mm (51.4 in). Claimed top speed was 110 km/h (68 mph), somewhat lower than that of the 360. With Honda withdrawing from the Kei market segment, Daihatsu became the only maker to offer a Kei car featuring front-wheel drive. The Van used the front end and front doors from the two-door Max, but with a more square-rigged rear end featuring a split tailgate (divided horizontally) and a folding rear seat which allowed for a flat loading floor.
Max Cuore
In July of 1977 the name was changed to Max Cuore (chassis code L45, although Vans remained L40V). The new name also heralded a wider body shell (up to 1395 mm (54.9 in)) which also increased the length to 3,160 mm for the sedan and 3,165 mm for the wagon. By March, 1979 the car was renamed Daihatsu Cuore (though it was still badged Max Cuore), along with a power upgrade to 31 PS at 6,000 rpm. Torque increased to 4.2 kgm for the engine, which now featured the DECS (Daihatsu Economical Clean-up System) emissions control system to meet the stricter 1978 (53年) emissions standards. In Europe, the car was simply called Daihatsu Cuore from 1977 on. 1980 saw the introduction of the parallel commercial series Daihatsu MiraDaihatsu Mira
The Daihatsu Mira , is a kei car-type vehicle built by the Japanese car maker Daihatsu. It comes with a variety of options and chassis variations, with the latest variant having four models: "Mira", "Mira AVY", "Mira Gino" and "Mira VAN"...
, while the name "Max" disappeared entirely from the Cuore.
In Japan, the 1979 Max Cuore was available as Standard (2dr), Deluxe (2/4dr), Custom (4dr), Hi-Custom (2/4dr), and Hi-Custom EX (4dr). The top of the line Hi-Custom EX was new for 1979.
2000s
Daihatsu Move
The Daihatsu Move is a kei car, produced by Japanese automaker Daihatsu since August 1995. The Move is designed to be as tall as compact cars like the Suzuki Wagon R. Daihatsu successfully sold 500,000 Moves during its first three years of production. The Move is built upon the chassis of the...
, though 10 mm lower. In 2006 the Max was replaced by the Sonica
Daihatsu Sonica
The Daihatsu Sonica is a kei car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Daihatsu since 2005. It is currently in its first generation.-Mark 1:Daihatsu began producing the Sonica in 2006, after having revealed it as a concept car named SK Tourer earlier in the same year. It is available on the...
.