The Daihatsu Leeza Spider is an ultra-rare, quirky convertible Kei car produced in Japan from November 1991 until August 1993. While competitors like Honda and Suzuki built dedicated, clean-sheet sports cars like the Beat and Cappuccino, Daihatsu took a creative shortcut by slicing the roof off their existing three-door hatchback, the Leeza.
The result was a highly distinct, miniature drop-top that remains one of the most obscure and collectible microcars ever made.
History and Extreme Rarity
- Concept Origin: It was previewed at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show and the 1991 Geneva Auto Salon under the prototype name FX-228.
- Production Numbers: It is incredibly scarce. Total Production numbers are estimated between just 200 and 380 units, making it a holy grail for Kei car enthusiasts.
- Strict Factory Configuration: To give the tiny car a premium feel, Daihatsu loaded every production model with a genuine leather black interior. It was sold strictly as a 2 seater (scrapping the concept's tiny rear seats) and only came in two factory paint colors: Julian Red or Black Metallic.
Because it was adapted from a hatchback, the car has unusual design quirks. Notably, it retains the prominent front quarter-glass window panels, meaning the side windows oddly wind up through fixed triangular frames. The original models also shipped with distinctive, retro mock-wire wheel covers and heavy side decals, which are nearly impossible to find or replace today.
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