The Dodge Challenger as we know it may be going away after 2023 comes to a close, but while Dodge is preparing to end the party, it appears that the folks at Mitsuoka are not quite ready to close the show, with the quirky Japanese car company revealing the all-new M55 concept to celebrate the firm’s 55th anniversary.
Is The M55’s Attempts At Imitation The Sincerest Form Of Flattery?
While it remains to be seen how Dodge and its parent brand Stellantis will respond to the M55’s attempt to cosplay as one of its iconic models (given the legal battle the firm had with Indian firm Mahindra over the Jeep-like Roxor) Mitsuoka reps claim that it designed the M55 to help celebrate the company’s 55th anniversary and showcase what the company has done since starting operations in the 1970s. A running theme for Mitsuoka during the bulk of that time is the firm’s habit of infusing retro designs onto modern vehicles with entries like the Viewt imitating a Jaguar Mk 2 and the Mitsuoka Himiko doing its best impression of a vintage British sports car. It’s delightfully weird and has occasionally encouraged the company to take risks (like it did with the Orochi supercar in the 2000s.)
This long-running tradition continues in stride with the M55 which takes its inspiration from a 1970’s era Dodge Challenger. The front end is perhaps the most obvious example of this in action with the grille, headlights, and even the width of it all being a clear attempt at cloning the Dodge’s street swagger. The side profile is handsome but things get weirder at the rear of the M55 where large taillights and rear louvers add to the retro look and are somewhat reminiscent of the louvers on the Mitsubishi Starion and its cousin the Plymouth Conquest.
Meanwhile, the interior reveals that the M55 also follows Mitsuoka’s habit of using modern Japanese cars for the bulk of its creations with this one being based on a current generation Honda Civic. The interior has plenty of Honda cues baked into it (including the large unified air vent) and the only thing Mitsuoka did to differentiate things was to put its logo over the large “H” in the center of the steering wheel and cover the seats in period style upholstery complete with strategically placed holes.
When Can I Buy One?
If you’re in Japan and you’re looking to perhaps buy an M55 for your garage, we have some bad news for you, it’s not entering production. Mitsuoka confirmed that this lone prototype is the only M55 it has built and the car will be going on a small tour to two different dealerships in Tokyo in December and January. In the meantime, buyers can still choose from several models already in production that each take their inspiration from the past. The two that caught our eye were the Rock Star (a Mazda MX-5 dressing up as a 60’s era Corvette) and the Buddy which is not named after the elf from said movie but is rather a RAV4 that’s doing its best impression of a vintage Chevy Blazer.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.