Why Yotahachi?

For whatever reason, I decided the last car I would own would be a small and unique sports car. The Lotus Elan and Toyota Sports 800 (referred to as Yotahachi) have been on my radar for 20 years, probably since I was in my thirties. The stars aligned one day and I ended up with a Yotahachi.

However the main reason I chose the Yotahachi was the combination of its special engine with the unique body styling. The 800cc air-cooled horizontally opposed two-cylinder engine is designed for compressors or motorcycles. Originally made for a car called Publica, the engine is tough and has excellent fuel efficiency. With a lightweight body of about 500kg, it delivers over 20km per liter. 

Compared to modern eco-cars, the Yotahachi keeps the excitement and gives away nothing. Due to its lightweight, the unique driving characteristics of the Yotahachi feels like a sportscar through normal driving and turns. After I bought the Yotahachi I learned that the streamlined aerodynamic design was attributed to Mr. Tatsuo Hasegawa, a wartime airplane engineer. As an airplane enthusiast, such background made the compact yet beautiful body design of the Yotahachi even more appealing. However, when the engine is started, it produces a free-spirited rattling noise that zips around with sharp driving. This unlikely combination results in the miracle Yotahachi sports car.

About 10 years ago, I bought a silver 1966 make Yotahachi through a private sale. The previous owner beautifully cared for the car and I'm very satisfied with the agility considering its more than 50 years old. 

Actually, there is another later 1968 make model that I acquired for parts but the donor couldn’t remember what year it actually was. Someday I'm thinking of restoring it to circuit specifications. Since the car is light in weight and has a simple structure, it should be able to be enjoyed for a long time with minimal touch, like a motorbike. It's an old car so it's really difficult to procure parts, but it's also fun to get acquainted with the other Yotahachi owners at classic car events, swap meets and auctions, etc., to buy parts and minicars.

If there were a magazine ranking the best XX Japanese cars, the Yotahachi would feature highly. As an owner, it’s disappointing there haven’t been many miniature model versions produced. Especially as it seems there are mainly 1/43 scale mini cars or smaller. 

I've always wanted to decorate my garage with a Yotahachi model larger than the standard 1/20 scale plastic model, and now Kyosho releases a Yotahachi in the Samurai series! When I heard that, I expected the price would be well into the red zone (laugh). 

Actually, the product is better than expected; in particular the side-on view presents excellent proportionality making me think minicars should have this presence. 

The color is red but I would like to ask Kyosho to make a silver version next time!

Yasuhito Sakurai

Deputy editor-in-chief of "Mono Magazine".

Responsible for: cars; motorcycles; outdoor; DIY, and military pages. Influenced by his car-loving father, he began collecting catalogs from neighborhood car dealers in his backpack when he was in elementary school. Now 52 years old, he has owned more than 50 cars since he first got his license when he was 18.