Rare Tommykaira Roadster sells for $40k

A mid-engined 1997 Tommykaira ZZ, designed by a Japanese company that used to tune Subaru and Nissan cars before becoming a standalone manufacturer, has just changed hands in the USA for $40,250.

The fairly ascetic car depicted here belongs to a series of around 220 units ever made. It features a glass-fiber body with a detachable top and manages to combine the stylistic traits of various Ferrari, Lotus and Porsche sports cars. The suspension is based on height-adjustable coilovers and dual wishbones. 16-inwh Volk Racing wheels fill out the arches.

Power for the Japanese exotic comes from a 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated Nissan SR20DE mill equipped with four Keihin carburetors. Nissan used to equip many of its cars with this engine, including a number of SX-series sports cars. In its Tommykaira ZZ implementation, the mill delivers 180 PS (178 hp / 132 kW) and 195 Nm (144 lb-ft) of torque to the wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. The car reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in roughly four seconds and can attain 240 km/h (149 mph) going in a straight line.

A peek inside the cabin reveals two bucket seats, an analog dashboard and a number of retro-themed switches and controls. The counter displays around 43,000 km (26,700 miles) of use.