At first glace, the Mitsuoka Orochi may seem like the Japanese answer to Ferrari, but there’s an unflattering surprise under the hood, the car is powered by a Lexus 3.3-litre V6 engine. With only 231bhp and 327Nm of torque, it’s a powerplant that has no business being in a car with such wild style.
This isn’t the only letdown either, the automatic transmission sourced from the Lexus RX makes the Orochi’s supercar claim fall flat, sacrificing a more engaging driving experience for comfort.
Still, the Orochi has captured the imagination of the Japanese car-buying public, who have been purchasing the cars as fast as Mitsuoka can make them. The exterior styling can take full credit for the car’s initial success, but until something is done to improve performance, the Orochi is just a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
(For more information & photos, visit the review of the Orochi at Auto Express.)