Highlights

• One of only 300 made – JDM model never sold in the UK
• Supercharged 1.6-litre
• 5-speed manual transmission
• Three UK owners since import in 1997
• Comprehensive history file
• Very original, unmodified condition

The Appeal

The History and Paperwork

• Declared first registered in Japan in 1989
• We believe the car to be a 1988 model, as that was the only year this ‘Super Edition’ was produced
• One of only 300 believed to have been built, available only in Japan
• Imported to the UK in March 1997
• Three UK owners since import
• Previous owner had the car SORN in dry storage from 2011 to 2022
• The previous owner was an engineer who apparently did a lot of work to restore the car while it was SORN
• Current owner since April 2022
• Always garaged by the previous and current owners
• Comprehensive history file, with lots of previous MOT certificates and many invoices for servicing, parts and maintenance
• Current MOT to June 2023
• 137,780Km on the clock
• Complete with two keys and immobiliser fobs

The Interior

• Black leather to the seats, with fabric centres and matching door card inserts – we’re told that the driver’s seat leather has been reupholstered
• The upholstery shows well, with some light wear from use but no notable damage or serious wear
• Black carpet with grey floor mats, all showing in good order, with no discernible damage or threading
• Factory fitted Momo steering wheel and gear shifter – these are showing some heavy wear to the leather, but have been retained as they are the original factory items
• Period double DIN Fujitsu radio/cassette system, all apparently in very good working order
• Electric windows and door mirrors
• Air conditioning
• We noted a tiny crack to the top of the centre console and a small nick in the vinyl on the driver’s side of the transmission tunnel
• Tucked away behind the driver’s seat is the usual standard issue flare fitted to JDM cars of this period
• Overall, the switchgear and controls are in fine fettle, with some wear and natural patina from use, but the vendor reports no faults or issues with any functions
• There’s a handy “frunk” that contains a spacesaver spare wheel with a vinyl cover, as well as the original tool roll
• At the back is a small but practical boot space, trimmed out in light grey carpet which is wearing some stains

The Exterior

• Superb white-over-gold two-tone paintwork, which looks to be all original and in good condition for the age and mileage, with the original stickers and coachlines intact
• “T-top” bodystyle with lift-out glass roof panels, the bags for these are also present and correct
• The bodywork all looks nice and straight, with no obvious damage or serious corrosion
• The vendor points out some bubbling to the front wings, which should be relatively simple to address, and we noted some spots of surface corrosion to the front panel under the bumper
• We love the angular bodykit of the Super Edition, and all the elements appear to be present and correct, with only a couple of minor cracks to the side skirts
• Pop-up headlights, working just as they should
• The driver’s side integrated fog light lens has some crazing, so the vendor has installed an LED rear fog light below the bumper
• Factory fitted ‘bronze’ glass all presents in good order, with no notable cracking or chipping apparent
• We’re told that a new electric aerial has been installed
• Underneath the car looks very clean and tidy, with straight sills and floors, and just a little surface corrosion showing to the sill seams
• The vendor has applied fresh underseal to the underside of the car
• Wheels are the original factory items, with a teardrop hole design – the vendor tells us they have been refurbished and they certainly look to be in excellent condition
• The wheels are shod with a matched set of BFGoodrich tyres, which are newly fitted

The Mechanics

• Mid-engined, rear-wheel drive layout
• 1,587cc, four-cylinder supercharged 4A-GZE engine
• This engine offered 145hp and 186Nm from the factory
• Five-speed manual transmission
• Work carried out by the last owner includes: new cambelt, water pump, alternator, supercharger and suspension struts refurbishment
• Work done by the present owner (since April 2022):
  • Engine and cooling system flushed
  • Brakes overhauled
  • Full service – all fluids and filters
  • Petrol tank dropped and cleaned
  • New fuel pump fitted
• We’re told by the vendor that the car starts, runs and drives very well, with no faults of mechanical issues reported

Summary