A V12 with a Manual Transmission
The current trend in boutique hypercars is quite interesting. When electric hypercars and SUVs are clocking in sub-four-second 0 to 60 mile per hour times, speed is no longer the main concern, which is why Ken Okuyama’s latest teaser for Kode89 has got our eyes wide and ears perked.
Manual transmissions are coming back, and their prominence in the high-end space speaks volumes about how discerning clientele are looking for the “feeling” of driving once again; pair that with a screaming V12, and you have something special.
Kode 89
The year 1989 was a historic one for the Japanese car industry. In addition to being a year out from the golden era of Japanese performance cars, ’89 was the year that “Car design was at its peak,” a quote gathered by our Japanese source, Response Media.
Ken Okuyama has been known to create works of art, not unlike the other boutique brands that you might not have heard of. Teasers for the brand’s new flagship model have been released to the public ahead of its world premiere at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, U.S.A.
Kode 89’s unveiling coincides with the 20th anniversary of the design studio’s establishment. Founded in 2006, Ken Okuyama celebrates this landmark year with a setup that appears to be a back-to-basics approach to creating a hypercar.
Pick an Engine
Details are currently limited, but from what our Japanese source was able to gather, the chassis of Kode89 will be proprietary and made out of an aluminum space frame. Perhaps the most exciting part is the engine because Kode 89 gives us a V12. Which V12? Well, customers who want to take the plunge will be able to select from a variety of 12-cylinder power units. Whichever one they prefer.
Whatever naturally aspirated V12 engine is chosen, it will be paired with a manual transmission. Quoting the company again, translated from Japanese, “In today’s world, where excessive showmanship and digitalization are becoming tiresome, this is a bespoke model produced in extremely limited quantities that intersects analog passion with cutting-edge technology. It is a truly Made in Japan Carrozzeria hypercar that rewrites conventional notions.”
All this is to say that this car won’t be built for a committee. Instead, the design that we’re seeing, and based on the previous works of Ken Okuyama, will be something to watch and look out for.
