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Daihatsu D-X portends a less endearing Copen successor

We've always had a soft spot for the Daihatsu Copen. Granted, it always struck us as an overly effeminate Audi TT, but that's not a particularly bad thing. But after nearly a decade of production, Daihatsu has to move on, so across the way from the "Ultimate Edition" Copen at the Tokyo Motor Show is this, the Daihatsu DX concept.
An odd amalgamation of Kei car size and SUV styling, the D-X features a retractable hard top and composite body panels that Daihatsu claims can be swapped out at will. Keeping within the Kei car limits in Japan, the D-X is powered by a turbocharged two-cylinder engine outputting around 60 horsepower and spinning the front wheels. We couldn't get a straight answer from the Daihatsu reps on the floor, but based on the model years we through out in broken Japanese, we should be seeing the D-X in production form late next year.

Tokyo 2009: Daihatsu Basket concept looking for Little Green Riding Hood

Daihatsu Basket -- Click above for high-res image gallery
We're sure it wasn't meant this way, but standing beside the Daihatsu Basket concept, you do feel like you could throw things in it, pick the thing up by its t-top crossbar, and take it to a picnic. And carrying it that way would probably be better than driving it. A thoroughly JDM offering, it is described thusly: "the slow pace of life open four-seater model with a wide rear deck is designed for full enjoyment of life, such as for trips to the family vegetable plot out of the city." Amen.
The rinky-dinky pickup packs a removable hardtop up front and a removable canvas top in back, and linen throughout the cabin for that light, airy interior feel. We like it. We like it a lot. Take a look at it in the gallery of high-res photos below.

Daihatsu Copen, Japan's last kei convertible, ending production

You may not have ever heard of a car called the Daihatsu Copen, but it's ending production and we're sad to report it. The Copen is (or was) made by the budget Toyota brand and stands as the only convertible kei car - those being the whimsical little cars that zip around Japan - still on the market.
A tiny two-seat roadster with a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Copen was a favorite among customers for being just downright fun. But apparently after ten years of production, there just aren't enough of those customers left to justify its continued production.
As a result, Daihatsu is reportedly discontinuing the line, with no apparent plans to replace it. Before it does, however, a 10th anniversary edition is reportedly in the works, with production limited to just 500 units. But with only 2,000 Copens sold last year, that represents a full quarter of production.