It’s not easy getting good information about the Mitsuoka Le Seyede. Cold hard facts, that is. There’s plenty of pictures and rabid commentary, but I had to do a little digging to turn up the most elementary facts, like which car it was based on. The chassis, that is; everyone knows what car inspired its styling.
Yes, that zenith of seventies kitsch-mobiles, the Zimmer Golden Spirit. Well, if you really want one, they’ll still make a new Zimmer for you, for “when you’ve truly arrived”. Where?
While the Zimmers were based on big Lincolns, the Japanese version obviously had to be a bit more compact. And that distinctive window line gives its source away pretty readily,
the Nissan Silvia/200 SX (S15), which was never imported (sadly) to the US. Obviously, the Le Seyde had a front end extension, but even then, it was “only” 206″ long overall. Just the thing for those crowded Japanese streets.
Mitsuoka has made a number of retro and other unusual designer cars, and its current one is the inimitable Orochi, the only car possibly uglier than the Le Seyde. How do they do it? Upholding one’s reputation is hard work.
Hmm. To paraphase: Ugly is in the eye of the beholder. I can say that as a former owner of Yugos and Azteks.
You know, now you have to do CC on the Zimmer.
This is definitely not my cup of meat, and for some reason I’m surprised that another country/culture would do something like this. I guess I’m accustomed to thinking that Zimmers & etc., is just an expression of our rugged individualistic nature in the US.
But this is obviously something that runs deep in all of our cultures. How else could we explain Rinspeed? Or Colani?
Hi,
I’ve just sold my own Le Seyde, so if anyone wants to know anything about them, send a message.
I must say they look far better in the flesh – they are very long and low, and I reckon it handled as well as the 200sx. Acceleration was good enough to keep up with traffic but was not fast.
And everyone stood and gawped as it went past, snapped pictures on their phones, and if I parked up I was mobbed like a popstar. If you want to pull the ladies, get a Le Seyde!
Here is a link to a Youtube video I did of my car.
Hi,
I’ve just sold my own Le Seyde, so if anyone wants to know anything about them, send a message.
I must say they look far better in the flesh – they are very long and low, and I reckon it handled as well as the 200sx. Acceleration was good enough to keep up with traffic but was not fast.
And everyone stood and gawped as it went past, snapped pictures on their phones, and if I parked up I was mobbed like a popstar. If you want to pull the ladies, get a Le Seyde!
Here is a link to a Youtube video I did of my car.
Hi, I’m looking at buying a le seyde. There is one arriving in the UK late Jan which I’m thinking of viewing. My main concern would be speed bumps and ramps/steep hills as I live in Glasgow. The video you posted looks like it’s pretty low did you have much problems? Also can you give me any other reviews, positive or negative to help me make up my mind?
Hi Andrew ,
I just bought a car exactly like your yesterday from an Auction. Would you know what is its current value ? I have never owned a car like this so please give me some info. My husband drove it yesterday but he said it was not very easy to drive.
Thanks a lot.
IK
The eye is in the beholder, and can depend on the beholder’s culture. Clearly some Japanese thought that Orochi was attractive, while most Westerners (like me) feel downright queasy at the sight of that kisser.
Some of the Korean cars a decade ago, particularly Hyundai Tiburons, suggested some sort of shellfish to me.
The stock Silvia looks pretty sharp. I see a lot of Ferrari 456GT and BMW 850i in its lines. Tomica actually makes a 1/64 diecast or the Le Seyde.
Shame on them for doing that to a Sylvia. The Zimmer is truly awful with every bit of kitch and no class at all and the Mitsuoka though better is still just crap
Only a “Seyde-istic” person would do that to a Silvia…
Since the Sylvia is a popular drift car, it would be cool to make that mitsuoka version into a drift car.
Im not sure the Le Merde has the chassis balance of the donor Silvia that front extension wont help, but hey be my guest.
Most Silvia’s, since the 1984 S12, had 50/50 weight distribution… Or 49/51, but very good.
With that Gonzo nose overhang and all that useless gingerbread…I think it would be about 90/10. 😛
I am more interested in the red car whose rear end is shown in the picture #2.
Paul, do you plan to make CC on NSU Prinz any time soon?
Hopefully. It’s long overdue, no?
I am looking forward to it, Prinz 1000L was my first car, and first car is like first love….
It’s certainly a fascinating car! There’s at least one Le Seyede in NZ (it was for sale recently) as well as quite a number of their other models – mostly the Viewt. I recently bought a selection of Mitsuoka brochures, and although they’re the Japanese Domestic Market brochures, they’re printed entirely in English…or at least a type of very proper English that aims to sound frightfully British, but instead is just too funny for words!
Along the same lines as the various Mitsuokas is the magnificent Subaru Impreza Casa Blance, pictured below, of which we also have a few. I always thought the Casa was made by an external company like Mitsuoka, but no, I received the brochure with the Mitsuoka ones, and the Casa was entirely designed, built and marketed by Subaru.
I guess some things just work better in different cultures!
OMG Ive seen a Casa didnt know what it was MG 1100 grille on a Subaru then it was gone, not my idea of tasteful customizing but somone bought it.
I saw an Orochi at a rest area somewhere southwest of Tokyo. It is quite striking for sure, and there are plenty of the little Mitsuoka body kit cars gracing the streets all over this country.
I used to hate on all the hideous designs and terrible aftermarket things people inflicted upon their cars, but then I started to think that they made these things unique. They make the roads more interesting. They give us something to talk about. It’s better that they’re there. Should we all be driving beige 1998 Corollas? I don’t think so, and thus I welcome the hideous to the roads with open arms.
That said, I’m on my third Subaru now, so read into that what you will 😉 .
I’m very glad companies like Mitsuoka exist. Adds some badly needed levity to the streetscape. Wish we had more here.
If you really want to experience the Art Zimmer lifestyle, his home, with its magnificent “extra deep well and oversized septic tank and leech field” can be your for only $549,000.
http://www.zimmermotorcars.com/index.php?page=news-media
Zimmer seems to know its target customer; someone with too much money, no taste, and (according to their cheesy website) doesn’t know that neo=new.
I looked at the prices for Zimmer cars: $124,000 to $194,000? You couldn’t pay me to drive one of those things!
The Golden Spirit is a tastefully done retro. Its lines are straight, just like on the automobiles it drew its inspiration from, it’s boxy like them, it has a gunslit windshield and a true vertical grille that sits at 90 degrees.
The modern interpretation (of an interpretation), however, gets all of it wrong. The huge winshield just looks out of place on a 30s inspired design. The hood is all out of proportion with the rest of the car (just compare it with the Golden Spirit, very good job there again Paul), and the C-pillar is disgraceful.
The Golden Spirit will get people looking in traffic and complimenting you anywhere you park it. The newer version… uhhhh… Le Seyde, well, it will get people looking, let’s just leave it at that!!!
As for the Orochi, job accomplished on making the cheeriest grille ever. This should be in one of the Cars movies as one of the good guys (girls, actually).
For what its worth, re-doing a Nissan Coronado (Canadian market Silvia) seems a little bit off, but hey, more power to Mitsuoka for creating a car that at LEAST has some sort of style, however kitschy. They’re still trying to get the Mitsuoka line into Canada, and there’s a small albeit hopeful few that want them. So yes, I think that the Mitsuokas are weird, but its a GOOD kind of weird, and in the end isn’t that what Automotive style is all about? Me I’m hankering for the Mazda/Chrysler-based Himiko roadster to go with my 124 Spider.
The only reason, and ONLY, I would buy a La Seyde is to take it apart, and try to revive what’s left of the awesome S15 Silvia, it once was.
I can’t believe some idiots would cannibalize an S15, and make it look like Superfly’s Eldorado.
Please, tell us it wasn’t a Silvia K’s turbo version, that was sacrificed. 🙁
The Orochi’s design inspiration…