Students from the Japanese automotive college NATS are preparing three unique projects for the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon. One of the most interesting is a compact roadster inspired by the design of the Toyota GR Supra, but built on the basis of the Daihatsu Copen microvan.
Preparing for the Auto Salon
There is not much time left until the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, which will take place on January 9-11, and workshops are actively finishing work on their projects. NATS, or the Nihon Automotive College, is a regular participant in the event, and its students’ projects always attract attention. This year, the team is presenting three bold builds.
Leader Among the Projects
The central exhibit at the NATS booth is set to be a sedan created on the basis of the Toyota Vellfire using Lexus LS components. However, a tiny but very expressive interpretation of the Toyota GR Supra promises to gain almost as much popularity. This is a topless concept roadster built on a Daihatsu Copen chassis.
This unique build is inspired by the Toyota Supra Roadster concept developed by NATS back in 2020 on a Lexus SC base.
Conversion Details
The new version continues the same theme, using a wide body kit and original components from the GR Supra. Obviously, due to the car’s miniature size, installing a 2JZ-GTE engine was not possible. To realize their idea, the students actively used original parts from the Supra. Installing them on the tiny Daihatsu Copen required cutting and serious modification to make the parts fit the compact body of the kei car. The remaining exterior elements are made from custom-produced fiberglass.
Appearance of the Mini-Supra
The roadster is fitted with original front and rear headlights from the GR Supra. The bumpers are also made from Supra parts, but significantly modified. The body kit includes a pronounced splitter, a hood with air intakes, widened fenders, side skirts, and a rear diffuser. The installation of a special rear panel with an integrated “ducktail” spoiler and a fixed rear wing is also planned. Visually, only the doors, mirrors, windshield, and removable hardtop remain from the original Copen. Everything else has either been replaced or seriously reworked.
Technical Features
The team has not yet revealed full details regarding chassis upgrades and performance improvements, but some changes are obvious. The final version is expected to feature tuned alloy wheels, significantly reduced ground clearance, larger brakes, and some engine modification. The car will likely retain the Daihatsu Copen’s standard turbocharged 658 cc three-cylinder engine producing 63 hp and 92 Nm of torque, which drives the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT. However, it is quite possible that the students have increased its output somewhat.
Work on the NATS mini-Supra roadster is still ongoing. Its final goal is exhibition at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon. It will be presented alongside a sedan based on the Toyota Vellfire and a lowrider-style Nissan Gloria. These three projects will form the trio of participants from the college at this year’s event.
Such student projects not only demonstrate the technical skill and creativity of future engineers but also often become a source of inspiration for the automotive industry. They show how, with limited resources but a rich imagination, something truly unique can be created. The success of such builds often depends not on engine power, but on details, harmony of forms, and purity of execution, which is what makes them special at major international shows.