Mitsuoka Rock Star Offers C2 Corvette Styling, Mazda Miata Performance
Why buy the real thing when, for about $42,000, you could have your own Mitsuoka Rock Star?
The C2 Corvette is an American icon. After all, the astronauts drove them! Though, sometimes it’s best to leave classics as classics, and enjoy them for what they are, and what they represent. Or, you could call up Japanese manufacturer Mitsuoka and ask for the Rock Star treatment. Mitsuoka is a small, boutique Japanese manufacturer, perhaps most well-known for its…interesting…Orochi, a car roughly based on the old Acura NSX, and later lampooned in an episode of Top Gear.
The Orochi is now old news, and, instead, the brand is building the Rock Star, an ND Mazda Miata with C2 Corvette-inspired body work. Prices start at 4,688,200円, which is about $42,000, for the standard Rock Star S. Though a top-trim Rock Star S Special Package will set you back 5,183,600円 ($46,500), before a la carte options. And, boy, are there some options.
For your nearly 50 grand, you get a bone stock Miata underneath the interesting body work. That means a standard Miata interior, with a Mitsuoka badge on the steering wheel and stock Miata mechanicals. In Japan, a basic Miata doesn’t even come with the U.S.-spec 2.0-liter inline-four, but, instead, the Rock Star is powered by a 1.5-liter four, good for just 129 horsepower and 110 lb-ft of torque. Being based on a Miata, a 6-speed manual is standard, and a 6-speed automatic is an available extra.
However, don’t let the underwhelming mechanicals turn you off. After all, you can get the Rock Star in six American-centric colors. By their own website, this includes “Los Angeles Blue, Chicago Red, New York Black, ‘Cisco Orange, Washington White and Arizona Yellow.” For what it’s worth, the black, white and yellow options could actually pass as period-correct.
As previously mentioned, you can spec your Mitsuoka Rock Star with a lot of different a la carte options, however, most of them are color-related. A dark red roof (introduced for the 2018+ Miata) is available, as are different color scheme options relating to the A-pillars, mirror caps and doors. Oh, and don’t forget the 15-inch American Racing Torque Thrust wheels with retro-style BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires. We can practically taste the burnouts from here.
Want to buy a Mitsuoka Rock Star? Well, if this is the right kind of crazy for you, you better act quickly. Our Japanese is a bit rusty (こんにちは, Corvette Forum), but we think the company is making just 50 examples of the Rock Star. We are going to sit this one out, but, hey, if you end up buying a Mitsuoka Rock Star, please call us. We would love to see one in person.
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