The final Daihastu Copen rolls off the assembly line

On August 31, Daihatsu held a ceremony as the last Copen finished production and rolled off the line. A small group of lucky and dedicated Copen owners were invited to see off the Jaune Yellow kei convertible, a fitting color for a car that has brought so much joy to owners. It was the first time in Daihatsu’s history of over 100 years that the public had been invited to see off a car on its final day of production.

The Copen debuted in 2002 as a fun, open-top car that fit within stringent kei specifications. It combined the cuteness of cars like the Nissan Figaro with a Daihatsu Mira’s low cost of ownership. While it didn’t garner the reputation for hard-core kei sports car like the Honda Beat or Suzuki Cappuccino, it gained a cult following nonetheless.

The end of Copen production was announced in September 2025. To send it off, Daihatsu prepared three events in a series called “Keep It Open”, referring to the car’s retractable roof, leading up to the final day.

On May 16, the Keep It Open Drive Day gathered approximately 1000 Copens at Fuji Speedway. It was the largest assembly of Copens in history, filling up Fuji’s one-kilometer-plus main straight. “Seeing a thousand Copens lined up like this, I was reminded once again how glad I am that we were able to bring the Copen into the world,” said Daihatsu Executive Vice President Hiromasa Hoshika at the opening ceremony.

Daihatsu sure knows how to throw a party. The event started at 6:00 am and ran until well after dusk. Professionals utilized the Fuji Speedway test course and gave attendees ride-alongs in a GR Copen. Technicians demonstrated one of the second-generation Copen’s selling points, the ability to swap body panels, and turned a red GR Sport to a yellow Cero.

Consultations on mods and maintenance were offered at aftermarket booths like HKS, Blitz, and Daihatsu-specific shops. Daihatsu offered their own wares, such as stickers, pins, T-shirts, and so on. Kids could play one of the many carnival games available, or build their own Tamiya Mini 4WD Copen and race it along a track modeled after Fuji Speedway.

For the true die-hards, Daihatsu held a trivia contest, Awards were given for longest ownership, most dedicated (though we’re not sure how they determined that), and farthest traveled, which went to an owner from Okinawa (requiring a 25-hour ferry ride and another 14 or so hours of driving).

Finally, as the sun set the Daihatsu staff coordinated a massive light show with the 1000 Copens lined up on the track, flashing headlights, brakes, and turn signals. Then, leaning into the car’s defining attribute, everyone was asked to open their tops to view a surprise fireworks show.

The Fuji Speedway event was followed by the second installment, Keep It Open Birthday, a live-streaming event that took place on June 19. That date is significant as the launch date of both the original L880 Copen (June 19, 2002) as well as the second-generation LA004K Copen (June 19, 2014).

The hosts shared a recap of the Fuji Speedway event for those that couldn’t attend and rolled out a birthday cake. They had taken a survey on social media to ask how Copen owners planned to celebrate their cars’ birthday. The number one response was “going for a drive,” followed by, “giving it a wash.”

At the end, they announced the third and final event, Keep It Open Future Day, which brings us to the production of the final Copen. Due to space, only 50 owners were allowed to attend, all selected by lottery from about 900 entrants. The event was held on August 31 at the Ikeda No.2 Plant that’s been dedicated to Copen production for 24 years, also known as the Copen Factory.

The Copen is mostly hand assembled, and attendees gathered in the plant to see craftsmen put together the last LA400K. As of the August 31, the Copen Factory employed just 165 people. Photos aren’t usually allowed in this area, but on the final day the audience was allowed to do so.

Then Factory Manager Hiroshi Kitagawa gave a heartfelt speech, sharing his thoughts on the end of Copen production:

The factory will enter a period of quiet for a while. The sounds of the equipment that you hear every day, and the sight of vehicles moving along the production line, will be gone for the time being.

It would be a lie to say we don’t feel any sadness. However, we don’t believe this place has fulfilled its purpose. We see this place not only as a place where history has been built, but also as a starting point for our next challenge.
The Copen was never a car produced in large quantities, but the feelings we put into each and every one of them were immense. We don’t usually have many opportunities to meet our customers directly. However, behind each and every car there is a customer, someone eagerly awaiting the day of delivery, someone who will create memories with that car. With that image in mind, many of our staff members have worked hard, pouring their hearts and souls into creating the Copen every day…

The final production vehicles being shipped out today are filled with the passion of our colleagues who have been involved in the creation of the Copen for many years. From those who build the body, those who finish the paintwork, those who assemble the cars, to those who check the quality, each and every one of them takes pride in their role and has worked with pride to meet our customers’ expectations. I would like to say just one thing to these Copens.

To the Copen: Thank you for bringing the joy of driving to so many customers. Thank you for the many friends you’ve met and the memories you’ve created. And thank you for giving us the joy and pride of manufacturing.

Today marks the end of production for the Copen, but the technology, experience, and passion we have cultivated with the Copen will continue to live on within us. Finally, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude once again to all the owners who have loved and supported the Copen. As long as you continue to cherish and drive your Copen, the story of the Copen will continue. And we too will carry on the feelings we have cultivated at this Copen factory into the future.

Daihatsu President Masahiro Inoue added, “Today is not the end, but the start of a challenge to create the next Copen, a starting point.” So what could be next?

There are rumors that Daihatsu, Suzuki, and Toyota are working on a new platform that will underpin a third-gen Copen, new Cappuccino, and the long-awaited Toyota S-FR. The Cappuccino was famously FR, and word has it that the new Copen will be as well.  The world desperately needs more affordable sports cars, so hopefully the halls of the Copen Factory won’t be silent for too long.

Images courtesy of Daihatsu,