Daihatsu Mira Gino: the retro Mira sold as the Trevis

The Daihatsu Mira Gino was a kei car with distinctive retro styling, made from 1999 to 2009 and based on the more mainstream Mira. The first generation used the L700 series Mira, and the second arrived in 2004 with the retro look carried over. In Europe the second generation was sold as the Daihatsu Trevis.

Daihatsu Mira Gino at a glance

Based on one source. The European Trevis is covered on the same Wikipedia page as the Mira Gino.

History of the Daihatsu Mira Gino

The first generation

The first Mira Gino was introduced in 1999 as a three- or five-door car based on the L700 series Mira, which was produced from 1998 to 2002. It used the 658 cc EF series three-cylinder engine, naturally aspirated or turbocharged, with front- or four-wheel drive. The retro styling evoked the Daihatsu Compagno and the classic Mini. The Gino replaced the Mira Classic, a variant of the L500 series Mira.

From October 2002 a Minilite Special model was offered with Minilite alloy wheels, stickers and extra front driving lights; later came the Minilite Special Turbo and Minilite Special Limited, the Minilite also forming the basis of the Mira Gino Hello Kitty Edition of December 2001, which had character-shaped keys and door lock knobs, smoked glass, special upholstery and Hello Kitty floor mats.

An unusual version was the Mira Gino 1000 of August 2002, which used the European market 989 cc EJ-VE three-cylinder. It no longer fitted the kei class because of the larger engine and was slightly longer and wider thanks to bumper overriders and fender trim. The engine produced 64 PS at 6,000 rpm, the same peak as the turbocharged 658 cc unit but with considerably more power at low engine speeds. Only a four-speed automatic was offered, with front- or four-wheel drive, and the car came in a base version and a better equipped “X”. It was built 1,292 times before production ended in June 2004, and was effectively replaced by the one-litre version of the Boon.

The second generation and the Trevis

The second generation of 2004 dropped the three-door and was sold only as a five-door hatchback. It used only the naturally aspirated EF-VE engine, still with 58 PS at 7,600 rpm and 64 N·m at 4,000 rpm, but made cleaner thanks to “intelligent catalysts”. The styling was again inspired by the Mini, this time the newer BMW-built car. In Europe this generation was sold as the Trevis, using the European-market Cuore’s one-litre engine with 58 PS and a five-speed manual gearbox; torque was considerably higher at 91 N·m. The Trevis was well equipped with climate control and a leather Momo steering wheel, and a cheaper stripped version was sold as the Trevis Junior. The Mira Gino was discontinued in March 2009 and replaced by the Mira Cocoa, also retro-styled but more original.

Design and features

• Retro styling: the Gino looked back to the Compagno and the classic Mini.
• Kei and one-litre versions: the Gino 1000 used a larger export engine.
• Special editions: Minilite and Hello Kitty models.
• Trevis: the European version with a one-litre engine and five-speed manual.

Daihatsu Mira Gino versions

• Mira Gino 658 (1999–2004): naturally aspirated or turbocharged, front or four-wheel drive.
• Minilite Special (2002): alloy wheels, stickers and driving lights.
• Hello Kitty Edition (2001): character details and special trim.
• Mira Gino 1000 (2002–2004): 989 cc export engine, automatic only.
• Second generation (2004–2009): five-door only.
• Trevis and Trevis Junior: European versions with the one-litre engine.

The Gino is based on the Mira and shares its retro theme with no other car in the range; the Copen was the other small Daihatsu with a strong character. More cars are in the Daihatsu collection.

Sources

• Daihatsu Mira Gino, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, editions, Trevis