Earlier this month, I had the exciting opportunity to journey to Germany, a country that’s quickly becoming a personal favorite in Europe. Thanks to the fantastic team at Car Design Event, I was able to get hands-on with some remarkable vehicles from various OEM heritage collections. Following your requests, dear readers, I made sure to take the Toyota Sera for a spin, and here’s what I discovered.
Before the event, a list of available cars was provided. However, as is often the case with managing and maintaining collections of classic vehicles, not every promised car was present. Nevertheless, there was still an impressive array of cars to experience, and thankfully, no aggressive tactics were needed to get behind the wheel.
The driving sessions were condensed into two afternoons, making time a precious commodity. Despite the limited time, I ensured each car I drove received a proper workout on the winding mountain roads surrounding Dietzhölztal. These roads, with their smooth surfaces, excellent visibility, and challenging hairpins, were a stark contrast to the pothole-ridden and often neglected roads of the UK. They provided the perfect setting to push a valuable classic car on unfamiliar roads with the steering wheel on the “wrong” side. This article marks the second installment of my German automotive adventure, with more exciting episodes to come.
Diving into the Toyota Sera
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Japan’s ‘bubble era’ of automotive design wasn’t solely about crafting high-end, technologically advanced supercars and luxurious coupes. It also fostered the creation of fascinating and unique cars at the more accessible end of the spectrum, like the Nissan Pike series and, of course, the Toyota Sera Car. Originally unveiled as the AXV-II concept car at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show, the design was so advanced that journalists were even given the chance to drive it. In 1990, it officially launched as the Sera. Toyota stated that the name “Sera” was chosen to evoke the idea of a “dream-like car that takes us into the future.” If your dream involves feeling like you’re cruising in a stylish glass bubble, the Sera is definitely your car.
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Toyota Sera
Image credit Car Design Event
Toyota Sera
Image credit Car Design Event
Beyond its expansive glass canopy, the most immediately striking feature of the Toyota Sera car is undoubtedly its gullwing doors. Hinged at the top of the windshield and the base of the A-pillar, these doors are more than just a quirky design choice. The intention was practical: to require less space to open fully compared to conventional doors. They succeeded, needing only about 17 inches (43cm) of side clearance. This clever design was so effective that Gordon Murray famously adopted it for the iconic McLaren F1.
The Toyota Sera also incorporated a less visible, but equally significant, innovation in bodywork manufacturing. Toyota developed a new panel stamping process specifically for lower production volume vehicles. According to Toyota UK magazine, “Interestingly, the new Toyota Sera delivered more than just a future aesthetic; it also introduced new techniques to the Toyota Production System. The front wing, for example, was produced using a new flexible press system specifically designed for low-volume manufacturing. The technology allowed Toyota to reduce the five conventional panel forming processes – drawing, trimming, bending, cam trimming and cam flanging – to just three. Amazingly, this revolutionary simplification of the press manufacturing process yielded body panels of superior quality and accuracy.”
During the booming late 1980s and early 1990s, Japanese manufacturers had the financial resources to explore such innovations. They could afford smaller production runs to experiment with new manufacturing techniques and technological advancements. In today’s more mature automotive market, where gains are often incremental, justifying such design and production tangents is more challenging. However, we still occasionally see glimpses of this spirit in cars like the Plymouth Prowler and BMW i3.
Due to popular demand from readers like Alekk98, Buzz, RKranc, and Carbon Fiber Sasquatch, I had to test the crucial question: could my 6’2” frame fit comfortably inside this “space helmet” on wheels without incident? I’m pleased to report that the experiment was a success. My head, and more importantly, my meticulously styled hair, remained unharmed. Reaching the door handles was surprisingly easy, even for someone with arms of slightly exaggerated length.
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Stepping into the Sera, muscle memory almost led me to the passenger side, a habit from just driving a Lancia Delta Integrale, which are all left-hand drive, even UK models. It quickly dawned on me that the Sera, being a JDM car, was right-hand drive. While I’ve driven left-hand drive cars in the UK many times, piloting a right-hand drive car in a left-hand drive country was a novel experience, leading to a moment of brief confusion. Adding to the initial disorientation, signaling a left turn out of the museum parking lot resulted in the windshield wipers activating – a classic quirk of Japanese cars where the stalk functions are often reversed compared to European and American cars.
One undeniable benefit of the expansive glasshouse is exceptional visibility. Driving the Sera truly gives you a sense of openness, almost like piloting a lunar rover. However, this much glass also comes with a downside: heat. On a warm afternoon of about 22°C (72°F), the interior began to feel like a greenhouse. Fortunately, Toyota anticipated this and equipped all Sera models with a powerful air conditioning system as standard. The limited options list primarily consisted of transmission choices – either a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual – and the optional Super Live Sound System. This sound system, a true testament to Japanese audio enthusiasm, included additional tweeters mounted on the dashboard, a subwoofer in the trunk, and a “boombox” style sound bar on the rear parcel shelf. It featured two distinct sound modes, “CASUAL MODE” and “FUNKY MODE,” indicated in yellow text on the unit, which altered the speaker direction for different acoustic effects. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the radio to tune into any stations, but given the German radio landscape’s apparent obsession with The Scorpions and David Hasselhoff, this might have been a blessing in disguise. Opting for this slice of Japanese hi-fi added a modest 20kg (45lbs) to the Sera’s lightweight 930kg (2000lbs) curb weight.
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Under the hood, the Toyota Sera car is powered by Toyota’s 5E engine, a wasted spark ignition design. This system pairs spark plugs, firing them simultaneously, one during the compression stroke and the other during the exhaust stroke. This design enhances reliability by reducing the number of ignition components. However, the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine is explicitly tuned for fuel economy rather than outright performance. It produces a modest 104bhp and 97 lb-ft of torque. While undoubtedly reliable and long-lasting, its power output feels less potent than some modern hair dryers. Intriguingly, a mysterious red button with Japanese text was located near the shifter, presumably related to gearbox functions, but its exact purpose remained elusive.
Performance-wise, especially with the 4-speed automatic transmission, the Toyota Sera car is not a fast car. It moves, but progress, particularly on inclines, requires deliberate throttle input. Initially, seeing 80 on the speedometer felt surprisingly brisk, until I realized it was kilometers per hour, not miles per hour. Despite the modest power, there’s still a degree of fun to be had when pushing the Sera. Cornering is surprisingly composed and fluid. However, the steering is a significant letdown. It’s excessively light and provides virtually no feedback, offering about as much feel as a vintage arcade game steering wheel. Navigating the museum’s back entrance could easily be done with one finger on the wheel. Beneath the quirky exterior and interior, the Sera’s Starlet underpinnings become apparent in its driving dynamics.
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The JDM car craze largely passed me by. My automotive preferences were already well-established before Gran Turismo and similar games ignited a global fascination with Japanese Domestic Market vehicles, creating a generation of enthusiasts who revere cars like the Sera. While it’s not a track weapon, the Toyota Sera car is a fascinating time capsule from a unique and vibrant period in Japanese automotive history, one that we are unlikely to witness again. Replacing any of its extensive glass panels would likely be a costly and complex endeavor, assuming parts are even available. Objectively, it’s not a dynamically exceptional car. However, it is a wonderfully, delightfully eccentric vehicle – from the charmingly retro font on the gauges to its outrageously cool gullwing doors. With a few thoughtful modifications and a manual gearbox swap, the Toyota Sera car could be transformed into an incredibly fun and unique machine.
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