Few people, if any, outside of specific circles will know the name Phiaro; I had no idea what it was until very recently. This Japanese firm has been providing design and development work for the motorcycle industry since 1939… huh, who knew.
Anyway, the small consultancy brought its name into the auto mainstream at the recent Geneva Motor Show where it launched its very first automobile.
The skeletal car you’re looking at is the P75 Concept CIPHER, which is an acronym for Cae Integrated PHiaro Engineered Racer, if you absolutely must know. The team of engineers from the firm love four wheels as much as two and this model is the manifestation of the kind of car they would all like to own/drive. Derived as it is by engineers, who by their nature like to tinker, the Cipher is built so that owners can make constant adjustments to the double wishbone suspension settings as well as bodywork and built for ease of maintenance.
In keeping with the lightweight for enjoyment ethos of the Cipher it is powered by a 1,5-litre engine that produces 106 kW, which may not seem like a lot but factor in the mass of 596 kg and you will realise it has a power to mass ratio of 177 kW/ton… pretty handy. Power is sent to the rear axle by means of a five-speed manual transmission.
Phiaro’s message to future generations of motorists is: “we feel it is important to continue telling the new generations that “fun to drive” sports cars are fascinating, too. We hope cars of the future remain to be a symbol of people’s dreams and desires, not as just another means of transportation. We hope our own “CIPHER” brings great excitement and lots of big smiles on the face of children.”
