Why does this car look like a drunk fish?

It’s not unusual for car designers to be inspired by yachts or birds, but a dragon/ fish hybrid?

Or a drunk dragon/ fish hybrid? Well, there’s a first for everything right? 

The ‘Orochi’ by small-batch manufacturer Mitsuoka, is named after an 8-headed dragon and looks a bit like a fish – and certainly unlike any other car on the road. 

This Japanese brand has been active since the mid 1960s and they usually produce renamed and rebadged versions of different cars, just like the Buddy (inspired by the Toyota RAV4) and Ryugi (based on the Toyota Corolla Axio). 

But they also manufacture their own cars with their own original designs and they usually look a bit silly. 

And there’s no difference with the Orochi. 

The original prototype was revealed at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show and five years later, in 2006, Mitsuoka unveiled the final production version, limited to 400 units per year. 

The carbon fibre body hides a 3.3-litre V6 engine sourced from Toyota which makes 149 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque via a 5-speed automatic.

I’d love to mock, but in this day and age, when almost every car is a mirror image of the one beside it, I’ve got to say, I find almost… intriguing.

You can check out our visit to Mitsuoka Motors here: