Hidden for decades, Japan’s long-lost supercar finally resurfaces — only one prototype was ever built

Hidden for decades, Japan’s long-lost supercar, the TommyKaira ZZII, has finally reappeared after years out of the limelight.

Japan hasn’t produced a large number of supercars, although the Honda NSX shows how good they can be.

However, in 2001, a Japanese supercar emerged that could have taken the fight to those from Europe and America, but it never went into production.

The supercar seemed to have a lot of potential, but it never made it beyond a single prototype. After years of hiding, this supercar has finally reemerged.

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YouTuber Dino Dalle Carbonare recently got to try out the TommyKaira ZZII.

The TommyKaira ZZII was built out of a desire to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours and was designed by Noriyuki Nishida.

The company took the covers off the supercar in 2001, and its aluminum frame was cutting edge for the time.

Other features included a double-wishbone suspension at the front and a Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R powertrain.

Under the hood was a 2.7-liter RB26DETT twin-turbocharged inline-six engine.

The RB26, of course, became synonymous with the Skyline GT-R.

In the ZZII, the engine made 542 hp, with the 2.7-liter displacement increased from 2.6 liters.

Thanks to its aluminum chassis and carbon fiber bodywork, the ZZII was light at 2,205lb.

The supercar had a striking aesthetic too, with a Zagato-style double-bubble roof and a very sleek and slender profile.

Step back, and its profile looks very similar to the McLaren F1.

Inside, the ZZII had plenty of mod-cons, including air conditioning, a radio, and even a CD player.

Despite lofty plans for racing and mainstream production, the ZZII never progressed beyond one prototype.

Funding dried up, and even a sale of the design to Autobacs Seven couldn’t get the car into production.

Plans by Yoshikazu Tomita in 2022, one of the founders of TommyKaira, could have seen a limited production run of the supercar.

But as of 2025, this has yet to happen.

With a top speed of 210mph and a 0-60mph time of 3.1 seconds, the ZZII could have been incredible.

Only recently has the sole prototype emerged again, owned by Tomita, and lovingly looked after.

Its reappearance certainly whets the appetite to finally see the long-lost supercar enter production.

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