Daihatsu · 1963–1970

Daihatsu Compagno

The Daihatsu Compagno is an automobile which was produced by Daihatsu in Japan from 1963 to 1970. The name comes from the Italian word for "partner." The Compagno was designed to be offered in multiple bodystyles, and was introduced prior to the acquisition of Daihatsu by Toyota in 1967. The Compagno was available as a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, two-door pickup truck, a three-door delivery van and a convertible. The first Compagno prototype was shown at the 1961 Tokyo Motor Show, with an appearance reminiscent of the Fiat 1800/2100. This was not a very well balanced design and Vignale's production version ended up looking quite different. The Compagno used a ladder-type chassis instead of the more modern monocoque style, with torsion bar wishbone suspension at the front and semi-elliptical leaf springs for the rear axle. The Compagno is also the first Daihatsu car to use the famous "D" logo.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Daihatsu Consorte

All Daihatsu Compagno data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

History

From 1963 to 1970, 120,000 Daihatsu Compagnos were produced. The first model introduced, in April 1963, was the Compagno Light Van light commercial vehicle (F30V). It was available in Standard or Deluxe trim. Two months later the Compagno Wagon (F30) followed, a pricier and more comfortable and passenger oriented version. This cost over twenty per cent more than the Standard Light Van and was Daihatsu's first four-wheeled passenger car. In November 1963 the Japanese-designed two-door saloon appeared, called "Berlina" and with the F30 chassis code. This was available in either Standard and Deluxe trim, priced close to their Light Van and Wagon counterparts. The Deluxe had an Italianate dashboard, reflecting Vignale's input, complete with three-spoke Nardi steering wheel. To celebrate the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Daihatsu used two Compagnos and a New line in a PR stunt, driving the 18,000 km (11,000 mi) from the Olympic flame in Olympia, Greece to Tokyo in a little over three months. In April 1965, the Compagno Spider appeared, introducing the larger and more powerful 1000 engine. The engine displacement was initially kept below one liter to price the car in the lowest road tax bracket for Japanese buyers. The Spider received a twin-carb unit producing 65 PS (48 kW). One month later the larger engine was also installed in the Berlina, and a new four-door model (only with the bigger engine) was added. The four-door model sits on a 60 mm (2.4 in) longer wheelbase. 1000 Berlinas have a single carburettor and produce 55 PS (40 kW). In October 1965 the F31P Compagno Truck appeared, a small pickup truck capable of loading 500 kg (1,102 lb). The 800 cc engine gradually became installed only in the lesser variants as the 1000 cc segment gained in popularity in Japan. In November the

Models

1963–1967 Compagno 800 Van (797 cc, 41 PS [30 kW]) three-door van; model F30V 1963–1967 Compagno 800 Berlina (797 cc, 41 PS [30 kW]) two-door sedan; model F30 1965–1970 Compagno 1000 Berlina (958 cc, 55 PS [40 kW]) two or four-door sedan; model F40 – later models have 58 PS 1965–1969 Compagno 1000 Truck (958 cc, 55 PS [40 kW]) two-door pickup truck; model F31P 1965–1969 Compagno Spider 1000 (958 cc, 65 PS [48 kW]) two-door convertible; model F40K Maximum speed was around 110 km/h (68 mph) for the 800 cc model, 130 to 145 km/h (81 to 90 mph) for 1000 cc models. Late Spiders and GTs have a fuel injected engine.

DN Compagno Concept

The DN Compagno is a concept car that was shown at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show along with the original Compagno. According to Daihatsu, the design was aimed at "active seniors" and prioritized the relaxing comfort of the two front seats, combined with a high-quality interior.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Daihatsu Compagno
Manufacturer: Daihatsu
Production: 1963–1970
Assembly: Ikeda, Osaka, Japan
Class: compact
Body style: 2/4-door sedan, 3-door van, 2-door pickup truck, 2-door cabriolet
Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Engine: 797 cc FC I4, 958 cc FE I4
Transmission: 4-speed manual, 2-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 2220 mm, 2280 mm - 4-door sedan
Length: 3800 mm
Width: 1425 mm
Height: 1430 mm
Kerb weight: 765 kg
Successor: Daihatsu Consorte
Designer: Vignale