(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – In the world of super sports cars, there is no shortage of absurdly powerful models, but every now and then a model appears that follows a refreshingly different approach. The Kode89 is one of those cars.
Read more At test drives in Imola: Formula 1 debut of Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov
Presented at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during Monterey Car Week, the latest creation from Ken Okuyama Cars looks as if it escaped from an alternate reality where the 1980s and 1990s never ended.
The Kode89 measures 4,611 millimeters in length and 1,996 millimeters in width, but is only 1,139 millimeters high. Added to this are a long, flat body, a wide track, and a deliberately clean design that impresses with its shape rather than exaggerated aerodynamic gimmicks.
Ken Okuyama Cars developed its own chassis based on an aluminum spaceframe with a longitudinally mounted V12 mid-engine. In the base version, the Kode89 produces 397 kW (540 hp) at 7,000 rpm and 569 Nm of torque from a 5.4-liter unit. However, the Japanese magazine Response reports that a larger 5.9-liter engine from a local tuner in a top version is said to deliver around 552 kW (750 hp). A manual transmission with an open shift gate transfers power to the rear wheels.
Limited to eight units, three already sold
Ken Okuyama Cars plans to build only eight units, making the Kode89 significantly more exclusive than many established super sports cars. The first car was unveiled at Pebble Beach, and two vehicles, whose production is still planned for this year, have already been sold.
Photo gallery: Kode89 by Ken Okuyama
Buyers are also said to have a lot of freedom in configuring their vehicle. According to Ken Okuyama Cars, customers work with a car concierge to determine all options from a uncompromisingly reduced, driving-focused version to a significantly more luxurious interpretation.
Read more Will Alex Palou win the fifth IndyCar title in Alex Zanardi’s retro design?
At the head of the company is Ken Okuyama, who worked among others at Pininfarina and contributed to some of the most famous sports cars in the world, including the Ferrari Enzo. Later, he founded his own coachbuilding manufactory in Japan; earlier projects include the Kode 0 and the Kode 57 based on the Lamborghini Aventador and Ferrari 599 respectively. Some also remember the Kode 9 on a Lotus Elise chassis, but this new model is a completely independently developed project.
The Kode89 seems like a deliberate rejection of almost everything modern super sports cars have become. There is no huge battery, no four-digit power figure, no dual-clutch transmission, and no attempt to hide the mechanics behind layers of technology. Instead, there is a naturally aspirated V12, a manual six-speed transmission, an aluminum chassis, a carbon body, and a remarkably low curb weight.
The fact that only eight units will be built makes the Kode89 more of a collector’s item than a car you will regularly see on the road. But that is probably not the decisive point. Ken Okuyama does not want to compete with Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren in terms of numbers. He creates the kind of car that seems increasingly impossible for a large manufacturer to build.
- MotoGPJack Miller’s MotoGP exit is confirmed: “Just a few Instagram posts”
- Formula 1Explained: Why the Red Bull engine received the best rating
- DTMDTM driver suddenly races for rivals: Curious deployment at Nürburgring
- OthersSTCC gives up electric cars and becomes GT4 series
The V12 lives:
Brabus Bodo Cabriolet: This is the 1,000-HP beast from Bottrop
Aston Martin Valen (2026): Bond villain with 838 hp and V12
Read more Kenny Roberts about Marc Marquez: “He needs a motorcycle that suits him”
