Little Giant Killer

In rally racing, the pinnacle is the World Rally Championship, known as the WRC. The three main rounds in this championship are the Monte Carlo Rally, RAC Rally, and the Safari Rally.
Of these, the Safari Rally, which has been held since 1953, is renowned for being the toughest rally, earning the nickname the “car breaker rally” in Japan. Throughout the Safari Rally’s history, many Japanese manufacturers' have claimed the title, strengthening the perception of Japanese cars being robust and built to last. In its heyday, many Japanese manufacturers participated in the rally, including Toyota, Subaru, and Mitsubishi. Among them was Daihatsu.

From the 1960s, Daihatsu was actively involved in rally racing in Japan and entered the international scene with the G10 Charade in the 1979 Monte Carlo Rally. In 1981, the Charade won the Group 2 category in the smallest engine displacement class.
The second generation of the Charade found a competitive edge amid regulations and switched to the Group B category, continuing their campaign in the Safari Rally from 1985 onward.
In 1988, the third-generation Charade G100 was introduced, and by 1993 it had proven its mettle, accumulating numerous class victories. The 1-liter turbocharged G100 Charade reached speeds in excess of 200 km/h, dominating its class and securing 5th, 6th, and 7th overall, behind the top four 2-liter turbocharged Toyota Celcias. The remarkable performance even saw the mighty Charade outranking Group A machines like the Impreza and Lancer Evolution, despite these having a displacement 1-liter larger than the Charade. With these results Daihatsu's participation in overseas rallies as a works team came to an end.
Among the historically significant vehicles in Daihatsu’s rally legacy is this #19 Charade, which won its class at the 1993 Safari Rally. It retains the same number plate and livery that were used during the rally and the engine remains intact.

It is a genuine works machine.
The odometer shows 5,787 km.

I could not hide my surprise to find this legend, which I would never have imagined was owned by a private individual, sitting in this barn in Nagano.
The owner, a true car enthusiast, was fortunate enough to learn that this historically significant car was kept nearby as the mechanic who maintained his Renault Gordini turned out to be the nephew of the president of the Daihatsu Car Club Sports (DCCS). The owner
had heard that the car had been kept to be displayed in a museum to be built by DCCS in the future. He never expected he would have the opportunity to acquire the car, but he decided to express his interest anyway. To his surprise, his offer was accepted.
The Daihatsu headquarters were also rumored to be searching for this specific car, with stories circulating about their attempts to acquire it. The #12 car, which finished 7th overall, is on display at the Daihatsu Museum, but the top-place finisher is here in this barn in Nagano. From this, you can infer what decision the owner made.

In an age when information was not as readily available as it is today, the rallies around the world as seen on TV were the epitome of a dream world. It wasn’t just the owner who admired this world, it became a movement that captivated Japan. To acquire such a legendary car that triumphed against its larger competitors is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it’s not hard to imagine how reluctant the owner is to part with it.
This is a real works machine, after all.
When the engine is started, the straight-piped exhaust produces an echoing roar. The owner did drive it, but due to complaints from the neighbors, he hardly had time to enjoy it. Considering the other cars he has owned, the fact that this was the one to receive complaints is a good indication of the noise level.
The engine was overhauled by the works team after the rally, but the owner swapped the computer with one from another of his rally cars. Currently, the injectors are clogged, so the engine couldn’t be started, but the sound should return by the time of the auction.
This car will be accompanied by the 1993 Safari Rally entry card with the drivers’ names.