click above for plenty more images of the Mitsuoka Orochi

This is for all of our Japanese readers out there. We know that the only thing holding you back from running right out and buying the Mitsuoka Orochi is its hefty price tag of ¥11,945,000 ($111,572 USD). The car's exuberant styling is a fusion of inspirations that combines elements of the mighty Humpback Whale (see grille) with the attention-grabbing power of Britney... being Britney on any given day of her life. Yes, the Orochi is a peerless car (we won't call it a supercar, you can't make us), and now Mitsuoka is making the hand-built monument to bad taste less expensive for the average Japanese consumer. By using less metal-plated parts and artificial leather for 25% of the interior, the oddest Japanese automaker of them all has slashed 2.6 million yen from the car's starting price, which now begins at ¥9,345,000 ($87,287 USD). That's a big drop in the Orochi's cost of entry, which should mean you'll soon be seeing it on every street in Tokyo. Any day now...

[Source: japancorp.net]

Japanese automaker Mitsuoka has revealed the production version of it's unique-looking mid-engined Orochi sports car, along with the car's production plans, pricing, and specifications. The Orochi, named for an eight-headed serpent out of Japanese folklore, first appeared as a 2001 concept car, and from the looks of things, the production vehicle stays very true to the concept. The Orochi was introduced at a press conference that opened with a Kabuki show (above right), during which a white example of the sports car was driven onstage.

In the past, we've seen the Orochi referred to as a supercar, but while it looks as (if not more) exotic as just about any limited-production vehicle on the planet, it lacks the performance credentials (on paper, at least) to put it in supercar territory. In fact, the powertrain will be familiar to many. The 3.3L V6 mounted aft of the passenger compartment is Toyota's well-known 3MZ-FE, which sees duty in the Camry, Solara, Sienna, Highlander, and Lexus RX (hybrid and standard versions). It makes around 230 horsepower and is connected to a Toyota 5-speed automatic. The decision was made to place efficiency and ease of use ahead of high performance.

Speaking of performance, no numbers were released along with the technical specifications, but don't expect anything earth-shattering. The car's average power, combined with a weight of approximately 3,400 pounds (around 100 less than a Solara), is not a recipe for big-time track numbers. In Japan, though, exclusivity seems to trump all, and that's a commodity the Orichi has in abundance. So what if it has just 230 horsepower? In Japan, arriving anywhere in one of these will bestow instant superstar status upon the driver.

400 Orochis will be built over the next four years, each costing ¥10,500,000 (around $89,000 USD). Orders can be placed beginning today with the first deliveries taking place in January 2007.

(Photos, tech specs after the jump)

[Source: Carview (translated)]