Mitsuoka Orochi marks the end of the ugly with Final Edition

Think of Mitsu and you're bound to think of Japanese cars, but Mitsubishi isn't the only one. Lesser known is Mitsuoka, a small automaker based in Toyama that mostly rebodies existing Japanese cars to look like old English ones. Its most outlandish creation, though, is surely the low-slung Orochi. And now the model appears to be endings its production cycle.

Originally built on an Acura NSX platform, the Orochi is widely regarded as one of the strangest-looking vehicles on the road with four elliptical eyes, a pursed-lips grille, portal vents up the hood (even though the engine is in the back), Lamborghini-style scissor doors, McLaren F1-style side windows and a rather bizarre confluence of curves that looks like something we might have drawn in our notebooks when we were in elementary school. Named after a mythical dragon, it was originally unveiled in 2001 and entered production in 2007, powered by a 3.3-liter V6 supplied by Toyota, producing just 233 horsepower and mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and sold in "limited" numbers.

Little wonder then that the Orochi is now reportedly sailing off into the sunset along with all the other Speed Racer extras. But before it does, Mitsuoka is reportedly building one last run of Final Editions. Bearing, for better or worse, all the hallmarks that made the Orochi stand out when Top Gear went to Japan, the Final Edition gets unique 19-inch modular alloys, a front splitter, rear winglets and a choice of either Fuyoru blackberry or light gold pearl paint.