Jiotto Caspita

The car had a sleek and aerodynamic body design inspired by Group C race cars.[1] Design mockups of 1/5 scale were made for wind tunnel testing. Later, full-size models were made and tested at Dome's own wind tunnel as well as the JARI (Japan Automobile Research Institute) wind tunnel for aerodynamic refinement. Jiotto Design selected three design proposals out of the initially proposed 200 for final development. Out of the three, a design having an integrated rear wing and large side air intakes was fully developed.[1]

The Mk. II Caspita was partially restyled with new twin circular taillights, circular headlights, and more traditionally styled side-view mirrors.

The Mk. I Caspita was built with a detuned Subaru 1235 flat-twelve engine, a Formula One engine originally built by Motori Moderni for Subaru and rated at 450 hp (336 kW; 456 PS) and 363 N⋅m (268 lb⋅ft);[4] it could accelerate the car to 100 km/h from a standstill in 4.7 seconds.[3] After the failure of Subaru's F1 effort, the 1235 was abandoned, leaving Jiotto without an engine supplier.[2]

The Mk. II used a Judd GV V10 engine, with which it was capable of 585 hp (436 kW) at 10,500 rpm and 374 N⋅m (276 lb⋅ft) of torque at 10,500 rpm.[4] This, combined with a curb weight of between 1,240 kg (2,730 lb)[2] and 1,260 kg (2,780 lb),[4] gave the Caspita a claimed 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 3.4 seconds.[4]

Both engines were longitudinally mounted and coupled to a 6-speed gearbox built by Weismann.[1]

The Caspita had a bonded aluminium and carbon fibre monocoque chassis made by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. The construction technique involved sandwiching aluminium between layers of carbon fibre and curing them in an autoclave to create a rigid structure. The process was repeated 15 times over a span of more than 2 months.[1] This technique resulted in a kerb weight of 1,100 kg (2,425 lb) for the Mk. I Caspita.

Accessed via two gull-wing doors, the Caspita's red-and-black interior was driver-focused and spartan in nature, with no air conditioning, cruise control, or other such driver amenities; it even lacked cup holders.[1]

Like its Tokyo Motor Show contemporaries the Mitsubishi HSR-II and Isuzu 4200R, the Caspita employed advanced technology for the time, such as an electronically retractable rear wing and an electronically controlled adjustable suspension system which could raise the car by 2.3 in (58.4 mm).[1][2]

1989 Jiotto Caspita (Mk. I) rear