welp I am nearly out of business, I hope your happy…….
- Harada Motor Corporaton Logo
Tanaka Heavy Industries Logo -
Harada investing on Tanaka Heavy Industries in 1973
As you know, Harada Motor Corporation (@asami’s company) is a very well known company. In 1973, they decided to invest in Tanaka. The main reason is that they saw a great potential in the company. In return, Tanaka to share a platform with Harada for the 2nd generation Aventis (coming soon). In 1977, Tanaka asked Harada to make the Aventus more reliable. As a result, the engine was more powerful and the car was faster and more reliable. That was the facelifted version (coming soon). Still to this day, Harada has a share in Tanaka Heavy Industries.
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The Facelift of the 1st Generation Tanaka Aventus
The Aventus got a facelift 1977. Harada helped them with the facelift. The most notable changes are the new fascia design, the new taillights and the new rims.
The engine is also more powerful. It now makes 147HP. That means its top speed is higher. The car is also slightly more reliable. It can still do 15 mpg. (thanks @asami!)
This is the 3.0 L. This is perhaps one of the more famous models of Tanaka. It has a new chrome front lip. They ditched the fender mirrors. But most importantly, it is supercharged as opposed to a less reliable turbocharger. Yep, you heard that right, SUPERCHARGED! It has a roots style supercharger. The engine, together with the supercharger makes around 240HP (as tested in Beam.NG drive. That is a 93HP increase.
The best thing is that it now has enough power to do a burnout! Still with a 4-speed automatic transmission and an open differential. Here is proof that it has a supercharger: This is the Beam.NG car file. Download and have fun with it…
Beam.NG Zip file in Google Drive: tanaka_aventus_3_0_l_facelift.zip - Google Drive
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supercharged? do you think you could explain what you did to do that? i’m curious!
Here’s a video on how make a supercharger in Beam.NG drive…
Video link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QSrNMxHi374
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The 1st Generation Tanaka Atlantis, Very Very 90s…
Tanaka never had a midsize sedan. So, the Atlantis was introduced in 1995. It was a very popular car. It was also very affordable which means some high school students would buy these brand new as their first car.
The USDM Tanaka Atlantis 3.0 G shown
It was a very reliable car too. In the 90s, Tanaka saw an increase in quality. That means that reliability was increased. While in the 80s, things used to break quickly because of all the digital stuff, things got better in the 90s. This was a huge milestone for the company.
The USDM Tanaka Atlantis 2.0 B shown
The B versions were only available for the 4-cylinder model. This is the most basic trim level. It can do 34.3 mpg. The 4-cylinder produces a mere 119HP. It is only available with a 5-speed manual transmission. It is equipped with a basic cassette player with a standard interior.
The USDM Tanaka Atlantis 2.0 G shown
The G versions are the top of the line trim levels. They can be equipped with a 124HP 4-cylinder or a 163HP V6. It can be equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automatic transmission. It now has a standard casette player.
The JDM-only Tanaka Atlantis 3.0 TR shown
The TR version was introduced in 1996, the same time the 2nd generation X-Series was released. It was only available in Japan. It uses the same engine as the X-Series, the 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 producing 276HP. It can do 0-60mph in 5.82 seconds because if its new AWD system. It now has a 6-speed manual transmission. The top speed is now 147mph. It also has a new body kit, new wing and new magnesium rims. These versions are very popular with tuners.
Production of the 1st generation Atlantis stopped at 2010 with the 2nd generation replacing it at the same year.
(NOTE: THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED WITH A FACELIFT IN 2003)
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Yes very very 90’s.
It’s called lying to the customer for a reason.
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It’s called the “Gentleman’s Agreement.” It’s not lying, it’s Law. 
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Yeah I was making a joke about how the Gentleman’s Agreement existed, but cars would secretly make way more than 276 HP and just lie
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It wasn’t law, it was a simple mutual agreement between manufacturers.
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That tiny little kei car… (Tanaka Hawaii, 2012-present)
A scene of the Tanaka Hawaii advertisement in 2015 -
Totally not kidding...
The Tanaka Hawaii was introduced in 2012 as a kei car. Tanaka designed a 660cc Turbocharged Inline 3 producing 64HP just for the Hawaii. It was called the KC-Series (“KC06DI-A1 EarthBoost” used in the Hawaii). But, an naturally aspirated and higher-revving version was created for motorcycle engines in 2013. The Hawaii is a kei car that is used for transporting your family and many adventures. All trims except the Premium have optional AWD for the snowy roads in some parts of Japan.
Tanaka Hawaii Basic shown
This is the Basic. This car is as basic as you can get. The interior is made of basic cloth with a basic CD player. This trim is equipped with 14-inch steel wheels with a hubcap over it. The transmission is a 5-speed manual. The FWD version can do 51mpg while the AWD version can do 49.9mpg.
Tanaka Hawaii Prestige shown
This is the Prestige. It now has standard leather seats, 15-inch alloy rims, fully-clad undertray, chrome trim, fog lights and an advance 5-speed automatic transmission. The FWD version can do 49mpg while the AWD can do 48mpg.
The facelifted Tanaka Hawaii Basic on the left and the Prestige on the right…
The facelifted version was introduced in 2015. They got rid of the CD player and replaced it with a basic infotainment system instead. The headlights and taillights are now LED. The front bumper was also new. Parking sensors are also added and the Prestige has a new rim design. The blinkers on the fender is also new. The rear bumper is also slightly changed.
Tanaka Hawaii Premium shown
Apart from the new exterior and interior improvements, 2015 also brought a new trim level called the Premium. The changes include two-tone (chrome and black) alloy rims, new body kit and a standard infotainment system (instead of basic in other trim levels). It can do 46.5mpg.
The Hawaii is a very popular car in Japan. It is one of the most popular Tanaka vehicle in Japan. With the success of the Hawaii, Tanaka is looking forward to making new kei cars.
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Fantastic design! I absolutely love the front facia, those headlights are really dynamic and cool looking and the rear follows form! Nice work! 
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Thank you! Making the taillights is the hardest proccess. I’m glad you liked it.
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The brand-new 2020 Tanaka Iris
Tanaka Iris TR shown
Brand new for 2020 and for the first time, Tanaka lauched the Iris. It is basically a sports kei car. This is for the people who wants a very small fun and sporty city car in a tight budget. It is also only available as a hardtop convertible which means you can enjoy the sunny summer. But in case you are in the winter, an AWD version is optional in every trim (Except the TR). The design is new for us. The big grille with a front body-cloured bar make it look modern and trendy. Standard LED lights also makes the car look modern. The taillights are also LEDs. The connecting taillights and the rear bumper design combined together also make the car look aggressive and modern. The engine is exactly the same one in the Tanaka Hawaii, a 660cc turbocharged Inline 3 producing 64HP (“KC06DI-A1 EarthBoost”).
Tanaka Iris B shown
This is as basic as you can get. The Iris B. It weighs 812kg for the RWD version and 841kg for the AWD version. It can do 65.9mpg for the RWD version and 65.1mpg for the AWD version. The rims are 15 inch steel rims with hudcap wrapped around hard-compound economy tires. It has a 5-speed manual gearbox. The interior is standard with a basic infotainment system. This version will cost you $11109 with an optional AWD system for an extra $569.
Tanaka Iris S shown
This is the Iris S. It is basically a fancier version of the B. It weighs 810kg for the RWD version and 838kg for the AWD version. It can do 64mpg for the RWD version and 63.2mpg for the AWD version. The rims are 16 inch alloy rims wrapped around in wider medium compound tires. The interior is the same as the B. This version will cost you $11340 with an optional AWD system for an extra $569.
Tanaka Iris TR shown
This is the top-of-the-line version of the Iris, the ‘TR’. It now weighs a little under 800kg. It can do 60.7mpg. The rims are now magnesium rims wrapped around a grippy sport compound tires. This version has a new body kit and a new wing. The interior is now a sport with a basic infotainment system. The transmission is now a 6-speed manual. This version will cost you $14022.
The price is without any mark-up.
News: There have been rumors of a European version of the Iris available with a 4 cylinder.
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Hehe, colliding names aside (Well, mine has a hyphen lol) I really dig it! The overall design really flows for an aggressive smol boi look. Gotta appreciate the design of the front fascia too, looks amazing! Everything fits just right, and those custom headlights are very impressive. ^V^
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Ooops. Sorry for the similar name. I will change the name later. I am still thinking for the right name. But, thank you for your opinion of this car.
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The Group B Rally Success (1982-1986)
The FIA Group B rally was launched in 1982. Tanaka wanted to participate. The thing is, they had designed a prototype of a compact mid-engine car in 1980. They thought it was perfect for the Group B rally.
Tanaka Trinity Turbo shown
In 1982, the Tanaka Trinity Turbo was revealed. It was under a ton and it was small and nimble. 200 of these are built each year. It produced 259HP from the factory from its turbocharged Inline-4. It weighed 896kg. The car was also not crazy expensive. It is a RWD only car.
Tanaka Trinity Group B shown
At the same year, the rally versions raced through the rally stages. But the problem is that the car was too light to compete to fit in the engine and weight regulations. So, they had to shrink their engine displacement to 1785cc. Despite this, they managed to squeeze out 330HP. The lighter parts and stripped out interior decreased the weight to 896kg. The suspension was raised by a tiny bit, a new rear wing, and a medium compound rally tires. In that category, the Trinity was very competitive. It had podium finishes.
In 1985, the Trinity was not competitive anymore. AWD cars are beating the Trinity. Tanaka tried to fit an AWD system, but failed to do so. Unfortunately, this means that the Trinity stopped production and stopped competing in Group B. Lucky for them, they had the perfect car in production.
| 1 - Tanaka SFM4 2.0 B | 2 - Tanaka SFM4 2.0 S | 3 - Tanaka SFM4 2.0 Turbo |
This is the Tanaka SFM4. This is an experimental sports car they sold to the public. This car is showcasing their 4-wheel-steering system in preparation to release a bigger sports car (spoiler alert!). The 2.0 B and 2.0 S weighed 947kg and 945kg respectively. The 2.0 Turbo however weighed 1023kg. That means that the twin turbos from their Boxer 4 engine is increasing the weight of the car. The 2.0 B produces 142HP, the 2.0 S produces 153HP and the 2.0 Turbo produces 236HP. The 2.0 Turbo has wider fenders to fit wider tires. All of them are RWD. But, that was not enough. Tanaka wanted a faster AWD version of it.
Tanaka SFM4 Turbo B shown
This is the 2.1 Turbo B (B for Group B). This is their homoligation model. It is a lot heavier with the AWD system. It now weighed 1116kg. There is a new wing, new side skirts and rear bumper. The boxer 4 now produces 315HP. This, with the AWD system, enables the car go from 0-60mph in 7.03 seconds. The car can also do 1.10 g’s in a 20m radius circle. The engine displacement was increased to 2140cc. Of course, 200 units are produced each year.
Tanaka SFM4 Group B shown
This is the rally version. No liveries yet. The fenders are as wide as they can be and a new body kit was created just for this car. Its front bumper is very unique and distinct. The wing on the Turbo B was replaced by a bigger wing. The engine now makes 517HP. But the increased power caused the car to be heavier and has a bigger turbo lag with the bigger turbos. That means that the drivers need to keep their RPM high in order to use all its power. Its current weight is 1140kg even with lighter parts and a stripped out interior. Its most notable feature of the car is a vent ending the rear box fenders. Now, many replicas of the rear fender exists everywhere. Rally parts were added. Now, Tanaka was very competitive in the rally. This ended in 1986 when Group B was cancelled because of a lot of crashes. The production of the SFM4 also stopped in 1986. This marked the end of Tanaka’s fastest rally cars. Today, the SFM4 are popular with tuners.
Tanaka Trinity Turbo and Tanaka SFM4 Turbo B shown together in Castello, Italy…
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Tanaka Akuma Spied
13 February, 2019
Today, spy shots were taken from an anonymous user on the internet. The picture seems to be taken at an abandoned port in France with trees surrounding the area. Apparently this is a top-secret operation. The car might be waiting for a truck to be picked up from the port to the Geneva Auto Show where the matte black wrap is removed.
“We should’ve been more careful. The spy shots ruined the surprise which is really bad.” -Tada Tanaka (Manager of Tanaka Europe)
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