Maibatsu Motors

[TheSaltyPixzel]

Introducing Maibatsu Motors - a driving force in automotive excellence since its establishment in 1984 in Ebisu, Japan. Born in the heart of one of the world’s automotive hubs, Maibatsu has emerged as a symbol of innovation, precision engineering, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of vehicular technology.

From its humble beginnings in the vibrant automotive landscape of Ebisu, Maibatsu quickly gained recognition for its dedication to crafting vehicles that marry performance with sophistication. The company’s ethos centers around a passion for delivering cutting-edge designs, advanced technology, and a driving experience that transcends the ordinary.

Over the years, Maibatsu Motors has evolved into a global player, setting benchmarks in various automotive segments. With a rich history of producing iconic models that resonate with enthusiasts worldwide, Maibatsu’s legacy is deeply intertwined with a commitment to quality, performance, and the pursuit of automotive perfection.

As the journey unfolds, Maibatsu continues to redefine automotive standards, embodying the spirit of innovation that originated in the dynamic surroundings of Ebisu. From the sleek city cars to the high-performance machines, every Maibatsu vehicle is a testament to the brand’s dedication to driving excellence forward.

Embark on a journey through time and innovation as we explore the dynamic legacy of Maibatsu Motors – a legacy rooted in Ebisu, flourishing globally.

Current & original models
1st gen Ereganto, 1993 - 1995
1st gen Ajairu, 1994 - 1996
1st gen Selena (current production year, 1996)
2nd gen Ereganto (current production year, 1996)
1st gen Lynx (current production year, 1996)
1st gen Tempo (current production year, 1996)

MPW (Maibatsu Performance Works) Limited Editions/OEM performance versions
1994 - 1995 1st gen Ereganto SR-4
1996 2nd Gen Ereganto SR - 4
1996 MPW Ereganto SR4 - R Limited Edition
1996 MPW Lynx R - spec Limited Edition
1996 MPW Lynx JGTC spec in GT500 class

In 1992 Maibatsu revealed their first entry into the automotive world at the Tokyo Auto Show. Japan quickly fell in love with the sedan and were eager to get their hands on the car, luckily they wouldnt have wait long as the Ereganto was set to launch in march of 1993 available in both coupe and sedan form.

                            1993 Maibatsu Ereganto Sedan

1993 Ereganto Coupe

                               Ereganto Specs

Engine
2.0 liter DOHC naturally aspirated 4 cyl (D20-A)
Multi point EFI
135 hp@5200 rpm
130 ft-lb tq@3200 rpm

Transmission/Drivetrain
5 speed manual
Front wheel drive

Dimensions
Wheelbase - 103.94in
Width - 68.27in
Length - 181.87in
Weight - 2343lbs

Performance Specs
Top Speed - 130 mph (limited)
0 - 60 - 9.9 seconds

Fuel Economy
City - 25mpg
Highway - 38mpg

Pricing
620,932.20 Yen/$4200

[Hshan]

“Ereganto”, Starion naming vibes, I like it Really nice design, clean, realistic, fitting the era and place, but not blandly obvious. Specs seem good too, really efficient. Only one engine though?

[TheSaltyPixzel]

Thanks, still trying to get better at designs, this is my 7th or 8th car so far lol. But currently yes only one engine in the lineup, there are plans for a more sport oriented version with a turbo coming soon-ish though!

[TheSaltyPixzel]

Not long into 1993 the biggest competition on the Japanese compact scene was by far the Impreza and Maibatsu was patiently waiting to unveil its response to the mighty opponent. In January of 1994 Maibatsu brought the Ereganto SR-4 to the market as a direct competitor to Impreza that had been dominating the sports compact scene until now.

                             1994 Ereganto SR-4 Turbo

This was to be the answer to the Impreza question, Sporting a powerful 2.0 liter turbo engine and now a full time AWD drivetrain to boot his sedan was meant to do one thing, over take the Impreza as the sport sedan king in Japan. This model also received a slight front end redesign, a small wing and new alloy wheels only available on the SR-4.

Engine
2.0 liter DOHC Turbocharged 4 cyl (D20-T) - same platform as previous models but has been redesigned with forged rods and crank to allow for the power adder.
Multi point EFI
238 hp@5800 rpm
230 ft-lb tq@3500 rpm

Transmission/Drivetrain
5 speed manual
Full time all wheel drive

Dimensions
Wheelbase - 103.94in
Width - 68.78in (.51in wider than the standard sedan/coupe)
Length - 181.87in
Weight - 3140lbs

Performance Specs
Top Speed - 140 mph
0 - 60 - 7.4 seconds

Fuel Economy
City - 19mpg
Highway - 34mpg

Pricing
2,592,380.00 Yen/$17500

[abg7]

If the SR-4 is meant to be a Group A homologation special, then there could be headroom for a Super Touring-inspired FWD version below it, which could spawn an actual Super Touring race car.

Audi A4 Super Tourer: the anatomy of a Super Touring car | Evo

As for the SR-4, I think it should be available in coupe form as well, to give customers more choices - and that car could even serve as the basis for a WRC entry, well after Group A is discontinued.

Subaru Impreza WRC97: the anatomy of a WRC car | Evo

[TheSaltyPixzel]

good ideas ive been debating on when to go towards the motorsport route due to being such a new company tbh. there are plans for a oem style performance division like nismo, mugen etc i just havent figured out the name lol.

[TheSaltyPixzel]

not sure when this will release but just wanted to post a preview/teaser pic i suppose lol. reason why im not sure of release is due to the way the pop up headlight housing doesnt sit straight and slightly bends down on the bottom corner as you can see in the pic and im just not happy with how it looks…but i may just suck it up and finish it soon and post it.

[Restomod]

Welcome to the forums! These are looking great!

[TheSaltyPixzel]

Thank you! Im having a lot of fun designing!

[TheSaltyPixzel]

The SR-4 isn’t the only new addition to the Maibatsu family this year, just 4 short months after its introduction we unveiled another secret project that we were very excited to see in the hands of customers. Introducing the Ajairu (Agile), a tiny yet powerful and swift mid engine sports car, available in naturally aspirated as well as turbocharged form, that’s sure to turn heads whether youre in town or on track!

[TheSaltyPixzel]

While we continued selling our current models through the rest of '94 and '95 we were busy developing and designing several new models, and even some returning favorites for 1996! We are pleased to introduce our first release of the year - Selena, available in both the GL and GLS models

Selena GLS

GLS interior pictured

GL in white

GL interior pictured

[Hshan]

Hmm, oddly tall and short looking cabin, makes it look like some subcompact… which I guess it isn’t, judging by the engines?

[TheSaltyPixzel]

it was supposed to be regular sized sedan,but i hadnt noticed the wheel base honestly until after i had it all built and was checking the specs. and by then i was far to invested in it to start over. i was just looking through bodies and found a shape i liked and went with it lol

[Restomod]

I mean, it’s about Corolla sized, so you could just say this was Sprinter/Carina-esque more premium model that shares a floorplan with a more normal compact car.

[abg7]

I know it’s based on one of the smaller '84 Commoner body sets (most likely the one with a 2.45m wheelbase), but surely the flat upper rear wheelarch shape is out of place - just open the morphing UI in the fixtures tab, set the QuarterShape value to 1 (for some reason this morphing zone is not highlighted via mouseover), and you have yourself a fully curved rear wheelarch on that body set. Also, the glasshouse is indeed too tall - you may want to set the RoofHeight morphing zone to 1.0 to lower the roofline.

[quiz]

i was thinking “hmm, that’s the name of an automobile company from the gta series, weird coincidence” and then i saw the logo lmao

[TheSaltyPixzel]

@abg7

I know it’s based on one of the smaller '84 Commoner body sets (most likely the one with a 2.45m wheelbase), but surely the flat upper rear wheelarch shape is out of place - just open the morphing UI in the fixtures tab, set the QuarterShape value to 1 (for some reason this morphing zone is not highlighted via mouseover), and you have yourself a fully curved rear wheelarch on that body set. Also, the glasshouse is indeed too tall - you may want to set the RoofHeight morphing zone to 1.0 to lower the roofline.

i honestly had no idea this could even be done! ive never noticed that before lol. tbh though i kinda like the shape of the rear wheel well, but good to know for future builds!

edit - i cant find where to open that menu in the fixtures section, where do you find that?

[TheSaltyPixzel]

@quiz

i was thinking “hmm, that’s the name of an automobile company from the gta series, weird coincidence” and then i saw the logo lmao

lol yeah i downloaded the badge mod pack and just went with one fo my favorite names from GTA lol

[Hshan]

It’s not in the fixtures tab, it’s in the tabs before that, paint or body.

[TheSaltyPixzel]

i was playing around and found it last night. i knew you could morph the body but i always thought the little eye icon that popped up was just letting you know morphing was active, i had no clue if you clicked it a whole new menu comes up lol.