1970 Sakura Duchess (D30) 30x
Released in 1970, the D30 Duchess was the largest change so far in the history of Sakura. The D30 was made purely to see the possibilities. It moved the RO12 to the middle of the car, and placed it transversely in the body. It made changes to every aspect of the Duchess, and made it into a different beast. It featured a canvas targa-style roof, and locking bonnet and boot. It marketed for $17,655 (Modern Equivalent)
1969 Sakura Duchess 25x PV12
The Final year of the Duchess 25x saw the most unique model cropping up, the “Project V12,” or PV12 for short. It featured 2 RO12s fused together to create the JNO12DC-PV engine, a 5L V12 created purely as a send-off motor. It threw the normal Duchess idea out the window, and added something else unique, the only Convertible in the D25 Duchess timeline. In the modern era, the PV12s are very rare. It sold for $11,886 (Modern Equivalent)
Our Story on this Interesting Machine Starts all the way back in 1967, and a chance meeting between to-be-Sakura CEO Franklin Hill, and to-be-KHI CEO Taka Kujite. Franklin was something of an enigmatic designer, and businessman. He had some… crazy ideas. When Franklin and Taka met, Franklin has Just started his car company, American Race Ready Cars, or ARRC. Taka had just been promoted to Product Manager for the American Markets, and was exploring further options for Sakura. Franklin and Taka had met at an autoconference, and Franklin had shared his strange ideas with Taka, who sort of brushed off his ideas.
Fast Forward to 1970, Franklin had conceptualized the first ARRC concept, a Mid-engined, All-wheel drive, wedgeshaped super car, with a Turbocharger. The concept never picked up traction, and he abandoned the Company, leaving it bankrupt and the unknown name in the dust. He instantly packed up his life, and attempted to contact Taka Kujite to find a Job at his Company.
In 1975, KHI CEO Kabeno Takanaguchi retired, and Taka Kujite took his place, after impressing the board with his handling of the American markets. He promoted his friend Franklin Hill to be his replacement in Sakura, knowing that having an American in control of American Market Development would be beneficial for expansion and understanding. Franklin, however, had never forgotten his ARRC concept. and moved to start developing technology that would further his goals.
1979 rolls around, and the Current Sakura Head, Hamode Kajikura, quits the company for personal reasons, and Franklin sees himself promoted to the CEO of Sakura Automobiles. His first plan is an odd one. He cuts the production of the D30 Duchess, and announces plans to replace it with something more fun, and more enjoyable to drive than the then 9 year old D30. This is where things start to fall off the rails.
1981 sees the first testing of Franklin’s new AWD system in a Mid-engine chassis, a test mule made from a 1977 D30 Duchess Turbo. Franklin sees this as a success, and instantly begins green-lighting his own project. He named this Project Angel.
Around the time of the Angel Project being green-lit, Franklin began falling into some bad habits. He was buying many kilograms of cocaine a month. This was used personally, and shared between all manner of staff in Sakura, KHI, and it’s associate companies. Franklin’s Project was getting stranger and stranger each passing month.
In 1984, Franklin made the strange decision to find the largest Engine that Sakura had casts for. This engine ended up being the JNO12 engine, only found in the 1969 Duchess 25x PV12. The Engine was modernised as much as could be scavenged, and produced for this Project. It gained Multi-point EFI and Twin Turbos. Now Franklin’s Dream concept would be nearing what he called “Perfect”
The body was drafted in the same year. Still a wedge, but much less aggressive than his original concept, the design was fueled by Cocaine, with some strange, and overtly modern concepts drawn into the body. The name was chosen in 1985, a year before the model was set to be shown to the world as a Production ready model. The Deva, being a deity-like entity in Hindu mythology was the perfect name for this model, Franklin’s Deity, his one calling.
1986 Rolled around, and at the Detroit Autoshow that year, the Deva was unveiled. A mid-mounted, 5L V12, All-Wheel drive, Twin Turbos, and Over 400hp. The Deva was something outside of Sakura’s reach, but it entered production anyway.
This car, coupled with the Outdated engine, and experimental choices almost spelled disaster for Sakura outside of Japan. Franklin’s Insistence for this model to be produced, plus his rather dangerous Habit put Sakura in massive financial trouble. The Deva and it’s development put Sakura almost $100,000,000 in the red. The Price tag for this got nowhere near covering the costs. In the end, from 1986 to 1989, only around 400 Deva were produced, and even less were sold.
Sakura felt the effects of the Deva well into the 1990s, with development being restricted in an attempt to recuperate losses in what would become known internally as the “Coke Car Crisis.”
The First Sakura Prototype Chassis was unveiled in 1986 for Group C competition. It featured an underpowered 3L V6, which made it entirely noncompetitive in its class, and was withdrawn from the WSC and JSPC by the end of the 1986 season. Privateer team Kyodai GEMT used the SPC086 Chassis in 1987, however found no success with the platform. The car would finish only 2 rounds of the 1986 JSPC and only 1 round in the 1986 WSC.
The 2nd of the SPC models used a slightly updated 3L V6, however the same fate betrayed the SPC088, and it was withdrawn from competition, just 2 rounds into the 1988 JSPC. This chassis design however would become the Low Downforce Variation of the SPC089.
After the SPC088 was withdrawn from competition, the chassis was modified, and a new High-Downforce variant was introduced. This Chassis also gained the same 5L Twin Turbo V12 from the 1986 Sakura Deva. The Engine was limited due to being an older base, however it was able to make over 600hp in race spec. This chassis went on to find a race win in the 1989 JSPC, and 2 Podiums in the 1989 WSC. The SPC platform was dropped by Sakura in 1989, however Privateer team Kyodai GEMT ran the 089 in the 1990 JSPC, and Mathews America ran it in the 1989, 1990, and 1991 IMSA GT Championships.
1982 Sakura Asura Overland Republic
In 1980, KHI purchased a failing American truck company named Republic Utility Automobile Company. This purchase gave Sakura a new access point into the US market, the Utility Market. Sakura adapted the Republic AN800 truck and their NM8HC1 Pushrod V8 to fit for sale under the Sakura Marque. The Republic name was added to the end to honour RUAC. It sold for $16,851 (Modern Equivalent)
1992 Sakura Duchess MP
After being killed off in the mid 80s in favour of the Deva Project, the Duchess name returned in 1992 as part of the Sakura Restructuring after the semi-crash of Sakura in the late 1980s. This would be part of what would be the “Dual Sports Programme.” alongside the 1992 Deva. The Duchess would get a 260hp, 3L Turbocharged Inline 6 mated to the now standard Sakura Synchro-Power AWD (SSPA) system. It would retail for $18,231 (Modern Equivalent)
1992 Sakura Deva EX (V20)
The 1992 Deva was a step back from the Commercial failure of the previous generation. With a large chunk of Sakura’s Developmental budget gone from the Previous Deva project, Anhultz (@Elizipeazie) was approached. A 2.4L Turbo V6 from their Modularity Programme was purchased and put to use in the new Deva, again mated to the SSPA System. A fin/Snorkle system was installed as additional cooling and aero. This vehicle sold for $20,144 (Modern Equivalent)
1980 Sakura Ronin EM
Released in 1980, the 2nd generation Ronin was changed to a boxy, inline 3, kei car. Outside of Japan, the market for the EM Ronin was small, so the EM, CM, and UM Ronin models were not sold outside of Japan. It did, however, market an incredible fuel economy of 8.2L/100km, but was chastised for it’s use of a 2-speed manual gearbox and it’s very short gearing. It, however, sold well as an inner city traveler vehicle, with the EM rarely finding itself above 1st gear. It sold for $7,186 (Modern Equivalent)
1980 Sakura Ronin RC-Turbo
The RC-Turbo was the top of the line international market version of the Ronin. It took the Ronin up to 11, with a side exit exhaust, redesigned rear, wider fenders, and aero bodykit. This model was used in the " FWD Racing One Make Cup" in 1980 and 1981. It sold for $10,571 (Modern Equivalent)
1981 Sakura Empress EP-T
The 1981 Empress was the First Sakura model to get AWD throughout it’s entire trim lineup. The EP-T was the top model, a 165hp, Turbocharged 2L inline 4 gave it a respectable cruising speed, and was a fine people coupe. It sold for $14,231 (Modern Equivalent)
Guess what, I’m rebooting the company. Everything above, and anything in challenges is no longer canon within the company. But with this comes a new, fresh approach to the company. Quite a few things will stay the same, such as the Boxers and AWD, but other things will change. And with that out of the way, here’s the First car of the new Lore.
Sakura was formed in 1950, and in 1955 finally released their first car to the Japanese market. This would be the Titania, named for the Queen of the Faerie of Shakespear.
It featured a 1.5L Boxer 4 making around 60hp, sending power through a 2 speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels. The Titania parked itself surely in the Emerging Japanese Domestic premium markets. The Titania 15P would end production without updates in 1966.
Conceptualised after the release of the Titania, the Umbriel takes the 1.5L boxer 4 from the Titania, and places it in the rear of the car. This would be considered the first “Performance” Sakura, however, none would be sold outside Japan until 1997, when one went to Auction in Europe and sold for an Estimated US$550,000
The 1965 Oberon Luxor is the first Generation of the Sakura Luxury Sedan. Featuring a 3L Boxer 6, 3 Speed Automatic, and a fully done-up interior, the Oberon Stood as a staple for the Sakura line-up until it was discontinued in 1984.
