Homura v28 Spec C
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Homura had been an integral member of the Turból Corporation since the late 1960s, when Turból took a controlling stake in the company and started producing badge engineered Homura cars in their West coast base in Irvine, California. However, in the ensuing decades, the Homura brand never officially entered the US market; typically they were sold as Paige models, utilizing their more expansive existing dealer network. As Turból’s stake in Homura increased in the 1990s, shared global platforms replaced the captive imports.
In the late 1990s a plan was hatched to launch Homura in the US Market. Recognizing that younger buyers seemed to be increasingly attracted to Japanese cars, it was decided that, rather than try to emphasize the Japanese influence on Paige models, Homura would be officially launched in the US as a youth-oriented brand, riding the wave of tuner car culture. The brand would be built on models offering what Turból felt young buyers wanted: outlandish looks, bright colors, and sporty attitude, in cars that were affordable enough for young buyers and practical enough to easily be their only car. Homura dealers would also try to appeal to younger buyers with no-haggle pricing and a wide range of warranty-covered dealer accessories, from minor appearance changes all the way up to supercharger kits.
Two years after the introduction of the brand, the vCoupe was introduced. The largest Homura model offered in the US yet, the midsized coupe was built on the new global MFLC platform. This platform was designed to underpin a wide variety of midsized and full-sized front wheel drive models. The v28 was based on the MFLC-P platform, which eschewed the more basic MFLC-A’s twist beam rear axle for a fully independent setup.
The vCoupe was designed with a liftback hatch, and with small suicide doors for greater access to the rear seats. The designers felt that improving the practicality to levels that rival if not better those of a typical midsize sedan would entice buyers looking for coupe flair but without the luxury of being able to sacrifice usability. Between the wide door openings and rear hatch, the chassis did require fairly significant bracing for improved rigidity.
The most performance oriented model of vCoupe was the v28 Spec C, sporting a 218 hp 2.8 liter DOHC VVT V6, a torsen limited slip diff, a very aggressive body kit, 235/40R18 high performance tires, and sports suspension. To better promote the new brand, factory supported v28 Spec Cs would replace Turból efforts in Speed World Challenge TC racing.
