IN THIS FEATURE Japan's number one replicar maker Laughing all the way to the bank Something different The miniature Jaguar Mk II A nice little earner Imports and exports

The Jag is still one of the most beautiful and charismatic saloons of all time. Cheekily transfer its look to a humble Japanese domestic econobox and the end result is one of those things that's so bad, it's good. Then again, Sir William Lyons might well be spinning in his grave right now.

Timing was also on the Viewt's side. It appeared just as a retro boom started in Japan and a flood of tiny 660cc Subarus and Mitsubishis (and more) suddenly started sprouting chrome grilles, bumpers and twee interiors, as if it really was 1963 all over again.

The Mitsuoka Viewt interior with wood panels

The Viewt is a more elaborate piece of work, however, with its own Mitsuoka-designed front and rear end panels, complete with Lucas-like lights, faithfully cribbing the Jag. Yes, it's a cooking 1.3-1.5-litre Micra underneath, shock horror, but you'd never know. You can doll up the interior with leather seats and a 'woody panel' dash, too. It just depends how far you want to go.

If you were to ask, most Viewt buyers in Japan would probably think of it first as kawaii (cute) as well as harmless bit of fun. The punchline comes at the end, however, when you went to pay.