How NATS Students Turned a Kei Car into a Mini GR Supra

Not all final-year submissions are done on a laptop; some require an angle grinder, plasma cutter, and paint booth.

This kei-car-based GR Supra tribute was built by a graduating class at NATS (Nihon Automotive Technology School), a technical college and regular Tokyo Auto Salon exhibitor known for pushing the boundaries between student projects and full-scale custom cars.

Finished with its unmistakable orange paint and the iconic ‘Nuclear Gladiator’ side graphic, the Daihatsu Copen-based creation is a ‘mini-me’ homage to a previous NATS project – a full-sized Fast and Furious-themed A90 GR Supra built on a Lexus SC chassis.

Unlike other NATS projects, the Copen build was backed by the local community. The donor car came courtesy of a Daihatsu dealership in Chiba Prefecture, while other sponsors supplied the genuine Toyota parts and aftermarket goodies needed to pull off the illusion.

In the first two years of the Class 2 Automotive Mechanic Certification, NATS students specialize in mechanics, motorsports, research, or customization. For those in the final semester of the customization stream, the class is split into smaller groups and tasked with bringing a street-legal concept car to life in just six months. The goal is not only to showcase it at Tokyo Auto Salon in January, but also to have it pass Japan’s roadworthiness inspection (shaken) before completing a two-day test on public roads. Everything – from custom panel work to the final layer of clear coat – is carried out in-house using NATS’ workshop facilities, with testing conducted on the campus’s own circuit (where I shot these images).

To bring the vision to life, all the factory Toyota body panels used were sectioned and trimmed to fit the Copen’s compact dimensions. On top of the resized panels sits a FRP bonnet and a custom-made widebody kit, resulting in an aggressive silhouette. Air suspension, Fujitsubo mufflers under the rear bumper, a swan-neck spoiler, and a set of 16-inch VERZ DDR01 wheels from Kuhl Racing pull the whole look together.

Under the hood, the Copen’s original kei-spec 3-cylinder turbocharged engine has been lightly tuned with a Powerhouse D.T.M. intercooler, Take Off Pusshun R blow-off valve, and an HKS Racing Suction intake – very much like how an enthusiast would upgrade their first car.

The mini Supra was one of the three NATS project cars built in 2025 and showcased at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, the other two being a Nissan Gloria lowrider and a Toyota Vellfire sedan based on a Lexus LS.

While NATS builds are by no means perfect, focusing too closely on the finer details risks missing the point entirely. They are never intended to be flawless, concours-ready showpieces, but rather training grounds for emerging talent and a glimpse of what NATS students are capable of. With creations like this mini GR Supra, it’s clear that the future of Japanese modified car culture is in good hands.