M300 Sirion

AN all-new design, the Sirion Mk2's career was quickly curtailed when Daihatsu owner Toyota announced the death of the marque in Australia effective from March 2006.

But the M300, larger in every direction to its predecessor, had its own issues, such as uncompetitive pricing and oddball styling without the previous Sirion's charm.

Two models were offered, SX and Sports, and both included air-conditioning, dual airbags, electric mirrors, remote central locking, driver's seat height adjustment and CD stereo.

Anti-lock brakes, front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length curtainairbags and a tachometer formed part of a safety package for SX.

The Sports boasted ABS, fuller instrumentation, alloy wheels and fog lights.

Both models used a 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine featuring variable valve timing and delivering 64kW at 6000rpm and 120Nm at 3200rpm. A five-speed manual gearbox was standard and a four-speed automatic was also available.

The suspension was redesigned, though the basic configuration of MacPherson struts up front and a semi-independent torsion beam axle remained.

Sales never took off and Daihatsu quietly disappeared from new-car showrooms by early '06.