Kode61 Birdcage starts out as a classic modern roadster

A limited series is being prepared after the world premiere at the Villa d’Este

May 23, 2023 almost 5:53 p.m

From: Chris Bruce

Translated by: Roland Hildebrandt

Ken Okuyama is an accomplished industrial designer who worked on the Ferrari Enzo, 599 GTB and 612 Scaglietti, among others, during his time at Pininfarina. Today he runs the company Ken Okuyama Cars, which produces beautiful cars in a limited series. At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este this year he presented the new Kode61 Birdcage.

The Kode61 Birdcage owes its name as a reference to the Maserati Tipo 61, better known as the “Birdcage” due to its tubular airframe weighing only 30 kg. Based on a historical model, Ken’s car has a design that combines elements of retro and modern style. The front part is reduced and narrow lights connect to the ribs. The radiator grille has an asymmetric shape.

Maserati Tipo 61 “Airplane”

The hood has exposed areas around the inside of the raised fenders. It appears that these openings may allow a view of the underlying mechanical parts.

The sides have sharp slits but the cages have flowing arches. Small doors look neat. However, the high sills make it difficult to get into the car.

The tail has a pointed shape that is similar to the nose. There are gills inside each fender. A pair of posterior tubes emerge from the upper part of the sternum.

The interior has a central structure that separates the occupants from each other. Both chairs have separate, rounded mirrors. The driver looks at two large analog instruments. The shift is a manual transmission with a semi-open linkage. The key is in the middle of the center console, and there is a switch at the bottom. The passenger looks at the digital display.

Okuyama says nothing about the operation of Kode61 Birdcage. You can hear the internal combustion engine in the video above. We contacted Ken Okuyama design for more details.

Kode61 Birdcage was the first Japanese constructor to be nominated in the Concept Car category at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Kode61 Birdcage is currently a unique vehicle. Ken Okuyama Cars is planning a limited production version that the company would build in Japan. There’s no word yet on how many models the automaker will build or how much each will cost.

Okuyama also designed the Kode 0, which debuted at the Monterey Auto Week in 2017. It had an angular design and a 6.5-liter 690 V12. He built the car as a one-time commission at a cost of about $1.5 million.