Mooncraft

Japanese racing car manufacturer
Mooncraft Co., Ltd.
Mooncraft Shiden
Company typeKabushiki gaisha
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1975
FounderTakuya Yura
Headquarters
Gotemba, Shizuoka
,
Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Takuya Yura
Masato Furukawa
ParentToray Carbon Magic
Websitehttps://www.mooncraft.jp/

Mooncraft Co., Ltd. (Japanese: ムーンクラフト株式会社, Hepburn: Mūnkurafuto Kabushiki Gaisha) is a Japanese race car constructor based in Shizuoka, Japan.

History

Mooncraft was founded by Takuya Yura [ja] in 1975.[1] The company was created to design and market race cars within Japan and abroad.

The company created the Shiden 77 in 1977, driven by Noritake Takahara in the Fuji Grand Champion Series; the car featured a unique design that won it many fans although it was not competitive[2] and was ultimately destroyed in a crash.[3] In addition to their own cars, Mooncraft also constructed cars for other teams and manufacturers; one of their most notable early creations was the Mazda 717C, which won in its class at the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans, the first Japanese car to do so.

Mooncraft formed their own race team in 1985;[4] since then, Mooncraft vehicles have been used in all forms of motorsports. A new wind tunnel facility was installed in the company's new facility in Gotemba in 1986.[5] Toray Carbon Magic acquired Mooncraft in 2018.[6]

Models

Pre-Mooncraft
  • Formula 2000 (1970)
  • RQC Nova (1970)
  • Augusta MK 3 (1972)
  • Tokyo Giken FJ1300 (1973)
  • Brabham BT36 Kai (1973)
  • Nova 01 (1974)
Sports prototype
Open-wheel
  • Nova 02 (1975)
  • Nova 512 (1976)
  • Nova 513 (1976)
  • Nova 532 (1976)
  • Kojima KE007 (1976)
  • Mooncraft Luna Nuova (1977)
  • Kojima KE009 (1977)
  • Niki 79 (1979)
  • Mooncraft MC-030 (1988)
  • Mooncraft MC-031 (1988)
  • Mooncraft MC-040 (1988)
  • Mooncraft MC-041 (1989)
  • Mooncraft MC-041B (1990)
  • Lola T91/50 (1991)
  • Mooncraft MC-060EL (1992)
  • Lola MCS94 (1994)
  • Lola MCS99 (1999)
  • Mooncraft MC-080 (2009)
  • Mooncraft MC-090 (2010)
Fuji Grand Champion
Sports cars

References

  1. ^ "Company Profile". mooncraft.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  2. ^ "「速いクルマは美しい」に形から挑んだ名車とは?ムーンクラフトの名車"紫電"の歴代モデルをご紹介します。". motorz.jp (in Japanese). 15 November 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. ^ "あゞ 追憶の紫電改RE-78". goldwolf-racing.blog (in Japanese). 19 December 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Memories of Mooncraft Race". mooncraft.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Message from the President". mooncraft.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  6. ^ "ムーンクラフト株式会社の株式取得について". carbonmagic.com (in Japanese). 8 November 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2023.