The ‘butterfly’ coupe – known for its up-and-forward opening doors – is a delicacy of automotive design, gracing such elegant shapes as the McLaren F1, Ferrari Enzo, and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

1990′s Toyota Sera also joins that short list, in fact, it actually inspired the designers of the heady McLaren supercar (no, we’re not joking). Even though it’s not exactly sporting and it might not be your cup of tea, there’s no denying that it’s a rare bird on these shores. Interested? You can find it up for sale on eBay.

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In 1987, Toyota showed up to the Tokyo Motor Show with a quirky three-door concept called the AXV-II. It must have been quite the head turner, because no less than three years later, Toyota was offering a production version on sale in Japan in the form of the Sera. Styling changed very little between concept and road-going form – the lift-back rear hatch and butterfly doors made the cut – however the Sera did benefit from some new mechanicals.

Underneath the hood, the Sera received the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine from the Toyota Paseo, tuned up to 108 horsepower, and mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual. Given the large glass canopy, air-conditioning came as standard… though Sera buyers could spec-up their cars with a variety of optional extras, including an ‘Air Fantasy Fragrance Control System’.

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Production ran from February 1990 to December 1995 and resulted in 15,941 models rolling off the line, all in right-hand-drive and all intended for the Japanese domestic market. According to the seller, this Sera was personally imported by them and features the coveted SERA Super Live Sound System. With only 70,000 miles on the clock, this ’90s Toyota has quite a lot more life left in it.

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