Image courtesy of Toyota: the Camatte57s has 57 customisable elements
Image courtesy of Toyota: the Camatte57s has 57 customisable elements
The Toyota Camatte57s builds on the aims of the first Camatte (launched at the same event last year), but is far sportier and more powerful than the pedal-powered version of 2012. With a topless frame and an electrical drive system, it has a top speed of 28 mph.
Toyota’s aims last year were to “introduce children to the fun of driving, customising and owning a car.” The original Camatte had various design and colour combinations thanks to interchangeable body panels, lights, tyres and rear seats, as well as the ‘clambshell’ that combined the roof and doors. The 2013 version has no less than 57 unique, interchangeable elements (hence the name) - and no roof.
The car remains small in stature, built specifically with kids in mind. And, like the original, the Camatte57s allows kids to drive with adult supervision thanks to the car’s unusual one-plus-two seating arrangement (to “emphasise family intimacy and aid parent-child communication, creating a fun space to enjoy driving.”)
For those old enough to start learning to drive, the seats and pedals are adjustable to allow children to operate the controls - an adult can sit in the back and assist with steering and braking. The rear seats are larger, to accommodate parents, and there’s also a limiter to slow the Camatte (which means “care” in Japanese) down to just 3 mph.
With no plans announced to produce these on a production scale, Toyota envisage that these would only be used at “non-public venues such as go-kart tracks.” So no need to worry about mini road-users in customisable convertibles on our main roads just yet.
Watch Toyota's video of the Camatte57s being put together
