Toyota has been very naughty with the reveal of the all-new 2016 Prius. Knowing that the difference between 50 and 51 mpg doesn't really matter, the Japanese company focused on the design and the emotional response.
People are already saying it looks like a brooding super-villain from a Hollywood movie. However, I think Toyota's designers were watching an Evangelion movie when they had the first ideas about the new Prius.
Since "Eva" is one of the most famous science fiction creations from sushi land, there's a good chance you know about it. But maybe a barrage of Naruto filler episodes have wiped your memory.
Evangelion was first broadcast in 1996 as a television series. However, few shows have matched its epicness in the two decades that followed. Forget about Godzilla, the robotic monsters in this show are the size of a mountain. They need to be in order to destroy the "angels", creatures of galactic origin that nearly eradicated the entire human race.
There are many Eva units in the series, the most famous of which is 01 piloted the Shinji, the hero of the show. However, the Prius also resembles the bright red Eva-02, piloted by a very feisty German-American pilot Asuka Langley.
To get a rough idea about the show some 90s kids grew up on, we're showing you a short clip from the remake movie Evangelion 2.22. It's in English, and you are welcome!
We've been called crazy on many occasions and have no problem with that. But there's proof Toyota is into anime. A couple of years ago, they made an Auris inspired by the robot anime Gundam.
The Prius is and will always be the most successful hybrid model in the world. However, the outgoing model was getting lost in the crowd. Thanks to a crazy anime design language, this is no longer a problem.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News