Here's something for all the guys who grew up on a steady diet of RPG video games and Japanese culture (not just car culture). Toyota just released a commercial for the Aqua X-URBAN, which you can't buy unless you live there, and it's themed after a legendary mount from the Final Fantasy game series, the Chocobo.
The Chocobo is a 2-legged animal that you ride, a bit like the wolves, goats and dragons in World of Warcraft. It's probably older even than Pikachu and everybody who's played a Final Fantasy knows about it.
That's why Toyota chose its colors for the Aqua X-URBAN, knowing full well that they would convey a sense of adventure and fun. Besides the cosmetic similarities, the car company also borrowed the Chocobo theme for its car commercial, which received over a hundred thousand views in a few days.
You're unlikely to find the next diamond sword or battle the basilisk in the Aqua, but at least you'll get good fuel consumption. This is just the sort of crazy marketing they need to shake up their corporate image.
The car is a combination of hybrid powertrain with rugged looks, similar to a Dacia Sandero Stepway or VW Polo Cross in many aspects. Power comes from a Toyota four-cylinder that makes 75 hp and 111 Nm (82 lb-ft) of torque, aided by an electric motor part of the CVT which offers 61 hp and 169 Nm (124 lb-ft). The normal Aqua is the most popular model in Japan, with sales routinely exceeding 20,000 units per month.
As for the Chocobos, these fictional creatures first appeared in Final Fantasy II back in 1988. We think they look like giant chickens, but its designers bestowed it with the intelligence and loyalty of a horse. In more recent games, the mount was used in actual combat, assisting its rider with speed and cunning.
Editor's note: Why do I feel like cooking a giant omelet?
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
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