Of all the car recreations we’ve seen, this may be the most nostalgic. A UK man converted a real car into an adult-sized version of the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe so many of us played with as kids. He cut a Daewoo Matiz (known as a Chevrolet Spark here in the US) in half, removed the windows, and made a few other modifications. Now it’s a street legal vehicle that can go up to 70 miles per hour!
While it looks fun to drive, the lack of a windshield might put a damper on that. Though it is true to the original. We found out about this joyful car thanks to Laughing Squid. It’s recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest Cozy Coupe. It took 1,000 hours of work and about $5,000 in modifications.
For those who want to stick with the children’s toy version, those got some upgrades as well. The new models include a cupholder, a handle to harness adult pushing power, and a face on the front.
The toy has been popular since its debut in 1979. It even outsold Honda Accords and other popular cars throughout that time. In 1991, the Cozy Coupe was the best-selling car in America. It’s a world-wide phenomenon too. In 2012, it was the best-selling car in the UK. The company made an adult-sized version of the foot-powered car to celebrate that accomplishment.
For those interested in modified cars, there’s lots of other unique ones out there. How about a Bugatti made out of LEGO or a Mercedes SUV made out of ice? This also isn’t the first recreation of a classic childhood car. Mattel made a full-sized Barbie car. And of course there’s real-life versions of the Batmobile, including one made of LEGO.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.