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Daihatsune Miku? Virtual idol cruises real roads in her cool collab car design from Daihatsu

Katy Kelly May 16, 2018
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Compact car company Daihatsu joins forces with virtual singer Hatsune Miku to make a car design so cute it’ll stop traffic.

The sky is the limit for perky cyber star Hatsune Miku, who has already performed live concerts for millions of adoring fans, kept lonely café patrons company through their smartphones and even helped Vocaloid fanatics to build a line of credit.

It’s no surprise that Miku won’t allow herself to be confined to the information superhighway. As far back as 2014 she’s collaborated with trendy compact car company Daihatsu to create a range of snazzy blue Automobiles patterned after her famous “Snow Miku” designs.

▼ Here’s Snow Miku 2016 skiing alongside the Daihatsu Cast Activa sculpted in her image.

This time around she’s going back to her minty green roots, with Daihatsu’s MOVE Canbus HATSUNE MIKU Limited Package. The Canbus is a hot favorite with women, sporting a cute minibus style that still fits the strict specifications of the super-light Kei (“light”) cars. Kei cars are lighter and smaller than other automobiles, with strict regulations on how hard the engine can go (maximum displacement for kei cars is 600 ccs). Very fitting for drivers who just want to navigate around Japan’s narrow roads without breaking any speed limits!

Daihatsu put out surveys back in September 2017 to see what Miku fans were most eager to see in a Daihatsu Miku design. Compiling all the responses led to this exciting automobile set! First, let’s check out the car’s exterior.

▼ Classy, crisp, kawaii.

The palette borrows from her usual tones of silvery gray and blue-green. The decals around the car add significant splashes of her personality, with familiar iconography from her base design: the front door features all the buttons and controls she wears on her sleeve, and the fuel cap has a striking side shadow print. The Daihatsu emblem is also topped with a dedication to Miku’s 10th anniversary.

▼ Check the cute piano decal that edges the quarter windows!

Then climb inside to enjoy even more of that cyber idol aesthetic.

The seats and wheels borrow from her trademark outfit and twintails, and the shift stick has a cover bearing her 01 brand.

If that isn’t enough Miku mileage, how about seat-belt covers based on her tie? Or a tissue case to sling over the back of your seat, embroidered with her silhouette?

▼ “You can order these options for cars outside the MOVE Canbus line!”

Unfortunately, the kei vehicles aren’t suitable for driving on most non-Japanese roads. Still, you can console yourself with the fact that this classy car package, including the base model (Move Canbus G-Make Up SA III in Pearl White and Metallic Green) would have set you back a mighty 1,700,000 yen (US$15,473).

https://twitter.com/komacustom/status/995073470340874240

Daihatsu kindly also offers a full set of the decals, seat-belt covers and other apparel for sale through Amazon, so you can borrow some Miku magic for your own car for a comparatively cheap 107,450 yen plus shipping.

Even with the high price, praise from Miku’s devoted fans is ringing out across the web:

“These official itasha are on another level.”
“I want it! If only I wasn’t stuck with my CVT vehicle!”
“I love her outfit in the official art…”
“Daihatsu are working hard to do right by Miku. With the Snow Miku lines, that makes three cars with top-class designs…The world of cars is really daunting.”

Take us home, Miku!

For even more Miku, make sure to take a pitstop and admire the beautiful Hina Matsuri doll that a Tokyo dollmaking shop crafted in her image. Here’s hoping the year has even more cool collaborations in store!

Source: Daihatsu via Hachima Kikou
Images: Daihatsu