Yes, the Toyota Lite Ace is a commercial vehicle that isn’t exactly designed with the family in mind, at least locally. We don’t even get the passenger version that’s available abroad, and that’s despite clamor for it here.
Perhaps it’s because it might eat into the sales of the Avanza and Veloz, but we still think the small van has the potential to be a great blank canvas. We’ve seen a couple of customized units to highlight that.
Meanwhile in Indonesia, the van is also sold as the Daihatsu Gran Max and even has a bit of a cult following. Which is why it’s no surprise why there are custom versions of it roaming the streets over there.
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Daihatsu seems to be very aware of this. That’s why the company showed off a pair of two special builds of the Gran Max during the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show. The first one is called the City Pop concept, while the other is the Taft Guy concept.
The Taft Guy concept has nothing to do with the well-known avenue in Manila. Instead, it’s inspired by old-school 4x4s, likely with a hint of the Feroza here and there. It gets a reshaped front end to give it a boxier look, along with a different front bumper for that retro look. Oh, and those large vertical side mirrors scream classic 4x4.
It’s then draped in a solid dark green color, and it gets a metal roof basket to please the overlanders. Like the Ayla Retro Future Concept we showed prior, this van rides on turbofan wheels at the front and a five-spoke set at the back. And yes, it says Turbo Bastard on it too.
Moving to the City Pop concept, it’s something for those who love the ‘80s. After all, the name suggests it’s inspired by Japanese pop music from about 40 years ago, and the concept reflects that. While not as extreme as the Taft Guy version, there are neat mods that make it a funky one-off.
The City Pop concept takes a page off classic American vans, and perhaps a few Japanese ones, too. The reshaped short hood is accompanied by a black grille that houses a pair of round headlights. And as a nod to classic vans, the turn signals are above said headlights to give it a pair of eyebrows. The color scheme is another throwback to the ‘80s when cars actually had color, and the Turbo Bastard wheels make another appearance here.
It would be nice to see more playful examples of the Toyota Lite Ace here. There’s a lot to do with that van, and it leaves a lot of room for imagination. That said, the Toyota Tamaraw is another great blank canvas that we’re seeing more of these days.
