Mostly used as a utility vehicle, the Toyota Town Ace (locally known as the Lite Ace), gets a stylish off-road overhaul from Japanese aftermarket shop, Papamama Cars.
Based in Osaka, Papamama Cars is known for turning unassuming consumer cars into clean but rugged off-road vehicles that can fit the whole family. Its current lineup offers a range of vehicles for all families—from compact wagons to full-sized vans. These cars are customized to take the kids to school on weekdays, and then the whole family camping on weekends.
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The Mount Ace just might be the perfect representation of what Papamama Cars tries to accomplish as a shop. The Lite Ace body slides right in the middle of what Papamama offers in terms of size, and with its modifications, it is nothing but a perfect balance of cute and capable.
Taking notes from Toyota’s SUV collection, the Mount Ace makes its first impression with a prominent ‘Toyota’ badge, surrounded by an intimidating grille, and a heavy duty aluminum skid plate. The custom headlights round out the Mount Ace’s profile, giving the minivan a literal larger than life impression. From these details, the Mount Ace could be classified as a beastly ride, but its earthy pastel yellow (think school bus) color gives it a lighter, kinder feel upon second glance.
Speaking of second glances, after its front profile, the most distinguishable change in the car is its suspension liftkit, and Maxxis Mudder Buckshot tires. With the Lite Ace having a 4WD variant, the possible off-road adventures with this car is almost too fun to think about.
With the Mount Ace, it seems to be all about capabilities. The interior features two rear benches that can lay flat for more storage, or even accommodate a bed kit. Complementing the seats are thicker floor mats that should be capable of handling messy situations from the city and off the beaten path. The cherry on top is a whole new infotainment system for navigating in and out of the city, and a digital mirror with a rear-view camera.
Papamama Cars lists the Mount Ace for ¥3,198,000 (P1.2 million). It also comes in five different colors with the option to choose the color of the floor mats, and an additional roof rack for extra storage and customization.
Do you think this car would be practical in the Philippines?
