Camatte concept puts the Toy back in Toyota [w/videos]

Mon, 16 Jun 2014

It's been two years since Toyota first revealed its Camatte show car at the Tokyo Toy Show. Though sadly never destined for production, Toyota brought the concept back the following year as the Camatte 57s roadster, and is now returning to the same show with yet another take on the kid-friendly, configurable 1+2 with interchangeable body panels - this time with a slew of features that are fresh not only to the concept itself, but to the industry altogether.

This year the Camatte is being showcased in two forms: a bare chassis in the Tech Lab that lets kids see the inner workings of a modern automobile, and another in the Design Lab that lets kids draw their own motif for the concept that is then displayed on an LED hood.

The overall approach reminds us of the way Toyota's budget brand Daihatsu unveiled the Kopen roadster concept at the Tokyo Motor Show late last year, only even more kid-focused and decidedly more light-hearted than you might otherwise expect from one of the largest industrial giants in the world, and could only have been made for a toy exposition. In Japan. Which would explain the ridiculously upbeat videos below, where you'll also find the brief press release.

Free your Imagination with Toyota at Tokyo Toy Show

Tokyo, Japan, June 10, 2014-Toyota will exhibit a booth dedicated exclusively to the "Camatte"1, a customizable, sporty, family-oriented concept, at the International Tokyo Toy Show 20142.

The Camatte concept, which was originally shown at the 2012 International Tokyo Toy Show, conveys the appeal of cars to current and future drivers alike by enabling parents and children to share the joy of driving and customizing.

Toyota's booth, called the Camatte Lab, is divided into two zones: a Tech Lab that lets visitors get an up-close look at the inner workings of the car, and a hands-on Design Lab that allows visitors to easily customize a Camatte.

Booth overview:
- Tech Lab
A "Camatte57s"3 will be displayed without its body panels, to allow viewing of the steering gear and differential gear box. Visitors can easily see the internal parts moving when the steering wheel and accelerator are operated, making it easy to understand how these parts work.
- Design Lab
A "Camatte57s Sport"3 will be displayed with LEDs on the hood. Visitors can customize the vehicle by displaying their own digital drawings on the LEDs.

1The name Camatte is based on the Japanese word for caring and is meant to signify "caring for others" and "caring for cars".
2Running from June 12 to 15 at Tokyo Big Sight in Koto Ward, Tokyo; buyer's days: June 12-13; public days: June 14-15
3The Camatte57s and Camatte57s Sport concepts were first displayed at the Tokyo Toy Show 2013.

By Noah Joseph