With Japshow Finale 2022 approaching rapidly, I was hurried into tryng to find something that I could be proud of. Sure, there’s budget options like the 350z, GTR and Acura, but I wanted somewith with a bit of pizzaz, something to make heads turn towards and not away. I wasn’t content with second place, I wanted to win the hearts of everyone. So, without further delay, here’s the start of my journey.
Unfortunately, with luxury cars like the Prius, my heart said yes while my wallet said no, so I had to get a bit creative, and instead decided to get the car the Prius should have been was based on, the Ford Mondeo IV (BA7). Yes, the very car featured in Casino Royale. You can really see where the Prius takes inspiration in particular with the 2.0 TDCI Duratorq engine. Sure, there may be small conspiracy theories like the fact that it’s a diesel, or that it’s not a hybrid, but these are common misconceptions I’m more than happy to address.
"But how is it a hybrid?"
Well, the definition of a hybrid is that a car can move under more than one form of power. As you can see, the Mondeo is indeed hooked up to a rechargable battery.
"Okay, so where do you recharge the battery?"
The charging port, obviously.
"Oh, but where’s the other form of power that can provide propulsion?"
While it’s true the Mondeo doesn’t feature an electric motor, it’s actually got technology found on modern multi-million pound jet fighters, a fan.
"Hold on a minute, the Prius has a downward-facing exhaust! You shouldn’t be able to see it from the rear!"
This might be the dumbest one of them all, because there’s quite clearly no exhaust visible.
Unfortunately, there were a few things that still needed to be done to really capture the essence of a Prius. Prius drivers are known for being just about the most elite of elites, cars on hydraulics will bow down and convertibles will lower their tops out of respect when one passes, there’s even ceremonial smoke blowing when passing one from the larger trucks. To really complete the build, I needed to add some authentic JDM decals all the while staying classy and not to reveal too much information about myself as a person, as I want the car to be something everybody yearns for. Obviously, a Bernie 2016 bumper sticker was the choice.
Sourcing authentic Prius alloys was also a pain. I wanted perfection, I wanted the cleanest of alloys with absolutely no corrosion or scuffs, with centre caps to match. Boy, did I luck out.
All in all, I’m really happy with how it turned out on such short notice. This had me working sleepless nights and stressful days trying to make sure that people could see how much love was poured into it, and with the reactions I got from fellow enthusiasts at Japshow Finale 2022, it certainly was worth it. Unfortunately, with rising energy costs it’s just not that viable to keep a hybrid anymore so I had to part ways, but I’m forever grateful for the memories we created together. In case you want to experience my Prius again, I’m honoured to provide some pictures of the finished product.
