For many motoring enthusiasts, the love of cars can be traced back to our childhood. A lucky few were even able to own their first vehicle at the tender age of one-, two-, or three-years-old.
The little red and yellow Little Tikes car was a mainstay in back gardens across the country, providing youngsters with the opportunity to live out their early dreams of getting behind the wheel. Now the iconic model has been seen out and about on the streets of Oxfordshire, although this particular version is a lot bigger and a lot faster than the ones we drove when we were young.
Constructed by John Bitmead, the Little Tikes car for big kids cost £4,000 to build, has a tax disc, runs on petrol, and can scale speeds of up to 70mph.
Furthermore, the bumps and collisions we probably experienced in the smaller pedal version have been taken care of in the larger engined model, with the addition of airbags.
The Little Tikes Crazy Coupe is the world’s most popular car, fending off competition from other models that actually have an engine, windows and can go above a couple of miles per hour.
It is constructed from a Daewoo Matiz, as Mr Bitmead believed the car is the most similar looking in its original state to the toy model.
He then toiled over the model for 1,000 hours to get the construction correct, making sure it achieved very specific dimensions and featured a number of sweet touches.
For example, to start the car, the driver will have to plunge down a big red button. Mr Bitmead was determined to keep the heart of the model in mind, resisting the temptation to add windows to the front, side and back of the car.
Speaking to the BBC, the engineering genius said it will be used for charity purposes in the future, with a 30-day trip from Long O’Groats to Lands End in the offing. The car will stop in a number of different towns across the UK and will try and raise money for children’s charities on every break.
It’s an impressive little machine and is sure to bring a smile to the face of any passer-by or fellow road user.
The car is powered by the Matiz’s 40kW 800cc engine, and can hit 62mph from standing in an impressive 17 seconds. Try pedalling to that speed any quicker!
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