Every year, students at the Japan Automotive Academy (NATS) create some crazy projects for the Tokyo Auto Salon as part of their bespoke classes.
Working in teams, the students are tasked with creating a truly unique vehicle in just six months, and the results are always worth a closer look.
TAS’ NATS stand always showcases a variety of projects, including complete restorations and Formula SAE cars, but it’s their custom builds that stand out the most.
This year was no exception, with “Alphard Super Dually” and “GR Stance” being the protagonists of the NATS presentation. Let’s take a look at these two crazy builds…
The Alphard Super Dually was born from a simple question: what would an American custom/hot rod builder create if they were given a typical Japanese family hauler.
The NATS students responsible for the build answered questions by combining beds from the Toyota Alphard and Toyota Hilux with extensive custom fabrication.
But of course it can’t be double without some extra width in the back. That said, it doesn’t actually have two wheels on each side at the rear, but the double illusion is created by a massive 20×14-inch Work Equip E10 hidden under a custom rear fender.
You can imagine this thing rolling down Central Highway and shooting sparks while the kids kick back in the captain’s chair.
If you approach the next car from the front and don’t know its name, you might have a hard time recognizing it.
The “GR Stance” is a mashup of a GT race car and a stance car based on the Toyota 86.
To create the look of a GT car, the students went all out on the exterior. One-off fenders, massive rear diffuser, boxy side skirts and rear window shutters are just some of the details. Of course, it also needs to be very low off the ground, and the T-Demand air cushion system can meet this requirement.
The FA20 engine up front has been lightly aspirated, with a GReddy T518Z turbo boosting power output to 275hp.
The racing-themed interior features a roll cage, Recaro RRMS2700G seats, a Sparco P300 steering wheel and some gauges.
NATS students did a great job at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, so it’s definitely possible to head to the Japan Automotive Academy to see all the ideas.
Ron Celestine
Instagram: celestinephotography
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