Summernats was on in dear old Canberra the other month, the festival of burnouts and cars with engines bigger than their chassis. Picture the scene.
Now, some history: in nineteen-eighty-something, Suzuki thought it would be a good idea to make a go-cart with a lunch box in lieu of a boot. What they made was the Suzuki Mighty Boy, a “mini truck”. It was about the size of a helpless baby elephant, only without a trunk. It had a ‘tray’ which could, at a stretch, carry up to 30% of the contents of a wallet. It was sold in only two countries, the first being Japan with its megalopolis cities, an environment which favours tiny fuel efficient vehicles for small entrepreneurial businesses. The other country? Australia. God only knows.
It was the cheapest vehicle in Australia at the time because it was sold in toy shops to children. Needless to say, the bogan masses of Australia descended and put turbo V6 engines in them and they became slightly famous … in Australia. So if you see a Hotwheels ute screaming down the highway you’ll know what it might be.
Long live the Mighty Boy.
-W
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