The amazing Copen-based ‘Mach-Go’ makes its appearance

Many car enthusiasts must feel nostalgia for Tatsunoko Productions’ anime “Speed Racer (Mach GoGoGo in Japan)”. The ‘Mach-Go (Mach machine)’ from the anime appeared at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2024. The base of the car was a Daihatsu Copen, which was a surprise!　We spoke with OEP (Okada Enterprises), the company that produced this very special custom car.

“When I saw the Copen, I had an inspiration”

OEP is also known as a shop that manufactures and sells car accessories and aero parts. As a result, the company is skilled in creating exterior parts that also serve as body remakes. The machines they have built in the past all feature a full cowl style where the entire body is covered with FRP, and such modeling techniques were utilized on the Mach-Go this time.

Mr. Okada, the representative of OEP, explained that the Mach-Go was not exhibited to participate in the Tokyo Auto Salon, but because he enjoys building machines as if they were 1/1 plastic models as hobby, and this is what he does.

In the past, Representative Okada has also built silhouette machines that competed in Group 5 during the heyday of motorsport, and a Toyota ST140 “Corona” based “Celica Turbo IMSA-GTO Replica” as his hobby. He says that the Mach-Go was a machine that he had been interested in for a long time.

“When I was in primary school, I saw the Mach-Go in the TV animation ‘Mach GoGoGo’ and it was so cool that it remained somewhere in my head for a long time. I wanted to drive a car like that one day, but I thought a lot about what base to use, how to sculpt it, etc., but I thought it would be difficult to realize. …… But while I was looking at a Copen I happened to have in my possession, I had an inspiration that maybe if I put a cowl on it, it could become a Mach-Go. That’s when I started to make the Mach-Go-cowl to suit the Copen in earnest.

Can be completely bolted on and returned to stock, so you can enjoy it in two different patterns

The amazing thing about Okada-san is that he went from saying “I’ve always wanted to have one someday” to making one. The high degree of perfection can be seen in the photos, and it is obvious to anyone who sees it that it is a Mach-Go model.

Okada-san says that when it comes to the production of the Mach-Go, he wants to draw attention to the fact that it was made so that it can be completely bolted on and returned to stock style. In other words, the cowl is designed so that it can be easily removed. The body cowl can be enjoyed as a change of clothes and can be used in different ways, sometimes in Mach-Go style, and sometimes in normal Copen style. Therefore, it is also important to note that the genuine functions have been retained. However, in Mach-Go style, it is only open.

The idea of having a large body cowl fitted to the front and rear to recreate the Mach-Go brilliantly is brilliant. Although OEP President Okada says that this is just his hobby car, these ideas, and techniques should not be overlooked by owners who want to create special customization. Owners who want to create a machine that is different from others should turn to OEP, led by Okada. They will surely be able to offer you a machine full of playful ideas that will not betray your expectations.

translated by DeepL