A cute outdoor car is born
Forest Auto, located in Chiba Prefecture, specializes in a method of mixing modernity while retaining the taste of the good old days. Forest Auto’s customization is based on the importance of combining practicality with a strong sense of the past.
Forest Auto’s unique ideas and advanced customization techniques
Forest Auto at Tokyo Auto Salon 2022 Beach Car, remember? Forest Auto has created an open-air vehicle based on the Daihatsu Fellow Buggy, with plenty of wood paneling. Another vehicle on display was a beach van based on a Subaru 360 in orange and ivory summery colors with a wood slit rooftop. Along with its cute looks, the playful resort vehicle was a hot topic of conversation.
The two Suzuki Everys presented here are the successors of the model created with Forest Auto’s keen sense of style. The Every, in ivory and orange, was inspired by the beach van-themed 360. The other ‘Every’, in ivory and burgundy, incorporates the livery of the ‘Fellow Buggy’.
Although the theme of this year’s collection is not a beach car, it has been built as a ‘cute outdoor car’ in that vein. The unique ideas and advanced customization techniques of Forest Auto have been poured into it.
Original lift springs fitted
Off-roading comes with the outdoors. It’s fun because you’re plunging into the heart of the great outdoors. For this reason, there is a growing need for practical lifted vehicles rather than just customized looks, and Forest Auto has released the FAF Lift-Up Spring to improve rough road performance. The idea for these springs was born 15 years ago, in 2009, when a friend who runs a farming business asked for this kind of advice, which led to the idea of lifting them up.
“It would be useful if I could drive a light truck on rough roads.”
If the vehicle height is raised to an extreme level, the vehicle becomes unstable, and the risk of overturning increases, even when fitted with the thick tires often seen on off-road vehicles. In addition, there are other dangers, such as an increase in the individual weight of the tires, which makes it impossible to climb hills and reduces braking effectiveness. To reduce these disadvantages, we have produced lift-up springs that are balanced in every way. The FAF Lift-Up Springs are also installed in these two Every vehicles.
Designed to let in gentle light
As for the playful exterior remake, we would like to draw your attention not only to the coloring but also to the front and rear bumpers. The kit fitted is original, and not only is the design stylish, but it is unique in that its motif is the first-generation Suzuki Hustler. This is how the vehicle was named ‘FAF Eveler’.
Let’s take a look at the two vehicles, each with different specifications. First, the ivory and burgundy ‘FAF Eveler’ is fitted with block tires and was built as a wild vehicle for driving over rough roads. A hitch member is fitted to the rear, allowing the vehicle to be used not only for playing in the woods, but also for surfing with a trailer in tow.
The bright orange and ivory FAF Eveler, meanwhile, features a sunshade made from cypress wood and a canvas top. The process involves taking a mold with an isolated shape to match the roof shape, gluing cypress boards to it, and pressing them into place. The canvas top, which is produced using a time-consuming method, expresses the traditional culture that Japan is proud of. It is also designed to allow gentle light, like sunlight filtering through trees, to stream in from the interior.
In the interior, both vehicles are equipped with bed kits and an originally manufactured cabin mat for greater comfort. Making use of its woodworking skills, the side glass is equipped with louvered sunshades made of cypress. Furthermore, the side cabinets are full of ideas, such as an enclosure that amplifies the speakers of the smartphone.
There’s nothing quite like spending a moment listening to your favorite music in a calm, wood-scented interior space. Forest Auto’s customization is spectacular because it uses lots of natural wood and is tastefully and stylishly put together.
translated by DeepL