The “Town Ace” becomes a retro-style Transporter with a different retro taste
The Toyota “Town Ace” is rapidly gaining popularity among owners who feel that the Toyota “Hiace” is too big and the light camper is too small. In recent years, the Town Ace has been in high demand as a base vehicle for campers and overnight stays, and is attracting attention as a custom vehicle that looks good in a variety of fields, including in town. To enhance the appeal of the Town Ace, ESB, well known for its custom remake of the Probox, has created a special face-lift kit “CLS FOX,” and its stylish looks have become a topic of conversation.
The key feature is the 5-mile bumper that gives the car a retro look
In creating the “CLS FOX” facelift kit developed for the Toyota “Town Ace,” the design was inspired by the Mercedes-Benz “Transporter,” which was used as a commercial delivery van over 30 years ago. The Transporter is characterized by the combination of a split front grille and lower grille. The Town Ace-based CLS FOX has a head cover with an integrated front grille that emphasizes the slit, and the bumper has been replaced, where a duct panel for radiator cooling has been set up.
Another key point is that the front bumper is a 5-mile bumper made of resin with a linear shape that gives the car a retro feel. This 5-mile bumper, as the name implies, is a bumper that is required to not only absorb the impact of a single collision at a speed of 5 mph (approx. 8 km/h) or less, but also to restore the bumper’s performance.
One theory is that the widespread use of bumpers designed to blend in with the body during the 1960s and early 1970s led to an increase in the number of cars damaging their bumpers in minor collisions with walls, poles, utility poles, and cars. It is said that the 5-mile bumper was introduced when insurance companies began to pay out more for repairs. The bumpers were later discontinued and are no longer seen today, but this rugged style is rare today and is rather a retro and fashionable element of the car’s appeal.
A wild look with a playful touch on the feet
The CLS FOX facelift kit consists of parts designed around the front face. Since it is not possible to get away from the atmosphere of a commercial vehicle by itself, a special cover was made for the rear tail lamps to create a sense of unity with the body. Also, since the image of the car was originally a transporter, the rear window was fitted with a panel in the same color as the body, and the height was lifted by 4 cm to make the car look as close as possible to the vehicle that was used as the motif.
This CLS FOX is also equipped with off-road-inspired tires and wheels, which ESB selected as a trendy custom to match the lifted style. While a transporter would use steel wheels and radial tires, the company’s TC01 wheels (14 x 6J + 48) and 195R14 size off-road tires were installed to add a wild transporter-like playfulness.
The “van life” that has been the talk of the town in recent years is not just a “van” for transportation and transport, but a more fashionable, cool, and comfortable vehicle that can be customized to have a comfortable living space. From this perspective, the CLS FOX is also a vehicle for enjoying the van life, and is perfect for those who want to make a difference by choosing a vehicle that is different from the rest, from users who enjoy active outdoor recreation to owners of visually-oriented vehicles for town use.
translated by DeepL