It’s not uncommon for car enthusiasts to modify the appearance of their vehicles by replacing some of the original parts. In Malaysia, many car owners are often seen rebranding affordable local cars to resemble models from overseas.
However, in a surprising twist, a Japanese man known as Kenji Hoshino on Facebook went viral among Malaysians for proudly transforming his Kei car (K-car), which is the smallest expressway-legal motor vehicle in Japan, to look like the iconic Malaysian model, the Perodua Kelisa. Here’s a look at the car’s brand-new appearance:
The original Facebook post by Kenji was shared in a Kelisa Owner group last Sunday (13th October 2024), showing photos of his car at what appears to be a car show event in Japan. It was revealed that the Japanese man had modified his Daihatsu Mira, originally a 3-door model, into a 2-door car to closely replicate the design of Perodua’s iconic Kelisa.
Kenji transformed the entire exterior of the K-car, including changing the car brand’s emblem, making it look strikingly like the real Kelisa. Adding to the authenticity, he chose a pale gold colour—one that is very popular and well-known in Malaysia. As the finishing touch to “localise” the car even further, he added a number plate design that mirrors the ones used here in Malaysia.
Netizens were highly impressed with the transformation, noting how identical the end result is to the actual Kelisa. Many comments expressed pride as Malaysians, delighted to see a local car model gaining popularity among foreigners. Meanwhile, some pointed out the irony, as many Malaysians tend to do the opposite by modifying local cars to resemble foreign models.
What do you think of the transformation?
Alia contributed to this article.
