The Mazda 121 looks about as innocent as a puppy in standard guise. It’s a tiny sedan with soft, gentle edges that give it a friendly appearance – similar to the original Renault Twingo. It’s design reminds me of a jelly bean and is not the sort of thing to offend or upset anyone. Speed and performance were a long, long way away from the minds of the people who developed it. Meanwhile in Subaru land, the Impreza WRX STi was bringing the heat to both the rally stage and backstreets, turning the rational Impreza into a performance hero. Such worlds are very far apart, but that didn’t stop someone in Thailand from combining them. The result was a miniature version of the famed GC8 Impreza WRX STi, and it wasn’t long before a similar thing popped up down here in Australia. No way was I going to let this one slip.
The reason why this “mini me” style modification works soo well is that the designs of both the 121 and WRX STi have many similarities despite the difference in overall focus. The rear quarters in particular share the same kind of line flow, but the 121 seems to have squished the overall proportions. I’d say that it’s a chibi car for this reason. The tailights share a similar shape to the Impreza, but the headlights are less aggressive and greatly contribute to the “I’m angry but still cute” aesthetic. It’s like a cat wearing a lion costume.
Two things I find hilarious are the wheels and tyres, which probably cost more than the price of the car itself. Silver TE37s that are dished and tyres with ADVAN and Yokohama lettering are the sort of things you put on proper tuners – not an economy car with a 1 litre engine. Another funny piece is the totally unecessary rear wing that probably creates more drag than actual downforce. I would’ve preffered a wing more akin to the car it’s trying replicate, but why settle for that when you can do something whimsy? It only adds to the novelty!
I’m not completely sure how the front bumper has been constructed to fit onto this little bean, but that doesn’t matter because it looks like a genuine piece made by Subaru themselves. You don’t seen any cuts in the middle or any ugly seams filled with bondo. The air scoop and vents on the bonnet are exactly the same as the real GC8, but I don’t know if they actually serve any purpose here. The front splitter is an obvious add-on to the bumper, but it hasn’t been attached with cable ties or tech screws. Genuine effort has been put in here and such attention to detail is worth praising. That’s what makes this build soo amusing.
This baby Impreza WRX STI is a good bit of fun executed with a surprising amount of sincerity. It’s like a piece of sketch comedy – the premise is silly but the people acting it out are taking things very seriously. However, once the cameras stop rolling, the actors can’t help but laugh at each other. The joke here with this car is well thought out and delivered in a clever way that makes us appreciate the build for what it is. I’d call it an eccentric performance which is truly delightful. Bravo!
DevMacCars 