Attendees of the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon might have been forgiven for thinking that a certain Toyota Prius on display was under attack from a giant marshmallow from outer space. In fact, the only assault taking place was one on their visual senses, as that large mallow-looking mass integrated into the top and hindquarters of the hybrid was actually purposely added to create a new camping vehicle from Camp-Inn Japan.
The Relax Cabin (code-named “Space Shuttle” for, perhaps, obvious reasons) was created by adding a fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) module to a 2012 Toyota Prius. The reconfigured vehicle keeps the mechanicals intact and stretches the bodywork out to 4980mm (16.34 feet) from stem to stern. The enlarged interior comes equipped with sleeping mats as well as a small removable table.
The configuration sleeps four – five, if they are previously well-acquainted – and will reportedly sell for ¥4,000,000 ($52,016 U.S. at today’s rates). Besides offering shelter for those occasional wilderness excursions, the Relax Cabin should also make finding your vehicle in the shopping mall parking lot a whole lot easier.
