Filed under: Economy, Etc., Japan, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchbacks, Mitsubishi
The ultimate kei? Mitsubishi i Hello Kitty "Princess Kitty" edition
Well, Mitsubishi has done it. They have created the most quintessentially Japanese car ... EVER.
We bring you, dear Autoblog readers, the Mitsubishi i "Princess Kitty" Hello Kitty limited edition. And by limited, we mean one.
The Princess Kitty is finished in pink, with matching paint applied to the wheels. The Hello Kitty trademark ribbon logo is applied to the front doors and roof, while the rear doors get a "Princess Kitty" graphic with the lovable cartoon character's face. The back window also gets a large Hello Kitty face decal. The sideview mirrors feature Hello Kitty's face in relief.
Inside, occupants rest on pink-and-white striped seatcovers adorned with the "Princess kitty" logo. The headrest covers are the shape of Hello Kitty's head, complete with ribbon on the left ear. It may be the friendliest-looking kei car ever made.
The one-off special will be displayed at the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo's Nihonbashi district from July 25th - 31st 2006. From the 25th to the 29th at 10:20 AM local time, interested buyers can register for the opportunity to buy the car. At 10:30 on the 29th, one name will be pulled and that person will be allowed to buy the car for ¥2,100,000 -- 200,000 of which goes to Japan's UNICEF. (For our American readers, that purchase price translates to a little over $18,200 USD.)
The i "Princess Kitty" edition is spec'd as a 2WD i "G" grade, powered by the 660cc turbocharged MIVEC 3-cylinder. It makes 64 horsepower and is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.
This year marks the conclusion of Mitsubishi's and Sanrio's agreement which saw Hello Kitty used in Mitsubishi promotional and advertising efforts. And really, marketing-wise, ending the relationship with this car is the equivalent of going out on top like DiMaggio.
(More pics after the jump)
[Source: Mitsubishi Motors Japan]
Additional Photos:
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
PJ 3:43PM (7/07/2006)
I see potential for highway-code enforcement here. Instead of traffic school, they should sentence people to two weeks driving one of these. (Especially H2 drivers... their heads would explode!)
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epilonious 3:44PM (7/07/2006)
Oh god.
The seats have ears.
Well, to bad Chrysler isn't sharing with Mitsu that much anymore... maybe Disney could have had the Colt "Mickey Adventure" or something equally creepy.
I'll hold out for the Badtz Maru Evo.
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JC Whitless 3:57PM (7/07/2006)
I was hoping for a Macross Lancer Revolution myself.
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Michael Karesh 3:57PM (7/07/2006)
My six-year-old daughter wants one.
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KyleHondaRocks 4:03PM (7/07/2006)
That's why GM can't compete! Between this thing and the Scion "X-Box" XB, we are getting our asses kicked.
We need a Transformers edition of the upcoming Camero as soon as they make that thing. Or how about an Elmo edition of the Ford Focus? Maybe a "Bratz" version of the "not-so-cute" Dodge Calber is the ticket to Big Three dominance.
Lets go guys.
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Bob 4:07PM (7/07/2006)
Being seen driving that is how I would feel being seen driving a Scion XB or a Ridgeline.
I just cannot decide which is more feminine.
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Frank Boulton 4:35PM (7/07/2006)
Princess Kitty just killed any chance of selling that car overhere.
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iQuack 4:44PM (7/07/2006)
So cute I think I'll puke!
Here's another one:
ttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/eekakashyza/hellokitty.jpg
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Mr. Plow, that's my name it's Mr. Plow 4:46PM (7/07/2006)
Hello Shitty!!
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iQuack 4:48PM (7/07/2006)
Sorry--didn't get the entire URL in there:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/eekakashyza/hellokitty.jpg
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Mij 4:52PM (7/07/2006)
My 14 year old wants one.
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Jellodyne 5:27PM (7/07/2006)
Almost perfect, but it still needs a wing, a 6 inch drop, a coffee can muffler, +2 wheels and an extreme lip kit. And no engine mods.
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Trogdor the Burninator 6:27PM (7/07/2006)
Bah...
One Lap of America veteran Mike Roberts has been campaigning his Hello Kitty Sentra SE-R for years now...
http://www.ebbqracing.com/theMachines/images/sentraPanzer.jpg
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Brenda 7:09PM (7/07/2006)
I think it's adorable and very creative!I'd drive it just to hear the comments and see the faces of people as I purr down the road!
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JM 7:23PM (7/07/2006)
For some reason I think it really cool. A nice custom job I can appreciate.
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Howard Kerr 8:26PM (7/07/2006)
When I was in Japan in the '80s, I noticed that toy stores and auto parts stores were often in the same building.
Most of these Hello Kitty parts are probably available on the Japanese aftermarket, so anyone who really wants to duplicate this...could. And yes, it was not all that unusual to see a red car on the street with pink hubcaps and other pink "accents". Sort of the Japanese female's equivalent of those tacky "Gold Packages" that you still see on some cars.
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RisingSunofNihon 9:25PM (7/07/2006)
Well, no doubt there will be thousands of names to draw from. The Japanese do love their Hello Kitty! Maybe I'll submit my name to the drawing. If I win, I'll sell the purchasing rights!!
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gbh 9:26PM (7/07/2006)
I'm only surprised that it hasn't happened till now.
'Hello Kitty' has been licensed to a producer of just about every product known to man.
My personal favorite in the 'so-sick-and-wrong-that-it's-great' category is the 'Hello Kitty' umm, *personal massager*.
Giving 'Hello Kitty' a wonderful double entendre.
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Concessionarie 4:53AM (7/08/2006)
Thanks God is Just a limited edition!
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David Lazarus 11:00AM (7/08/2006)
Ignoring the particularly girly pimped version the car is actually a good looking vehicle and small, so should be cheap to run as well. I can see girls wanting to be taken out in it but how many guys would want to get in it, I do not know? :-)
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