In a case of life imitating art and then getting turned back into art again (ah, haven't we heard this old yarn so many times...?), the Toyota Aygo is going Manga - in a very literal sense.
Given that Toyota's city car was chiefly designed by David Terai, a man who admitted the X-design on the Aygo's face was inspired by the Manga classic comic Astro Boy, the Japanese carmaker has now commissioned a leading Manga artist to create an adventure story in which the superhero's transport is a one-off version of the Aygo.
UK-based Sonia Leong got the job, and will reveal her full work and character at the 2014 MCM London Comic Con at the city's ExCel venue on October 24. The comic book will be transformed into a short animated Manga film, with the Aygo playing a central role.
Sonia said: "It was an exciting challenge to use Aygo in this way, not only to represent a car through Manga illustration but also to use its styling to help shape a whole new hero character. As an example of contemporary Japanese-led design, Aygo is an ideal subject and I hope fans will respond to it and the story I've created."
Anything else?
The Aygo is not the first Toyota to have the honour of being immortalised in Manga history, as the Initial D adventures saw the graphical use of a Corolla AE86.