Car designers draw their inspiration from many different places -- nature, sci-fi novels, the works of Picasso or Matisse. And in the case of the concept car currently gracing Toyota's LA Auto Show stand, the popularity and peculiarities of a certain Nickelodeon cartoon character.
Still, like Sylvester Stallone or Jackie Chan, SpongeBob SquarePants is one of the world's few truly global and instantly recognisable cultural icons and Toyota has done everything it can to bring the character to life in vehicular form.
The windshield is adorned with his eyes and buck-toothed grin and the roof even features his Superhero Incredibubble mask and blows real bubbles.
Inside, the car has a blue, wood-grain dashboard and a ship's rather than a car's steering wheel and each of the seats references one of SpongeBob's friends. Even the flooring mats get a sand-coloured and textured finish.
Following its LA Auto Show global reveal, the one-of-a-kind car will be heading off on a US promotional tour to publicise the next SpongeBob SquarePants film, due out in February. -- AFP RELAXNEWS