Maybe with an automatic this is a $3,500 car. But the six-speed versions fetch a serious premium. This car, even at the high miles, will likely appreciate in value. 

3 cheers for the jalopni-munity! it is 100% awesome that that someone can post something zany like this on here and there is a substantial chance that someone will respond “oh, that’s my friend’s dad’s vehicle”!

It is the only reasonable way to get from Kailua-Kona to Hilo, so it would suck if the highway was closed. Also, a great scenic ride.

Yes! Is there any way you could convince him to talk with me? All jokes aside, this thing is awesome, and I’d genuinely love to hear the story behind the build and his love of shortened cars. My email address is cwoodard at jalopnik dot com.

Wow? Can you get more info on the build?

really, wtf, people want to get into the airport for fun... and now I need to wait in a longer line.

BEVs also mean higher load floors. Which means taller cabins for the same interior volume, which means hoods look kind of silly and need to be raised.

New cars - particularly from luxury or premium brands - have essentially been highly advanced computers on wheels for about 2 decades now.

Mercedes R 63 AMG. Costco and soccer practice runs? Check. Taking a nap sprawled out in the back seat? Check. Flying under the radar of the law? Check. 0-60 in 4.2 seconds? Also check.

The decision to go with an LS came down, in large part, to electronics. The CANBUS systems on Mercedes engines are not super easy to get working to the degree that Icon requires. Even outfits like Mechatronik have to cobble together their systems and use all kinds of workarounds.

Would a Mercedes engine have been cool?…

I don’t see how this can be cheaper than just driving myself. On top of that saving a couple hours of driving isn’t remotely worth the inconvenience of an airport and having to obtain a retain car; nor the inflexibility of working around someone else’s schedule.

If they started out the gate with a 200hp V6 we’d be like, “What’s an MR2?”

Subaru would be better off making a Crosstrek WRX and leaving the sedan alone.

This is entirely because the European owners of CDJ don’t understand the American market.

It gets even worse when you see what the 2nd gen prototype looked like, it looked incredible.

WRX/STI Hatch. Come back, we love you

Fiero! As per usual GM tradition, they killed it off just when it got good

The Saturn Sky. This “baby vette” made sense for them to aim at a car that the Miata and 86/BRZ could take on and let enthusiasts enjoy a track day at a lower price point without needing gobs of power like the Camaro or Vette. They just needed to believe it’d still be marketable after the recession.

The Toyota Land Cruiser. I loved the design of this car, and I am not an off road fan.

It’s a two-fer: the Charger and the Challenger: