Always wanted to see a life-sized FL5 Honda Civic Type R Tomica? Wonder no more!
Tomica has a lot of fans. The Civic Type R, just the same. Fans of, say, a Honda Civic Type R Tomica, well, it’s very safe to say that there will be a lot of those, too. This year marks 55 years of Tomica, and with it comes a pretty nifty collaboration piece with Honda that features the current iteration of the CTR, the FL5. Cute, if you ask us!
Honda dresses up an actual FL5 in the same Type R Tomica livery for model maker’s 55th Anniversary
Photo: Honda
It’s not a new thing for Tomica to come out with special edition pieces from different automotive manufacturer brands. For Honda, it made sense to use the FL5, and as a result of an internal competition, the design that you see in the photo above was chosen as the livery of both the miniature and the life-sized Civic Type R Tomica 55th Anniversary Edition model.
To give credit where credit is due, the designer who won was Yusuke Obikawa. He worked as a designer of spaces before joining Honda, and he also worked on various non-product designs from a branding perspective. Obikawa was also involved in the design of the Honda booth at CES, which was held recently in Las Vegas.
Photo: Honda
The 2nd picture from the top is what the Type R Tomica looks like, and the picture right above is the same Type R, an FL5 to be exact, and how it looks after getting the Tomica 55th anniversary treatment. This same design is what won Obikawa the contest to make the commemorative design for the model, and along with it, its real-life sample. As we can see, all the details, big and small, were definitely followed to the T. Or more fitting, to the “R”.
Branding will always be part of it, and much like the Type R Tomica, the numerous brands such as Honda and Tomica, the massive “55” on either side, the Type R on the tailgate, and the R badge on the roof are exactly where they are on the actual FL5 demo car which, as we speak, is on display at the Honda Collection Hall until May 15. Those in Japan might want to swing by to see a lifesized Tomica; that should make for a fun photo alongside a model, yes?
Photo: Honda
Now, we did mention that other brands do engage in such collaborations, and for Tomica’s 55th, we have this Type R Tomica, and Toyota, Nissan, Mistubishi, and Suzuki have joined the fun and brought out their own wares with the GR Supra GT4 EVO, the Fairlady Z NISMO, the Delica Mini, and the Jimny. All of which are absolutely cute, but as it seems, do not have real-life counterparts. Honda and the FL5 Type R might’ve just one-upped everyone else on this Tomica anniversary.
That notwithstanding, perhaps the fangirls and boys best make their way to their nearest stores – Greenhills, perhaps – to get their hands on this Tomica. I’ve asked people to get me one or two, but sadly, to no avail. But hey, if this is the way to get to own an FL5 and a piece of significant Tomica memorabilia, then by gum, the search continues.
