2006 Suzuki Reimagined As a Toy-like Microcar
Life’s too short for boring cars — and apparently for factory wheelbases as well. Australian YouTuber Nathan Paykin has taken automotive nostalgia to gloriously ridiculous extremes, turning a 20-year-old Suzuki Swift into a full-size, drivable version of the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. Yes, it even shoots flames.
The project began with a 2006 Swift bought for just AU$500 (about US$350). From that point on, restraint was no longer part of the plan. The small hatchback was sliced cleanly in two, losing its rear doors and a significant chunk of its middle section in the process.
After the drastic surgery, the remaining halves were welded back together. The result? A stubby, cartoonishly short machine finished in the unmistakable red-and-yellow color scheme straight out of a preschool driveway.
To sell the illusion, the exterior was textured to resemble molded plastic, and the steel wheels were painted white. The exhaust was rerouted to exit from the side — because subtlety clearly wasn’t on the build sheet.
Paykin, jokingly describing himself as a “certified butcher,” says the transformation required countless hours of cutting, grinding, welding, filling, and painting. The mission was simple: bring childhood joy back to life, only this time in flame-throwing, road-going form.
The finished car looks almost toy-sized, with a wheelbase so drastically shortened it makes a Smart Fortwo seem elongated. Driving dynamics are predictably wild. Under heavy braking, the rear wheels can lift off the ground in spontaneous stoppies. According to Paykin, the only thing preventing a full forward flip is the front overhang scraping along the asphalt.
Inside, space is at a premium. Two people can squeeze in — just barely. Appropriately, Paykin named the creation “Suzuki Sui,” referencing the chunk of Swift that no longer exists.
And because no toy tribute would be complete without theatrics, the catalytic converter was replaced with a custom flamethrower system that blasts fire from the side-exit exhaust. Discreet it is not.
This pint-sized spectacle isn’t street legal, nor was it ever intended to be. Instead, it’s destined for custom car shows like Tough Streeters, where it can continue life as a loud, fire-breathing crowd magnet and viral sensation.
