CQ Motors Modern Times / QQ Prototype
Have you ever heard of Choro-Q Motors, a small EV manufacturer that was born in Japan about 20 years ago, ahead of its time? In 2002, the retro-futuristic Modern Times or QQ (Nine-Nine) prototype was presented.
Choro-Q is a classic car toy that debuted in 1980 from Takara (now Takara Tomy). It is a “running miniature car” that combines a comically deformed body of a real car with a pull-back spring.
From 1999 to 2000, which marked the 20th anniversary of the debut of the Choro-Q, it was in the midst of what could be called a second boom period, with a variety of media featuring the model and many custom-made models produced in collaboration with other industries and companies.
In 2002, Takara established a subsidiary company, Choro-Q Motors Corporation, to manufacture and sell Choro-Q cars. At the Choro-Q Motors presentation in 2002, three Q cars were unveiled (two were prototypes that could actually run, and the third was just a picture), and they were a big hit. One of the two prototypes on display was the 2010, and the other was the “Modern Times” (later renamed QQ = Nine-Nine).
One of the charms of the Choro-Q is the way it is designed to capture the characteristics of real cars and then deform them in a tasteful manner. For the viewer, it was a fresh surprise to see what could be achieved by distilling the essence of that car.
The Modern Times prototype looks like the remodelled Rumpler “Troppenwagen” unveiled at the 1921 Berlin Motor Show. This model boasted a streamlined design and a Cd value of 0.28, an astonishing figure at the time, and was even featured as the car of the future in the movie Metropolitan. Combined with the name of the car, which seems to have been inspired by Chaplin’s movie, it is truly a full-scale Choro-Q with a pun.
The owner of this prototype is Ms. Yuki Mizuguchi. He is a small car collector who owns many mopeds and other cars, and his main occupation is a veterinarian who runs a veterinary clinic in Saitama. Several years ago, Mizuguchi, who originally owned a Qi (Quno), learned that the QQ (Modern Times) and the 2010 were still in existence, having been left in a Takara warehouse after being displayed at a presentation event at the time. Mr. Mizuguchi negotiated with the relevant parties in order to somehow rescue the two rotting machines from the warehouse. His enthusiasm was felt, and he finally acquired the two prototypes.
After acquiring the prototypes, Mr. Mizuguchi immediately began restoration work. After replacing the battery and many other consumable parts, and repairing the damaged body and interior, the restoration was successfully completed. In 2023, he obtained a license plate number, and the car is now ready to drive on public roads.
The car was a one-off show model built for a presentation, so it doesn’t have door mirrors or windshield wipers, and he tried to keep it as original as possible, so it is almost all original except for the wheel caps.
The Q car was a big hit as an electric car produced by a toy manufacturer, but after demand ran its course, sales volume hit a plateau, and ChoroQ Motors ceased production in 2004. Soon after, the company withdrew from the car manufacturing business.
