Lexus Builds Custom Ride-On Toy for One Very Special Kid
Young girl with cerebral palsy gets her dream ride with accessible controls, easy access, and bright purple paint.
A few of us here at Team Speed were fortunate enough to call a Power Wheels our first ride. Back in the early 1990s, our choices (well, our parents’ choices) were limited to a Jeep Wrangler or a Chevrolet Corvette. We’d have to wait until adulthood to get behind the wheel of a Lexus.
Lexus ride on toys have been around for a few years. The purple one seen here isn’t your average Power Wheels, though — this one is designed to provide fun and mobility for one very special kid. Lexus has partnered with the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF) to create a mini Lexus that’s accessible for disabled children.
It’s a truly worthy cause, and we’re glad Lexus is leading the charge. Every child deserves that first taste of freedom on wheels. This first example is going to a young girl with cerebral palsy named Finley Smallwood, hence the custom license plate.
Custom Built For Fun
The plate isn’t the only custom feature, however. The ride height was lowered for easier access, and the door size was increased for ease of entry. Sitting for long periods of time can be painful for Smallwood, so substantial upgrades were made to the seat as well.
Additional padding was added in key areas, and an adjustable headrest was added. A five-point harness keeps her planted and safe as she motors around her yard.
Cerebral palsy can make fine motor control a real challenge for kids. Thankfully, Lexus replaced the steering wheel and pedals with an armrest-mounted joystick. Smallwood will have total control — and total freedom.
The most important modification, though, was the custom paint job. The body of the miniature Lexus LX 570 was resprayed a gorgeous metallic purple — Smallwood’s favorite color.
In a video on the Lexus website, we learn Smallwood’s story, watch her custom Lexus being built, and even see her driving and enjoying it. Just have some tissues ready — there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when we watched it here at Team Speed.
Photos: Lexus
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