Toy Cars: A Platform to Teach Kids About Auto Finance?
It’s safe to say that a Porsche is a dream car, the car you want when you win the lottery, become a grownup, etc. But now the dream could be realized a lot sooner as the luxury carmaker recently unveiled the Porsche Go-Kart, available at authorized dealerships.
Like its grownup counterpart, the pedal go-kart, seen at right, is sleek and stylish, a mix of metal and plastic for kids ages 5 to 8 who are under 110 pounds — and whose parents are willing to fork over its retail price of $900.
Toyota, too, has kids on the brain thanks to the sporty convertible family-oriented concept car it displayed at the International Tokyo Toy Show earlier this month. Called Camatte57s, the concept allows parents and their children to collaborate on building their perfect ride. It features lightweight, detachable body panels that are easily customized for color and design, seats in a triangular layout with one upfront and two in the rear to “emphasize family intimacy and facilitate communication,” according to the automaker’s website. It’s also got easily adjustable seats, acceleration and braking pedals so even the kids could get behind the wheel — on a track, not on an actual road, of course — with an adult right behind them to help steer or brake thanks to controls in the right rear seat.
There’s no information on how much the Camatte57s, left, retails for, or where it may be available, but like Porsche’s Go-Kart, these “toys” seem to be a great way for kids to learn the driving skills they’ll need in the future.
Reading about these made me think back to being a kid and how much I loved my own kid-friendly electric rides, and it also made me remember when I bought my first (and last) brand-new car. I was 20, knew absolutely nothing about financing, and found the entire process very intimidating.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Toyota Financial Services or Porsche Financial Services — or any other auto lender for that matter — offered something to teach kids, especially teens, about what to expect when it comes time to finance their first car? I’m thinking Porsche’s $900 go-kart might be a good place to start.
