Toyota IQ Early Adapters

Early indications are that the iconic Toyota iQ is already becoming more to its owners than purely transportation.

A good example of this is desert adventurer and author Tom Sheppard who, when he is not travelling across the Sahara or writing his new book "Quiet for a Tuesday," is designing a unique colour scheme for his own iQ. Mocked-up on his computer and precisely executed by GSK Bodyworks, round the corner from his local Toyota Centre in Luton, it has generated nods and smiles from passers-by. Ex-RAF test-pilot Sheppard says the iQ's originality, engineering and detail design warms the cockles of his perfectionist, nit-picking heart.

‘Clean, green and mean. A minimal planet/wallet-impact coefficient,' he says with a straight face. ‘Or to put it another way, 99g/km CO₂, no road tax and 67.57mpg on my last tank-full isn't bad for openers! I love it!'

Toyota already has its own range of accessories that enable owners to customise their own iQ's.