Much like many American car enthusiasts have a passion for Japanese cars, a group in Japan loves the vehicles from the United States. For example, check out the folks who race Dodge vans around circuits in the country. You’d never expect to see that on a road course in the U.S.
There are also tuners in Japan that specialize in taking the country’s classic vehicles and modifying them.
For example, the Mitsuoka Buddy makes the Toyota RAV4 look like a classic Chevrolet Blazer, and its Rock Star transforms the Mazda MX-5 Miata into a Chevy Corvette C2 homage. Now, Cal’s Motor has a fresh take on the Sonova van that gives a Nissan NV200 the look of a Chevy van from the late 1970s or 1980s. Buyers can now even get it with a bed in the back.
A Retro-Looking Van With A Place To Sleep Inside
Cal’s Motor specializes in building retro-inspired models, such as the Beas that gives the Suzuki Jimny a nose from an ’80s Ford Bronco. It’s now expanding the Sonova lineup with the new Transform Bed Kit and Retreat Package upgrades. Both of them will launch in Japan in May 2025. The company said it developed these offerings due to demand from customers looking for ways to relax in the cabin and use the van as a place to stay overnight.
The Transform Bed Kit has an aluminum frame and can switch between three configurations. In the driving setting, there’s room to transport five adults. Another mode creates a space with an opposing seat arrangement to make conversations easier. Finally, the bed arrangement measures 42.13 inches wide and 71.26 inches long. These dimensions are a little smaller than a full-size American mattress, so there should be just enough room for two adults to sleep in the vehicle. Adding this equipment to the Sonova costs $3,842 (550,000 yen).
Meanwhile, the Retreat Package builds on the concept of being a “private space on the move.” It comes standard with the bed kit and also gets extra amenities such as a cabinet with a pull-out stove, sink, and shower. A new Sonova with this equipment costs $42,814 (6.13 million yen). Current owners can take their van back to Cal’s Motor to receive the upgrade for $10,128 (1.45 million yen).
Sonova Van
Compared to the standard NV200, the Sonova features an overhauled front end. The styling included stacked headlights with a three-slat chrome grille spanning the area between them. The bumper also gets a shiny finish. Cal’s Motor only offers the van in two-tone color schemes, which accentuates the old-school appearance without making significant changes to the donor vehicle. The wheels look like classic pieces with dogdish hubcaps. The back also wears a chrome bumper.
There’s nothing retro about the interior because the Sonova’s cabin just looks like a modern vehicle. The only available powertrain is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with either front- or all-wheel drive. The base Sonova starts at $29,894 (4.28 million yen), and the AWD version is $31,640 (4.53 million yen).
TopSpeed’s Take
Quirky vehicles like the Sonova van are just so fun. This is just a Nissan underneath the skin, but the revised nose transforms it into something much more special. Plus, this rig is reasonably affordable, especially by the standards of a compact camper van. With the seats in place, someone could use this as a daily driver and then take adventures around Japan on the weekends. It’d be a fantastic way to experience #vanlife.
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