Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that, as part of its social contribution activities, it had donated a replica of the car named "Mach 5" to the Nasu Classic Car Museum. The car is fitted with YOKOHAMA tires, and is driven by the hero in the Hollywood film Speed Racer. The donation took place on December 22.

Speed Racer is a live-action film based on the Japanese popular animation series "Mach Go Go Go," which was aired in Japan in 1967. The production team from the Matrix movies recreated it as a live-action film using stunning computer graphics, and it was released in major international markets this summer. As a super sports car boasting a unique design and eight secret weapons, the Mach 5 has become popular as the ultimate car among children and others who have seen the film since its release. The donation came about after Yokohama Rubber and the museum agreed on their shared desire to "convey adoration, dreams, and joy of cars to children."

Yokohama Rubber had a product placement agreement for the production of Speed Racer, and also carried out extensive promotional activities in some 40 countries before it was released. The replica was used on such occasions.

The Nasu Classic Car Museum exhibits a number of famous, classic cars dating all the way to the beginning of the 1900s, to the inception of the motor vehicle, some bearing the appearance of horse-drawn carriages, and one that set a world speed record in 1930. Located in Nasu, a popular tourist destination, it is visited by many families with children.