It’s unfortunate to say that I’m not the biggest car person on the face of the earth, but I don’t have to be to visit the L.A. Autoshow. Aside from the typical companies that generally make an appearance—Ford, Porsche, etc. - Nintendo decided to make a rather surprising visit as well, showcasing life-size and very much real, replicas of the karts featured in Mario Kart 7.

With the help of West Coast Customs, a very famous local modding garage, Nintendo was able to bring some of Mario Kart’s most iconic vehicles to the show, which was goofy and awesome enough to put a smile on even the most serious of car enthusiasts. I’d say they did a very good job, considering they only had 30 days to bring virtual cars into the realm of the real world. The karts themselves really work, hitting speeds of up to 40mph. Sadly, they aren’t street legal.

I thought the idea was fantastic. To turn something completely fiction into reality is a feat to behold, especially when it’s a concept from something as famous as Mario Kart. Maybe other conventions that don’t have too much relevance to gaming will do more things similar to this in the future. Unfortunately, the event took place during Thanksgiving weekend but i'm sure you'll get a chance to see the karts at other gaming events.