American enthusiasts from the YouTube channel Prop Department turned an old Ford Festiva hatchback into a car more than three meters wide — and the unusual machine with two steering wheels not only managed to drive, but also received permission to travel on public roads, according to the website infohub.kz.

For the experiment, the creators bought three compact Ford Festivas and used them as donors. The main car was stripped down to its frame and cut down the middle, after which the two halves of the body were pulled apart and joined with steel structures.

As a result, the width of the small car reached about 3.05 meters. At the same time, the bloggers kept the standard front-wheel-drive powertrain and the main structural elements. Inside, they installed two steering wheels and an extended dashboard with 14 cup holders.

There was so much space inside that the authors jokingly compared the cabin to a room. The car also received a generator, an auxiliary power unit and air conditioning.

One of the main engineering challenges was the transmission. After the body was widened, one of the drive half-shafts had to be lengthened by about 1.52 meters. To preserve the geometry of the part, it was welded in a special jig and then straightened using localized cooling.

During testing, the car accelerated to 117 km/h, although driving it turned out to be far more difficult than a regular Festiva. During the high-speed run, a problem arose: the heavy hood flew open. After that, the creators installed an additional latch.

To drive on city roads, the bloggers obtained a special permit for transporting oversized cargo and commercial insurance. But that did not spare them from police attention.

During one of the trips, a sheriff stopped the car because of a license plate that did not meet requirements. After checking the documents, the driver received a warning.

In another case, a patrol officer noticed that the car was not staying within its lane. The two steering wheels surprised him as well. The bloggers had to explain that one person steered while the other pressed the pedals. In the end, they again got off with a warning.

After completing the modifications, the authors set off on a full-fledged trip. Over two days, the car covered more than 640 km, carrying planks and even live chickens.

In the spring of 2026, the authors of Prop Department performed the reverse operation: they turned a 1988 Ford Festiva into a narrow car less than a meter wide by removing the central part of the body.

Earlier, Kursiv Auto reported on the most interesting cars at the MotorFest 2026 festival in Almaty, including custom projects.