Michigan man takes over New York driving a giant banana car
Everyone is bananas for the banana car, and for good reason.
On 24 September, Michigan resident Steve Braithwaite (GB) took over the streets of New York City in his record-breaking, ginormous banana-shaped car.
Entirely hand-built and measuring a whopping 22 ft 10.5 in length (a little under six metres, the equivalent of a small sailboat or city bus), the longest custom banana car paraded around the Big Apple to celebrate the launch of Guinness World Records 2026.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Steve is a 65-year-old fabricator and adventurer who now lives in Manitou Beach, Michigan, United States.
For the last few years, he's been touring North America aboard his four-seat, one-of-a-kind ride.
Together, Steve and the big banana have visited countless cities (a list that, fittingly, includes the Big Apple) and crossed the borders of 42 States, even reaching Mexico and Canada. The car can accommodate four people, with the three passengers positioned in a line behind the driver.
“I fund my travels by giving banana car rides,” the record holder explains. “People take a ride and then pay me whatever they like.”
One thing is certain: once you spot the record-breaking "Braithwaite, Cavendish, Four Seat, Velos-a-Nana" – the car's official name: it contains Steve’s surname, the variety of banana it’s based on and seating number – you won't be able to peel your gaze away!
A creative mind and a self-defined "avid hotrod builder," Steve recalls that it was BBC's motoring-themed TV show Top Gear that first prompted him to think about what kind of crazy vehicle he would drive. However, with so many options to choose from, picking one seemed impossible.
“Why not build a banana car?” his then-wife suggested one day, as she took the fruit out of the grocery bag.
At first, the idea seemed… well, totally bananas.
So much so that, looking back, Steve jokingly confesses that he "gave her a withering look that made it clear that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. But amazingly, about a week later, I had the exact same idea all on my own!"
Soon after, Steve started his record-breaking feat.
A life-changing creative process that took over two years, from 2009 to 2011, culminating with the creation of a record-smashing ride measuring roughly the same length as a small prehistoric mega-shark.
It’s all fantastic, but meeting people is easily the best part: I drive around in a huge banana receiving smiles and waves wherever I go. I truly wasn’t expecting the reaction that I got, and it can be overwhelming at times.
Recipe for a banana on wheels
- Name: Braithwaite Cavendish Four Seat Velos-a-Nana – “The Big Banana Car” unofficially!
- Max speed: 85 mph (136.79 km/h)
- Engine class: 8-mpg V8 engine
- Base vehicle: 1993 Ford F-150
- Fuel capacity: Two fuel tanks for a total of 52 US gallons (about 43 UK gallons, 196.84 litres), ranging around 15 miles per gallon (18.01 UK).
The creation of the longest custom banana car took two and a half years of work (mostly on Sundays) and cost around $25,000 (approximately £16,000 at the time).
It all started with a real-life Cavendish banana, the most popular banana in the world, as the initial reference.
To build the core of his unique car, Steve used a donor vehicle: a 1993 Ford F-150 pickup truck, which he disassembled almost entirely. He stripped everything off the truck except for the bare frame, the suspension, the fuel tanks, and the engine.
“I cut out each full-size slice and fitted them to the frame, forming a wooden ‘buck’ on the F-150 chassis,” the record holder explains.
The skeleton was created using rebar, reinforced steel bars.
After that, Steve used chicken wire and insulating polyurethane spray foam (the same material used to insulate houses) to sculpt the vehicle into a realistic banana shape, covered it in fibreglass, and airbrush-painted the exterior in bright yellow with the help of a local artist.
“A local artist, Rick Willens, had seen the banana car in a local newspaper and offered to airbrush the final paint,” Steve recalls. “And, Bob’s your uncle, I had a banana car.”
After that, it was time to go through the demanding process of making his creation street legal.
And what about maintenance, you may ask?
"I have to repaint it every six days because it starts to go brown," Steve jokes. "Just kidding: it requires about the same maintenance as a regular car."
Not bad at all, for a banana.
Then came the REALLY fun part: I started driving it around.
To this day, the banana is Steve’s only car and daily driver.
"I drive it often," he says. "If I have to go to the supermarket to buy, say, bananas, it’s what I drive. If someone asks me to pick their kids up from school, I go in the banana."
However, driving around in a massive banana can come with a bunch of problems!
"It's a convertible that doesn't convert, which makes it an 'unconvertible,'" the record holder told Forbes.
In other words, the fruit-shaped vehicle has the same downsides as riding a motorcycle: if it’s raining, you can expect to get a bit wet.
"If I take a lady on a date, she can’t be too worried about her hair and makeup," he continues. "And, if it rains, I know there won’t be a second date."
Unsurprisingly, parking is the major challenge of driving around in a seven-metre-long car.
However, Steve confesses that even time management can be tricky aboard such an attention-grabbing vehicle: “A simple trip, such as getting gas, could take a lot longer than it should because of people asking questions and taking photos.”
He explains that, even when he has to pull over to fix a technical problem, a crowd will still gather to ask questions or to snap a picture of the bizarre vehicle. Fortunately, that also means that good-hearted strangers will lend a helping hand when needed.
"I have been lucky that, in all the miles I’ve driven, I have had relatively few breakdowns," Steve says, "but in every instance, people show up to help out."
Quite often, I’ll pull into a petrol station, and what would normally take 12 minutes can often take up to 45 minutes. I’m not complaining at all. In fact, this is one of the best things about driving a banana.
A fan of the Guinness World Records book since childhood, Steve is always looking for new adventures.
Although he didn't plan to break a record in the first place, today he loves driving around in the banana and meeting new people.
Looking at the future, the American record holder has a few ideas for new inventions (including a car shaped as a pizza slice to deliver delicious pizza to his neighbour). He has also penned a children's book and is currently fulfilling his lifelong dream to take the Big Banana Car around the world.
“My advice to anyone who wants to become successful at something is just do it, and do it, and do it, and keep on doing it,” Steve encourages aspiring record holders.
Would you like to discover more jaw-dropping inventions and bizarre records? Are you a creative mind looking for inspiration?