The Toyota AB phaeton was a vehicle first produced in 1936 and it was part of the line started by the famed Japanese maker's first mass-produced car: the AA. The AB shared much of its design with the AA, such as the 3.4-liter inline-6 engine and body lines influenced heavily by U.S. road cars. Where it differed from the AA, however, was in its folding cloth roof, movable front windscreen and front-hinged doors. In fact, with war breaking out so soon after its initial production, the vast majority of ABs never made it into private owners' hands but was rather sent for military use. They were painted in khaki and were often used as staff cars. 353 Toyota ABs were manufactured up until the end of WWII.

The Tamiya model faithfully captures all of the details of the full-size subject thanks to extensive research of surviving samples left over from the war.

Paints recommended by Tamiya: X-11 Gloss Chrome Silver, X-18 Semi-Gloss Black, X-2 Gloss White, X-26 Gloss Clear Orange, X-27 Gloss Clear Red, X-9 Gloss Brown, XF-1 Flat Black, XF-15 Flat Flesh, XF-49 Flat Khaki, XF-52 Flat Earth, XF-55 Flat Deck Tan, XF-57 Flat Buff, XF-64 Flat Red Brown, XF-85 Flat Rubber Black.