If we could have one real-world version of a Silicon Valley prop, it would probably be those beautifully hideous, bright yellow Pied Piper jackets. (HBO’s online shop for the show doesn’t seem to carry them.) But if we could have two such items, Erlich Bachman’s gaudy Aviato SUV would be a nice runner-up.
Said vehicle—which has its origins in a vaguely defined, aviation-related start-up founded by T.J. Miller’s pot-and-ego-addled visionary—is currently available to San Francisco’s wannabe drivers via Turo, a service that lets people make extra money by renting their cars out to other people. The promotion is meant to highlight some of Turo’s other pop culture-influenced vehicles—like a replica of the Interceptor from Mad Max, or a version of the Vacation car—and also to give the Silicon Valley writers a chance to pen a bunch of fancy copy for an intentionally stupid-looking car.
The vehicle offers such amenities as “Unlimited mileage, because if you are driving a piece of Silicon Valley history, you know no limits,” and “Leather seats that cradle your buttocks like the firm grasp of a loving mother.” Really, there’s just one thing that gets in the way of the Aviato being the bedrock of a perfect Silicon Valley experience, one we suspect might be a dealbreaker for the show’s target demographic:
However, please note there is NO SMOKING in the car, even on special occasions. This cannot be emphasized enough. You will be charged $250 for any smoking, even marijuana. Do you understand?