Last time I posted I said that I wasnt sure if I thought these were cool or not. Since then I’ve been starting to dig them. Still very odd, but maybe that’s why I like them. It takes equal parts balls and stupidity to actually show up somewhere riding one of these things.
My first post on the Big Scooter phenomenon can be linked to here: http://www.bespokeventures.com/blog/?p=377
More pics (you can’t tell me the exhaust in the second to last pic isn’t badass):
Mana-P sent me this image today. It is the first rendering of the graphics for this project. As expected, Mana-P blew me away with yet another original and ground breaking design. We still have to make a few tweaks to the design to add in some more sponsor logos, but it’s almost there.
This is for one of our client’s full carbon widebody twin turbo NSX. That car has been under development for years and years and I’m very excited to have it finished off right with these graphics being the last step before it’s completion.
We have a couple more cars coming up that we’re having Mana-P design. After that we’re still taking applications. If you or anyone you know wants a car designed by the best in the world email:
applicant@msrevolution.com
Jon Sibal is THE MAN
Artist’s Comments
Mercedes-Benz will release their official pictures of the SL65 AMG Black Series in July 2008 but I thought I create this rendition of how it may look like.
Info on the Mercedes Benz Black Series cars:
The Black Series is a special edition that Mercedes-Benz produces taking a base model, which in this case the 2008 SL65. It is a heavily modified version of the SL65 - heavily modifed being an under statement. The exterior has a modified front end, a fixed roof, carbon fiber widebody fenders and rocker panels, vented hood, speed sensitive rear wing and wider wheels. Suspension is all race spec as well as the brakes, and the drivetrain is F1 technology derived 5 speed automatic with 2 mode settings. The engine built by AMG is expected to put out around 670 hp. This lightweight version will have a limited production of only 350 units.
Info on how this image was done:
I started with a base image of an SL65 then with Photoshop CS, I painted over the car. The widebody flares are fully brushed along with most of the modifications to the body. Reflections are brushed and enhanced to match the new background too. I couldn’t decide on the proper wheels so I used the BRABUS Monoblock VI Platinum Edition wheels which I thought suits the car. This piece took about couple of days, working off and on when I’m not inking.
Many manufacturers have made production based track cars, some of which even come straight off the assembly line. But what would happen is an OEM engineering department was given a clean sheet of paper? Honda basically did this when they were looking for a car for their racing school at Suzuka and the result is the Side-By-Side.
I absolutely love this car as it is everything a Honda track car should be. The side-by-side layout displays the expected Honda innovation and minimalism that is stifled by consumer demands in even the Type-R models, but is more apparent in Honda’s motorcycle division. Apparently fit and finish is amazing and the car is easy to drive and maintain. This car means more to me than Honda’s IRL involvement or the Element-D because it isn’t just an engineering excercise, it’s a clear statement about Honda’s identity.
KTM has produced what is arguably a very similar car, the X-Bow I favor the Suzuki Hayabusa. No, not that Hayabusa, the Hayabusa Prototype. Suzuki made a Star Mazda-eque series called Formula Hayabusa and according to their website, “everybody started saying ‘Wouldn’t be great if we can drive this kind of car on the road?’” I love this car because it too is a clean sheet design, but with the added stipulation that it could be driven on the street. Perhaps more manufacturers should do projects like this instead of putting resources into competing in restrictive race classes or creating uninspired one-make series.
First the pic:
Now the question:
I’m all for functional aerodynamics, but am I the only person noticing just how ridiculously long these front underboards are protruding from the nose of the car? I feel like just in the past 6 months the average front underboard has doubled in it’s length forward. Its a massive trend in racing in Japan right now and with each step further outwards I feel like we’re returning to the super silouette inspired 1980s bosozoku style. I’m a reader of auto otaku’s blog and I’ve been seeing a lot of cars on there with underboards/diffusers even longer than this one. I think it’s cool in a very hardcore way, but damn if they arent growing bigger by the second. I feel like I’m going to start seeing new generation sports cars on the street done up by their owners to mimic this trend and then we’ll have in a sense a modern sports car bosozoku style comeback. I honestly don’t know if thats a good thing or not. Looks and functions great on cars like this super gt Z33 and on time attack cars, but on the street it could become a bad joke if it gets out of hand.
If you love that pic as much as I do, here’s one more:
The Real JDM - Interactive
