pagani huayra. piece-by-piece. just the beginning?

The radical design of the Pagani Huayra has got us thinking: are we about to see a new wave of ‘extreme’ supercar design?

What you’re looking at here are all the components that go together to create the new 730hp, 6.0-litre biturbo V12-powered Huayra,Pagani’s super slick follow-up to the Zonda (and if you’re wondering where inspiration for the name came from, look no further).

Now while Pagani has done an excellent job confirming that the new model has completed 700,000km of dynamics tests with five prototype models across varying landscapes and weather conditions, and that 85 orders had already been taken before the seven-year development cycle had even been completed, they were a little less specific with regards to the image above: save laboriously counting each individual piece and eventually seeing the matrix through our MacBook screens, ‘a couple of thousand’ is about as close as we can get.

No matter, since this image has brought up quite an interesting debate in the crankandpiston oval office. The current trend for super and hypercar design at the moment, it would seem, is that the ‘clean and clinical’ approach has been deposited in the bin, with ‘wild and radical’ taking its place at the design easel. The Lamborghini Veneno and LaFerrari for instance caused a huge stir at the Geneva Motor Show by showcasing extreme designs few had seen coming.

Even McLaren, sick to death of criticism regarding its ‘conservative’ approach to the MP4-12C‘s design has gone a bit wild with the crayons and developed the far more radical (and curvaceous) P1. Thoughts and opinions on these new looks have varied wildly, as they have also done with the Huayra. But isn’t that kind of the point with a supercar?

crankandpiston is wondering then if this is just the first wave of a new approach to super and hypercar design. That a renaissance in uber mental concepts may be just around the corner.

THE STYLE OF STEVE MCQUEEN

by Adam Kaslikowski

Many people have tried to understand and explain why Steve McQueen left such an indelible impression on the cultural psyche, why he became the King of Cool, and why he’s just as popular today as he was when we was starring in Hollywood hits. It seems to be an impossible question to answer, but I am here to tell you that the answer is actually quite simple: He was one of us.

He remains one of the few big screen stars, past or present, that you know you could hold a quality and meaningful conversation with. He was accessible. He was a racer and motoring enthusiast who just happened to act as a way to pay the bills. Being a star was just his day job, and he made that clear every chance he got. Who he really was boiled down to being an average Joe who only wanted to pilot the fastest, loudest, and meanest vehicles around. He was any one of us petrol-heads, and he was successful enough to buy all the toys many of us can only dream about.

Oh, and what wonderful toys! A veritable stable of motorcycles, the Porsches and famous Jaguar XKSS, and even the odd plane were all in his collection at one point or another. The man certainly had a taste for having the best of the breed. However, that generally did not extend into being ferried around in a cushy Rolls or Bentley. No, Steve McQueen was a driver. It is clear from his personal garage that he always sought to optimize his vehicles for their intended purpose. For commuting and getting around LA, the open top Jag that could dart in and out of the lumbering American cars of the day suited Steve just fine. For working on his ranch, an old pickup that could take a beating and be repaired easily fit the bill.

This quality is what is referred to when commentators obliquely mention his “style.” His style was function, and his preferred function was generally speed. There is everything to admire about that. Flash and luxury do not factor into speed, and thus were not a part of his world. If you’re looking for something to emulate from Steve McQueen it is this central lesson: Distill down to what is most important to you, and live around that tenant. That is how you live, and drive, with style.

from petrolicious

Meet 6X MotoX World Champion - Tony Cairoli 2013

Check out the portrait clip of 6X Motocross World Champion Tony Cairoli, as he prepares for the 2013 season.

Nürburgring circuit up for sale

The Nürburgring racetrack in Germany that went into insolvency administration last November is now officially up for sale, despite the numerous petitions, protests and campaigns to to save the state owned facility, that is in debt for around € 400 million.

The entire complex is up for including the arena, museum, Norschleife and even the roller coaster and the selling price is around € 125 million Euros ($161 million).

Jens Lieser, the state-appointed liquidator, confirmed that there were intially 50 buyers interested in now they’ve been weeded out to between five and 10. Lieser assured the public that none of the buyers are “oligarchs or sheiks” who may make the track private, but there is still a big risk that the popular track days could become a thing of the past.

If you think that’s bad news, even Italy’s iconic Imola circuit has come under attack by the newest and most important anti-establishment party, the Five Star Movement (M5S) run by activist, comedian and blogger Beppe Grillo who received 25% of the votes in last month’s general election.

The movement in the region would like to turn the open spaces and the paddock into a parking lot for buses and cars, and they are also against the museum, which they have said “could be interesting, but must be economically viable for city’s coffers” and “not contain some pictures and a couple of bikes,” and that “races with the sound of revving engines are useless and of little interest”.

Source | autoguide.com and f1passion.it

via TWOWHEELSBLOG

Pol Espargaro leaves Jerez with the best lap time

from TWOWHEELSBLOG

The final pre-season test for the Moto2 category before the start of the season is officially over and in theses four days and ten practice sessions, the fastest rider was Pol Espargarowho posted the best lap over the rest of the field during yesterday’s mid-day session in 1’42.636, and he was also also the quickest rider in today’s final brief session, however he was unable to match his previous day’s lap time.

Italtrans Racing Team duo Takaaki Nakagami and Julian Simon (who crashed yesterday) skipped today’s session but their lap times were good enough to give then second and third overall, respectively. They were followed by Toni Elías and Scott Redding who topped the timesheets during the first two days of testing.

Esteve Rabat took his Tuenti HP 40 to sixth just 0.014s faster than Aspar’s Moto2 riders Nico Terol and Jordi Torres, while Xavier Simeon, and Mika Kallio on the second Marc VDS bike, closed out the top ten with a little more than one second separating them from Espargaro.

Sergio Gadea who is replacing recovering Thomas Lüthi finished 29th overall, but the Spanish rider also suffered a crash today.

The first race of 2013 season will be in Qatar on April 7th, and Pol Espargaro remains the title favourite and at the moment it seems that the Kalex’s are slightly more competitive that the Suters, while Speed Up bikes seem to be encountering much more difficulty.

Moto2 Jerez test overall results:

1 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Tuenti HP 40 1:42.636
2 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN Italtrans Racing Team 1:43.103
3 Julian SIMON SPA Italtrans Racing Team 1:43.188
4 Toni ELIAS SPA Blusens Avintia 1:43.365
5 Scott REDDING GBR Marc VDS Racing Team 1:43.372
6 Esteve RABAT SPA Tuenti HP 40 1:43.424
7 Nicolas TEROL SPA Aspar Team Moto2 1:43.438
8 Jordi TORRES SPA Aspar Team Moto2 1:43.641
9 Xavier SIMEON BEL Desguaces La Torre Zelos 1:43.720
10 Mika KALLIO FIN Marc VDS Racing Team 1:43.774
11 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Technomag carXpert 1:43.800
12 Axel PONS SPA Tuenti HP 40 1:43.861
13 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM NGM Mobile Forward Racing 1:43.925
14 Simone CORSI ITA NGM Mobile Racing 1:43.934
15 Johann ZARCO FRA Came IodaRacing Project 1:43.993
16 Anthony WEST AUS QMMF Racing Team 1:44.052
17 Randy KRUMMENACHER SWI Technomag carXpert 1:44.089
18 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA JIR Moto2 1:44.158

photo of the month

The Florida manatee is thriving in Kings Bay, and so is tourism. Therein lies the problem.
Photograph by Paul Nicklen

McLaren 12C Spider hits the slopes with Rhys Millen

 

U.S. pricing starts at $265,750

McLaren is celebrating the U.S. launch of the 12C Spider by releasing a new video that features Rhys Millen and snowboarder Chanelle Sladics.
Filmed at Loveland Pass, the clip shows the duo "racing" down a mountain which is 11,990 feet (3,655 m) above sea level. While there isn't much racing involved, the video provides plenty of glamour shots of the 12C Spider.
As we have previously reported, the convertible has a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine that develops 625 HP (460 kW). It is connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which enables the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 329 km/h (204 mph). In terms of efficiency, owners can expect to average 11.7 L/100km (24.2 mpg UK / 20.1 mpg US) with CO2 emissions of 279 g/km.
The video is produced and directed by J.F. Musial from YouTube's DRIVE channel.

Source: McLaren via worldcarfans

 

Jeep unveils six concepts for the Easter Jeep Safari

Everything from HEMIs to 40-inch tires

Jeep has unveiled six concepts for the 2013 Easter Jeep Safari.
First up, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk II concept has a blood-orange exterior with a matte black roof and custom roof rails. There's also SRT-inspired body work and 17-inch alloy wheels with 35-inch Mickey Thompson off-road tires. Power is provided by a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine that develops 240 bhp (179 kW) and 420 lb-ft (569 Nm) of torque.
 
Next up, the Wrangler Mopar Recon has a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine that produces 470 bhp (350 kW). It is connected to a five-speed automatic transmission that sends power to Dana 60 front and rear axles with 4.10 gearing. The concept also has “Stinger” bumpers, a 4.5-inch lift kit, LED headlights and beadlock wheels with 39-inch off-road tires.
 
The Wrangler Stitch is a follow up to the Wrangler Pork Chop concept that debuted at the 2011 Easter Jeep Safari. It is based on the Wrangler Rubicon and has been stripped of non-essential equipment in order to have a 3,000 lb (1360 kg) curb weight. In order to hit their target, engineers installed a carbon fiber hood, a chromoly roll cage and a variety of aluminum components. The Stitch also has a chopped windshield, cloth-covered rear body panels and seats from the SRT Viper.
 
Moving on, the Wrangler Sand Trooper II has a rugged appearance with heavy duty bumpers, a Warn winch and Mopar fenders. The concept also has a ventilated hood, LED lighting units and 40-inch off-road tires. Power is provided by a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine that develops 375 bhp (280 kW) and 400 ft-lb (542 Nm) of torque.
 
The Wrangler Flattop has similar modifications, but is distinguished by a metallic sandstone exterior with a chopped windscreen and a custom windowless hard top. The cabin has also been revamped with Katzkin leather seats, copper accents and Mopar slush mats.
 
Lastly, the Wrangler Slim has been equipped with modified bumpers, rock rails and a 2-inch lift kit. Other highlights include a cold-air intake, black leather seats and a CB radio.

Source: Jeep via Worldcarfans

21 Helmets Show 2103

21 Helmets custom painted by 21 artists presented by See See Motorcycles.

SUNNY DELIGHT: A PERFECTLY BLENDED B110

While every visit I make to Japan brings with it the chance to uncover some amazing machinery, I equally enjoy meeting the people behind these cars and hearing their stories. One person I met on my most recent trip was Teruhisa Inoue, the owner of the wicked looking B110 Nissan Sunny you see here. Teru-san hails from Kumamoto Prefecture on the extreme western edge of Japan, but like many Japanese folks his career has lead him to Tokyo. When he made the trip east he also brought along a strong passion for vintage cars and a keen sense of automotive style.

I first noticed Teru’s B110 in the coverage from last year’s Hellaflush event at Fuji, and I was very excited to finally see the car in person. The 110 Sunny is very well known car in Japan with a strong motorsport heritage, and Teru’s managed to take that competition character and inject the right amount of shakotan street style. The result is a subtle, but aggressive looking machine that catches the eye of all who pass by it.

You won’t find an exotic engine swap under the hood of the Sunny. Instead, you’ll find a modified variant of the proven A-series OHV engine -one that displaces 1600cc and is fed a pair of Weber 45s. It’s no powerhouse, but the Sunny has always been more about agility than horsepower.

Up front, Teru had the Sunny specialists at Technical Factory Yabuki work up a custom shortened suspension, while in the rear he adapted SPAX suspension originally made for a Mini Cooper of all things. The SSR Mk.IIs wheels measure 13″x8J and 13″x9J in the rear with 175/50/13 tires all around.

You may notice the lack of a front lip spoiler, making the front look a bit “naked” in these photos. Just before I met up with Teru, he actually lost the spoiler in one of those common “shakotan incidents”.

No worries though. He’s since replaced the lip and is back to cruising around Tokyo in top style.

"KBM" by MrMartini

Foto: mrmartini.it
via Racing Café

Porsche racing legend Derek Bell

Un pilote, un gagnant, une légende. Derek Bell commença sa carrière chez Porsche en 1971. Il a gagné les 24 heures du Mans à quatre reprises et fait partie intégrante de la famille Porsche.

---

A racer, a winner, a legend. Derek Bell started his Porsche career back in 1971. He has won the24 hours of Le Mans four times and is part of the Porsche family.

Madness in the Desert: Paris to Dakar World Craziest Race BBC full documentary 2013

In 1977 French motorcyclist Thierry Sabine was in serious trouble, lost in the Libyan desert and dying from thirst. Whilst most men would weep and think back over their lives, Thierry thought about coming back - to do a rally across the Sahara Desert. The 9,000km Paris-Dakar rally was born. The rally became a beacon for eccentric adventurers battling the terrain in customised vehicles, seduced by the romance of the desert and the extreme challenge. It soon became a victim of its own rapid success. Caught up in controversy and with a total of over 60 deaths, in 2008 this incredible event was brought to an end in Africa by terrorism.

Featuring winners Cyril Neveu, Hubert Auriol, Jean Louis Schlesser, Ari Vatanen, Stephane Peterhansel, Martine De Cortanze, former participant Sir Mark Thatcher and many more, this is the story of the biggest motorsport event the world has ever seen and one of the greatest challenges of human endeavour ever conceived, told by those that took part.

How the West took on a landscape of incredible beauty and scale. And lost.

Dakar 2014 : Argentine, Bolivie et Chili

Next year’s Rallye Dakar will visit three South American countries: Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. The 2014 event will start in Rosario (Argentina) on Sunday, January 5, and finish in Valparaiso (Chile) on Saturday, January 18.

La prochaine édition du Rallye Dakar traversera trois pays d’Amérique du Sud : Argentine, Bolivie, Chili. Départ de Rosario dimanche 5 janvier, arrivée à Valparaiso le samedi 18.

An overview of the 2014 Dakar was unveiled today in Paris by the event’s director, Etienne Lavigne, who was accompanied for the occasion by Juan Ramon Quintana (Bolivian Minister of the Presidency) and Gabriel Ruiz Tagle (Chile’s Minister for Sport).

The honour of hosting next year’s start will switch from Lima, Peru, to Rosario, Argentina’s third-biggest city which is 300km northwest of Buenos Aires.

After crossing the plains of Argentina, the route will strike north along the Andean foothills before the official rest day in Salta. Certain survivors will then journey into Bolivia before crossing the Cordillera for more action in the Atacama Desert and the final run-in along the Pacific coast to the finish in Valparaiso, Chile.

Bolivia will be the 28^th nation to be visited by the Dakar, although only the motorbike and quad competitors will go there. The car and truck runners will take an alternative itinerary.

A few days ago, ASO, the Dakar organiser, announced the creation of the ‘Dakar Challenge’ which will feature five cross-country competitions that could see two competitors (one on four wheels, and one on two) earn an invitation to contest the 2014 Dakar. This year’s Dakar Challenge will include two North American ‘SCORE’ events: the Baja 500 (Mexico) and the Reno 500 (USA).

Les grandes lignes du Rallye Dakar 2014 ont été dévoilées aujourd’hui à Paris par Etienne Lavigne, Directeur du Dakar, en présence de Juan Ramon Quintana (Ministre de la Présidence de Bolivie) et Gabriel Ruiz Tagle (Ministre des Sports chilien).

Après un départ de Lima (Pérou) en 2013, c’est l’Argentine qui aura l’honneur de lancer l’édition 2014 depuis Rosario, la 3^e plus grande ville du pays, à 300 km au nord-ouest de Buenos Aires.

L’’épreuve traversera d’abord les plaines argentines avant de monter plein nord le long de la Cordillère des Andes avant la journée de repos à Salta. Le parcours continuera sa route vers le Nord jusqu’en Bolivie avant de franchir la Cordillère, de jouer dans l’Atacama et de redescendre le long du Pacifique jusqu’à Valparaiso (Chili).

La Bolivie, 28^e pays visité par le Dakar, ne sera traversée que par les motos et les quads. Les parcours autos/camions et motos/quads sont donc divisés à cet endroit-là.

Par ailleurs, ASO avait présenté il y a quelques jours le Dakar Challenge qui compte cette année cinq Rally-Raids sur lesquels deux concurrents (un en auto, un à moto) peuvent gagner une invitation pour le Dakar 2014. Cette année, deux épreuves nord-américaines du championnat SCORE intègrent le Dakar Challenge, la Baja 500 (Mexique) et Reno 500 (USA).

Dakar Challenge 2013

31 mai/2 juin : Tecate Score Baja 500 (Mexique)
15/22 juin : Desafio Ruta 40 (Argentine)                                                       
20/23 juin : Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race (Botswana)           
12/14 juillet : Reno 500 (USA)                                                                                            
20/27 septembre : Australasian Safari (Australie)

RAPTUS by FMW

Posted by Inazuma Luke

This is the typical kind of rampage (in latin "raptus") which catches up Mr Fugar very frequently... Another example of his sometimes visionary art. I don't really know if I would like to ride this Yamaha 600 TT, 'cose I would rather expect to admire it in a Mad Max film, or ridden by a sort o modern mediaeval knight... However, starting today, the entire collection of Lollo -Fugar Metal Worker’s builds can be seen on his new personal website… And I’m particularly proud to say that some of the introductory words in his “About” page were written by me…

www.FMW motorcycles.com

via INAZUMA CAFE

ERC :an eastern wind blows over the Canary Islands / Vent d’Est aux Canaries

Round three of the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) takes competitors to the Canary Islands, at the extreme west of the continent. But East European drivers like Jan Kopecky and Robert Kubica could well be the stars of the show…

La troisième manche du Championnat d’Europe des Rallyes FIA emmène les concurrents à l’extrême ouest du continent, sur l’archipel des Canaries, où les pilotes de l’Est pourraient bien s’imposer comme Jan Kopecky ou Robert Kubica…

The 2013 ERC’s first asphalt contest is the 37^th Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles which has replaced the originally-scheduled Circuit of Ireland.

After winning January’s Jännerallye, two-time Canary Islands winner (2012, 2010) Jan Kopecky stands out as the favourite in his Skoda Motorsport-entered Fabia S2000/Michelin. The Czech’s biggest rival will probably be local veteran Luis Monzon who first contested this event back in 1987. The Mini John Cooper Works RRC driver is looking for his second win here… since 1994!

The Spanish round is likely to produce a thrilling battle between the S2000 cars and Regional Rally Cars (RRC), although the latters’ 1.6-litre turbocharged engines could have an advantage up Gran Canaria’s many steep climbs.

The island will be a new experience for Peugeot 207 S2000 (Sainteloc) drivers Craig Breen, Jérémi Ancian and Jean-Matthieu Léandri, just as it will be for former F1 driver Robert Kubica who will kick off his new career in rallying in a Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin. Also worth watching are Hungary’s Janos Puskadi and the Czech Republic’s Antonin Tlustak (Skoda Fabia S2000), Ukrainian Tamrazov (Ford Fiesta RRC) and the two Michelin-equipped Mégane RSs entered by Renault Sport Technologies for Frenchmen Robert Consani and Germain Bonnefis.

The menu features 14 mountainous stages totalling 246.34km. “The groups of stages total around 50km, which isn’t that long. However, tyres could suffer on the abrasive asphalt if the conditions are dry,” observes Jacques Morelli, manager of Michelin’s rally programmes. “Our drivers have the usual choice for asphalt, namely the SA30, SA20 and M01. However, the tyre regulations are due to change from Corsica.”

After Thursday evening’s start ceremony in Las Palmas, the first stage begins at 7:48am on Friday, March 22. The rally ends on Saturday afternoon.

Première épreuve asphalte de la saison, le 37^e Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles remplace le Circuit of Ireland initialement prévu au calendrier du nouveau Championnat d’Europe des Rallyes FIA.

Vainqueur du Jännerallye en janvier dernier et deux fois victorieux aux Canaries (2012, 2010), le Tchèque Jan Kopecky est logiquement favori au volant de sa Skoda Fabia S2000/Michelin engagée par Skoda Motorsport. Son plus grand rival sera sans doute le pilote local Luis Monzon, dont la 1^ère participation à ce rallye remonte à 1987. Au volant de sa Mini John Cooper Works RRC, Luis a toutes cartes en main pour remporter son rallye une seconde fois…depuis 1994 !

Car cette 3^e manche ERC 2013 sera avant tout un match intense – et inégal ? - entre les voitures S2000 et les RRC (Regional Rally Cars) dont les moteurs 1,6-Litre turbo pourraient s’avérer être un avantage sur les routes escarpées de l’île Gran Canaria.

Au volant des Peugeot 207 S2000 du team Sainteloc, Craig Breen, Jérémi Ancian et Jean-Matthieu Léandri vont découvrir le parcours insulaire, tout comme l’ancien pilote de F1 Robert Kubica qui entame là sa nouvelle carrière en rallye au volant d’une Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin. A suivre également les Skoda Fabia S2000 du Hongrois Janos Puskadi et du Tchèque Antonin Tlustak, la Ford Fiesta RRC de l’Ukrainen Tamrazov et aussi les deux Mégane RS/Michelin engagées par Renault Sport Technologies pour Robert Consani et Germain Bonnefis.

Quatorze épreuves spéciales sont au programme de l’édition 2013 (246,34 km) sur des routes escarpées au revêtement abrasif. « Les boucles de spéciales totalisent une cinquantaine de kilomètres chronométrés, c’est relativement peu mais quand les routes sont sèches, les pneumatiques souffrent beaucoup sur cet asphalte rugueux », reconnaît Jacques Morelli, Responsable du programme Rallye chez Michelin. « Nos pilotes disposeront du package habituel sur asphalte – SA30, SA20, M01… - avant un changement de réglementation pneumatique à partir du Tour de Corse. »

Après la cérémonie de départ de Las Palmas jeudi soir, la première spéciale est programmée vendredi matin (22 mars) à 7h48. Arrivée du rallye samedi en fin d’après-midi.

Aston Martin DB7 V12 Vantage: Now you’re talking...

While the supercharged straight-six DB7 was undeniably a beautiful car, its oft-mentioned Jaguar XJS underpinnings and 335bhp 3,293cc engine just weren’t quite ‘Aston Martin’ enough. Then, in March 1999 at the Geneva Show, the British company introduced a 6.0-litre V12 version...

The new engine, derived from the Ford Duratec V6, was built in Britain by Cosworth Technology and produced 420bhp/400lb ft of torque. With four cams and four-valve heads, it was capable of 7,000rpm. Mated at first to a regular five-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, when the engineers introduced a ZF ‘Touchtronic’ gearbox, DB7 V12 Vantage drivers could enjoy instantaneous gearchanges via ‘+’ and ‘-’ buttons on the steering wheel. A six-speed manual was also available and did, in fact, give the model’s ultimate 184mph performance.


The chassis was extensively redesigned and improved to cope with an almost 33% increase in power. Bigger (Brembo) brakes, new front wishbones and a now double-wishbone set-up at the back were more than enough to handle a V12 that was soon to appear in (only slightly) uprated form in the Vanquish.Ian Callum was in charge of styling revisions and the inherent beauty of the original DB7 was made more masculine with revised flanks, new sills, a new rear bumper and a wider front grille. The latter was a necessity, to allow more cooling air to the much more powerful engine.


Inside, a red starter button was incorporated into the centre console, close to a new analogue clock that replaced the previous model’s slightly dubious digital one. The new sports seats were more comfortable, gave better support when driving as hard as the latest car was capable, and also allowed greater interior space.

Over its four-year life, the DB7 V12 Vantage, in Coupé, Volante as well as later GT and GTA forms, maintained worldwide sales and gave the company breathing space in which to prepare for the ground-breaking DB9, to be built at the all-new factory at Gaydon.Nowadays, the car still looks fresh and has a loyal group of followers, many of whom prefer it to early Gaydon production. Faced with the ‘V8 Vantage or DB7 V12 Vantage?’ conundrum, for some the additional four cylinders endow the ’7 with something indefinably 'extra' – much as going from i6 to V12 did in 1999.

Related Links This Aston Martin DB7 Vantage is for sale at Byron International. For further details, visit the Classic Driver Marketplace Many other Aston Martin DB7s can be viewed in the Classic Driver Marketplace

Text: Steve Wakefield (ClassicDriver)
Photos: Byron International

DIGITAL HOT ROD ART BY MATTHIAS-OLIVER BECKER

 BY MOTO VERSO

 

I love what Matthias-Oliver has achieved here with his stunning hot rod art. Based in Saarbrucken, Germany Matthias-Oliver Becker specialises in illustration, web design and web development. He stated on his Behance profile that these hot rod illustrations where just doodles and rough drawings which is quite something. To have the skills to just doodle and come up this a finished project like this is ever designers dream.

The Rat Poison illustration is brilliant and I can see it sitting on my wall in my house, it just looks bad ass with the lights finished perfectly. There is a couple of different style he’s played with , the three part designs that have part sketch with a colour band and full illustration in the centre and the rough paint / sketch designs. I think he’d do really well selling all these designs as canvas prints, petrol heads would love hot rod art. For those who have seen Moto Verso before you’ll know I love rat rods and rat rods. They just look so cool with out trying too hard.

I’ve found that Behance is a really good place to find creative inspiration and talented people to feature on Moto Verso. It was the last place I ever thought to look for automotive photography and custom motorcycle but I have been blown away by what I found. Check it out if you have 10 minutes to spare.

Images: Matthias-Oliver Becker

Website: Matthias-Oliver Becker