Kenny Scharf releases a recent KarBombz! art car in full scale with a toy-sized Hot Wheels version. The project is a collaboration between the artist and the brand based on a 1967 Ford Thunderbird. It is a significant model in Hot Wheels history since it was one of the first 16 toy car designs the company released in 1968. These are known as the Original 16. Kenny Scharf paints the car’s exterior using his KarBombz! style. For the project, he uses spray paint to create art directly on cars, just like the other models he’s done in the series.

Kenny Pfitzer, a car builder at Pfitzer Designs in Corona, California, has handled the 1967 Ford Thunderbird mechanical construction for the Hot Wheels and Kenny Scharf collaboration. The vehicle also features American Racing 500 Mono Cast wheels as well as BF Goodrich Silvertown Redline radial tires. Hot Wheels expects to induct the Thunderbird art car into its Garage of Legends, which is a Hot Wheels collection that houses actual cars that the brand has built or selected. This art car, after induction, appears at Hot Wheels events in coming years. So far, it includes joining the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, an event series where the brand showcases its cars to the public.

all images courtesy of Kenny Scharf and Hot Wheels

1:64 die-cast models of the original 1967 Ford Thunderbird

The artist Kenny Scharf started his KarBombz! series in 2013. He thought then that cars were boring. They all looked the same, so gray and dull. He imagined drivers being stuck in traffic inside their lifeless-looking vehicles. That’s when the idea ignited: tattoos for car, spray painted by hand, street style that’s thriving in colors and graphics. ‘What an exciting traffic jam that would be,’ the artist says. Nearly over a decade later, he’s right. These KarBombz! designs add so much life, jazz, and flair to the copy-and-paste-looking cars on the roads. 

Working with Hot Wheels then feels natural to Kenny Scharf. The artist admits he’s been a fan of the brand’s toy cars, even as he was growing up. During this time, he developed an art career that often used cars as his canvas. Now, that blank slate comes in two forms. First, a real-life 1967 Ford Thunderbird production model. The other, a 1:64 die-cast Hot Wheels version, which is 64 times smaller than the actual car. The latter is available from Mattel Creations on June 9th, 2025. There’s also a limited edition, which includes only 100 die-cast models. Kenny Scharf has signed each of these 100 units, and these versions also come with a base showing more of the artist’s designs.

Kenny Scharf releases a recent KarBombz! art car in toy-sized Hot Wheels version

the artist’s name appears on the rear plate

a summer-looking blue shade becomes the color foundation

a balloon-looking figure zooms through on the side of the vehicle

surface view of the die-cast model

the artist uses spray paint to create art directly on the car

the 1:64 die-cast version on top of the real-life 1967 Ford Thunderbird

the project is a collaboration between the artist and the brand based on a 1967 Ford Thunderbird

Kenny Scharf spray painting on the Ford Thunderbird for the art car

Hot Wheels expects to induct the Thunderbird art car into its Garage of Legends

project info:

name: Hot Wheels x Kenny Scharf Custom T-Bird

artist: Kenny Scharf | @kennyscharf

brand: Hot Wheels | @hotwheelsofficial

company: Mattel | @mattel

The post kenny scharf unveils iconic KarBombz! art car in full scale and toy-sized hot wheels version appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

It’s a very pink day for Gustaf Westman and his collection of camping gear and playful objects for the Mercedes-Benz CLA. The Swedish designer is the second act of the car company’s Class of Creators initiative after Ice Spice’s molten chrome car. Let’s go back to March 13th, 2025: we’re in Rome, Italy, the city where Mercedes-Benz unveils the CLA for the first time. A few hours before that, designboom sat down with Gustaf Westeman for an interview, ahead of his art pieces’ debut. It’s a gloomy day, but the photos he shows us are all bright and pink.

‘My sketch process is making a kind of function, so you can use the vehicle in another way,’ the designer tells designboom. ‘Basically, it’s a car that has a picnic table at the rear that you can slide out and even sit on. It also has a tent on the car’s roof where you can sleep. It’s life-size. Let me show you.’ It’s exactly how he describes it: the Mercedes-Benz CLA shines in pink with a glossy surface, and right above it is a cupola-shaped tent that the vehicle can bring anywhere. These were only sketches when we met. In the evening of May 22nd, 2025, two months after our interview, Gustaf Westman shows the real-life models at the Protein Studios in London’s East End.

all images courtesy of Gustaf Westman

Collection with ‘star’ plates and hotdog tray

The Gustaf Westman spin on the Mercedes-Benz CLA is family-friendly and perky. The stowable picnic table at the rear slides in and out of the chunky pink car. There are two benches on both sides, then the sliding table between them. Just below the Mercedes-Benz insignia, there are four tubes that pop out of the car, serving as the wine glass holder for the diners. The pink Mercedes-Benz CLA and its pink tent aren’t the only ones in pink. Gustaf Westman has made an entire collection of it for the Class of Creators. There’s even a pink roll-up backpack that, once unfolded, reveals lots of plates, cups, and some trays for hotdogs (yes, the ones with buns). It also doubles as a picnic blanket. Once laid out, it has nine distinctive squares, reminiscent of bubble wrap but without the circular form.

Picking up one of these circular plates, which is a recurring theme in the designer’s repertoire, it’s so clear that the design is patterned after the car company’s iconic emblem star. That’s good, though, because there are three sections for food, so diners can eat three different meal types at once. Other than that, the designer pays more attention to the rounded edges of the plates. ‘When you look at the CLA’s base, it has the same base as the plates. I wanted to work with that base because it’s really nice. So, I used the existing lines around the Mercedes-Benz car and extruded them to make them chunky and fluffy,’ he explains to designboom.

picnic table at the rear that users can slide out and even sit on

Gustaf Westman’s vibrant colors for Mercedes-Benz CLA

That chunky and fluffy feel reappears in the hotdog tray. It’s a thick but cute slab, like a jolly-looking charcuterie board, with multiple pockets to hold hotdog buns on. ‘I just like how they kind of capture the shape, and then they disappear. They have no endings, which gives these objects a life,’ Gustaf Westman shares with us. As our conversation moves forward, the designer says this is his first time venturing into the automobile world. 

Even so, the design approach isn’t so different from when he creates homeware and other party-ful objects. ‘It’s more that it takes longer to understand what I want to do. I have to understand the Mercedes-Benz CLA first before starting to design the collection,’ says Gustaf Westman.  In the end, he has achieved that enlightenment, and it pours through his ever-bright use of colors. It’s a staple of his works, and one that he’s not looking to change. 

the Mercedes-Benz CLA shines in pink with a glossy surface and a cupola-shaped tent on its roof

‘I see these colors as helping you understand the shape. I like the idea that you can understand an object in a second. Then, I also don’t want the color to make you feel too much because I want you to focus on the shape,’ he tells us. For the designer, the muted and hushed-down shades give a mysterious feeling, and he’s not looking for that. It’s easy then to look at Gustaf Westman’s works, including the playful collection for the Mercedes-Benz CLA. They’re light and attuned to happy inklings. The shades recall the time between spring and summer, the airy afternoon in a garden or park, after lunch and before the sun begins to set. 

Our conversation with the Swedish designer is coming to a close. Before we get up, he says he has tried playing with AI tools because it’s fun. He thinks it’s bad, though. He hasn’t used it in any of his designs, and he has no foreseeable plans to adopt them. ‘I could just go on Pinterest if I want to see and do those kinds of things,’ he says. Is he on Pinterest all the time? ‘I try not to be,’ he replies. It’s a platform that lets users organize their pinned images in a digital board, and that’s not him. He’s chaotic, he says, and by definition, it means disorder. We disagree, then, because in Gustaf Westman’s purchasable collection for Mercedes-Benz CLA, it’s anything but chaotic.

view inside the tent on the car’s roof

there’s even a pink roll-up backpack

once unfolded, the backpack doubles as a picnic blanket

view of the hotdog tray

the CLA exterior lines inspire the tray’s design

Star Plate with the car company’s emblematic star

there’s enough food space on the Star Plate

portrait of Gustaf Westman during the CLA unveiling in Rome, Italy | image © designboom

the designer holding his winged mirror in London

project info:

designer: Gustaf Westman | @gustafwestman

company: Mercedes-Benz | @mercedesbenzusa

initiative: Class of Creators

The post it’s a pink party with gustaf westman’s camping gear and picnic table for mercedes-benz CLA appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Twisted Automotive releases a modified Baja Bug beetle in the name of T-Bug, an off-roader for desert, sand dunes, and other terrains. Each model starts with an air-cooled Beetle from the ’60s to ’80s. After that, the design team strips everything off the vehicle. They then seal and strengthen the chassis first to improve its robustness so it can weather the modern roads. The suspension systems come next, ideal for long travel and any terrain. The very visible oversized tires provide the grip regardless of the road conditions. 

What the design team retains for the modified Baja Bug beetle is its recognizable frame. The bodywork, however, undergoes a full bare-metal restoration, painted inside and out in a color chosen by the owner. For the engine, upgrades take place too. While the design team doubles the power output, they admit to deliberately still keeping it under 80 horsepower. The reason being they want the driver to feel the terrain instead of just rushing on the road like all the fast hypercars these days. It’s about the driving and the experience, they add, not the engine’s ‘numbers.’

all images courtesy of Twisted Automotive

No identical T-bug cars ever, says Twisted automotive

The design team produces the modified Baja Bug beetle to be functional. Nothing for show, they say. For the T-Bug then, the braking systems have been refreshed for faster and more efficient stopping power. Inside, the interior is hand-finished, reminiscent of the old design but still feels brand new with the tan leather. The LED lighting is modern, plus the electronics on board make the recognizable vehicle from the past contemporary. Fans of ‘exclusivity’ can rejoice when they find out no two T-Bugs will ever be identical.

‘We don’t do conversions. We don’t do half-measures. Each customer chooses their specification, trim, color, and optional equipment. We build it the Twisted way,’ says Twisted Automotive. Founder Charles Fawcett had the idea for the reimagined, modified Baja Bug beetle after he saw posters of the vehicle on his sister’s bedroom wall when they were kids. He was so fascinated by them that he held onto it and created the Special Project series, starting with T-Bug 001. For him, the model is neither a restoration nor a simple modification. It’s a complete reimagination, one that visitors to Twister Automotive’s showroom at Kensington Mews can see live on May 29th, 2025.

Twisted Automotive releases a modified Baja Bug beetle in the name of T-Bug

the vehicle is an off-roader for desert, sand dunes, and other terrains

each modificed model starts with an air-cooled Beetle from the ’60s to ’80s

the look of the cabin feels brand new with the tan leather

the interior is hand-finished, reminiscent of the old design

the bodywork undergoes a full bare-metal restoration

the very visible oversized tires provide the grip regardless of the road conditions

while the design team doubles the power output, they admit to deliberately still keeping it under 80 horsepower

what the design team retains for the modified Baja Bug beetle is its recognizable frame

visitors to the showroom at Kensington Mews can see it live on May 29th, 2025

project info:

name: T-Bug 001

company: Twisted Automotive | @twisted_automotive

The post twisted T-bug is a modified beetle custom-built for the desert and off-road terrains appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Klein Vision reveals the prototype of its flying supercar AirCar, soon to be ready for mass production. Unveiled at the 2025 Living Legends of Aviation Gala Dinner in Beverly Hills, the flying supercar builds on years of testing and technical adjustments so it can be suitable for commercial and personal use. At the present time, the engineering team expects to fly AirCar 2, which is the ‘ultimate’ pre-production model, at the end of the summer in 2025.

So far, the flying supercar of Klein Vision has completed over 170 flight hours as well as more than 500 takeoffs and landings. It’s not just an aircraft; it doubles as such. When not in the air, owners can drive around AirCar on roads like a normal automobile. Its wings retract when on land and deploy when it is about to take off. Its body features the shape of a real-life supercar, just with an exposed propeller and lifted tail at the rear.

view of the production-ready model | all images courtesy of Klein Vision

Aircar that transforms into automobile for road use 

Back in 2022, AirCar received its Certificate of Airworthiness from the Slovak Transport Authority. It had completed 70 hours of flight tests compatible with the European Aviation Safety Agency standards, rounding up to 200 takeoffs and landings. Today, it comes with a 280-horsepower engine, and for the ultimate pre-production model, the engineering team amps it up to 300 horsepower. This one also features a fully composite structure, one that can run up to 150 knots of cruising speed and a 600 nautical mile range. At the gala dinner where the mass-production-ready model was unveiled, the engineering team also showcased a short documentary.

It previews the 35-year journey of Klein Vision’s flying supercar. Its style has changed from having a private jet body to being an automobile with wings for road and air use. So far, the design team says there will be a variety of models after the first production rolls out. The series includes three- and four-seaters, a twin engine, and, for water fans, an amphibious version. Aside from the pre-production model flight test at the end of the summer in 2025, Klein Vision has yet to announce when the flying supercar AirCar is going to be available commercially.

previous design inspiration for AirCar

AirCar has an exposed propeller and lifted tail at the rear

the flying supercar of Klein Vision has completed over 170 flight hours and more than 500 takeoffs and landings

its wings retract when on land and deploy when it is about to take off

its body features the shape of a real-life supercar

so far, no news yet on the production date

project info:

name: AirCar

company: Klein Vision | @kleinvision_official

The post flying supercar for everyone: klein vision unveils prototype of aircar for mass production appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Mercedes-Benz reveals the CLA art piece designed by Ice Spice, covered in molten chrome and wrapped with diamond-encrusted chain jewelry. The unveiling takes place over a month after the car manufacturer released the CLA car with a face made of animated stars and storage in the front trunk. In this iteration, the vehicle features the rapper’s signature elements. These include her hallmark Princess of Rap diamond-encrusted chain jewelry, embedded as signage on the side of the car. A giant silver chain ties it around the CLA car, keeping it in place.

The pink border and the shimmer of the accessories briefly steal the attention. The rest of the vehicle glistens in a gray hue because of the molten chrome. It drips and freezes, wrapping the exterior with hardened leaks. Around the wheels, diamond-like materials enveloped the edges and tires. The Mercedes-Benz emblem sits at the center, surrounded by Ice Spice lettering in chrome. At the bottom of the CLA car, seemingly acanthus motifs in chrome add a shiny effect to the vehicle, sealing the collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Ice Spice.

all images courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Class of creators presents art pieces inspired by CLA

The Mercedes-Benz CLA car with Ice Spice is an art piece. There’s no news yet from the car manufacturer about whether the rapper-designed vehicle will come into production. The debut of the art piece marks the start of the Class of Creators. It’s the manufacturer’s creative initiative that taps five creators to use the recent CLA model as their ‘muse’ for their pieces. With Ice Spice, it’s the molten-chrome-covered automobile. The next ones in the creators line include Gustaf Westman, Colm Dillane (aka KidSuper), Hot Wheels, and League of Legends.

Throughout the year, each of the five creatives presents their artistic vision by creating their one-of-a-kind art piece and unveiling related content inspired by the all-new CLA. Some are accompanied by a purchasable collection reflecting the collaboration. With Mercedes-Benz and Ice Spice, there’s a limited capsule fashion collection of black and pastel t-shirts, hoodies, and more, set to launch soon. Gustaf Westman is set to reveal his on May 22nd, 2025, while Kid Super will debut his art piece on June 28th, 2025. As for Hot Wheels and League of Legends, Mercedes-Benz details the announcement in late 2025.

Mercedes-Benz reveals the CLA art piece designed by Ice Spice

the vehicle glistens in a gray hue because of the molten chrome

Princess of Rap diamond-encrusted chain jewelry, embedded as signage on the side of the car

the molten chrome drips and freezes, wrapping the exterior with hardened leaks

the Mercedes-Benz emblem sits at the center of the tire, surrounded by Ice Spice lettering in chrome

so far, the custom vehicle is solely an art piece

project info:

model: CLA

car manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz | @mercedesbenz

rapper: Ice Spice | @icespice

initiative: Class of Creators

The post mercedes-benz unveils molten chrome CLA car by ice spice with diamond chain jewelry appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The listening minibar MIDORI roams around Tokyo, Japan, using a bright green 1977 MINI Clubman Estate car with a renovated off-grid trailer. The pop-up concept bar parks in a location, plays vinyl and CD records and remixes, and serves drinks to the public. designboom interviews its owner, Shiori Tanaka, who tells us the project begins when she inherits the 1977 MINI vehicle from its previous owner at an unplanned moment. ‘The moment I saw its shape, I came up with the idea of turning it into a mobile listening bar around Tokyo,’ the owner shares.

While she thinks of the concept of playing records wherever MIDORI stops around Tokyo, it is Shogo Jimbo, the Drivethru magazine director, who brings in the idea of a listening minibar. ‘He renovates an off-grid trailer called Mobile SS into a listening room. He launches it as a sustainable project that incorporates culture,’ Shiori Tanaka explains to designboom. With the towable trailer at the back, the owner drives the MINI car around Tokyo. She follows the tour schedule then that the team shares on the Instagram page of the listening minibar MIDORI.

all images courtesy of minibar MIDORI

Vintage 1977 MINI Clubman Estate as the roaming bar

The 1977 MINI Clubman Estate serves as the minibar of MIDORI. Shiori Tanaka transforms the passenger seats at the back as the place to serve cocktails and drinks. She flaps the back doors open for extra space and ventilation. The owner also replaces the rear window with a flap-style acrylic to act as the serving counter. After the Tokyo music fans stop by to get drinks at the listening minibar MIDORI, they can move to the off-grid trailer with solar panels on top for some tunes. Since it’s bigger, the trailer can accommodate a couple of people inside.

Shiori Tanaka tells designboom that the design team strips down most of the trailer’s interior to a skeleton. They apply wooden panels ‘dyed in the same color as the steering wheel’ inside. On one end of the listening minibar MIDORI in Tokyo, there’s audio equipment for the DJ or music producer. ‘I use an old HITACHI boombox, a portable Bluetooth speaker from BOSE, and a TDK BOOMBOX for louder sound. The last time we collaborated with a DJ, we connected turntables to play records on the street. The sound experience is enhanced by custom vacuum tube amplifiers designed by Komatsu Sound Lab,’ the owner shares with us. 

bright green 1977 MINI Clubman Estate car as the minibar

larger car for a project called ‘Bigbar’ in the future

The owner adds that, at times, they work with DJs to remix the records they have on board. They can even play their own music for the crowd. In this way, visitors can enjoy music and have drinks. This means they can do so whether it’s inside the trailer or just beside the refurbished MINI Clubman Estate. Shiori Tanaka lets us know that for the minibar, she deliberately goes for a vintage car instead of a typical food truck. For her, it brings charm to the visitors and it’s more accessible. ‘Also because I really love cars,’ she says. Then, another reason she brings the listening minibar MIDORI in Tokyo to life is because she wants visitors to feel stimulating joy in their lives.

‘For example, when traveling to unfamiliar places, people might stumble upon a stall on the street, where fun music is playing, and stop by casually,’ she shares with us. ‘They might make friends there, and that experience could become one of their most memorable moments of the trip. However, living in Japan often makes such spontaneous and exciting experiences harder to come by since everything can be found via Google Maps or social media. I hope to offer that kind of serendipitous stall experience for people living in Tokyo and Japan with the listening minibar MIDORI.’ So far, it’s a pop-up concept mobile bar that stops by around Tokyo. ‘However, I might consider using a larger car for a project called Bigbar in the future,’ Shiori Tanaka tells designboom.

the vintage MINI tows a refurbished off-grid trailer called Mobile SS

the rear part of the MINI car acts as the minibar with a serving counter

the off-grid trailer can accommodate people inside so they can listen to the records while drinking

there are solar panels on top of the off-grid trailer, which can power up the vehicle

the listening minibar MIDORI stops around different streets in Tokyo

the team also works with DJs for the music playing inside the trailer

view of the records inside the off-grid trailer

view of the drinks served and prepared in the MINI car

so far, the minibar stops around Tokyo

project info:

name: Listening minibar MIDORI | @minibar_midori, @oasis_kyoju

owner: Shiori Tanaka | @shiorino0

trailer: Mobile SS with Shogo Jimbo | @shogojimbo, @drivethru.jp

location: Tokyo, Japan (locations on Instagram page)

The post interview: vintage MINI with off-grid trailer roams around tokyo as listening minibar MIDORI appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Alef Aeronautics’ drivable flying car takes its maiden flight in a city field. The development team has introduced the Alef Model A, the dubbed production version of the drivable flying car that has vertical take-off and landing capabilities. On February 19th, 2025, its test model takes off, even flying over another vehicle. In a LinkedIn post, Alef Aeronautics CEO Jim Dukhovny writes that the video showcasing the flight is ‘the first documented, verifiable flight of a flying car (an actual car, with vertical takeoff, non-tethered).’ 

The CEO adds that he’s been asked a lot of times why he hasn’t shown a video of Alef Aeronautics’ flying car in the air. He says that as a startup, the team has to protect their Intellectual Property, hence not showing everything publicly. ‘We’re obsessed with safety, and we wanted to make sure the car is safe enough for consumers before we actually show it,’ he writes. Jim Dukhovny shares with his following that he’s open to explaining what has happened in the documented video, where it takes place, and where they’re heading next to anyone who’s interested.

all images courtesy of Alef Aeronautics

No exposed propellers for safety 

The Alef Aeronautics flying car conducts its first flight test in a city environment around Santa Mateo, California, in the US. The startup says this is the first publicly released video of a car driving and taking off vertically. For the test, the team closes off the road so no people are under or near the flight path. The area around isn’t also densely populated, and all safety equipment and personnel are on standby. An ultralight version of the Alef Model Zero is used for the flight, and the test is completed without any safety issues.

The first Alef Aeronautics flying car set to be commercialized is the Alef Model A. Since it has the body of a conventional car, owners can park it in spaces and drive it on roads. So far, the team says it has a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles. The vehicle comes with a gimbaled cabin design to keep it stable as it moves through the air as well as an elevon system to control the vertical and horizontal movement of the Alef Aeronautics flying car and its tilting. The team opts out of adding exposed propellers for safety.

the flying car hover above another vehicle during testing

Car with vertical takeoff is 100 percent electric vehicle

At the moment, all the key components on board have triple to octuple redundancy. The vehicle also comes with an obstacle detection and avoidance system, glide landing, and a ballistic parachute. After the test model has taken its first flight, the team continues with flight testing as well as software simulators and analysis before the production can take place. Presently, the Alef Aeronautics flying car is the first vehicle with vertical takeoff to receive FAA permission to fly in the US (FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate). The Alef Aeronautics flying car is a 100 percent electric vehicle. The team says it uses ‘less energy per trip than a Tesla or any other EVs.’

While the Alef Model A is the commercial version, the test model is the Alef Model Zero. It is solely used for research and development in the hopes of becoming the actual Alef Model A. After the Alef Model Zero and Alef Model A, the team plans to develop the Future Alef Model Z. This is a four-person drivable flying sedan. The team sees introducing the upcoming Alef Aeronautics flying car in 2035. They say it can fly 200 miles with a driving range of 400 miles. This version is expected to have autonomous flight capabilities as well, unlike its predecessors. So far, the production of actual Alef Aeronautics flying car has yet to come.

the vehicle takes its maiden flight on February 19th, 2025

the team uses an ultralight version of the Alef Model Zero

real model parked near a house

real-life model of the vehicle

aerial view of the vehicle

the model is a 100 percent electric vehicle

project info:

name: Alef Aeronautics flying car flight

startup: Alef Aeronautics | @alef_aeronautics_inc

The post alef aeronautics’ drivable flying car takes flight for the first time appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Caselani introduces Type-Ami, a neo-retro car inspired by the design of the Citroën HY van produced in the post-war era. The Italian coachbuilder converts the donor Citroën Ami car without involving a weight increase. It’s because the original front, rear, doors, and wings of the vehicle are removed and replaced by the vintage-style Type-Ami panels. This reworked model comes from the coachbuilder’s own conversion kit. In fact, Caselani has assembled the complete kit so drivers can transform their own Citroën Ami into this neo-retro car. 

Soon, they can have embossed lines around their mini car, which are design elements that directly refer to the Citroën HY van. Drivers also fit their Citroën Ami car with fiberglass body panels and necessary brackets and screws for the installation. These tools are suitable for both new and used Citroën Ami quadricycles. It’s Caselani’s team who handcrafts the equipment by their own technicians straight from their factory in Northern Italy. Type-Ami is Caselani’s fourth product line, joining its series of vans based on Stellantis’ Pro One vehicles.

all images courtesy of Caselani

fiberglass body panels and HY van designs for the conversion

Drivers of the converted Citroën Ami car using Caselani’s kit can choose between six solid colors and three metallic shades. If they don’t like the offered colors, they can speak with the team – led by Fabrizio Caselani and David Obendorfer –  for any custom shades they prefer to have. Aside from the fiberglass body panels, the car retains the covered hood and the sunroof of the Citroën Ami. The Type-Ami version mostly remakes the sides of the mini vehicle so they can mimic the HY van, the vehicle that had been produced up until 1981.

Compared to the original Citroën Ami, the Type-Ami conversion gets a ‘bumpy’ personality because of the engraved-like lines around the car. Caselani wants to evoke nostalgia in the retrofitting, and by the looks of it, the design team pulls it off in detail and thoroughly. The conversion and design of Type-Ami is a collaboration between Caselani’s designer David Obendorfer and a team from the Citroën Style Centre supervised by Pierre Leclercq.

Caselani introduces Type-Ami, a neo-retro car inspired by the design of the Citroën HY van

the design recalls the iconic H van of Citroën produced from 1947 to 1981

the Italian coachbuilder converts the donor Citroën Ami car without involving a weight increase

the converted car retains the covered hood and the sunroof of the Citroën Ami

Citroen Ami quadricycle vs. Type-Ami by Caselani

the Type-Ami conversion gets a ‘bumpy’ personality because of the engraved-like lines

drivers can transform their car into a neo-retro vehicle with the conversion kit

Type-Ami drivers can choose between solid and metallic colors for the conversion

Type-Ami is Caselani’s fourth product line project

project info:

name: Type-Ami

coachbuilder: Caselani | @caselani_official

designer: David Obendorfer

car manufacturer: Citroën | @citroen

model: Ami

conversion supervision: Pierre Leclercq

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: matthew burgos | designboom

The post caselani’s neo-retro type-ami car draws design from citroën HY van produced in post-war era appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

James Bruton builds his own omnidirectional bike with wheels made of large plastic circus balls that can drift and rotate 360 degrees. The ride can balance on its own, thanks to the two giant, rotating wheels. It drives in every direction, which is why it’s also a drift bike. In the video documenting the bike’s creation, the electrical and mechanical engineer uses five ODrive brushless motors to make the bike’s omnidirectional wheels move around. They run on plastic balls intended for circus acts to balance on. In a way, he has repurposed them as ‘flexible’ tires.

James Bruton positions the wheels 120 degrees apart so that they can move sideways. They also have small rollers around their circumference to make this action possible. With this setup, the omnidirectional bike can also propel itself forward and reverse. The engineer mounts the motors at a 90-degree angle to improve the high-speed performance. Only two of the three omnidirectional wheels are powered because the third acts as an ‘idle’ wheel. The motors connect to the omni wheels using a belt and pulley system with a gear reduction.

all images courtesy of James Bruton

CIRCUS-BALL wheels and 3D printed parts for the ride

Many parts around James Bruton’s omnidirectional bike with circus-ball (or rolling globe) wheels are 3D printed. These include the motor mounts and structural components. There are motors and drivers on board to allow for precise control of position, velocity, and torque. For the frame of the bike, the engineer forges it from aluminum extrusion, which he describes as a versatile material that can let him make adjustments and mount parts easily.

Aluminum plates connect the motors to the frame. For the electronics, James Bruton uses a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller and an Inertial Measurement Unit for balance sensing and other control circuitry. The omnidirectional bike with circus ball wheels has high-voltage lithium polymer batteries. When it’s time to test his invention, James Bruton first goes for the drive system with a single ball. This helps him verify the ride’s traction and movement. 

James Bruton builds his own omnidirectional bike with trackball-styled wheels that can drift

Solving the glitches and electronics damage

After that, he tests his omnidirectional bike’s ability to balance sideways, given its circus-ball wheels. Then, he adds handlebars and a seat, as well as twist grips for steering and throttle control. The initial design faces wheel spin, especially during acceleration. To solve this, the engineer plants an additional motor on the rear wheel. Then, James Bruton notices that static buildup becomes a problem, causing glitches and potential damage to the electronics. 

He sweeps in with a solution by grounding the entire chassis and all metal parts. So far, the rubber rollers on the omni wheels begin to detach at higher speeds, causing the omnidirectional bike to become unstable. The balls also get dirty over time, which reduces traction. Amidst all that, the engineer feels that the ‘steer to lean’ system has improved the ride’s handling. He also believes that the project, in many ways, is a DIY success.

James Bruton positions the wheels 120 degrees apart so that they can move sideways

the engineer mounts the motors at a 90-degree angle to improve the high-speed performance

only two of the three omnidirectional wheels are powered because the third acts as an ‘idle’ wheel

many parts around James Bruton’s omnidirectional bike with trackball-styled wheels are 3D printed

there are motors and drivers on board to allow for precise control of position, velocity, and torque

project info:

name: Omni-Directional Ball-Wheeled Bike

engineer: James Bruton | @xrobotsuk

The post omnidirectional drift bike with wheels made of circus balls glides in any direction appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Benedict Radcliffe and INK team up to reveal the London-based artist’s glowing steel tube sculptures based on the design of the Porsche 959 car. The sculptural rendition of the Porsche 959 car comes in time for the 40th anniversary of the model in 2025, and the artist wants to pay homage to its iconic design ahead of the celebration. The sculptures, which glow in the dark, are available for collectors at 1:7 and 1:15 scales.

For the desktop-sized sculpture, the material is made of composite resin, while for the lifesize model, Benedict Radcliffe welds and shapes the steel tubes to follow the design of the Porsche 959 car. It’s not the first time he’s done this because in the past, the artist has also produced wireframe interpretations of the Ferrari F40, Porsche 934, and even a classic London taxi, which was exhibited at Heathrow Airport in 2014.

all images courtesy of Benedict Radcliffe and INK

Glowing reveal of the sculptural car with studio INK

Benedict Radcliffe is known for his wireframe designs following the forms of iconic vehicles, like Porsche 959. Using his chosen materials – and welded steel tubes, in this case – he brings these car designs to life as sculptures with positive spaces. In a way, it’s engineering meets art, and the London-based artist has showcased this through a number of buggies and vehicles, including the Twin Turbo Lamborghini Countach, Lancia Stratos, and Ferrari F40.

No wonder the Porsche 959 has made it into his oeuvre. First introduced in 1985, the car marks its 40th anniversary in 2025, a signal of iconography to the artist. For the reveal, he works with INK, the studio that has translated the glowing steel tube sculptures into an animated teaser. This gives digital viewers a 360-degree view of the art car. The studio team uses a 3D scan of Benedict Radcliffe’s Porsche 959 and animates it by starting from the assemblage to the final form of the sculptural vehicle. So far, fans of the sculpture can purchase the 1:15 scale of the project.

the sculptures, which glow in the dark, are available for collectors at 1:7 and 1:15 scales.

for the lifesize model, Benedict Radcliffe welds the steel tubes to the design of the Porsche 959

the sculptural rendition of the comes in time for the 40th anniversary of the model in 2025

the studio that has translated the glowing steel tube sculptures into an animated teaser

studio INK uses a 3D scan of Benedict Radcliffe’s Porsche 959 and animates it

in the animation, the tubes glow as if fire passes through the them

Benedict Radcliffe is known for his wireframe designs

project info:

name: Porsche 959 Sculpture

artist: Benedict Radcliffe | @benedictradcliffe

creative studio: INK | @weareink

car manufacturer: Porsche | @porsche

The post benedict radcliffe and INK reshape porsche 959 car into glowing steel tube sculptures appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.