Aston Martin releases the Valkyrie LM, a hypercar inspired by the road-legal version of the Valkyrie, in July 2016. Back then a non-working model, the LM variant is for the racing fans who want to own the vehicle and drive it on tracks. The current model is not road-legal and can’t also be used for official racing since the car manufacturer has designed it for private use only. Because of this, the Aston Martin Valkyrie LM doesn’t have the ballast, or the extra weight used to balance the car during races, and specific electronics installed to comply with the racing rules.

The hypercar’s controls are designed for personal driving, too. During racing, there usually is a system that adjusts the power delivered to the wheels. In the Aston Martin Valkyrie LM, it’s absent because the setup is more ‘direct,’ similar to how road-legal cars work, with their knobs and controls. The design team has also refreshed the engine so the hypercar can run on normal fuel instead of the ones used in racing. To still keep the spirit of racing, the team retains several designs. The first is the seven-speed gearboxes that use paddles behind the steering wheel, just like in track cars. The next is the adjustable suspension that adapts to different track conditions.

all images courtesy of Aston Martin

Built-in screen on the steering wheel

Then, the tires of the Aston Martin Valkyrie LM are still from Pirelli, which is the same company that makes the wheels for Formula 1 cars. Even the carbon-fiber seats come with padding around the shoulders and head, the same upholstery as the racing cars. The steering wheel comes with lighting and a built-in screen to show the user their driving information as if they were in a race. For a brief history recap, the car manufacturer started its Valkyrie project in 2016, producing the road-legal Valkyrie Coupe and the convertible Valkyrie Spider over time. Now, it is the time of the Valkyrie LM, which draws its design and engine cues from both its sibling models. 

The race car version of the Valkyrie Hypercar is competing in two major racing series this 2025: the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in North America. Just like the Valkyrie that’s racing in the 2025 Le Mans, the LM version uses a modified version of the same V12 engine. It also doesn’t use a turbocharger but produces up to 520 kilowatts, following the racing rule limits. Aston Martin says that it will only produce ten Valkyrie LM units to be delivered in the second quarter of 2026.

Aston Martin releases the Valkyrie LM, a hypercar inspired by the road-legal version of the Valkyrie

the LM variant is for the racing fans who want to own the vehicle and drive it on tracks

this model is not road-legal and can’t also be used for official racing

the Aston Martin Valkyrie LM doesn’t have the ballast, or the extra weight used to balance the car during races

rear view of the hypercar

the hypercar can run on normal fuel instead of the ones used in racing

the steering wheel comes with lighting and a built-in screen

the setup is more ‘direct,’ similar to how road-legal cars work, with their knobs and controls

the tires of the hypercar are still from Pirelli

so far, there are only ten units available for this model

project info:

name: Valkyrie LM

car manufacturer: Aston Martin | @astonmartin

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The Škoda Favorit from the 1980s makes a comeback as a concept electric car with a smiling front design and headlights that project different patterns. As part of the Icons Get a Makeover series, the concept model is one of the Škoda vehicles that goes through a refresh, one that retains the history while keeping all things modern. For a brief history, the Škoda Favorit hatchback came out in 1987, designed by Bertone. It was built for the streets and roads around the Eastern Bloc, a homage as well to the company’s headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic. 

Back then, it had a 1.3-liter engine and could run between 40 and 50 kW. It was in production up until 1994, when the Felicia model replaced it. Fast forward to 2025, Škoda taps designers Ljudmil Slavov and David Stingl to revive the Škoda Favorit, bringing it back as a concept and modern electric car. The design is a crossover between an SUV and a hatchback. It has a higher body structure, so there’s more space for the battery placement in the floor. The design team found it challenging to simplify the already minimalistic shapes by Bertone. But instead of changing that, they evolves and expands them, making the overall frame and look modern rather than retro.

all images courtesy of Škoda, Ljudmil Slavov, David Stingl

Animated headlights with foldable covers

Škoda Favorit electric car’s face steers away a bit from the typical vehicle faces manufactured by the company. It’s an intention by the designers Ljudmil Slavov and David Stingl, adding that because of this, they’re able to maintain the Modern Solid style designed by Bertone for the original model from the 1980s. Part of their collaborative design is to give the Škoda Favorit electric car ‘volumetric proportions, shapes, and design elements so the result looks almost like a finished product with a Modern Solid expression.’

The result includes a shared handle for the doors, split in the middle so they open in different directions. There are also pairs of simpler wheels, with an embedded look and four sections resembling a fan. Then, the headlights. They reference the original model, but this time, the LED lights at the front and rear of the Škoda Favorit electric car can project different patterns, customized by the owner. They’re also framed by partially translucent covers, and their covers could be foldable, too. Because of these headlights, the face of the concept vehicle seems to smile. So far, the revived Škoda Favorit is a concept electric car. Aside from this, the design team has also conceived a racing concept vehicle inspired by the Favorit’s rally heritage and with prominent bumpers made of soft-touch material.

left: Modern Solid Favorit by Bertone; right: modern Favorit by Ljudmil Slavov and David Stingl

as part of the Icons Get a Makeover, the concept model is one of the Škoda vehicles that goes through a refresh

the design is a crossover between an SUV and a hatchback

there’s a shared handle for the doors, split in the middle so they open in different directions

Ljudmil Slavov (left) and David Stingl (right9, and their Škoda Favorit design behind them

original model of the vehicle, designed by Bertone

the Škoda Favorit hatchback came out in 1987

project info:

name: Favorit

company: Škoda | @skodagram

designers: Ljudmil Slavov, David Stingl | @lsd__esign, @davidstingl

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

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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

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Automobili Pininfarina releases Battista Novantacinque (95), a Hyper GT with rotary controls machined from aluminum. Debuted at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (MAUTO) in Turin, Italy, the vehicle is a tribute to the 95th anniversary of Pininfarina SpA. The Hyper GT also marks the last bespoke Battista from the car manufacturer, as it concludes producing such at the end of 2025. In this case, the Battista Novantacinque, which is also a one-off commission, secures the spot of being a collector’s vehicle since the company isn’t producing it in limited quantity.

The model, then, is an homage to the design history of Pininfarina. It begins with the exterior using the material named exposed signature carbon. It has a glossy, deep shade of red, a color that’s connected to Italy, the birth country of the car manufacturer. The design team uses a tailored paint scheme for the Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT. It includes the shiny PURA Vision Gold paint as well as the Nero Torino black paint, still with a glossy finish. There’s a gold line accenting and complementing these three colors around the exterior.

all images courtesy of Pininfarina

Anodized and machined aluminum for the knobs

The Automobili Pininfarina team adds the name Novantacinque on the back wing of the Battista Hyper GT. It seals the car’s status, restating that this is the last of its kind. For the wheels, the spokes resemble starfish, and the tires have a polished, uncolored finish. They also have black details in the channels to match the black brake calipers. Now for the aluminum parts. These elements have undergone a process called anodizing, which creates a hard and protective layer around them to protect them from scratches and make them sturdy. 

For the Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT, Automobili Pininfarina designs rotary controls machined from aluminum. These are the knobs that turn to adjust the vehicle’s settings. Because of the machined aluminum, these controls subtly stand out inside the cabin. They’re also only made for this final Battista variant. As part of the tribute, parts of the cabin refer to Italy, whether by design or material, including the floor mats as well as the chassis and door plates.

Automobili Pininfarina releases Battista Novantacinque, a Hyper GT with controls machined from aluminum

A celebration of Pininarina’s 95 years

For the seats, the design team uses black leather and black Alcantara, a synthetic material that feels like suede. The seats have stitching in two colors: black and gold. This style matches the car’s exterior colors, with the gold line around the lower panel of the doors as well as the exposed signature carbon. Even the knee pads use black Alcantara, and they bear the logo ‘95’ engraved in gold to recall the name of the model.

In light of the last Battista production model, Paolo Dellachà, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina, says that the Hyper GT represents ‘the pinnacle of bespoke luxury and performance. It is a tribute to Pininfarina’s past, present, and future—a timeless masterpiece created to honor 95 years of design excellence. It is only befitting that the Novantacinque is the final expression of the Battista line. With the window to secure a place in this rare chapter of automotive history drawing to a close, the Novantacinque stands as an icon to be treasured for generations.’

the exterior has a glossy, deep shade of red, a color that’s connected to Italy

the frame uses the material named exposed signature carbon

the design team uses a tailored paint scheme for the Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT

there’s a gold line accenting and complementing the exterior colors

view of the butterfly doors

for the seats, the design team uses black leather and black Alcantara

as shown above, even the knee pads use black Alcantara, and they bear the logo ‘95’

the cabin evidently shows two colors: gold and black

as seen, view of the knob machined from aluminum

project info:

name: Battista Novantacinque Hyper GT

car manufacturer: Automobili Pininfarina | @automobilipininfarinaofficial

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The iconic and already compact 1978 MINI has been cut down even further to create this Shorty, a version that reads more like a design study than a conventional car. Small, roofless, and sharply reduced, it’s been edited with clear intent. Rather than a novelty, it comes across as a reconsideration of the MINI’s proportions and presence. While the result is a visual anomaly, its compressed volume feels precise. What’s missing is just as carefully chosen as what remains.

The Shorty reads like a study in subtraction. The classic MINI’s body, already tight and economical, is pulled inward until there’s barely more than a central mass to speak of. However, nothing about it feels messy. The cuts are clean. The stance is measured. The revised silhouette sits squarely on its Minilite-style wheels.

images courtesy Car and Classic

reimagining an iconic 1978 Leyland MINI

Since acquiring the 1978 Leyland MINI Shorty a year ago, the car’s current owner has brought it back into view through a series of careful updates before listing it for sale (find the listing here). These include reupholstered seats, new carpets, fresh tires, and a full suite of replacement chrome, from the grille to the bumpers. The paintwork is solid, with a clean gloss that highlights the body’s altered geometry. Of course, these interventions don’t try to restore the car to its original 1978 state. Rather, they reflect its current identity, shaped by modification and intent.

The car was originally built twelve years ago before it was left stored in a barn for a decade. It carries evidence of both activity and long stillness. At just over 50,000 miles, it suggests a life that’s been interrupted and resumed. Mechanically, it retains its period-correct transverse inline-four engine and manual gearbox. The seller notes it drives well, though some minor adjustments, like a new handbrake cable, may be needed.

this 1978 Leyland MINI Shorty is listed for sale

the shorty: More Than a Novelty

While the proportions are clearly unconventional, the design doesn’t aim for novelty alone. It reads as a reductionist exercise, asking how far can the core idea of the MINI be pushed without collapsing its function? In this case, that balance is preserved. The Shorty still works as a car, but with an added layer of clarity. Its utility has been distilled to something near-essential.

As it stands now, the car feels like a sculptural object with road presence rather than a historic collectible. That doesn’t mean it sacrifices usability. The updates suggest it’s ready to be driven, though likely with a different purpose — less about daily use, more about context and contrast. Placed alongside contemporary vehicles, it reveals how much volume and visual excess have crept back into car design.

the car began as a standard MINI before being significantly shortened

its roof has been removed, giving it an open and stripped-down appearance

the current owner has refreshed the car with new upholstery and chrome details

new tires, bumpers, carpet, and battery have also been added

the bodywork remains solid with glossy paint and clean detailing

the original transverse inline four engine and manual gearbox have been retained

project info:

name: 1978 Leyland Mini ‘Shorty’

listing: Car and Classic

The post the 1978 leyland MINI shorty is a playful study in automotive form 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

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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.

Xpeng releases the first look of its P7 electric sports sedan, visible with a sculpted rear and equipped with a driving mode steered by AI. Designed by Rafik Ferrag, the mastermind behind the first-generation P7 in 2018, the recent electric car goes minimal for its exterior. It has a visibly underlined rear and a smoother silhouette towards the front. The steel-like color is continuous through the design, giving it a bullet-shaded feel. Because of this palette, the outside creates a reflective surface, which allows the Xpeng P7 electric sedan to mimic its surroundings.

The vehicle can accommodate five people, including the driver. The company admits that the cabin space is smaller compared to their P7+ range, but it’s because the latter is more focused on a family setup. Rather than bringing back retro visual elements for the model, Xpeng decides to go for a neutral, classic design with P7 since it intends to ‘evoke associations with classic simplicity,’ the company describes. Launched in 2020, the Xpeng P7 electric sedan has received a five-star rating in both C-NCAP and Euro NCAP safety tests.

all images courtesy of Xpeng

Sports Vehicle with a driving mode steered by AI

The vehicle is modern, so having AI as one of the key assistants to the driving mode is organic for the Xpeng P7 electric sedan. So far, there’s no news yet on the full specifications of the vehicle. What the company unveils at the present time is that there’s a smart driving mode that drivers can activate. The company also shares that the sedan comes with an immersive smart cockpit. This hints at an all-digital dashboard for the automobile, a feature that’s becoming, if it hasn’t yet, common in electric cars these days. 

The Xpeng P7 electric sedan has a panoramic glass ceiling, too. It starts at the head of the driver and front passenger, then extends to the rear, even covering the trunk door. The vehicle adopts a vision-based solution, which relates to the cameras and sensors embedded in it. It uses the Turing chip, the AI autonomous driving chip that the company developed in-house, for its computational power on the road. As of publishing, Xpeng plans to release its P7 electric sedan in the third quarter of 2025. The company has yet to announce its availability around the global markets.

the electric sports sedan features a visible sculpted rear

it has a panoramic glass ceiling that extends to the trunk door

the company plans to release the model in the third quarter of 2025

project info:

name: P7

company: Xpeng | @xpeng_global

design: Rafik Ferrag | @rafik_ferrag

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During its NYCxDesign Week 2025 exhibition, MSCHF recycles parts of a Mercedes-AMG sports car into furniture that’s not for automotive use. That’s actually the name of the show: Not for Automotive Use. For the first time since its founding, the art collective opens its garage door to the public. The spot becomes a three-day showroom, taking place in MSCHF’s Greenpoint, street-level workshop. When visitors stroll inside, it’s dark except for the rays of spotlight beaming onto the collection. There’s a chair made of seatbelt straps and a clothes rack made of such, too.

Soon, visitors realize it’s a seatbelt fest, at least for the few pieces, including the lighting design shaped like a drawing compass, the ping-pong table, and the three-decked shelf. The Mercedes-AMG sports car tire? MSCHF turns it into an electric fan for the exhibition. The pedal? A trash can. The headrest remains a chair, while the headlights are embedded into a vehicle-looking couch designed as a Mercedes-AMG sports car. MSCHF also creates a grill with the recognizable star emblem of Mercedes-Benz, and the last in the exhibition is a hanger imprinted with the AMG logo.

Casey Neistat for the Not for Automotive Use | all images courtesy of MSCHF; campaign photos by Kyle Berger

parts sourced directly from manufacturers

The MSCHF and Mercedes-AMG exhibition during NYCxDesign Week 2025 is a homage to Italy’s Radical Design counterculture movement of the 1960s. The art collective experiments with the materials they have at hand, all of which come from the engineered components of the car company’s vehicle. MSCHF likens its approach to Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002), the Milanese designer who integrated a tractor and bicycle seating into his chair design. That tribute comes through, starting with the seatbelt straps around the chair. MSCHF says that the exhibition pieces made with Mercedes-AMG parts are conceptual explorations, just like their other stunts in the past. 

Each work is custom-made using parts sourced directly from AMG manufacturers. MSCHF says that after the exhibition, the Mercedes-AMG collection is available on a made-to-order basis in limited quantities. There’s even a series of merchandise, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, work jackets and trousers. They come with detailed scans of original AMG vehicle components. There are also accessories like a custom fragrance tree shaped like an apple tree. It’s a subtle nod to Affalterbach, AMG’s birthplace, whose name translates to apple tree on the brook in old German. The Mercedes-AMG collection and exhibition runs in MSCHF’s Brooklyn studio from May 14th and 17th.

there’s a chair made of seatbelt straps from a Mercedes-AMG vehicle

there’s also a seat made of headrests

the art collective turns the car pedal into the foot of a trash bin

the headlights become the face of a sports-car-looking couch

detailed view of the seat made of headrests

for the first time, MSCHF opens its garage for the NYC exhibition

view of the chair made of seatbelt straps

exhibition view with the ping-pong table (left), grill (middle), and chair with seatbelt straps (right)

the exhibition runs between May 14th and 17th, 2025

project info: 

exhibition name: Not for Automotive Use

art collective: MSCHF | @mschf

company: Mercedes-AMG | @mercedesamg

event: NYCxDesign Week 2025 | @nycxdesign

dates: May 14th to 17th, 2025

location: 62 Bayard St, Brooklyn New York, US

campaign photographer: Kyle Berger | @kyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyle

The post not for automotive use: MSCHF recycles parts of mercedes-AMG’s sports car into furniture appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

A 1997 Porsche 911 GT2 R sits in stillness, unfinished but full of momentum as a shell steeped in memory and potential. For collectors and racing enthusiasts alike, this is a rare invitation to continue a story that began nearly three decades ago. The Porsche is offered through RM Sotheby’s is one of only ten built during its production year, a number that underscores the scarcity of this particular model. Originally finished in Glacier White, it was delivered to Dutch racer René Snel, who piloted it until a crash in 1999 at Assen marked the end of its first life. In the aftermath, the chassis number moved to a new shell, extending the legacy of the original configuration.

images courtesy RM Sotheby’s

Disassembled but still articulate

Eventually, the 1997 Porsche 911 GT2 R found its way to Klaus Abbelen, a Euro GT Series champion and founder of Frikadelli Racing. Together with Sabine Schmitz, Abbelen turned his racing team into a cult name at the Nürburgring. The GT2 R reemerged under his stewardship in 2001, competing in club events across iconic European circuits including Monza and Hockenheim, its livery a quiet nod to its lineage and its capabilities still very much alive.

By 2014, the Porsche had entered The Stuttgart Legends Collection via Freisinger Motorsport. Its structure was again reworked, with front-end reinforcement welded in during a partial restoration in 2017. The car remains without a formal chassis number and carries an engine of uncertain provenance. Its documentation, however, includes a period Wagenpass and an inspection report by Porsche expert Andy Prill, details that help situate its significance despite the gaps in its mechanical makeup.

the 1997 Porsche 911 GT2 R is one of only ten examples built that year

Eligible for endurance, built for narrative

The 1997 Porsche 911 GT2 R is presented today in a state of suspended restoration. RM Sotheby’s has outlined the parts included and those still needed. The shell, accompanied by BBS center-lock wheels and additional panels, awaits its next evolution. In this in-between moment, it becomes a rare design artifact, stripped of finish but rich with definition.

Once completed to period spec, the car would meet the requirements for entry into esteemed events like Masters Endurance Legends and Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends. Its unfinished condition may deter the fainthearted, but for those drawn to craftsmanship, historic authenticity, and mechanical precision, this is a singular moment to engage directly with the legacy of Porsche’s most visceral GT2-era machine. The auction is set to launch on May 22nd, 2025 — find it here.

the unfinished GT2 R is set to be offered at auction through RM Sotheby’s

it was originally finished in Glacier White and delivered to Dutch racer René Snel

after a 1999 crash at Assen the chassis number was transferred to a new shell

German race car driver Klaus Abbelen campaigned the car across Europe from 2001

a partial restoration was carried out in 2017

once completed, the GT2 R would be eligible for historic endurance race series

project info:

name: 1997 Porsche 911 GT2 R

auction: RM Sotheby’s | @rmsothebys

The post rare 1997 porsche 911 GT2 R emerges in raw, unfinished form at RM sotheby’s appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.