Click Mechanic Renders 7 Automakers As Star Wars Podracers

Arguably the coolest scene from 1999’s Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace was when young Anakin Skywalker took to the sand and battled for his freedom in a homemade podracer. Sure, the final lightsaber battle was pretty friggin’ awesome as well (Darth Maul! Double-bladed saber! Epic music!), but when it comes to high-speed CGI glory, the podracer scene is hard to beat. In fact, the folks over at Click Mechanic liked it so much, they rendered seven unique podracers as though they were built by real-world manufacturers.

The manufacturers in question all produce some kind of speedy four-wheeled machine worthy of podracer-ization, and include Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Ford, Subaru, BMW, and Dodge. Like their real-life equivalents, each rendering gets easily recognizable liveries, and in some cases, a few sponsorship decals as well, all of which was inspired by actual race cars (you know, from planet Earth). Which one of these wild contraptions would you bring to the Boonta Eve Classic? Let us know in the comments section!

Continue reading to learn more about real-life automakers rendered as podracers.

Ferrari

The Prancing Horse already has a penchant for turning out some pretty crazy-looking, spaceship-esque designs, so Ferrari is a natural fit for something like this. The first thing to grab us is the rosso corsa paint color, which seems to complement the flaming engines rather well. The cockpit looks like it draws from Formula 1 (top-mounted intake) and the FXX K (rear winglets), while both UPS and Shell branding were added to the profile.

Lamborghini

Speaking of spaceships, Lambo has traditionally met Ferrari blow for blow when it comes to creating designs destined for bedroom posters. The latest example of this is the Huracan, a V-10-powered monster that looks right at home as a podracer. Point and squirt for the win.

Aston Martin

Aston Martin clinched an incredible victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, securing a first place-win in the GTE Pro class on the final lap of the iconic race. Indeed, the British Racing Green Aston looks most at home when talking a race track, but seeing it here on the sands of Tatooine ain’t bad either. Up front is the easily recognizable Aston Martin grille, while yellow accents offset the green paint.

Ford GT40

If that front hood vent doesn’t tip you off, the baby blue and orange Gulf livery surely will. When it comes to American-built race cars, the Ford GT40 is arguably one of the most famous, having taken the fight to the Europeans at the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in the 60’s. Which naturally leads us to ask – which would take the win on Tatooine, the Ford, or the Ferrari?

Subaru WRX STI WRC

Dirt. Sand. Rocks. Jumps. These are the things you find in professional rally racing, a sport where Subaru has earned a huge collection of wins and championship titles. Indeed, the rally racing environment seems like the perfect primer for podracing, so we aren’t surprised to see the Six Star’s blue and gold livery making an appearance here.

BMW M1 Procar

Back in the late ‘70s, Bimmer teamed up with Lamborghini to create a rear/mid-engine production race car, and although Lambo eventually dropped out of the agreement, BMW followed through. The result was the M1, a sexy speed wedge that eventually formed the base for the one-make Procar Championship. Providing a competitive format for well-known race drivers from a diverse range of backgrounds (sports cars, touring cars, Formula 1) to go head-to-head, the M1 Procar livery is recognized worldwide. Now, it’s going intergalactic with this podracer, which even gets a squared-off BMW kidney grille in the nose.

Dodge Charger

The first generation of the Dodge Charger hit production back in the day for the 1966 model year, followed by a second generation in 1968. Although initially unsuccessful in NASCAR stock racing, the follow-up Charger Daytona arrived in 1969 to break new ground in the sport. In fact, the Daytona was the first car to ever break the 200-mph barrier in NASCAR. We’re not sure about the top speed in this podracer, but with that enormous blower sticking out of the hood, we’re pretty sure it won’t be slow.