Design Study

Sometimes you see something on the internet and think “why don’t they make it in real life?” This is exactly the case, at least to us, for this Porsche Taycan RWB rendering, which looks like it belongs in the latest “Need for Speed” game. The project is actually done by a digital designer that goes by the name “Shashank Das”. In fact, not long ago, we featured another creation of his – an orange widebody Mazda RX-7, quite similar to what we see here, in terms of modifications.

Retro has definitely made a comeback, as we see an ever-increasing number of retro-futuristic vehicles. The Chevrolet Camaro, Alpine A110, and Mercedes SLS AMG are only some of the great examples out there. This makes us wonder, which iconic car will be next to get its own modern-day successor? It seems Lamborghini is currently busy making performance SUVs and transitioning to electric drivetrains, instead of giving us retro-inspired models. However, an independent design studio by the name ARC Design has given us a glimpse of what a Lamborghini Countach would look like if it was made in 2021.

Manufacturers have created a number of weird one-off concepts and design studies over the years. Some were brilliant ideas, while others incorporated components that were later employed in other vehicles.

The folks at General Motor Design recently published photographs of a 1962 2+2 Corvette concept that never made it to production.

We often get a glimpse of how certain classic cars from the past may look, had they made them in our time. One perfect example of that is these stunning renderings of a Triumph GT6, courtesy of Martin Aveyard. From his website, we can deduct that he is not only a skilled graphic designer, but also a fabricator. He has showcased all of his projects, one of which looks to be a replica of Ariel Atom. On one of his images, we also spot a classic emerald green Triumph GT6, so we can guess where he took inspiration from.

It’s safe to say the Mercedes 300 SL is the epitome of a timeless swagger. Its unique styling is instantly recognizable by many and the car itself is as technologically advanced (for its time) as it is gorgeous to look at. The car originally came out in 1953 and, in roadster form, was produced until 1963. Although the 300 SLR inspired SLR Stirling Moss and the SLS AMG can be considered spiritual successors, an independent designer shows us what the 300 SL would look like nowadays. Moreover, the renderings we see here will be turned into reality.

Tuning culture has evolved, just as much as the automotive world itself. Although some trends are more controversial than others, we can safely say that tuning culture as we know it boomed in the 1990s and early 2000s. Cars like this Mazda FD RX-7 are pretty much synonymous with tuning culture and, although we’ve moved from that 1990s vibe, this rendering of a tastefully modified “Rotary Rocket” brings back warm feelings from times past when there were not as many regulations, and the notion of electric propulsion was a distant mirage.

Rimac is now a major shareholder in Bugatti, with 55 percent being owned by Rimac Automobili and 45 percent owned by Porsche. With this, new opportunities are being presented for both companies. Rimac will benefit from Bugatti’s expertise in building hypercars, while future Bugatti products will make good use of Rimac’s high-performance electric drivetrains. We already know that a V-8 hybrid version based on the Chiron is being planned, but what if Bugatti, under Rimac, come up with a new model, and what if it’s front-engined?

The Porsche 928 came in 1977 with the intention of succeeding 911. Although that never happened, the 2+2 gran tourer still left a mark and, even today, has a cult following. The recent transition to electrification on behalf of carmakers (Porsche included) suddenly created new opportunities for car companies to bring back iconic names. This is where ex VW designer Guilherme Knop, with help from CGI expert João Schendel, come in. Together, they created a hypothetical modern-day successor to the Porsche 928.

By now, we know that Ferrari is planning to join the performance SUV club, as it is a well-known fact that Ferrari is developing the

the first Ferrari SUV ever. It is believed that the design will be heavily influenced by the Ferrari Roma. However, Dejan Hristov – an avid graphic designer and evident car enthusiast – has shared his take on what a Ferrari SUV should look like. Meet the Ferrari Simoom, named after one of the most famous desert winds.

The SUV and crossover craze continues, as manufacturers keep churning outhigh-riding vehicles, in response to the ever-increasing customer demand. As far as the business side of things goes, it is completely understandable, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a market for cars or even compact vehicles. GM in particular has been teasing us with some pretty interesting stuff, some of which (or all) won’t make it to production, and this hatchback rendering is the latest example.

The top-shots at GM are not interested in a hardcore off-roader, but it looks like the designers are. The company’s design page on Instagram is always buzzing with sweet sketches and creative posts, but their recent sketch takes it up a notch. The team came up with a sketch of an off-roader that looks like it’s ready to conquer the world. Are any video game developers willing to inculcate this into their games?

Okay, so I’m quite conflicted about this idea. An off-roading minivan sounds pretty cool, but I don’t want to see it happen. It’s like machines and AI taking over the world; I want to know how it would be in reality, but I don’t want it to happen. Anyway, I digress.

Some renderings of a pretty cool off-road Jeep minivan surfaced on the internet sometime back and it became the talking point for a lot of folks. It looked so ridiculous that one could see the automaker get behind this idea. Jeep, however, dismissed the idea of coming up with a minivan anytime in the future, no matter how off-road-centric it could be. Ugh, that’s disappointing. Or wait, am I happy about it? I don’t know!

Cars and smart devices may sound like an odd mix, but nowadays pretty much any big corporation is having a go at making cars. Some years ago Google tried it and now manufacturers like Huawei have announced their first car. We also know that Apple is working on a car and is aiming for a debut in 2024. But what happens when you take already existing cars that we know, and apply design elements, taken straight off the Apple product lineup? These five renderings answer the question.

Remember back when Ford thought it was a good idea to slap the iconic Mach 1 name on an EV SUV? Well, it didn’t go out so well and people only stopped short of rioting in the streets, eventually prompting Ford to back pedal and switch to the name Mach E instead. The name wasn’t much better and is still referred to by some as disgracing what the Mach name stood for, but things have pretty much settled down into acceptance. But, is this really the electric Mustang that we deserved? Well, after seeing this rendering, we’re willing to bet you’ll say we deserved better.