Retromania: 20 modern retro-styled cars
Ever get that sense of deja vu? That you’ve seen it all before? In the world of car design, you almost certainly have. As Volkswagen launches its new Beetle, the design clock is turning back once again to a bygone age of style. Here are 20 slices of thoroughly modern retro.
Volkswagen Beetle
Mini
Fiat 500
Nissan Figaro
Ford GT
Autech A10
Jaguar S-Type
Mitsouka Viewt
Chevrolet Camaro
Toyota Classic
Toyota Origin
Chevrolet SSR
LTI TX1
Nissan S-Cargo
Ford Mustang
Plymouth Prowler
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Mercedes-Benz SLS
Ford Thunderbird
Delorean DMC-12
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Kim Kardashian is on the rebound after her much-publicised divorce from basketball star Kris Humphries after only 72 days of marriage. And it’s with none other than arguably the biggest hip-hop superstar on the planet, Kanye West. Turns out both celebs are big supercar aficionados, so we thought it would be cool to check out what Kim and Kanye’s garage would look like.Click through to see which star’s collection you think is more impressive, but hurry. Given the duration of Kim’s previous relationships this could all be over before the pair change their first spark plug together.
Bad cars made worse
A few cars actually have bed space built in. Let’s be clear here: we’re talking about cars with proper, purpose-built bedding, or at least seats that fold completely flat to make up a bed.
2011 Citroen Tubik
The decidedly odd 2011 Tubik concept from Citroen feels a bit like a luxury flat on wheels. The middle and rear sets of seats are designed to fold completely flat, creating a set of aeroplane-style seats that you can sleep in. Citroen has even made a stab at creating a post-sleep breakfast theme, too, by making the Tubik look like a giant toaster.
Maxi
The memorable 1970s UK advert for the Maxi declared it was five cars in one: family saloon, estate, school bus, removal van and… overnight camper. ‘Yes, you can sleep in a Maxi,’ said the ad, ‘because the seats have been designed to convert, quickly, into a comfortable bed for two.’ Clever stuff but advertising regulators might have something to say about the ‘comfortable’ claim these days.
Renault 16
Like the Austin Maxi, the Renault 16 had multi-adaptable seating that the French company advertised as converting into a double bed. The fact that the 16 had a column gearchange also meant there was no gearstick to cause unintended midnight misunderstandings.
ZUndapp Janus
The symmetrical Janus, built by motorcycle maker ZUndapp in Germany in 1957-58, is the perfect car for divorcing couples. The rear seat passengers sit with their backs to the driver, separated by the engine, and there are individual front and rear doors to get in and out. Zundapp even thought about marital reconciliations: all the seats fold down to make a double bed.
VW California
To create the California, VW takes its Caravelle and makes a seven-seater MPV that also turns into a camper. The rear bench seat folds to make a two-berth bed across the car, while a pop-up roof gives access to another double bed. You even get pull-down blinds and covers for the windows to ensure total privacy.
Mazda Bongo
Alongside VW, Mazda is one of very few car makers to build its own factory camper. The wonderfully named Mazda Bongo is an eight-seat MPVs whose central and rear rows of three seats each can be folded flat to make a double bed ideal if the jungle fever takes hold. Some Bongos even have an ‘Auto Free Top’ an electrically operated elevating roof that can be used as an extra sleeping compartment.
Fiat Panda
The original Fiat Panda of 1980 was a paragon of design simplicity. A great example of this was the hammock-style rear seat which could be folded into a V-shaped luggage scoop, or folded flat to make a (rather cramped) bed. The seat covers were even removable and washable so if there were any, ahem, night-time accidents, it was no problem.
Honda S-MX
The Honda S-MX has achieved a cult following even in countries where it was never sold because it’s so unique. The front and rear seats are both benches, and both can be folded completely flat to make a double bed. Surfers have latched on to the S-MX as a result.
Saab 93
The original Saab 93 was designed so that the rear seat squabs could be rearranged into two beds. Considering this was a two-door saloon, that was a real feat, yet it was reportedly big enough to fit the averagely tall Swedish gent (and lady, presumably).
Pontiac Aztek
OK, the Aztek could well be the ugliest car ever made, but it was one of very few that had sleeping in mind. Supporting Pontiac’s marketing of the Aztek as a youthful, active-lifestyle vehicle, one option was a tent package that fitted over the tailgate, complete with an inflatable mattress. Pontiac even offered a built-in air compressor to blow your bed up for you.
Self-taught photographer and artist Erik Johansson is causing a stir with his ‘illusion’ photographs. These mind-bending images take everyday cars, roads and transport as subjects but transform and challenge reality in all kinds of amazing ways…
The 27-year-old Swede sums up his work as ‘Surreal ideas realised in a realistic way with a touch of humour’. His mixture of graphics and imagery, combined with heavy use of digital image manipulation, creates a unique and sometimes mind-boggling effect. Click on to check out this selection of his best.
This video captures the moment the world’s fastest Ferrari span out of control – and ended careering into a saltwater lake.
Owner Zahir Rana was driving the modified Ferrari Enzo in the Newfoundland Targa road race in Canada last week when he lost control of the $1.5million supercar. It spun 180 degrees before swerving off the road and into the water.
Zahir and his co-driver Roland Linder escaped from the submerged supercar without injury and the Ferrari drifted back to shore before being lifted onto the back of a recovery vehicle.
Zahir, a supercar dealer from Calgary, Canada, says the exclusive Enzo only suffered “slight damage” to the front bumper and wing and will be repairable. He said: “My first thoughts were, ‘Oh my God’. I love my Enzo and to me it’s the best thing ever, but I suppose it’s just a car. It’s no big deal.”
There speaks a man with some serious cash.
The Enzo is the most extreme legal car to ever come out of Ferrari’s factory in Maranello, Italy, with just 400 rolling off the production line.
Owners include Eric Clapton and Ralph Lauren, but Zahir’s model has been modified by German tuning house Edo Competition. That means the power from the 6.3-litre V12 engine has been boosted from 486kW to 626kW with the weight of the car reduced by 100kg. As a result, the Edo Enzo will accelerate from 0-100kmh in 3.2 seconds and will push 390kmh for a top speed. Clearly it doesn’t go nearly as quick on water….
WHEN Powercruise hit America for the first time, in a stinking hot and humid Minnesota July, it highlighted the differences between our cultures. Sure, they love the same cars as us, tune them the same and want to play with their toys as much as possible.
But while they can drive half-chassis drag cars on the street and don’t even have to pass an emissions test, their track regulations are draconian. While we relish the chance to hit a circuit and finally let rip with our cars, there, if it’s not a race then it’s a 40mph parade. It was the politest start ever to a Powercruise event.
But when the message was driven home to them by boss Michael ‘Gup’ Gilbert punting his HQ around the track in company with Tony Wilson’s Torana and John Canulli in a recently acquired ’71 Camaro, the locals sprouted big grins and buried their right boots.
Numbers weren’t as strong as you’d expect due to a date clash with a long-established static show in Minneapolis, though the quality and variety were outstanding. But all weekend, Brainerd Raceway got busier and busier as word spread to the car community for 100 miles around that the Aussies were mad and it was open slather on the track.
As well as teaching them what circuits are there for, it was also up to us to educate them in the dark art of burnouts and they picked it up with enthusiasm. As for the other highlights, well they know about rock music and pretty girls, so Miss Powercruise and the evening entertainment went off just fine.
The best news is that Gup has a three-year deal at Brainerd and the locals reckon next year is going to be huge. In fact, they reckon every state’s gonna want a taste so the Powercruise team has its work cut out.
There are production supercars, precision engineered with millions of Euros (sometimes Yen, sometimes Greenbacks) thrown into their development. However the wickedly-quick-bordering-on-insane products sometimes arrive via niche players and tuner specials. Forget a cohesive driving experience, these cars are all about…power. Lots of.
Meet the Hennessey Venom GT, a lightweight Lotus-lookalike mega-supercar that was brawn in the USA with its eyes fixed on the Bugatti Veyron. A 6.2-litre twin-turbo V8 produces a claimed 895kW and 1564Nm (!) to shift the carbonfibre-bodied Venom to 60mph in 2.5 seconds. The headline act, however, is 0-200mph in 16 seconds. Adaptive suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes help ensure the Venom doesn’t, err, bite like quick but ill-handling US muscle cars of old.
Of course, there are a couple of German class clowns that widen the grin on regular Mercedes and BMW products. The Brabus Rocket 800 (oh how we love that name) takes a regular CLS 63 5.5-litre V12 and strokes it to 6.2 litres. With a turbo feeding each bank of six cylinders, the four-door luxury-express produces 588kW and 1420Nm, for 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds, 200km/h in 9.8 seconds, and 300km/h in 23.8 seconds. We reckon that this rear-driver might frighten a chauffeur or two.
Fans of performance sedans may be waiting for the imminent launch of the BMW M5, but tuner Alpina has taken the 550i sedan/650i Convertible and, well, well-tuned them up. Outputs move to an M5-rivalling 373kW and 700Nm.
Unfortunately, none of these rocketships are available in Australia, but with overseas stickers ranging from E$529,000 (Brabus) to US$950,000 (Venom GT), you’d need deep pockets (and an even deeper breath) before committing to these road-going monsters.
