BOLD RIDE
A Jetsons view of our future suggests some day we’ll all be strapped into flying cars and zipping through the skies. Far off? Perhaps, but automotive design artist Marco van Overbeeke isn’t stopping there.
He envisioned a future where flying cars are actually interpretations of classic bubble-shaped microcars, and he couldn’t have picked a more clever starting point. This is his creation – the Hoverschmitt 5000 – a concept based around the bones of the 1950s Messerschmitt KR200 microcar.
Long before Messerschmitt began building microcars, the manufacturing powerhouse was a pillar of German aviation, building sports and passenger aircraft through the early part of the century and – of course – eventually war planes.
But following World War II and Germany’s surrender, Messerschmitt was barred from building aircraft at all. They instead turned to aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and turned his design for an invalid carriage into a veritable microcar – the KR200.
It’s only fitting that a car with such an airborne history becomes the world’s preeminent flying vintage car. Hats off to Overbeeke for making its remarkable transformation.
Overbeeke’s digital manipulation chopped the Messerschmitt’s wheels and instead extended the wheel arches to include all “the latest in hover technology.” The cockpit has had its fair share of nips and tucks as well, adopting a lower and sleeker profile and the obligatory Formula 1 inspired cooling duct mounted on top.
Overbeeke even added a vintage racing livery, complete with sponsorship for Messerschmitt and a “powered by Sachs” decal, highlighting the original car’s pint-sized 191cc Fichtel & Sachs two-stroke engine.
What do you think, Internets? Is the vintage flying car the way of the future? What classic car do you want to see get the ‘flying car’ treatment?
_____________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment