Open Wheel Track Car

Thanks man. Your right. Definetly some Bertone in there. That is the era we were referencig for sure. Maybe a little too "Smooth Criminal"though? Maybe a couple of smooth transitions would help it feel more cohesive… Like newer Lambo’s… We’ve also talked about adding some more form to the engine cover to articulate and strengthen the surface as well as pick up the double hoop roll over bar form a bit.

I think the two tone could be very nice for the track. I also like the idea if always calling the frame out in a contrasting tone. A black car with a white frame could be killer.

I’m almost thinking of taking a step back and working up an entirely different approach.

Awesome stuff Michael! I’m really looking forward to the lower air-intakes in front of the rear wheels, it looks like they’ll have a nicely aggressive angle.

Looking at the sketch phase, I think i personally prefer the front and rear of concept 1 over concept 2. It’s just a little bit more out there. And there is some great stuff/detailing in the untitled2 sketch. As a final note, why did you go with the rounded vents and side cut-out?

Nice work, Yo…
All Brand concepts are interesting …my favorites are morse, block, hidden grid…but block & hidden grid (& logo) look more automotive…for this category.
Nice sketches & concept presentations… I like the idea of showing structure through the door panel…

Nice start Yo. I really like concept 1 and 2. The rear view of Concept 2 captures the feel nicely. The AI linework though loses some of the emotion and nuance.

I do agree that some “twisting” or “crisp to soft” transitions between the surfaces would add some drama to the form.

The two tone colorways look great. If fabrication is driving the relatively simple, single bend, surface construction, having the graphics traverse the creases might be an good way to add drama. Like how sport bikes have pretty simple body work, but crazy graphics. Simple body work here, with tasteful applied graphics could go a long way in itself.

I just noticed the concave beltline band. I like it. I might see how that looks played up more. I think it’ll look good. Maybe a “top cap + bottom cap” visual structure?

I like the vent detail in front of the rear wheel. It almost starts to hint at there being two form that are being pushed together, front to back. That could be another interesting form metaphor.

I’m rambling now, but I think there’s a good opportunity at the front and rear to establish an iconic “grill shape” with the way the spans all come together. It’s a little reminiscent of an upside down Aston grill right now. Combined with the prawn eye ball headlights, I think there’s a really nice front end graphic brewing there. It’s starting to get there in the concept 1 and 2 sketches.

A few years back I read Build the Perfect Beast, which details the story of the Nick Pugh’s Xeno project.
Here are some of the images of the Xeno III
http://archive.cardesignnews.com/news/2002/020415xeno3/index.html
It might take some searching but you can see more of a development here.
http://nickpugh.com/main.php?x=287306504

Seeing many of these planar surfaces reminded me of the point in the Xeno project when the design shifted from a highly compound-sculpted aesthetic of the Xeno I and II to the more faceted planar design of the Xeno III primarily due to low volumes and the cost of achieving the more compound panels from either tool or manual process.

If I had to make any real criticisms at this point it would be that:
+I am not sure some of the roundness I am seeing in the chassis reveal reflect the hard edges and geometric construction I see elsewhere.
+I would also agree that the AI loses a lot of the emotion and character of the sketches.

  • I also felt the AI were a little tame and not sure if this is partly due to the translation from sketch to AI

Love to see this stuff man, keep us posted!

I think I may need to use this line in my next design critique. - “It’s a little too Smooth Criminal”…

Is that even possible?! - that’s like saying Hoth is too snowy. :slight_smile:

Awesome.

Yo: thanks for posting this. It is really great to get a taste of the method and inspiration that is going into the design. I really love how you are playing with exposing the frame through the skin of the car.

For your inspiration you reference jets; the thing that I have always loved about jets are their mix or curve and angularity. On your design you have gotten the angularity down, it would be nice to see some of the jet’s curves incorporated as well.

Again thanks for posting, and a black car with white frame would indeed be sweet.

Very nice concept work, Michael. By any chance do you happen to have any of your brainstorming/ideation pages you could post. Also, what was the paper size you did this on? I tend to find that sketching on larger newsprint pulls out a whole new level of forms. It is limiting as you can’t really fit the 18x24 on the scanner bed, but it does make for great pastel work. Any chance we could see a old school Vis-Com rendering of this car in pastel and guache? I know probably at this point I’m being selfish but it makes for great eye candy…

Really cool Project, love the concept sketches. I see a bit of Aerial Atom in there, really digging the exposed frame powder coating it would be awesome and give it a Ducati Monster frame feel. Two tone would be great, really slims the profile, maybe some solid graphics (circles squares) to place numbers on? Most track day events have you place numbers on the car so they can be identified on the track.

Just a few questions,

What material is the body going to made from, sheet metal, composite, plastic?

What drivetrain? It looks like a horizantal I-4, this could lend to a real cool exhaust detail (big horizantal muffler)

Also is this version a dedicated track car or will it be street legal? I ask this because I wonder about the need for head lights (you need the brake lights to be ont he track) and I think the ability to flip the windshield down or remove it (MG TD style) would be awesome and cover the passenger side with a panel for solo sessions.

Awesome stuff, excited to see how it turns out!

Awesome work and project.

i REALLY like the 02 and 04 logos. The hood ornaments look slick and very suiting…

Inspiring stuff all together, especially since the passion from both parties shines through.

I’ve been a long time fan of the Lotus super 7. I got to drive a Berkin one a few years ago, with a ford Z-tec motor. It had some get up and go. Will the suspension be liner actuated or strut mounted? It would be neat to see some clip on fenders.

Thanks for all the responses guys, good feedback… I’ll post something more intelligent later… hammer busy at the moment…

still playing…

I like where your going! especially the engine cover changes.
PooK

Hello Michael Ditullo !

I´ve been reading here on core for quite a while and now I registered finally, partly because I wanted to contribute to this thread and your project. So this is my first post.

I really like what you are doing, you have nice sketches and the angular approach does make sense in terms of production methods and uniqueness in form, although it might look not-as-pleasing, it could give it a special standing.

However, the main thing I wanted to write about is the front of the open wheel track day car.

It´s about the exposed frame: The idea of showing this is nice. It reminds me a little of the “VW Buggy” . Anyway, I am sure that showing technical components is a good idea on such a car. Styling- wise, I understand the exposed-frame-in-the-front-thing. It´s a bit like a “core and shell” concept and has been used, in a quite different way of course, on the ktm x-bow from the same “car” category. It´s nice to show dampers, suspension, and all the nice stuff to the people who like to see it. It underlines the rawness and pureness of the concept and the technical finesse. We don´t have to argue about all that I guess.

Still, I do see a problem here. I come from a motorsport background and I´ve experienced that especially the front of a vehicle is a very delicate area when it comes to speed, aerodynamics and drag. I think the exposed frame will create quite an amount of drag. I think this is not to be underestimated, as that will already occur and have an effect at low speeds of 40 mph - and of course a lot more at higher speeds (at double the speed, it´s 4 times as much)

The question is, if this is important. If the car is for fun purposes only, one might say it is not. If it is for laptimes, then it is important. I can imagine people driving this car, wanting to reduce their laptimes and covering that area in some (probably not very nice) way.

I think you should include a solution for that in your design, as the probability might be high, that this detail which might be important for your design concept will be changed later and you might have no control of the outcome design-wise. I could imagine a clear cover in an aerodynamic shape, so that like on a helicopter canopy you can look through and see this detail. I don´t know what you think of this in terms of style. But surely it would be something recognizable and extraordinary. If you don´t like this idea, maybe you can find another solution or change this area.
Of course you don´t have to, I just wanted to remind you of a - in my view - problematic effect of your design, so you can be aware of it and change it to the better to ensure the optimal performance of the track day car.

This is not supposed to sound like a harsh critic.
I am looking forward to your reply and if u want to react to my point in your design.

Kind regards,
Simon

Nice direction! I prefer the flowing lines much more than the extra angular versions you posted earlier…

@Simon, thanks for the feedback! Perfect. We need that kind of first hand info. Thank you for joining and posting. I appreciate it.

@Trav… Too Richard Sapper? :wink:
I hear you. There is something in the folded paper approach but it might just be too difficult to really develop. The magic will happen in 3d with that one. I wanted to give it a rest though an pursue the more fluid direction to see what happens there.

yeah, I like the Sapperesque approach sometimes, but in cars I’m way more attracted to flowing lines… I might have been a little burnt out on overly angular styling in the past :open_mouth: . It’s fun to follow your project though, keep it up!