Wyvern, Born by the Wind: A Vision of Motion and Art

Windcrafted Elegance - When creativity meets precision engineering, magic tends to happen. In Japan, two names stand out for mastering that delicate balance — MODI and WOW. Though they come from different worlds, one rooted in mechanical craftsmanship and the other in visual artistry, both share a passion for transforming imagination into tangible form. 

The Wyvern, seen from a three-quarter front view, reveals sleek, flowing curves, sharp Italian-inspired lines, and an aggressive stance that merges art with aerodynamic precision. (Picture from: ObscureSupercar in X)

MODI, part of the long-established Murakami & Co. Group, has been shaping the future of automotive prototyping since its founding in Ichinoseki City, Iwate, back in 1992. Known for its seamless integration of design, engineering, and production, the company provides complete services — from concept creation to prototype assembly — for clients across the globe. With cutting-edge technologies like dry carbon autoclave processing, metal stamping, and precision milling, MODI has become a benchmark for Japanese craftsmanship in the world of high-end automotive and product design. 

When it first debuted at Tokyo Design Week 2012 in the AXIS Building courtyard, the Wyvern captivated onlookers with its sculptural curves, wind-inspired design, and ethereal presence. (Picture from: ObscureSupercar in X)

Meanwhile, WOW is a visual design studio with offices in Tokyo, Sendai, Florence, and London, renowned for turning digital experiences into moments of wonder. Their work spans from motion design and commercial visuals to immersive art installations. For WOW, creativity is not just about what people see — it’s about what they feel. The studio thrives on bringing abstract concepts like light, motion, and air to life through technology and emotion. 

The Wyvern’s front fascia features sleek, aerodynamic headlights with blue-tinted illumination, a low-slung grille, sculpted air intakes, and a sharply contoured hood that emphasizes both elegance and performance. (Picture from: DesignBoom)

When these two forces — MODI’s technical mastery and WOW’s artistic vision — came together, something extraordinary emerged. Their collaboration gave birth to a unique creation called Wyvern “Born by the Wind”. Unlike any conventional car, the Wyvern was never meant for sale or racing. It was conceived purely as an art installation, unveiled during Tokyo Design Week 2012 in the courtyard of the AXIS Building, where visitors were invited to witness how wind could take shape. 

The sketch of the Wyvern highlights its front with sharp, sculpted headlights, a low nose, and defined air intakes, while subtly hinting at the flowing rear lines and compact overhangs. (Picture from: DesignBoom)

The name “Wyvern” itself carries symbolic meaning — it refers to a mythical dragon with wings and two legs, representing power, agility, and freedom. Directed by Hiroshi Yuki Hoshimiya, the project marked MODI’s 20th anniversary and showcased what happens when technology listens to the rhythm of nature. 

The Wyvern’s rear section complements its front with smoothly integrated taillights, a sculpted bumper, subtle diffuser elements, and flowing lines that echo the car’s aerodynamic design. (Picture from: WOW)

Visually, the Wyvern takes cues from classic Italian sports cars, embodying sleekness and sensual curves that feel as if they were sculpted by the air itself. Beneath its stunning form lies the heart of a Lotus-based machine — specifically reminiscent of the Elise, powered by a 1.8-liter supercharged Toyota engine delivering 217 bhp (220 PS). At just 870 kg, with compact dimensions of 3,950 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, and 1,110 mm in height, it’s a lightweight sculpture built for balance and fluidity. 

The Wyvern showcases its elegant rear fenders, sculpted diffuser, and tapered roofline that emphasize aerodynamic flow and sporty balance. (Picture from: DesignBoom)

Every surface of the Wyvern’s body was designed through aerodynamic precision processing, ensuring the flow of air enhances not only its speed but also its aesthetic harmony. For MODI, this represented a new level of craftsmanship; for WOW, it was a chance to visualize what’s normally invisible. The studio transformed airflow into an experience — the way the wind moves around the car could be seen through lighting and motion effects. Even the headlights play their part, glowing in soft blue tones before flickering like a heartbeat, hinting that the Wyvern is somehow alive. 

Its rear highlights the three exhaust outlets, smoothly integrated taillights, and flowing body lines that merge performance cues with artistic design. (Picture from: ObscureSupercar in X)

In that moment, surrounded by moving light and swirling air, spectators didn’t just see a car — they felt an emotion. It was as if the wind itself had whispered a story into metal and light. The Wyvern wasn’t about horsepower or numbers, but about what happens when creativity breathes into machinery. | sv0TQlBRsXw |

Today, the Wyvern “Born by the Wind” remains a poetic reminder of Japan’s ability to merge art with engineering. It embodies the elegance of motion and the soul of design, standing as proof that innovation doesn’t always roar — sometimes, it simply flows. And in that quiet harmony between air, art, and speed, the Wyvern continues to live up to its name — a dragon born by the wind. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MODI | WOW | DESIGNBOOM | OBSCURESUPERCAR IN X ]

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The Legend of Stallone’s 1950 Mercury Monterey Custom

Cinematic Rebellion - There’s something timeless about a car that doesn’t just drive across the screen but commands it. Every so often, a machine appears in a film that steals the spotlight from even the biggest stars — and in the case of Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra, that honor belonged not to the muscle-bound hero, but to a brooding, steel-bodied masterpiece: the 1950 Mercury Monterey Custom. To moviegoers in the 1980s, it wasn’t just a vehicle — it was attitude on wheels. 

Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra movie car, a 1950 Mercury Monterey, tears through the streets in one of the film’s intense chase sequences. (Picture from: Tork.Buzz)

Back when Stallone was basking in post-Rambo fame and shaping his own brand of gritty Hollywood cool, he penned Cobra — a story about a tough Los Angeles cop named Marion “Cobra” Cobretti, who took justice into his own gloved hands. To match that kind of unflinching character, a regular police cruiser wouldn’t do. Stallone needed something raw, rebellious, and unforgettable — a car that didn’t just belong in the movie, but defined it. The result was the custom 1950 Mercury Monterey 'Cobra', a sculpted icon of defiance that perfectly embodied 1980s cinematic bravado. 

Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra movie car, the 1950 Mercury Monterey, stands as a sculpted icon of defiance that epitomized 1980s cinematic bravado. (Picture from: HotCars)

The Mercury Monterey had already earned its reputation in car culture long before the cameras rolled. The 1949–1951 Mercury line, with its curvaceous “shoebox” silhouette, became a favorite canvas for hot rodders and custom builders — often nicknamed “lead sleds” because of their heavy, smoothed-down bodies and signature modifications. These cars were never built for subtlety. They were built to make statements. And when Stallone’s production team commissioned Dean Bryant to create four custom Mercurys for Cobra, that statement became louder than ever. 

Dean Bryant was commissioned to build four custom 1950 Mercury Monterey models for Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra, each crafted to meet the film’s demanding action and stunt requirements. (Picture from: HotCars)

Each of Bryant’s builds was a unique blend of art and aggression. One was designed for standard driving and close-up interior scenes, while the other three were crafted for the chaos of stunts and chases. They all shared the same DNA — a chopped roofline lowered about an inch and a half, roll cages for safety, and one heart-pounding small-block engine that breathed gasoline like it was oxygen. Of the four, only one would survive the demanding world of filmmaking. 

The Mercury Monterey had long held a place in car culture, with the curvaceous 1949–1951 “shoebox” models favored by hot rodders and custom builders who dubbed them “lead sleds” for their heavy, smoothed-down bodies. (Picture from: HotCars)

On screen, the car wasn’t merely a prop — it was a living presence. In one of the film’s most unforgettable sequences, the Mercury thunders through the night, bullets sparking off its glossy frame as it cuts through traffic and corners with surgical precision. It doesn’t simply chase — it moves, spinning, leaping, and even reversing at high speed with the grace of something that breathes. Its bursts of nitrous power add a dash of fantasy, making every maneuver feel almost supernatural. Watching it, you can’t help but forget the villains and fix your eyes on the real star — a dark, gleaming embodiment of defiance.

Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra movie car — the 1950 Mercury Monterey — featuring a roof chopped by about an inch and a half, reinforced roll cages, and a fierce small-block engine that inhaled gasoline like oxygen. (Picture from: Tork.Buzz)

Behind that cinematic myth, though, stood the real 1950 Mercury Monterey — a machine powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine with flathead cylinder heads, producing around 110 horsepower. For its time, that was a mark of quiet strength. Off-screen, the car was known not for ferocity, but for refinement: an elegant sedan admired for its smooth ride and solid build. Yet once transformed for Cobra, that poised cruiser evolved into something entirely different. Its refined grace became raw confidence — bolder, louder, and infinitely more alive. 

Beneath its cinematic legend, Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra movie car — the 1950 Mercury Monterey — was a real machine driven by a 5.0-liter V8 with flathead cylinder heads that delivered roughly 110 horsepower. (Picture from: FireBallTim)

When filming wrapped, the Mercury’s story was far from over. Of the four cars built for the movie, three met their cinematic fate — wrecked in the name of action. The lone survivor, the so-called “hero car,” found its way into the hands of Eddie Paul, a renowned Hollywood stuntman and customizer whose workshop was a haven for legendary machines. Under his care, the Mercury was reborn, its intimidating stance and rebellious spirit carefully preserved. For a time, it rested in Stallone’s own garage — a steel fragment of his on-screen legacy — until fate decided the story still had one more twist to tell.

Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra movie car — the 1950 Mercury Monterey — emerges on screen as a living presence, thundering through the night with bullets sparking off its glossy frame as it carves through traffic and tight corners. (Picture from: Tork.Buzz)

In 1994, the car was stolen. The very symbol of strength and defiance vanished overnight, leaving Stallone without his prized machine. Years later, in a twist worthy of a movie script, the actor stumbled upon an online listing that looked suspiciously familiar. It was his car — the same 600-horsepower beast that once roared across the screen. Lawyers were called, negotiations followed, and although the finer details remain murky, Stallone ultimately reclaimed the Mercury. According to reports, the car remains in his possession today, a living relic of a time when cinema and car culture collided in the most visceral way.

The 1950 Mercury Monterey Custom isn’t just a beautiful piece of machinery — it’s a symbol of a cinematic era that prized individuality, strength, and style. In a world where modern cars are increasingly sleek, smart, and silent, Stallone’s Mercury stands as a growling reminder of when personality mattered more than perfection. It’s the kind of car that refuses to blend in, that insists on being seen — and maybe that’s why, decades later, people remember the car more vividly than the movie itself.

 

Because some legends aren’t written in scripts or played out on screens. They rumble, roar, and leave tire marks on the imagination — just like Stallone’s 1950 Mercury Monterey Custom. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HOTCARS | TORK.BUZZ | FIREBALLTIM ]

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Umdasch Celero R-6.3: Austria’s One-Off Hand-Built Sports Car

Speed Sculpture - Some cars don’t just roll off the production line — they’re crafted, almost like a piece of art. They carry the fingerprints of the people who dreamed them up, shaped them, and brought them to life. The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 is one of those rare creations, a machine that looks like it was sculpted for speed and built with a single goal in mind: to stand apart from anything else on the road.  

The Umdasch Celero R-6.3, born in Austria from the workshop of Umdasch Sportwagenmanufaktur, is a Corvette-based creation sculpted for speed and built with a singular purpose. (Picture from: GTPlanet)

Born in Austria from the workshop of Umdasch Sportwagenmanufaktur, a company usually known for tuning everything from Volkswagens to Ferraris, this one-off sports car marked a bold step into making something truly their own. Six years went into turning the idea into reality. The name itself is a small story: “Celero” comes from the Latin word for “hurry,” the “R” stands for “Race,” and “6.3” tells you exactly what’s under the hood. 

The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 made its public debut at the 2015 Essen Motor Show, a perfect stage for such an unapologetically unique creation. (Picture from: Autogen.pl)

The starting point was the chassis of a Chevrolet Corvette, but this wasn’t a simple rebody job. The Corvette’s engine and transmission were completely dismantled, reworked, and paired with a freshly engineered structure. The body was made entirely from lightweight, glass-fiber-reinforced plastics, giving the car both rigidity and a striking, exotic appearance.

The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 houses a 6.3-liter small-block V8 producing 504 horsepower in its base form, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. (Picture from: Autogen.pl)

The Celero R-6.3’s dimensions are low and wide — 4.46 meters long, 2.06 meters wide, and just 1.2 meters tall — with a fighting weight of 1,420 kilograms. It rides on forged, three-piece Umdasch wheels wrapped in Hankook rubber, 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the back. Braking is handled by an in-house Umdasch system, with huge 356-millimeter front discs and eight-piston calipers for serious stopping power.

The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 features a cockpit with two bucket racing seats, a three-spoke steering wheel, and a simple dashboard equipped with instrument panels for water temperature, oil temperature, hydraulic gauges, and various knobs. (Picture from: GTPlanet)

Up front sits the heart of the beast: a 6.3-liter small-block V8 producing 504 horsepower in its base form, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. That output might sound “modest” by today’s extreme supercar numbers, but the Celero wasn’t about chasing outrageous specs. 

The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 features a body crafted entirely from lightweight, glass-fiber-reinforced plastics, providing both rigidity and a striking, exotic look. (Picture from: GTPlanet)

Umdasch hinted at several planned tuning stages to increase power, but even in its initial form, it promised a visceral, old-school driving experience. The prototype was first shown to the public at the 2015 Essen Motor Show, a fitting stage for something so unapologetically unique. Only one example of the Celero R-6.3 was ever built, making it as rare as they come. Back when it surfaced, it even went to auction, though the final result remains a mystery. | Wn1XT6Hq1fo | D2L6eNDzGTM | N14PI3xh5AA |

Today, it stands as a reminder of what can happen when a tuning house decides not just to improve someone else’s vision, but to create their own from the ground up. It’s a car that blends passion, craftsmanship, and a refusal to follow trends — a snapshot in time when one Austrian workshop decided to put its name on something that could never be mistaken for anything else. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | UMDASCH-TUNING IN X | AUTOGEN.PL | GTPLANET | ALLCARINDEX ]

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2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept: The Sports Car That Turned Into a Pickup

Radical Versatility - In the world of cars, some creations come along that feel less like machines and more like wild experiments—bold statements that challenge what we expect a vehicle to be. Back in 2003, one such machine stole the spotlight at the Geneva Motor Show: the Rinspeed Bedouin. At first glance, it seemed familiar, rooted in the unmistakable DNA of the Porsche 911 Turbo. But spend even a few seconds looking closer, and it became obvious that this was no ordinary sports car—it was something stranger, more playful, and in many ways ahead of its time. 

The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: Rinspeed)

The Bedouin started its life as a 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo, but Rinspeed’s vision took it in an entirely new direction. This Swiss design house, led by Frank M. Rinderknecht, has long been known for dreaming up vehicles that bend the rules, and the Bedouin might be one of their most daring ideas. It wasn’t just about looks or novelty. Rinspeed set out to prove that a performance car could be both environmentally forward-thinking and versatile enough to thrive where few sports cars dared to tread. Its engine was still a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter flat-six, but it had been reimagined to run on natural gas—something that, even today, feels remarkably progressive for a concept car more than two decades old.

The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: GridOto)

Visually, the Bedouin looked like it had stepped out of a parallel universe. The body, made entirely from lightweight composite materials, kept echoes of the 911’s silhouette but sat a full 15 centimeters higher on a specially designed Eibach adjustable off-road suspension. Large air intakes, widened fenders, and a functional diffuser gave it an aggressive stance, while 18-inch Rinspeed alloys wrapped in Continental SportContact 4x4 tires hinted that this Porsche-based creation wasn’t afraid of dirt trails or gravel roads. 

The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: CollectionCars)

And then there was its party trick—the roof. Unlike anything seen on a sports car before, the Bedouin’s roof could literally reshape the vehicle’s character. With the help of two electric motors, the entire upper structure lifted and folded in an elaborate motion. In a matter of seconds, a sleek coupe-like profile could transform into a pickup truck, complete with an extendable cargo bed stretching up to 185 centimeters. It wasn’t just clever engineering; it was theater on wheels. 

The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: GridOto)

Inside, Rinspeed didn’t hold back either. The cabin mixed Porsche familiarity with eccentric touches that felt more like jewelry than car trim. Rich Poltrona-Frau leather in Cotto brown wrapped the seats and panels, while Swarovski crystals were inlaid across the doors and even embedded into the shift knob, which itself was made of solid crystal. A Blaupunkt infotainment setup—complete with a fold-out 7-inch display, DVD playback, reversing camera, and the ability to connect a Sony PlayStation—turned the Bedouin into something of a rolling entertainment lounge. 

The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: CollectionCars)

For all its extravagance, the Bedouin wasn’t dismissed as a gimmick. Even Porsche itself acknowledged the creativity behind it, with Rinderknecht recalling that Stuttgart’s engineers appreciated how the transformation respected the 911’s essence without compromising its engineering soul. That’s saying something, considering how fiercely protective Porsche has always been of its flagship sports car. 

The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: GridOto)

Looking back now, the Bedouin feels almost prophetic. It hinted at a world where performance cars didn’t have to be tied down by tradition—where flexibility, sustainability, and sheer imagination could coexist in a single machine. While the recently launched Porsche 911 Dakar is a far more polished and production-ready take on the “all-terrain sports car,” the Bedouin remains a reminder of how bold concepts can spark ideas long before the market is ready to embrace them. | R_GR3RjDnWU |

Two decades on, the Rinspeed Bedouin still stands out as one of those rare concept cars that wasn’t just futuristic for its time, but almost futuristic for ours. It might never have made it to showrooms, but its spirit lingers in every unconventional sports car that dares to go off-road or rethink what performance should look like. For a fleeting moment in 2003, the Bedouin showed the world that a Porsche could be part desert explorer, part luxury lounge, and part sci-fi experiment—and somehow, it all worked. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RINSPEED | COLLECTINGCARS ]

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1983 Buick Questor: The Smart Car Prototype Decades Before Its Time

Futuristic Vision - In the early 1980s, when personal computers were still rare in households and “smart technology” sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie, General Motors was already imagining a future where cars could think, react, and communicate. That bold vision took form in a single vehicle: the 1983 Buick Questor—a concept car so far ahead of its time that it still feels futuristic today. It wasn’t just a machine built to move; it was built to predict what driving could one day become. 

The Buick Questor—a concept car so far ahead of its time that it still feels futuristic today. (Picture from: Thingies in Facebook)

Buick, operating under GM’s electronic study division, spent over five months just designing the Questor’s computer systems. This alone hinted at how ambitious the project was. Back then, integrating multiple computers into a car wasn’t just innovative—it was practically unthinkable. Yet the Questor ran on more than fourteen fully functional computers, all designed to coordinate everything from safety to comfort with seamless precision. 

The 1983 Buick Questor used a specially programmed laser key that, with a single press, raised the car for easy entry, unlocked the doors, activated its systems, personalized every interior setting, and then smoothly lowered itself back to driving position as if it were alive. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

The Questor wasn’t about flashy design or raw performance. Instead, it focused on intelligence and automation. The exterior had no door handles or side mirrors—details that made it look like something from another century. To enter, you needed a specially programmed laser key, which operated through an invisible light beam. One press on the handheld unit would raise the car six inches to make getting in easier, unlock the doors, and instantly awaken the vehicle’s systems. In an instant, the Questor came alive—adjusting the seat, pedals, steering column, and even the entertainment settings to match the driver’s personal preferences. When the doors closed, the car gently lowered itself back to its driving position, as if it were breathing. 

The 1983 Buick Questor enhanced its futuristic feel inside with a transparent instrument panel that rose from the base of the windshield when the engine started. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

Once inside, the sense of futuristic innovation only deepened. Instead of traditional gauges, a transparent instrument panel would rise from the base of the windshield when the engine started. It displayed vital driving information without blocking the driver’s view of the road. Behind the wheel, the driver found most of the controls built directly into the steering wheel and the central transmission tunnel—clean, minimal, and intuitive. A miniature solid-state TV camera provided a wide-angle rear view, long before backup cameras became standard decades later. Even the windshield was light-sensitive, automatically adjusting to changes in brightness for optimal visibility. 

The 1983 Buick Questor positioned most of its controls directly on the steering wheel and central transmission tunnel, creating a clean, minimal, and intuitive layout. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

Buick’s engineers had thought of nearly everything. The Questor’s navigation center could monitor maps—something that would eventually evolve into the GPS systems we rely on today. At highway speeds, the front of the car would dip slightly to improve aerodynamics, while the rear would rise about three inches to enhance stability and fuel efficiency. The rear spoiler adjusted itself automatically, further proving that this vehicle wasn’t just smart—it was self-aware in the way it interacted with its environment. 

The 1983 Buick Questor featured a navigation center capable of monitoring maps, foreshadowing the GPS systems we rely on today. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

And then there was the voice-activated radiotelephone—a feature that sounded like magic in 1983 but is now as common as Bluetooth connectivity. Every detail of the Questor pointed toward a driving experience where the car worked with the driver, not just for them. What made the Questor especially remarkable was not just the technology itself, but the way it envisioned a connected, personalized world of mobility.

The 1983 Buick Questor featured an exterior without door handles or side mirrors, giving it a look that seemed decades ahead of its time. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

In a time when the idea of digital dashboards, self-adjusting seats, and automated vehicle responses felt like pure fantasy, Buick dared to make it tangible. The Questor wasn’t produced for sale, and it never hit public roads—but that was never its purpose. It was a laboratory on wheels, a bold experiment to test the boundaries of what was possible. Today, as cars become increasingly autonomous and digitally connected, the 1983 Buick Questor feels less like a relic and more like a prophecy fulfilled.  | 87y6qcM62MM |

Its creators at General Motors didn’t just build a concept car—they mapped out a vision of driving that predicted much of what we now take for granted. Decades later, we can look back at the Questor not as a forgotten prototype, but as one of the earliest glimpses into the age of intelligent mobility. It was proof that even in the analog days of the early ’80s, the future was already taking shape—one visionary Buick at a time. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSTYLING.RU | HAGERTY | THINGIES IN FACEBOOK ]

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The Weird and Wonderful Futura/Waimea Concept

Quirky Masterpiece - We often come across cars that make us stop and ask, “What kind of vehicle is this?” While modern technology produces many AI-generated designs, the Futura/Waimea Concept is different—it is a real, tangible car, built from a 1960s sketch. Its unusual central driving position—similar to the layout seen on the Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale “Tre Posti” and the McLaren P1—together with eclectic styling and futuristic flair, makes it one of the most striking automotive experiments of its era, seamlessly bridging mid-century imagination with modern restoration. Remarkably, only one unit of this car was ever built, making it truly unique. 

The Futura/Waimea Concept is a real, tangible car whose unusual central driving position, eclectic styling, and futuristic flair make it one of the most striking automotive experiments of its era. (Picture from: Lane Motor Museum)

The story begins in 1945 when industrialist Henry J. Kaiser, together with veteran automobile executive Joseph Frazer, founded the Kaiser-Frazer automobile company. A year later, Kaiser formed Kaiser Aluminum and commissioned designers Rhys Miller and Frank Hershey—designer of the original 1956 Ford Thunderbird two-seater—to create a series of all-aluminum car designs. These designs were showcased in oversized, reproduced portfolios meant to entice the automotive industry into exploring aluminum’s potential in car construction, capturing the futuristic aesthetic of the era.

The Futura/Waimea Concept was brought to life in the 1990s by Minnesota automotive restorer Blake Larson, based on the ‘Waimea’ sketch from a 1960s Kaiser ad drawn by Rhys Miller. (Picture from: MarioTheMultipla)

Although these aluminum prototypes never reached production and were never submitted to any automaker for manufacturing, their designs endured. In the 1990s, automotive restorer Blake Larson from Minnesota discovered a collection of Kaiser ads from the 1960s. One sketch, in particular, the “Waimea,” captured his imagination. Rhys Miller is solely credited with this design, which featured the unusual driver’s seat positioned in the middle with center steering. Larson interpreted these promotional illustrations and brought them to life in the 1990s, creating the only existing Futura Waimea as a real, drivable car. 

The Futura/Waimea Concept was built on a Corvair Lakewood wagon as its base, fitted with a roof rack from a Chevy Vega Wagon, and complemented by a sunroof from a ’54 Ford Skyliner. (Picture from: Lane Motor Museum)

Creating the Futura/Waimea required careful planning. Since the central driving position left no room for a front engine, Larson used a Corvair Lakewood wagon as the base. This allowed him to preserve the mid-century concept while using the Corvair’s rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout to accommodate the vehicle’s mechanics, blending practicality with imaginative design

 

Larson enhanced the Waimea’s futuristic appearance by incorporating parts from classic cars. He mounted ’59 Cadillac rocket taillights on the D-pillar, added a sunroof from a ’54 Ford Skyliner, used the instrument cluster from a ’49 Nash Ambassador, and installed a roof rack from a Chevy Vega Wagon. He named the car “Futura,” inspired by the early 1960s Ford Falcon Futura, borrowing the wheel covers and script to complete the homage. These elements combined to give the car a unique, cohesive, and attention-grabbing style.

The Futura/Waimea Concept features green upholstery (originally white) throughout its cabin, a centrally placed three-spoke classic steering wheel, and an instrument cluster sourced from a ’49 Nash Ambassador. (Picture from: Lane Motor Museum)

During the 1990s, Larson showcased the Futura/Waimea around Minnesota, drawing curious onlookers wherever he drove. After several years, the car disappeared from public view, only to resurface in 2013 on eBay. It was purchased by Wayne Carini, host of Chasing Classic Cars, and featured in Season 17, Episode 5, titled Back to the Futura. Eventually, Lane Motor Museum acquired the car from Carini in 2021, ensuring its preservation as a one-of-a-kind automotive creation.

The Futura/Waimea Concept features ’59 Cadillac rocket taillights mounted on its D-pillar and a rear-mounted, air-cooled 145 cubic-inch Corvair flat-six engine producing 84 horsepower, paired with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. (Picture from: Lane Motor Museum)

The Futura/Waimea’s technical specifications reflect its Corvair foundation and Larson’s ingenuity. It features a rear-mounted, air-cooled 145 cubic-inch Corvair flat-six engine producing 84 horsepower, paired with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. The rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout supports the central driving concept. While its top speed remains unknown, the car’s significance lies in its originality, engineering creativity, and the successful transformation of a 1960s sketch into a real, drivable vehicle. 

The Futura/Waimea Concept serves as a vivid reminder of how imagination can shape automotive history. From Henry Kaiser’s aluminum ambitions and Rhys Miller’s bold sketches to Blake Larson’s innovative restoration and Wayne Carini’s preservation efforts, this car embodies decades of creativity and dedication. Today, it continues to captivate enthusiasts, proving that even the most unusual ideas can come to life and leave a lasting mark on car culture. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LANE MOTOR MUSEUM | MARIOTHEMULTIPLA | OLDCARLOVERS IN FACEBOOK ]

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