We’ve been seeing a torrential and exciting downpour of automotive designs at Yanko Design in November 2022. Each automotive was innovative, bringing to us something we had never seen nor experienced before. From killer speed to dashing good looks, to impenetrable safety standards, every automotive we featured at YD broke some design barrier for us, and hopefully, they did the same for you as well. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of automotive designs that we feel were the best of the lot. From an intriguing Apple Car 1 concept to a transforming electric bike that goes from a performance ride to a cargo carrier in a jiffy – each of these drool-worthy automobiles is mercilessly pushing the boundaries of the automotive industry. Automotive enthusiasts will be itching to get their hands on them, and take them for a spin on the streets!
1. The Fordzilla Hypervan
Dubbed the Fordzilla Hypervan, this dune buggy derives its overall inspiration from the reptilians. The matte black color it’s draped in is a tell-tale sign of its Godzilla design influence. If you see that typical Batmobile influence, you are not alone! The occurrence of matte orange hues on the outside and inside highlight the sharp character of the ride. The battery on the rear indicates its rear-wheel-drive origins, and therefore, a better balance and handling. The Hypervan gets all glass doors that are gull-winged, and look absolutely gorgeous. These doors are an extension of the windshield and panoramic glass roof which adds a sense of airiness to the four-wheeler.
2. GAC Barchetta
The semblance of Italian automotive influence from the 80s and their previous in-house concept cars is understandable. The show car dubbed GAC Barchetta is the first one in the Car Culture series that debuted in the design district of Milan in Via Tortona, with a vision to celebrate Italy’s abundant car culture. The open-wheel design of the two-seater EV has a flattened chassis with no windshield to get the minimal aesthetics going. According to the design team, the car is divided into three parts. The flat chassis being one of them, contains compact batteries, something akin to a smartphone battery. Secondly, there is the streamlined body courtesy of the robust mono-material aluminum frame, keeping everything lightweight and visually timeless.
3. The TRISO Electric Motorcycle
Urban mobility of the future is majorly going to rely on electric two-wheelers with the freedom of shape-shifting aesthetics. The TRISO Electric Motorcycle is a good example of this longing for an adaptable commuter that is good for any life scenario. The transforming electric bike is targeted towards the younger lot, generally aged 20 -30 who want to showcase their passion for driving while being considerate to the planet. TRISO has got three riding modes – Eco, Road and Explore – each one leveraging a different shape and riding aesthetics. The switch happens in a matter of seconds, thereby, perfect for any real-time requirements.
4. The UTV
This four-door utilitarian vehicle is perfect for fun rides on a bright sunny day thanks to the open Jeep-like design. While I would have wished for beefier tires on the UTV, the designer manages to convey the minimalistic design with enough scope for after-market modifications in case you want to hit the dirt trails. It’s more like a modernized buggy that got a timely evolution boost. Everything right from the roof, hood, and interior space can be micro-managed depending on the needs, and type of activity. The UTV can be a beach buggy one day, and an open Jeep heading to the mountain top the very other day.
5. Yamaev’s Tricycle Scooter
Designed by Alexander Yamaev, this oddly eye-catching tricycle scooter concept comes with a rectangular side profile that slices through the air the way a credit card swipes through a payment machine, and a unique wheel setup featuring a massive front wheel that surrounds the scooter’s transparent bubble-shaped cockpit, and two rear wheels that separate at low speeds for stability, and unite at high speeds for maneuverability. The ideas that Yamaev’s concept present are certainly radical, with a design so groundbreakingly unique it’ll make the Cybertruck look outdated.
6. The W16 Mistral
Named after the powerful wind that blows from the Rhône River valley, through the Côte d’Azur in southern France and into the Mediterranean, the car touts power, along with a performance that can ‘blow you away’. The car comes with a stellar open-top design that harks back to Bugatti’s origins with some of the first cars being open-top racers. Shift your eyes to the side and you’ve got one of the most interesting profiles possible. There’s a gestalt of continuity with the open-top design, and the car isn’t one to shy away from tight curves in certain places, and fuller arcs in others. The car still comes with Bugatti’s horseshoe radiator.
7. The Apple Car 1 Concept
The Apple Car 1 concept is yet another iteration of the Cupertino giant’s most anticipated project to date that’s longing for fruition. The core idea of Apple’s concept car gravitates around a minimalistic and elegant form. That Magic Mouse resemblance is deliberate, defining the flowing lines of the next-generation car that’ll most probably be an evolved self-driving vehicle. The Magic Mouse inspiration lends the Apple Car 1 a dropping motion to the front and rear for balanced volume. Another inspiration comes from the Airpods Pro for a heightened sense of power and dominance on the road – hence the bulged-out wheel section for muscular profile and overall contrast.
8. The Huracan Sterrato
The Huracan Sterrato looks quite like its predecessor, although it’s built with a few key upgrades that make it, well, terrain-worthy. It comes with fog lamps on the front as well as the roof of the car, along with mud guards on the fenders that should keep your automobile spic and span even after a rumble in the dirt. From the looks of it, the car also comes with a higher ground clearance than the Huracan, so it can glide just as well off roads as it can on them.
9. The Tricolore electric MTB
Meet the Tricolore electric MTB which is more of a full-blown performance two-wheeler for dirt tracks. The Reggio Emilia-based company is currently at the EICMA 2022 expo in Milan for the launch of this cheesy pedal-assisted enduro mountain bike. Ditching the contemporary triangular structure found on most bikes on the road, the eMTB gets a fresh design for good measure. The two-wheeler has the basic functionality of an e-bike while having the durability of a tough mountain bike. This is the best combination one could ask for with the laurels of having more carbon fiber used for the monocoque chassis than some of the highly acclaimed superbikes on offer.
10. La Bagnole
La Bagnole has a typical Willys Jeep vibe from the front – look at that grille and the open-wheel design. Thus, the vehicle is primarily used for adventures and dirt-laden tracks for the outdoorsy who love to head outside the city limits every now and then. Don’t expect it to go at breakneck speeds on the freeway (it’s more like a crawling machine) since the entry-level variant maxes out at 29 mph and the much more powerful version churns out a 50 mph top speed.
