Known for improving upon Toyota Land Cruisers, Ford Broncos and Jeeps, Icon is looking to create a streamliner with a little help from Tesla.
Jalopnik reports Helios, the project named after the Greek titan and personification of the sun (not a god of wind as originally published), will pull its looks from a mashup of post-WWI aircraft, 1930s streamliners and an alternate history where airplanes influenced automotive design a decade before the 1950s.
The Tesla connection — if owner Johnathan Ward can make it happen — will come in the form of the Model X platform, whose selectable AWD and 380-mile range are key features in Ward’s retro-future vision.
Currently, the Helios exists solely on paper, though Ward already has an owner in mind once he and his crew are able to “move mountains” to build:
I’ve got a meeting with Ralph Lauren to talk about something else. He doesn’t know I plan on totally taking over the room and making him buy this car… Most of [his cars] suck to drive except for the McLaren. So… that’s my pitch.
In a similar vein, I’m surprised Mitsuoka hasn’t reskinned a Prius yet.
Glad to see designers have found a way for wheel diameter to exceed the height of the hood, however that’s way too much greenhouse for 2015.
/sarc
Haha,
Sadly, almost not sarcastic enough. At least he provided some decent tire sidewall height to make up for the lack of suspension travel…
It appears that the revival includes tractor-skinny bias-ply tires as well (just look at that tread pattern)
Suddenly it’s 1930!
I find myself wondering about how that curvy front end conforms to pedestrian safety regulations.
It will never see production without a bumper covering up all that interesting stuff.
maybe the fenders are sprung and turn?
Yes, because you can impress someone with a large car collection by telling them all their cars suck except this one, which you haven’t built yet.
But THAT’S how you fill out a wheel arch.
If you told me my Blower Bently sucks I’d be kind of pissed off.
Ralph Lauren has a pretty exquisite collection of rare and well-curated cars – it’s just foolish to make that sort of a statement.
What an interesting fender kit Icon has developed for the Plymouth Prowler!