Maserati

16 Cars and Vans

A couple of weeks back I was approached to do a set of 3 illustrations of classic sports cars at a fixed price. The direction was specific about the view being straight ahead from the front of the car. The end goal was that these were going to be used in a printed calendar, and after the first 3, I’d get 9 more to work on.

Unfortunately, I fell victim to the bait and switch tactic or would you rather do these on spec, or for free, for a ton of exposure, and a possible cut of the profits. The thing is I don’t work for free, and unfortunately, the client’s proposal left me flat. So, I decided to say thanks but no thanks, keep my files and go back to my office.

The thing is though, it got me all inspired, so I did 12 more over the course of a couple weeks, and shared a few on social media. Now, I’m releasing them to the world. I really don’t have any interest in making money off of these. It was a fun little exercise with Adobe Illustrator that I feel good about. Each image is sized for the iPhone 6 screen resolution.

All I ask is if you download them and use them, give credit where credit is due. Let people know I am the guy that made these. Don’t resell them to make money and don’t take my name off of them. Tell people where you got them, and ask them to respect the same request about selling and credit.

Enjoy.

XKE

280z 356 911 917 2002 A-100 Alfa California Corvan DB5 Falcon Merak Miura Quatro XKE

Who Wants a 1957 Maserati 250s? I do.

IIf you have a couple million extra dollars lying around and you are in London this September, you might want to pick up this 1957 Maserati that is being offered via RM Auctions.

Quite possibly one of the most beautiful race cars ever built, this late 1950’s classic has been fully restored to perfection. This 1957 Maserati 250S is one of a handful that were ever built. And in my opinion this vehicle represents the best of the 200S series Maserati’s from that period. The car was popularized on the amateur racing circuit worldwide. Unlike the smaller 200S, the 1957 Maserati 250S was powered by a powerful 230 horsepower inline 6 cylinder engine that could propel the car to 161 mph against professional-class competition.

The definitive lines of this car, smooth, sleek aerodynamic make the look. That long slender nose gracefully sloping toward the ground. Wire spoke wheels. The thin windscreen, and the drivers fairing. Those high arched fenders, and that Maserati Red… This was a remarkable vehicle for its time, and this version has been restored to that original esteem. By the look of the photos you’d think it just rolled out of the Maserati workshop, ready for its next rider to come calling with a hefty checkbook.

This 1957 Maserati 250S will go under the gavel on September 8th at the RM Auctions London show. Reserve and estimated bidding pricing has not yet been released.

The Graphic Design of Racing Cars

I have always been fascinated with the graphic elements on racing cars. Especially vintage racing cars from the 60’s and 70’s before massive product sponsorship trumped any sense of style with a gigantic marketing message. Gestalten has a new release coming out that is available for pre-order on Amazon. “Go Faster The Graphic Design of Racing Cars“, by Sven Voelker. and I am thinking this might be the next book I add to my collection.

Fast cars, anarchy, and graphic design collide on the pages of this book as it chronicles the history of race car graphics and the design behind them. Most people don’t know that racing giants from the likes of Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, and Lotus developed their looks not by marketing strategists or graphic designers. In the early days it was by chance.

Go Faster is a collection of over one hundred examples of racing car design that documents the carefree racing world where they were created. Go Faster not only takes its readers on a breakneck ride through images of racing history, but each colorful racing car is featured next to a blank white model. The model shows the lines and shape of the vehicle in its unadorned state. This side by side placement helps the viewer see exactly how the graphics modulate the look of the car. And it gives plenty of room for the viewer to imagine their own possibilities for graphic design in motor sports.

In the book you can see how stripes, colors, logos, and numbers combine to help the car stand out from all others on the track as they go by at top speed.

The time and effort invested in the graphic looks of the race cars is a strange juxtaposition compared to the aerodynamic shape of the bodywork created by the engineer for car. But it is precisely this amateur quality, this anarchy and randomness that results in the irresistible attraction that racing cars and their graphics have on us.

Author Sven Voelker is a car enthusiast and graphic designer in Berlin. He is responsible for the global corporate design of the Suzuki Motor Corporation and other clients.