Tag Archives: Automotive

Thule builds a new easy-setup Widesky hardshell rooftop tent for more than just sleeping

Posted on by

My love for the outdoors rekindles with the fading spring chill, and I hear voices from the woods calling me to come explore. Of course, backpacking is the most viable option, but when I’m planning with my partner, I prefer the rooftop tent. There are two conveniences of the modern hardshell rooftop tents: they’re light on the vehicle – can even transform for ground camping – and are easy to set up and sleep in at the end of the day.

Over the years, these camping solutions have come a long way. We have seen hardshell rooftop tents with their own power stations and those massive enough to sleep an entire family of four. With few options to make a mark, Thule has introduced the Widesky, its first, and probably also the first-ever rooftop tent with a sofa. How’s that for standing out?

Designer: Thule

Thule Widesky is a premium hardshell rooftop tent that’s easy to set up in seconds. It arrives in a lightweight aluminum hardshell body with telescopic poles that lift the tent from its closed position to a full-size wedge-shaped tent upon undoing the four latches used to secure it closed. It’s not the construction but the fancy interior that really sets the Widesky apart.

Unlike many rooftop tents, the primary focus of the Thule Widesky is not sleeping. The two-person tent wants travelers to have a comfortable living space inside. By placing a quilted foam mattress inside that converts into a sofa-like setting with a supportive backrest, Thule has transformed the space from the usual sleeper into a living quarter you’d love to retire into when it’s raining outside, or you want to just relax midway. And sitting back, I’m wondering, if it were this simple, why didn’t anyone think of it earlier?

“Widesky is designed to feel just as inviting during the day as it does at night,” Thule confirms. It weighs only 68 kg on the vehicle’s roof and lifts up to 124 cm at the front for a relaxing space inside. When you’re ready to hit the road, the same tent packs back into a hardshell box measuring just 20 cm high. According to the company, it is compatible with most roof rack systems, and courtesy of its durable recycled fabric walls and an all-weather shell, the tent is suitable for more adventures than those tailored for summer days.

“It’s (Widesky) designed for people who… want a rooftop tent that invites them to sit back, relax, and enjoy the view,” Kajsa Levinsson of Thule informs.

The tent comes with a ladder – mountable on any side of the tent – to climb in. Once comfortably seated/sleeping inside, you can enjoy the vista with the same vividness as you would being outside. To that accord, the Widesky is outfitted with large panoramic doors and mesh panels offering expansive outside views, light, and ventilation. The interior is fashioned with dimmable LED lights to make the space feel warm and welcoming even after sunset. All this goodness is expected to arrive anytime this month, but it will set you back $4,000.   

The post Thule builds a new easy-setup Widesky hardshell rooftop tent for more than just sleeping first appeared on Yanko Design.

These Old Bike Frames Upcycled Into Armchairs Are The Coolest Thing You’ll See Today

Posted on by

Most upcycling projects ask you to forget what something used to be. Omri Piko Kahan’s bike frame chairs ask the opposite. The geometry is still unmistakably a bicycle frame, the head tube, the top tube, the triangulated rear triangle, all of it present and accounted for, just oriented sideways and asked to hold a person instead of propel one. Kahan, an industrial designer based in Israel, builds lounge chairs from pairs of retired frames, and the whole point is that the donor material remains fully readable, repurposed without being disguised.

Structurally, the approach is clean and considered. Each frame pair is positioned symmetrically, fork and chainstay ends touching the floor as legs, the top tube running horizontally as an armrest. A slung seat and backrest in leather or canvas complete the form. The result has the relaxed posture of a Barcelona chair and the material honesty of something that was clearly built, not styled.

Designer: Omri Piko Kahan

Bicycle frames are absurdly overbuilt for what Kahan is asking them to do. A modern aluminum road frame is engineered to survive repeated impact loads from a rider pushing 300 watts through rough tarmac, and it does that while weighing somewhere between 1,000 and 1,400 grams. The structural surplus in that kind of engineering is enormous, which is why two of them positioned as a chair frame and asked to support a seated adult is, from a load-bearing standpoint, almost comically within spec. The geometry does the rest. Bicycle frames already resolve forces through triangulated sections, and a lounge chair asks for exactly that kind of lateral and compressive stability.

What Kahan has figured out is the orientation problem. Flip a frame on its side and the existing tube angles don’t automatically produce a useful chair geometry. The fork legs and chainstay ends need to hit the floor at the right height relative to each other, the top tube needs to land at armrest height, and the whole thing needs to produce a seat rake that doesn’t pitch you forward or swallow you whole. The matched top tube angles across both frames in the Cube and Trek build suggest this took real iteration, because they align with a precision that reads as deliberate rather than lucky. Filed fillets at the junctions and a custom setback upper support holding the sling confirm someone was paying close attention to finish quality.

The two builds photographed so far, one pairing a blue Cube road frame with a Trek, another combining a GT Transeo 3.0 with what appears to be a Supreme-branded MTB frame, show how much the donor bikes drive the final character of each piece. The GT build in particular has a longer wheelbase geometry that gives the chair a wider, more reclined stance than the Cube version. Kahan is taking custom orders, with pricing worked out per commission, which makes sense given that no two donor frame combinations will produce the same structural or ergonomic outcome.

The post These Old Bike Frames Upcycled Into Armchairs Are The Coolest Thing You’ll See Today first appeared on Yanko Design.

Semicircular Wings give this Hybrid eVTOL an 800 Mile Range with 30% Less Power Consumption

Posted on by

Could the most efficient VTOL design of the 21st century have been sitting in a patent office since 1928? Willard Ray Custer thought so, and spent decades trying to prove it. His channel wing concept, which set propellers into semicircular cutouts in each wing to blast high-velocity air across the lifting surface at low forward speeds, worked well enough that his team demonstrated near-vertical liftoff decades before the term eVTOL existed. Aviation’s mainstream never adopted it, partly because the aircraft of that period were too heavy and partly because the jet age arrived and swept most unconventional configurations off the table. The concept sat in aerospace history books, occasionally surfacing in academic papers and NASA wind tunnel tests, never finding its way into a production aircraft.

HopFlyt is the company making the argument that the wait is finally over. Founded in 2016 by Rob Winston, a former NASA engineer and Marine Corps test pilot, the Maryland-based startup has built the Cyclone, a hybrid VTOL drone that pairs Custer’s channel wing geometry with pivoting mounts, modern composites, and a hybrid electric-fuel drivetrain. The channels orient rearward for vertical takeoff, pivot beneath the wing for forward cruise, and can even act as aerodynamic brakes on descent. HopFlyt claims the configuration cuts climb power consumption by a third compared to conventional VTOLs, holds fuel burn to under three gallons per hour, and enables cargo runs of 250 lbs across 800-plus miles of range. A 2027 commercial launch is the target, aimed squarely at naval resupply, offshore energy logistics, and medical delivery markets.

Designer: HopFlyt

The engineering logic behind the channel wing is cleaner than it might first appear. A conventional fixed wing generates lift by moving through air fast enough for pressure differentials to do their work, which means you need significant forward velocity before the wing becomes useful. Custer’s insight was to bring the air to the wing instead, using a propeller seated inside a curved half-channel to accelerate flow across the lifting surface regardless of forward speed. HopFlyt’s pivoting channel takes this further, allowing the geometry to optimize for hover and cruise independently rather than compromising between them. Chief Engineer Neil Winston, whose background spans NAVAIR flight test, puts it plainly: the ideas were always there, but the digital control systems, electric motors, and lightweight materials needed to execute them simply did not exist until now.

The hybrid drivetrain is what gives the Cyclone its range credentials and separates it from the crowded field of pure-electric eVTOLs currently chasing urban air taxi certifications. Battery power handles the vertical takeoff and hover phases, where the channel wing’s efficiency advantage is most pronounced, while a turbogenerator takes over for forward cruise, extending endurance far beyond what any battery pack realistically supports today. HopFlyt puts the operational cost savings at 90 percent compared to helicopters performing equivalent missions, a figure that, if it holds up under real-world conditions, makes the Cyclone genuinely disruptive in sectors where helicopter logistics are currently the only viable option. Offshore energy platforms and naval resupply operations run on helicopter economics right now, and those economics are punishing.

HopFlyt has reached this point on a fraction of the capital that comparable advanced air mobility startups have burned through, operating out of a private hangar in Maryland with a team whose combined aerospace experience runs to over a century. The company is currently in a Series A raise to fund hybrid-electric prototype development and initiate flight demonstrations ahead of that 2027 target. Whether the Cyclone becomes the aircraft that finally vindicates Willard Ray Custer’s century-old intuition depends on what those demonstrations produce. The aerodynamics have always been sound. Now the rest of the technology has caught up.

The post Semicircular Wings give this Hybrid eVTOL an 800 Mile Range with 30% Less Power Consumption first appeared on Yanko Design.

100-Meter A100 concept yacht redefines luxury sailing with massive interior volume

Posted on by

Modern sailing superyachts often struggle to balance two competing priorities: the elegance and efficiency of wind-powered travel and the expansive living spaces typically associated with large motor yachts. The A100 sailing yacht concept approaches this challenge with a bold rethink of traditional yacht architecture. Developed through a collaboration between Van Geest Design and Rob Doyle Design, the 100-meter vessel proposes a layout that delivers the interior volume of a motor yacht while maintaining the identity and performance of a sailing superyacht.

At the core of the concept is a design strategy that maximizes usable space. Traditional sailing yachts require wide side decks for crew movement and sail handling, which limits interior width. The A100 concept reduces the width of these side decks, allowing the main deck to stretch nearly the full beam of the yacht. This architectural shift creates significantly larger interior spaces than typically found on sailing yachts of comparable size.

Designer: Van Geest Design and Rob Doyle Design

The main deck is designed as the primary social and living area. Here, the owner’s suite occupies a substantial portion of the deck, offering a level of space rarely seen on sailing yachts. Adjacent to the suite is a central lounge and formal dining area intended for gatherings and entertaining. An additional space can function as a library or a private cinema, adding flexibility to the interior layout. Large sections of glass surround these living areas, filling the interior with natural light and offering uninterrupted views of the ocean.

Below deck, the yacht accommodates guest cabins along with a variety of leisure-focused facilities. This level also houses a dedicated diving room and storage for water toys such as jet skis and e-foils, allowing guests to transition between onboard relaxation and water activities easily. The layout is designed to maintain a strong visual connection with the surrounding seascape while ensuring privacy and comfort for those on board.

Outdoor areas play an equally important role in this larger-than-life superyacht design. The upper deck includes the navigation and steering stations, along with flexible lounge spaces for relaxation or wellness activities. At the stern, a large beach club spans the full width of the yacht, creating a welcoming space for guests to gather close to the water. Toward the bow, storage areas accommodate tenders and recreational equipment without disrupting the clean lines of the deck.

The sailing system is based on two free-standing DynaRig masts, a modern configuration used on some of the world’s largest sailing yachts. The system employs curved yards that support multiple sails, all of which can be deployed and adjusted electronically at the push of a button. The rotating masts simplify sail handling while maintaining efficient propulsion for a vessel of this scale.

Beyond its layout and sailing system, the A100 concept also reflects growing interest in more sustainable superyacht designs. By relying heavily on wind propulsion supported by advanced onboard energy systems, the concept explores ways to reduce reliance on conventional engine power. If brought to life, the A100 would stand among the largest sailing yachts ever built!

The post 100-Meter A100 concept yacht redefines luxury sailing with massive interior volume first appeared on Yanko Design.

Ari 458 Pro is Germany’s smallest electric camper and we love its approach

Posted on by

It’s rare to come across a capable mobile living unit built onto the back of a Midsize Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV). The versatile delivery truck platform has the power and capacity to carry a living unit, but it’s not a preferred conversion choice for obvious reasons: It wouldn’t go beyond the convenient city and semi-urban paths.

If you’re someone who is content with camping in designated sites and parks at accessible distances over a weekend; the Ari 458 Pro electric camper van is tailored for your ‘compact, efficient and consistently sustainable’ lifestyle. For those who prefer the rugged wilderness, look over for other options.

Designer: Ari Motors

Created in Germany by Ari Motors, the Ari 458 Pro doesn’t have the rugged appearance: It’s not meant to be a mean adventure rig. The docile appearance may not be German, but the quality of what you get onboard the motorhome – space-saving design with maximum flexibility for living and traveling – is definitely German, if you know what I mean.

Designed to be Germany’s smallest electric camper van out there, Ari 458 Pro is created keeping in mind adventurers and family campers interested in short vacations. The mini-camper with 30 square feet of living space has a top speed of 70 km/h (44 mph) and about 230 kilometers (143 miles) range. It draws power from a solitary 23.5kWh electric motor, which produces up to 20 horsepower.  A choice of 15kWh battery is also available. It will perhaps reduce the range from 143 to roughly 112 miles.

It comes based on a resilient chassis with an integrated power supply, solar and water systems, while the interior is left out as a blank canvas for the individual to customize to their different requirement. Users can choose to customize the 12.5 feet long, 4.9 feet wide, and 6 feet high (headroom) camper interior from a minimalist solution for sleeping to a fully-equipped home with kitchenette, storage, couch, bed and other necessities.

Created small and compact, the Ari 458 Pro camper van can park conveniently in any parking space, and as the company says, ‘fit narrow roads where larger motorhomes cannot go.’ Its cockpit is interestingly furnished with two seats, a digital display, and a reversing camera to ensure safety. The camper van is currently available in Germany and is priced at €30,381 ($35,100). We do not have a word on the Air 458 Pro’s international availability, but for the interested, the Ari 458 Pro is available in the country in over 30 different variants: food truck, box van, flatbed, tipper, or even a compact garbage truck. These configurations start at €15,790 ($18,200).

 

The post Ari 458 Pro is Germany’s smallest electric camper and we love its approach first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Hydrogen Business Jet Emits Nothing But Water and Could Change Private Aviation Forever

Posted on by

French aerospace startup Beyond Aero has just completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of its hydrogen-electric business jet, the BYA-I One, a significant step that moves the aircraft firmly into detailed design and verification and one step closer to its target commercial entry in 2030. Founded in Toulouse in December 2020, Beyond Aero first unveiled the BYA-I concept at the Paris Air Show in June 2023. Since then, the aircraft has evolved considerably, and the PDR marks the most mature version yet.

The review confirmed the full integration of hydrogen storage, electric propulsion, thermal management, fuel cell systems, and safety architecture into what the company describes as a certifiable design. The propulsion setup is the heart of the story. The BYA-I One uses a twin pusher-configured propfan system, a shift from the earlier ducted-fan arrangement, powered by six 400kW hydrogen fuel cells delivering a combined 2.4MW of power, with a total propeller shaft output of 950kW.

Designer: Beyond Aero

Gaseous hydrogen is stored at 700 bar in externally mounted tanks above the wing structure, with a refueling time of just 30 minutes. The aircraft emits only water vapor in flight, making it one of the cleanest propulsion concepts in business aviation today. A custom-designed Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system ensures precise performance across all flight phases and will be certified under a TC Engine framework.

On performance, the numbers are compelling. The BYA-I One is designed to carry up to eight passengers over a range of 800 nautical miles at 300 knots, covering more than 80% of current European business aviation routes. It has a maximum speed of 414 mph, a ceiling of 26,000 feet, and a takeoff ground roll of just 725 meters, short enough to serve constrained airports like London City, and can operate from grass, snow, and unpaved surfaces.

Inside, the cabin stretches 1.84 meters wide and 1.7 meters tall, wider than most light jets, with a six-seat club configuration. Elliptical windows are 27% larger than those found in conventional business jets, flooding the interior with natural light. With 90% fewer moving parts and no high-temperature turbine, maintenance costs are projected to drop by up to 60%, and overall operational costs could fall by 40–60% compared to conventional jets.

Market appetite is already strong, with Beyond Aero securing $914 million in Letters of Intent across 108 aircraft, and a waiting list for booking deposits is now open. The certification path runs through EASA, where Beyond Aero is actively collaborating to develop special conditions for hydrogen-electric aircraft, essentially helping write the rulebook for an entirely new category of flight. If the 2030 timeline holds, the BYA-I One won’t just be another business jet. It’ll be the first of its kind.

The post This Hydrogen Business Jet Emits Nothing But Water and Could Change Private Aviation Forever first appeared on Yanko Design.

Freelander reincarnates as an all-electric off-road SUV with six models planned

Posted on by

The Freelander name is making a comeback after more than a decade, but its return marks a significant shift from its original identity. Once a compact SUV within the Land Rover lineup, the Freelander has been revived as an independent electrified vehicle brand through a joint venture between Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Chinese automaker Chery.

Rather than reintroducing the vehicle under the Land Rover badge, the two companies are positioning Freelander as a separate marque focused on a new generation of electrified SUVs, with global ambitions but an initial focus on the Chinese market. The revival is led by the Concept 97, a name that references the original Freelander’s debut in 1997. Although the new vehicle does not carry Land Rover branding, its styling retains visual cues associated with the brand’s off-road heritage.

Designer: Freelander

The concept features a boxy silhouette, upright stance, and rugged proportions reminiscent of classic Land Rover SUVs, while also integrating modern lighting elements and a more futuristic design language. Details such as the angled D-pillar nod to the three-door Freelander from the late 1990s, blending nostalgia with contemporary aesthetics. The project represents a deeper collaboration between JLR and Chery, combining British design expertise with Chinese electric-vehicle technology and manufacturing capabilities.

JLR contributes design direction and brand heritage, while Chery provides the underlying platforms, powertrain technology, and large-scale production. The vehicles will be produced at the Chery-Jaguar Land Rover joint-venture facility in Changshu, China, which will become the manufacturing base for the new lineup. Unlike the original Freelander, which relied on traditional internal-combustion engines, the reborn lineup is centered on electrification. The new models are expected to use an advanced 800-volt platform capable of supporting multiple powertrain configurations, including fully electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and range-extended electric systems.

This flexibility allows the brand to adapt to varying market demands and regulatory environments while maintaining a focus on off-road capability and performance. On the Inside, Concept 97 emphasizes a technology-driven cabin designed for comfort and connectivity. The vehicle features a three-row layout with six seats, including a rear bench styled like a lounge couch. A pillar-to-pillar display runs along the base of the windshield, complemented by a large central infotainment screen. Advanced electronics play a major role in the user experience, with systems powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8397 chip and Huawei’s Qiankun intelligent-driving technology. This is assisted by a high-resolution LiDAR sensor for advanced driver-assistance features.

The Concept 97 is not intended to be a standalone showcase. Instead, it previews an entire product strategy built around a family of electrified SUVs. The Freelander brand plans to launch six production models over the next five years, beginning with a three-row SUV similar to the concept. These vehicles will initially target Chinese buyers before gradually expanding into international markets with region-specific models. What began as an entry-level Land Rover has now evolved into a standalone electric SUV brand, signaling how legacy automotive names are being reimagined for the rapidly changing landscape of global mobility.

The post Freelander reincarnates as an all-electric off-road SUV with six models planned first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hyundai Boulder off-road SUV has Bronco and Wrangler in its crosshair

Posted on by

Hyundai has clearly shown its keen interest in off-road SUVs with the Crater concept, and now, to celebrate four decades of success in the United States, it has another capable machine. At the 2026 New York auto show, the Korean automaker took the wraps off the Boulder concept, which is based on the body-on-frame-constructed platform.

With this move, their ambitions to target the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler are clear. They aim to debut a mid-sized pickup truck by 2030 based on this construction. According to Hyundai, they want the Boulder to be a fusion of sleek lines and boxiness. For this, they’ve gone with a body frame design philosophy called “Art of Steel.” At first glace you can tell the shapes resemble the Bronco with the addition of design elements adapted from bigger off-roaders. The latter can be associated with the roof-mounted safari windows of the Land Rover Defender.

Designer: Hyundai

According to Hyundai at the reveal event, the future body-on-frame vehicles are going to be designed, developed, and built in America, using Hyundai’s US Steel. The SUV’s bold design took shape at Hyundai Design North America, led by a Southern California-based team. The focus here is on targeting the off-road fanatics and newbies who are venturing on their maiden journeys on virgin terrains. At the event, Hyundai Motor Company president and CEO, José Muñoz, said, “The Boulder Concept demonstrates how Hyundai is seeking to give American customers more of what they want.” Jose believes that body-on-frame vehicles are the backbone of American culture, and they want to bring capable midsize pickup vehicles to the region with all their might.

Adventure is at the core of the Boulder with rear-hinged coach doors for loading and unloading gear. The dual-hinged rear tailgate can also be opened from either side to accommodate bigger adventure gear. For an airy feeling, the rear windows can be rolled down. The off-road SUV rides on 37-inch mud-terrain tires, and the ground clearance, as well as the approach and departure angles, look aggressive. Although there are no official numbers on that from Hyundai, they still look impressive. According to SangYup Lee, Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, Boulder is a “four-wheeled love letter to the dynamic, off-road way of life.”

Just like the IONIQ 3, based on the advanced steel technology, the Boulder’s Art of Steel design base is poised to attract off-roading enthusiasts who want a reliable 4×4 off-roader. Adding features like a tow hook and low-profile roof rack is a given since this vehicle is built for tough adventures. The rear window, which drops down to fit long objects like a canoe or to facilitate ventilation, signals the brand’s interest in building an elaborate ecosystem. The platform should accommodate combustion, electric, and hybrid options, which holds well for the brand’s future in the West.

On the inside, the SUV’s cabin carries a retro-futuristic vibe. There’s a full-width heads-up display showing the vital vehicle metrics, and the dashboard has small square displays with physical input for a more tactile feel. Other details about the concept are shrouded in mystery for now, and it’ll be interesting to see the developments as they unfold.

The post Hyundai Boulder off-road SUV has Bronco and Wrangler in its crosshair first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sakura-Inspired Racing Bulls F1 Simulator Is the Most Beautiful Thing to Come Out of the 2026 Japanese GP

Posted on by

Racing Bulls arrived at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix wearing a livery that had nothing to do with sponsor placement optimization or brand color refresh cycles, and everything to do with sakura. Designed by Bisen Aoyagi, one of Japan’s most accomplished calligraphers, the Cherry Edition wrapped Lawson and Lindblad’s cars in white, red, and silver calligraphy that treated the F1 car as a medium for cultural expression rather than a rolling billboard. The team introduced it to Tokyo at Red Bull Tokyo Drift in Shibuya before the Suzuka weekend, generating the kind of organic enthusiasm online that no marketing campaign can manufacture, and the cars then backed the visual statement with a double points finish in the race.

That specific convergence of art, culture, and competitive result is what F1 Authentics and Memento Exclusives have captured in a limited edition motion simulator now available at f1authentics.com. The simulator replicates the Cherry Edition livery from official team data, ensuring the calligraphy and colorwork match what appeared on the actual cars at Suzuka, while haptic actuators, front pivot configuration, and rumble feedback handle the physical side of the experience. Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer framed the Cherry Edition as part of a broader commitment to engaging meaningfully with the cultures that host each race, which makes the simulator less a piece of merchandise and more a physical artifact of that philosophy in action.

Designer: Bisen Aoyagi

The livery itself deserves more than a passing description. Aoyagi’s calligraphy does something that most F1 livery design cannot, which is carry genuine visual weight at both highway speed and standing still. The white base gives the red and silver calligraphic strokes room to breathe, and the result reads differently depending on your distance from the car. At speed through Suzuka’s Esses, the Cherry Edition reads as a bold, high-contrast graphic. Parked in the Shibuya streets during Tokyo Drift, it operated as something closer to a gallery installation on wheels. That duality, between kinetic graphic and considered artwork, is exactly what makes the livery a strong candidate for the simulator treatment, because you actually want to sit inside it and study the surfaces around you.

The simulator itself is built by Memento Exclusives’ in-house team of engineers and mechanics, people who have spent decades working in professional motorsport environments and understand the difference between a product that looks like an F1 simulator and one that behaves like one. The haptic actuator system and front pivot configuration work in tandem to replicate the physical signature of cornering forces, while the haptic rumble feedback layer communicates road surface texture and kerb strikes with enough fidelity to make the experience genuinely instructive rather than merely theatrical.

Memento Exclusives has built simulators for other F1 teams through the F1 Authentics platform before, and the Racing Bulls Cherry Edition continues that technical standard while raising the aesthetic bar considerably.

For the sim racing community, which has already made the Cherry Edition one of the most discussed liveries of the early 2026 season across forums and social channels, the simulator represents an opportunity to own the physical version of something they have already been racing virtually. For collectors with a longer view, it represents a documented moment: a calligrapher’s interpretation of Japanese spring, painted onto an F1 car, raced at one of the sport’s most mythologized circuits, and preserved in a numbered, limited run that will not be repeated. Available now at f1authentics.com, and given the trajectory of interest since Suzuka, the window to secure one is likely shorter than a sakura season.

The post Sakura-Inspired Racing Bulls F1 Simulator Is the Most Beautiful Thing to Come Out of the 2026 Japanese GP first appeared on Yanko Design.

Life-sized LEGO Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider has a naturally aspirated V12 engine and working headlights

Posted on by

You can keep all the LEGO builds on one side and the life-sized version on the other; the latter will always be more impressive. The McLaren P1 driven by Lando Norris, and the Ferrari Monza SP1 are prime examples of cars that look better in their LEGO-ized version. The Moza SP1, designed specifically as a LEGOLAND installation, now has a better installation to be jealous of.

LEGOLAND New York has got its functional LEGO 12Cilindri Spider as a part of the Build and Race experience, thanks to a collaboration between LEGO Master Model Builders and Ferrari. The 1:1 scaled replica of the convertible flagship is powered by the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine, producing 819 horsepower. At first glance, you will realize the intricacy of this LEGO build, which looks like a pixelated version of the real thing.

Designer: Ferrari and LEGO

The Master Model Builders put in more than 2,300 hours to build the largest-ever LEGO Ferrari on the planet, meticulously assembling 554,767 bricks. This highly detailed build, modeled on the 12Cilindri Spider, weighs 1,800 kg. It is heavier than the real car, which tips the scales at 1,620 kg. Realism of the LEGO version is surreal as it truly captures the front muscularity and the rear haunches of the sports car without leaving anything to nitpick. The long bonnet if the performance four-wheeler is true to the original version.

It gets functional headlights, carbon ceramic brakes, door handles, a license plate done in white and blue patchwork, and draped in the eye candy Rosso Corsa hue. The interior is contrasted in crème color with a ultra detailed steering wheel and the signature Manettino dial. If that doesn’t impress you much, the car has a real car base with the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 (F140HD), which generates 678 Nm torque at 9,250 rpm. Visitors can open the vehicle’s doors and sit, but not drive the thing, which is understandable given the amount of horsepower it has under the hood.

The most amazing bit is that you can build mini versions of the LEGO 12Cilindri Spider, and drive the car on interactive test ramps at the 15- acres Hudson Valley LEGOLAND. One can test their versions on physical ramps or the digitally scanned tracks of the Fiorano circuit, which is the next best thing to driving the real car.

The post Life-sized LEGO Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider has a naturally aspirated V12 engine and working headlights first appeared on Yanko Design.