While most of us feel a (justified) sense of accomplishment for being able to buy our kids that expensive toy they saw and instantly wanted, one father from Vietnam is totally next level. He build a fully functional, fully electric Lamborghini Sian Roadster out of wood for his toddler son. And he wasn’t even that impressed!
Truong Van Dao of the ND Woodworking Art YouTube channel is not alone in making convincing car models out of wood: various carpenters and artists have tried their hand at cars to incredible results. His previous creations, a Bugatti Chiron and a BMW 328 Hommage, have gotten him plenty of media attention too, but even so, this one stands out. It’s not just a kiddie car that’s functional thanks to a small motor and battery pack, but it’s a work of art.
As an adult, you can’t help but watch the condensed making-of video at the bottom of the page and not appreciate the attention to detail of this project, as well as the incredible hard work and long hours that went into it. Starting from a wooden platform into which Van Dao incorporated the drivetrain, he created a blocky contour for what would later become the Sian.
The video shows him literally carving out the Sian features out of wood, using various tools, before adding finishing touches like LED lights, the windshield, the (wooden) seats and the (wooden) steering wheel, fake gauges, lighted mirrors, and the pedals. The wooden Sian even features fake brake disks similar to the real deal and the trademark Lamborghini gull-wing doors, activated by remote control.
At the end of the build process, which took him 65 days, Van Dao took his son for a ride on local streets, even venturing out in light traffic. The Sian moves slowly and loudly because it packs a small electric motor, and the car’s total weight must be considerable. But it makes for an extraordinary sight because it’s a tiny beautiful thing that’s more of a functional work of art than it is a kiddie car.
Which is just well: Van Dao’s son seems hardly impressed by this very special present.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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