Photo: swayang_das via Instagram
There are a lot of cars these days that offer their drivers the possibility to alter settings on the fly, making them behave more or less aggressively or offering more comfort to the detriment of handling.
Throttle response and gear shift smoothness are just the low-hanging fruit, with adaptive steering and dampers providing the next level of customization that can switch from race car to comfy daily driver just by the push of a button. Having two cars in one has never been easier.
However much these settings can alter the way a vehicle feels, they do jack-all to modify its appearance. That means you're left with the choice of a bland-looking sports car, an aggressive-looking daily, or something in the no-mans-land that's in between those two.
Well, Instagram user swayang_das figured things didn't have to be like that, so they came up with the McLaren 05/94. The car was created as a tribute to two past McLaren glories: the MP4/4 Formula One racer made famous by Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna (as well as it being a capable racecar) and the F1 road car designed by legendary automotive figure Gordon Murray.
The spiel behind the 05/94 is that it's a wolf in sheep's clothing. On the outside, you see the shape of a classic mid-engine hypercar, with the cabin pushed up front and wide hips at the back offering room for the big wheels needed to contain the massive amount of power. Except that, on closer inspection, you'll notice there's no engine.
Indeed, the 05/94's cabin actually houses two people in a tandem configuration, hence the extra length. The author doesn't talk about propulsion, but we're left to imagine it's 100% electric since there would be no place left for the engine. That becomes even more apparent once the sheep's clothing is peeled off.
In swayang_das' imagination, the McLaren 05/94 has a split personality. The sports car/hypercar body can be removed to reveal a true track weapon not very dissimilar to the MP4/4 Formula One single-seater from 1988. That thing undoubtedly looks like a lot of fun, and the fact you get to share the experience with somebody else sitting behind makes it even more appealing.
It's a novel idea that adds a visual component to this technical duality that cars have these days. Depending on how easy it would be to complete the transformation, a lot of people would probably jump at the occasion to own such a vehicle. Of course, it will never really happen mostly because of on-road safety regulations - and if you can't drive it on the road, what's the point of the transformation? Still, a nice project with a cool - and fitting - name: Toothless. If that has you scratching your head, you haven't watched the right cartoons.
However much these settings can alter the way a vehicle feels, they do jack-all to modify its appearance. That means you're left with the choice of a bland-looking sports car, an aggressive-looking daily, or something in the no-mans-land that's in between those two.
Well, Instagram user swayang_das figured things didn't have to be like that, so they came up with the McLaren 05/94. The car was created as a tribute to two past McLaren glories: the MP4/4 Formula One racer made famous by Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna (as well as it being a capable racecar) and the F1 road car designed by legendary automotive figure Gordon Murray.
The spiel behind the 05/94 is that it's a wolf in sheep's clothing. On the outside, you see the shape of a classic mid-engine hypercar, with the cabin pushed up front and wide hips at the back offering room for the big wheels needed to contain the massive amount of power. Except that, on closer inspection, you'll notice there's no engine.
Indeed, the 05/94's cabin actually houses two people in a tandem configuration, hence the extra length. The author doesn't talk about propulsion, but we're left to imagine it's 100% electric since there would be no place left for the engine. That becomes even more apparent once the sheep's clothing is peeled off.
In swayang_das' imagination, the McLaren 05/94 has a split personality. The sports car/hypercar body can be removed to reveal a true track weapon not very dissimilar to the MP4/4 Formula One single-seater from 1988. That thing undoubtedly looks like a lot of fun, and the fact you get to share the experience with somebody else sitting behind makes it even more appealing.
It's a novel idea that adds a visual component to this technical duality that cars have these days. Depending on how easy it would be to complete the transformation, a lot of people would probably jump at the occasion to own such a vehicle. Of course, it will never really happen mostly because of on-road safety regulations - and if you can't drive it on the road, what's the point of the transformation? Still, a nice project with a cool - and fitting - name: Toothless. If that has you scratching your head, you haven't watched the right cartoons.
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