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Steampunk 6-Wheel Land Yacht Is a Car from the Future Past

They say that all car companies actually build the same thing with slightly different headlights. Sure, there are differences and some models are a little better than others, but there's not risk-taking, no variety.
Steampowered yacht by Mikhail Smolyanov 15 photos
Photo: Mikhail Smolyanov
Steampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail SmolyanovSteampowered yacht by Mikhail Smolyanov
Turn back the clock a hundred years and you might discover cars had their pedals arranged differently, that they had more levers sticking out of the floor or that the headlights were in the middle.

This virtually created car made by 3D artist Mikhail Smolyanov blends many ideas we love into one totally original car unlike anything ever made. It's a steam-powered yacht with six wheels, copper piping and wood decking.

A lot of attention was placed on the finer details, which work together to give a royal theme. At the front, there's a double-headed eagle sigil, like you get with royal trains. The same theme is seen in the front suspension, which features gold leaf vine motifs.

Even though the vehicle is huge, the cabin only seats two people because the rest of it is a giant steam engine. To be honest, we can't figure out how it would work if this were a real life vehicle because there's no boiler, but it is admittedly very pretty to look at.

Above the engine, the decking borrows from the style of classic Italian style wooden speed boats, the Rivas. Normally, those decks are used for sun tanning because the Italian coastline is too rocky to do that on the beach, but that steam engine could be too close for comfort.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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