Maybach Exelero at Pebble Beach 2006
     I like big cars, and I mean REALLY BIG, like 18 to 20 feet long. When I saw the 2005 Maybach Exelero coupe concept car at Lord March's FESTIVAL OF SPEED in England in the summer of 2006, it stuck out at least two to three feet longer than all the "common" Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc. that surrounded it. It confirmed what I already knew: assuming you're not an introvert, bigger is better.
     Really BIG cars are in a heavyweight battle cruiser class unto themselves. DELAHAYE USA is building bigger cars.They are simply not in the same league with cars 17 foot long or less. At present we have no intention of building a similar  "clone" of this car, although we could if we had a customer who wanted to spend a half million or more. The design would have to be changed to avoid locking horns with Daimler-Chrysler's army of lawyers.  
Two "Oscars," 95th percentile humans, sit as we start packaging the computer image of our
135-inch wheelbase Bugatti Type 57S fastback around them so 6-footers will fit in front and back seat.
     Since 2000, I've had a big, four-place fastback, long wheelbase Type 57 SC supercharged 1930's Bugatti flavored coupe rattling around in my brain. I was inspired by the two George Paulin designed, Pourtout bodied Talbot Lagos (then owned by hotelier J.W. "Bill" Marriott Jr. and actor Nicholas Cage) I saw flanking Ralph Lauren's Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantique at Louis Vuitton 2000 in Manhattan. I started by having a sculptor make a clay model under my direction.
     Then it was improved by professional clay modeler Todd Storrs of Automotive Jazz in Redford, MI. Next I had it digitized and stretched to 135-inch wheelbase on the computer by Halpin Design so two adults could fit in the back seat. Because we are remanufacturing Type 57 Grilles and shells, I have switched to that grille shape.      
     Another reason is that I recently bought an original hood and side panels from a Soutchik Type 57 Bugattti that I intend to use on this project. Shortly, I will have a pair of Bugatti 57 .385 fenders coming, and as cash flow allows, we'll start to hammer out an aluminum body.
      I coaxed John Caswell into doing a sketch on the car and he delivered it to me (below).
      Obviously this is not a four-place car, and the roof appears a bit low for human occupants. But you've got to admit it has sex appeal! Watch this space for this project to continue to develop. This, too, will be a big car.
Starting with a clay sculpture inspired by two Pourtout Talbot Lagos, the clay was "tuned up" (above) by pro clay modeler Todd Storrs in Detroit, then digitized in 3D (below), then sent to Halpin Design. By cutting cross sections on the computer, building a plywood and wireframe buck for the aluminum body is the next step.
     Another car that keeps me awake at night is the 1925 Rolls Royce that was rebodied in Belgium by Jonckheere in 1934. I saw this car in the basement parking garage of the Petersen Museum years ago when I was visiting my SCRAPE Zephyr, now owned by that museum. At the time the giant round door Rolls was 40 feet away, painted gold and looked terrible.
     However when restored and repainted stunning Batmobile black, when it rolled into Ocean Ave. in Carmel Thursday of Pebble Beach week 2005, it had the same effect on the crowd as if a giant UFO was hovering in for a landing on the White House lawn!
     We'd love to build a 20 foot long replica of this car, except the grille shell is overwhelming and the car could use a "nose job." Would you like one?      
     Interested parties can contact Terry Cook at 00+ 1+1 (908) 876-9100.

Photo credit: Robert Myrick Photography

Photo credit: Robert Myrick Photography

COLLAPSIBLE SEDAN, especially designed for E. L. Cord by the Walter M. Murphy Co. coachbuilders back in the early 1930s. Okay, we know it's not a fastback, but with a very tasteful top chop (shown), this is another stunning car we're adding to the "cars we want to build" list.