Designers and manufacturers present upgraded vehicles that explore future mobility, updated classic forms, and mixed-use materials in our Top 10 Cars of 2025. Take Alef Aeronautics’ Model A, which is a flying car that moves on roads and rises vertically. The body keeps the form of a road car and hides the lift system inside the shell, as the idea is a single vehicle for both driving and flying. Other makers explore narrow or compact forms, with a modified Fiat Panda becomes a 50-centimeter-wide electric car with one central seat, or a three-wheel Velocar uses birch plywood, bicycle parts, and simple tools so users can repair or rebuild it in a small workshop. 

Children’s mobility also enters the field, as seen in Toyota’s Kids Mobi running on autonomous system. It drives around one child and without any adult supervision on board. Some designers and brands update classic vehicles as seen in our Top 10 Cars of 2025. Sean Wotherspoon, for example, rebuilds a Porsche and a Land Rover with new surfaces, new fabrics, and revised layouts. With Twisted Automotive, the team reworks old Beetles with off-road parts. There’s also Mercedes-Benz and its Art Deco-inspired Vision Iconic concept  car, bearing a glass instrument panel with lighting animation, continuing our list’s design studies in the automotive industry.

DRIVABLE FLYING CAR BY ALEF AERONAUTICS TAKES FLIGHT

image courtesy of Alef Aeronautics

Alef Aeronautics debuts the flight of its flying car, Alef Model A, in a public exhibition. The event focused on the design and operation of the drivable vehicle that can lift off the ground, which included a test flight recorded on February 19, 2025. In the video, the car moves on a road and then rises vertically. It also flies over another vehicle, and this is the team’s way to display the proof of a working flying car with vertical takeoff and landing. The Model A has the outer form of a road car so it can park in normal parking spaces and travel on public streets. The body houses the lift system inside the structure, and the design doesn’t use exposed propellers. The interior includes a gimbaled cabin that stays level in the air, while the elevon system manages vertical and forward movement.

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MOTOFOCKER VELOCAR COMBINES BICYCLE AND CAR IN ONE

image by Lefties Photo

Motofocker Velocar is a three-wheel vehicle made by designer Máté Fock, whose style sits between a bicycle and a small car. The chassis is made from birch plywood that resists water and heat, and many of its parts come from normal bicycle components. Some others are from semi-finished industrial products. These materials can help the user repair the vehicle and recycle the parts easily and even allow them to build the vehicle with ready hand tools in a small workshop. The Velocar, which forms part of our top 10 cars of 2025, uses both human power and an electric system and moves like a bicycle. The design offers a stable seating position, space for luggage, and weather cover.

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WORLD’S NARROWEST FIAT PANDA DRIVES AROUND

image courtesy of tutti pazzi per marazzi

Modded 1993 Fiat Panda becomes dubbed the world’s narrowest of its kind, still drivable as a fully functional electric car. The maker, Andrea Marazzi, builds the vehicle by hand using reused parts from the original model and makes his version only 50 centimeters wide. He keeps the roof, the doors, and many visual elements from the first car, but the body, frame, and inside structure are redesigned. The driver sits in the center, and the car uses a small steering wheel. A single headlight is placed on the front for night use, and the rear of the vehicle has a pointed form similar to a boat’s front section. The exterior, then, resembles a slice of pizza for how narrow and compact it is.

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ELECTRIC BUBBLE CAR FOR KIDS RUNS WITHOUT ADULTS ON BOARD

image © designboom

Toyota introduces  Kids Mobi as an electric pod-type vehicle made for children. The car manufacturer showed the prototype at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, telling the viewers they saw it as a vehicle that could move a child without an adult inside. In fact, the vehicle has a round pod shape, which is kid-friendly, and the door opens upward so an adult can help the child enter. Inside, there is one seat with soft material, and the space is large enough for one child to sit with a seat belt. The front has LED eyes that move to interact with the kids before they step in. The Kids Mobi uses an autonomous driving system with sensors and cameras. It is the AI system that controls direction, speed, and route of the vehicle, driving the child on its own and without any adult supervision.

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SEAN WOTHERSPOON REVAMPS PORSCHE AND LAND ROVER

image © Hagop Kalaidjian

Sean Wotherspoon takes a Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7RS and a 1958 Land Rover and reimagines their surfaces, colors, and interiors. For the former, the designer repainted every panel and replaced every surface inside the car, wrapping the cabin with vintage Levi’s denim, corduroy, and flannel fabrics sourced from garments dating back to the 1960s. For the latter, the designer kept the original panels and chassis, and the team added a rebuilt engine, a new gearbox, new wheels, a simple digital system with CarPlay, and new rear seats with speakers. Sean Wotherspoon also added an updated layout to the body, giving both car models his signature color blocks.

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REFLECTIVE SUPERCAR PERALTA S FEATURES MIRROR-POLISHED BODY

image courtesy of GFG Style

Peralta S is a one-off supercar designed by GFG Style. First shown in Mexico in March 2025, the vehicle’s design takes inspiration from the Maserati Boomerang. Its main feature is its mirror-polished aluminum body, with the entire exterior frame being made from handmade aluminum panels. Because of this, the surface reflects the surroundings. Only a few parts use other materials: the front spoiler, rear diffuser, and side sills are made from carbon fiber to reduce weight and improve airflow. The vehicle uses a dome system for entry, with the top section lifts upward as one piece so the driver can step inside. The side windows also open upward on their own hinges, and from above, the vehicle has a teardrop layout. The lights are hidden under the front and rear sections, and when the car starts, the rear lights create a shadow-light effect, and the rear spoiler rises for function.

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TWISTED T-BUG IS A MODIFIED BEETLE FOR OFF-ROAD TERRAINS

image courtesy of Twisted Automotive

Twisted Automotive presents T-Bug, a modified version of the classic Beetle, made for off-road use on desert ground, sand dunes, and uneven terrain. Each model begins as an air-cooled Beetle from the 1960s to 1980s, and the design team removes all parts and works from the bare structure. They seal and strengthen the chassis so the vehicle can handle modern roads. Then, they install long-travel suspension and large off-road tires to increase ground contact on different surfaces. The team keeps the original Beetle shape, but the bodywork, evident here in our top 10 cars of 2025 list, is restored and repainted inside and outside in the color chosen by the owner. The engine is upgraded to produce more power, but it stays under 80 horsepower so the driver can feel the terrain at a controlled speed.

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LAMBORGHINI MANIFESTO CONCEPT SIGNALS MINIMALIST FUTURE

image © Lamborghini

Lamborghini presents the Manifesto concept to mark twenty years of its in-house design studio, Centro Stile. The vehicle is a design study with no plan for production, as it is used to test ideas about the future look of the brand. The design team, led by Mitja Borkert, removes the usual sharp lines and large wings from the past models and focuses on simple shapes and clear proportions for the concept vehicle. The front of the Manifesto then includes a Y-shaped light pattern, a shape that first appeared in a 2007 Lamborghini model. The nose of the car follows a straight layout that connects to the brand’s recent vehicle, and the air channels are designed as single openings to show a clean structure. A glass canopy forms the roof and the window area, creating a continuous piece that covers the cockpit and creates a clear view of the interior. At the rear, the concept uses vertical Y-shaped brake lights.

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MERCEDES-BENZ REVEALS ART DECO-INSPIRED VISION ICONIC CAR

image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz presents the Vision Iconic, a concept car takes its main ideas from the 1938 Mercedes-Benz Typ 540K Autobahn-Kurier. The design, as seen in our top 10 cars of 2025, uses the long front section, wide wheel arches, round headlights, and roof line of the older model. For the Vision Iconic, they apply Art Deco forms to update these elements. The front grille includes lighting animation, which changes in patterns when the car is active, and inside the car, the main feature is the instrument panel called the Zeppelin. It is shaped like a floating glass bar and contains thin lines and geometric shapes based on Art Deco design. When the door opens, the panel shows an analog-style animation. A screen runs across the width of the interior, and in the center there is a clock shaped like the Mercedes-Benz star. Materials inside include silver and gold marquetry panels around the doors and rear seats.

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PAGANI DEBUTS OPEN-AIR SPEEDSTER HUAYRA CODALUNGA

image courtesy of Pagani

Pagani presents the Huayra Codalunga Speedster, an open-air version of the 2022 coupé. The project comes from the Pagani Grandi Complicazioni division and from sketches by Horacio Pagani, with its design using ideas from racing cars from the 1950s and 1960s. Inside the car, artisans shape the parts by hand: the gauges and meters come from solid metal blocks and are carved to form small pieces for the dashboard; and the steering wheel and gear knob follow older racing forms but use a carbon-fiber frame, mahogany inserts, and aluminum rivets shaped by hand. Pagani also develops a new fabric for the seats, door panels, and center console. The pattern comes from the four-exhaust symbol used in Pagani cars. Each piece has over 450,000 stitches. The body uses a new monocoque that joins frame and shell in one part. Then, the headlights sit inside the body, and the front bumper holds a splitter that moves air around and under the car. Even the side windows take forms from 1940s and 1950s race cars.

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2024 — 2023 — 2022 — 2021 — 2020 — 2019 

2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

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Meet ARIA, the modular electric city car created by the student team TU/ecomotive that drivers can repair themselves. Designed to last longer, the vehicle changes the status quo in the automotive industry by giving the users more control over repairs and maintenance instead of relying on manufacturers and shops. The main idea behind ARIA is simple: a car that people can fix themselves and that is functional for daily use and more sustainable over time. The modular electric city car is built from separate parts that work as modules, including the battery units, the body panels, and the electronic elements inside the car. 

When one part stops working, the user replaces only that part, so there’s no need to visit a dealer, and it reduces long repair times and high repair costs. The design helps users save time and money, and it reduces waste because working parts do not get thrown away. The battery system shows this approach clearly, too, because usually, electric cars have one large battery that sits deep inside the chassis. If there is a failure, the entire pack often needs to be removed with special tools. ARIA uses just six small battery modules, each module weighing around 12 kilos. A user can lift one out by hand, and it works in the same simple way as removing household batteries from a remote control. This means a user can replace one broken module at home without touching the other five.

all images courtesy of Eindhoven University of Technology | photos by Sarp Gürel

Vehicle parts that owners themselves can replace 

The exterior of the modular electric city car follows the same logic because ARIA’s body panels attach to the car like clip-on pieces. If a panel gets damaged, the user clicks it off and clicks a new one on, so they don’t need to repaint or rebuild a part of the body. When a user removes a panel, the inside components become visible and accessible, allowing the user to check wires or small parts and replace them without taking the car to a shop. The system was created by a student from Summa, with their team coming from the group in TU Eindhoven and Fontys. The design of the vehicle responds to a growing problem that any electric city cars are hard to repair. Their batteries are built into the frame, the parts are not standard, and independent garages often cannot get the correct components. 

Technicians trained to handle EV battery systems are also limited, which brings long waiting times, and because of this, some vehicles are discarded even when most of the parts still work. ARIA tries to solve this by giving repair power back to users. The modular electric city car includes clear manuals, standard parts, a toolbox inside the car, and an app that shows the car’s condition and helps users understand what is wrong and which part needs attention. This supports the idea of the Right to Repair, which says that users should be able to fix the products they own. The EU has new rules that support repair rights, but these rules focus on household appliances and electronics. The team hopes ARIA encourages policymakers to expand the rules to cars as well to enlighten manufacturers on how they can lower global waste and show that any user should be able to fix their own modular electric city car.

Meet ARIA, the modular electric city car created by the student team TU/ecomotive

the doors swing upwards

the main idea behind ARIA is simple: a car that people can fix themselve

the modular electric city car is built from separate parts that work as modules

the student teams from TU Eindhoven, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, and Summa College

inside the fixable vehicle

detailed view of the steering wheel

view of the toolbox included in the vehicle

view of the two seats with ample cushioning for driving comfort

project info:

name: ARIA

institutions: TU Eindhoven, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Summa | @tueindhoven, @fontys_hogeschool, @summaonderwijs

photographer: Sarp Gürel | @sarpgurelphotography, @sarpgrl

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Alef Aeronautics begins the production of the dubbed world’s first flying car, which is currently being hand-assembled by its team in California. Announced months after the vehicle took its first flight in early 2025, the mobility firm says that the production of the Alef Model A Ultralight, which is the first version meant for users, has started on schedule. It is made by hand at the Alef manufacturing facility in Silicon Valley, and only a small number of early customers are expected to receive these first personal hovering cars. These customers are set out to help Alef test the vehicle in real-world situations, and the firm adds that it will train the users and check that all rules and safety conditions are followed. The production process takes time because the dubbed world’s first flying car goes through thorough steps, with its parts being built by robotic systems, industrial machines, and hand assembly. 

Each car needs months to complete, with tests necessary on each piece, including test flights, to ensure safety after the build. This helps the team improve the design before the shift to larger-scale manufacturing in the future. So far, the Model A comes with Distributed Electric Propulsion, meaning the power system is split across several units to prevent failures. The car also includes up to eight layers of backup systems for key components as well as real-time checkups on a thousand points of diagnostics. It also features an obstacle detection system, automatic avoidance, and a glide landing mode, as well as a full-vehicle ballistic parachute installed for emergency use.

all images courtesy of Alef Aeronautics

Personal air vehicle with no exposed propellers

Alef says the Model A Ultralight can take off vertically and doesn’t need a runway or a special landing space like a vertiport. It can drive on the road like a normal car, then lift into the air when needed. It is also fully electric, so it doesn’t need fuel. The mobility firm adds that the dubbed world’s first flying car uses less energy per trip than other electric vehicles or air taxis. The design of the flying car comes from earlier experiments with another model, the Model Zero, which is a research vehicle used for updates and tests.

The Model Zero’s goal is to evolve into the final Model A product, which is the one currently being hand-assembled and produced after the team announced its production phase. The Model A has a driving range of about 200 miles and a flying range of about 110 miles. The cabin design uses a gimbal system, which allows it to stay steady while the rest of the body changes position during flight. The dubbed world’s first flying car uses an elevon setup for movement in the air, and as seen in the video, there are no exposed propellers, which helps keep the vehicle safe and quiet and supports space efficiency in cities. So far, the firm hasn’t indicated the delivery date yet.

Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef, near the flying car during a flight test

in early 2025, the vehicle flew over a car during its test flight

the personal air vehicle has no exposed propellers

the production of the Alef Model A Ultralight, the first version meant for users, has started on schedule

there’s also a full-vehicle ballistic parachute installed for emergency use

Alef Aeronautics team members manufacturing a section of the flying car’s wing

project info:

name: Alef Model A Ultralight

mobility firm: Alef Aeronautics | @alef_aeronautics_inc

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Citroën presents the multipurpose ELO concept car, which doubles as a temporary camp with inflatable mattresses and a power generator. The electric automobile can become a resting place, as the two beds stored in the rear area can be inflated using the compressed air that is already part of the car system. These mattresses fill the space to create a bed for two people, allowing the passengers to lie down after a long drive. Since the rear roof can open, they can also look at the sky at night, accompanied by the glow of the side lamps that can be transformed into bedside lights. Citroën’s multipurpose ELO concept car can also serve as an outdoor home cinema using the small projector attached inside the car that lets the travelers watch a movie on a pull-out screen.

As a temporary camp, the vehicle supports play and leisure, as it includes hooks on the four doors where a large awning can attach to create a covered outdoor area. The modular seats in the cabin can be removed to be outdoor chairs, and the design team, which teams up with Decathlon, makes bags and storage solutions within the vehicle for sports equipment. There’s a built-in compressor that can inflate paddleboards, bike tires, or other accessories, and a V2L power system makes it possible to charge gadgets and plug in devices like speakers. If the passengers bring their appliances, they can also power them up with this supply, allowing them to prepare meals on the road.

all images courtesy of Citroën

Workstation inside electric vehicle for remote workers

Inside Citroën’s multipurpose ELO concept car, the design team opts for a modular and spacious cabin to make the vehicle ready for different functions. The second row has three seats of equal width, all of which can fold, and they can also be removed and used as chairs outside the vehicle as mentioned. Two hidden seats are stored under the side seats, which can be unfolded when the car needs to drive around six people. Even when all six seats are used, the car manufacturer says that the automobile can still keep some space in the back for luggage. The driver sits in the center at the front instead of the usual left or right side to give them a wide view through the large windscreen. 

The steering wheel has a spoke and a wide opening, which makes it easy to see information, and there is no normal dashboard because all digital information is projected on a transparent surface across the windscreen. Two joystick-style buttons on the wheel control the main functions on the supposed dashboard, which are both within the reach of the driver’s thumbs. Citroën’s multipurpose ELO concept car supports remote working as well because the driver’s seat rotates fully to face the back in case the driver needs to have their own workstation. Then, a foldable work table is stored under the central second-row seat, which can carry a laptop or papers, and if the passengers have forgotten their laptop, they can use the screen projection system as a platform for video calls. Even the wheel arches hold devices like phones or headphones to let users work in many places without needing a normal office.

rear view of the vehicle

Cabin Materials that can repel water and wear

Citroën also studies how to use materials that fit responsible production for the multipurpose ELO concept car. Some surfaces are made from expanded polypropylene, which is light and recyclable and is the same material used in bicycle helmets. The design team uses felt made from leftover fabrics and parts from another Citroën project, shaping the storage boxes inside. Then, the seat covers in the second row resist water and wear, so they’re easy to clean after outdoor activities. The exterior shape of the vehicle is simple and clear. 

Large windows bring more light inside, and the doors open wide and have no center pillar to allow for easier access in and out of the vehicle. The bumpers at the front and back are the same piece to reduce the number of parts. Flat areas above each wheel can hold small objects when the car is stopped. While still a concept car, Citroën says that its multipurpose vehicle ELO is a study for new mobility, which can show how one automobile can support movement, rest, play, and work at once while being compact, functional, and lifestyle centered. 

Citroën presents the multipurpose ELO concept car, which can double as a temporary camp

the roof can be slid to show the sky view

view inside the electric automobile

the front seat can fully rotate, and there are two inflatable mattresses on board

the driver’s seat is positioned in the middle

the steering wheel has joysticks that are reachable by thumbs

some of the cabin materials are resistant to water and wear

so far, the vehicle is a concept automobile

project info:

name: ELO

car manufacturer: Citroën | @citroen

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A one-off 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon commissioned for the Sultan of Brunei has reappeared on the market, showing how far an already improbable vehicle can travel through history. The LM002 was produced from 1986 to 1993 as the brand’s first luxury SUV, and always had a commanding presence. But this wagon-bodied variant pushes the origin story into territory that’s rare even for long-time followers of Lamborghini.

With the voice of a Countach, the LM002 has been said to drive like an eighteen-wheeler. That impression tracks with the model’s origins, as the LM-series was first engineered as a bid for a government contract, giving the production version its heavy-duty and function-heavy stance. Its commission for the Sultan’s secretive and legendary car collection lends the one-off a unique layer of over-the-top extravagance.

the one-off 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon carries a rare Diomante wagon conversion | image © Motikon

a one-off lm002 designed for royal life

After the 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon was purchased by the Sultan, it was sent in 1989 to Autocostruzioni Salvatore Diomante, who is known among collectors for highly individualized coachwork projects, and operated in the same sphere as the specialist builders who shaped some of Italy’s most unusual commissions.

In 1989, his workshop created an elongated, fully-enclosed cabin with a high roofline, limousine-style U-shaped seating, and custom interiors that elevated it to become a rolling lounge for royal travel. Ultimately the car was purchased and authenticated by Bernd Pischetsrieder, former CEO within both BMW and Volkswagen — thus marks its shift from royal life.

the unique vehicle was commissioned for the Sultan of Brunei | image © Motikon

the swedish connection

The LM002 at last arrived in Sweden in 2012, where it experienced a new suburban lifestyle as its previous owners recall school runs and regular errands. Part of the car’s pull as it returns to market is that lived-in authenticity that’s not commonly associated with the Sultan’s many rare commissions.

Filip Larsson, CEO of Swedish specialist Motikon, has helped introduce the car to international bidders. As he points out, pieces from the Brunei collection rarely reach public auctions. He also notes that this unique LM002 Wagon is among the hardest from the collection to trace. Its everyday use in Sweden brings a human dimension to what could have remained a just an artifact for the archives. 

Crowning its presence in Sweden, the one-off 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon appeared at the inaugural Aurora Scandinavian Concours in 2024, the automotive and lifestyle event led by Larsson in Båstadt, Sweden (read designboom’s coverage of the 2025 Aurora here). The summertime concours is the idyllic place for exploring decades of the best in automotive design, and the LM002’s showing brought a rare look at a vehicle usually discussed in collector circles rather than seen in-person.

the LM002 is powered by a Countach-derived V12 | image © Motikon

what powers the ‘rolling lounge’

The LM002 Wagon still carries the V12 used in the contemporary Countach. As stated within the vehicle’s listing, six Weber carburetors, a ZF five-speed manual gearbox, independent suspension, and a trio of self-locking differentials deliver the torque that LM002 owners often describe in physical terms rather than numbers. The odometer reads 11,000 kilometers, which places the vehicle at an unusual intersection of rarity and lightly exercised mechanical life.

Any LM002 asks for confidence, and this wagon version adds more scale through its elevated roof and stretched cabin. Its volume remains authentically LM002, with its angular bodywork that’s informed function over all else. The 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon is currently offered by Motikon from Uppsala, Sweden near Stockholm — discover more details through the vehicle’s listing here!

originally designed with military intent, the LM002 is Lamborghini’s first luxury SUV | image © Motikon

the car’s life in Sweden included everyday errands and school runs | image © Motikon

interiors show unique limousine-style, U-shaped seating | image © Motikon

its Swedish life adds a human layer to a vehicle long tied to a royal collection | image © Marcus Berggren

the LM002 Wagon stands out as a singular piece of Lamborghini history | image © Marcus Berggren

the unique vehicle is currently listed at auction | image © Marcus Berggren

project info:

model: 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon one-off

coachbuilder: Autocostruzioni Salvatore Diomante
original commission: Sultan of Brunei and his private car collection
powertrain: 5.2-liter Lamborghini V12 with six Weber carburetors
transmission: ZF five-speed manual
current location: Uppsala, Sweden
offered by: Motikon, Sweden

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With all twenty concrete ‘cars‘ now parked twenty feet below the ocean’s surface, ReefLine introduces its first fully deployed artwork just in time for Miami Art Week 2025. The seven-mile underwater sculpture park and hybrid reef is being conceived by Ximena Caminos and masterplanned with OMA / Shohei Shigematsu off the coast of Miami Beach. Leandro Erlich‘s underwater Concrete Coral installation transforms the traffic jam, a symbol of Miami Art Week, into a living underwater habitat which marks a milestone in an ambitious long-term plan to merge public artwork and accessible ocean activism.

Leandro Erlich’s concept is a submerged ‘traffic jam,’ converting engines of past pollution into vessels of regeneration. The concept is both a warning and a proposition. ‘Once carriers of pollution and speed, they now become vessels of regeneration,’ the artist notes. ‘What once drove us away from nature becomes a stage for its return.’

From December 1st — 5th, Miami Art Week visitors can encounter Concrete Coral through a series of on-water and on-land activations designed to bridge the beach with the underwater site — see designboom’s guide to Miami Art Week 2025 here!

Concrete Coral, image courtesy Brittany Weber

fabricating the reefline: 3D-printing and marine-grade concrete

Each of the life-sized concrete cars lurking along Miami Beach’s ReefLine weighs up to sixteen tons and began as a digitally modeled form routed into a large 3D-printed mold. This strategy allowed Leandro Erlich’s signature uncanny realism to withstand long-term ocean exposure. The sculptures are cast from marine-grade, pH-neutral concrete, custom-engineered to promote coral attachment and withstand the forces of storm-prone waters off South Florida.

Structural engineering by Cummins Cederberg ensured each car’s embedded base remains securely anchored to the seafloor. Before deployment, the system was tested at the University of Miami’s SUSTAIN Laboratory, where the structures endured simulated hurricane-strength wave conditions. Only after passing these evaluations were the works green-lit for immersion and delivered offshore by Kearns Construction.

image © Christopher Uriarte

deployment: a new underwater park 780 feet off Miami Beach

The final ReefLine installation sits 780 feet off the Miami shoreline between 4th and 5th Streets, arranged in a snaking configuration that echoes the choreography of concrete cars. Over the next several months, the cars will be seeded with thousands of coral fragments cultivated at ReefLine’s Miami Native Coral Lab using Coral Lok, a patented system that secures corals quickly while minimizing stress. These octocorals, cultivated for resilience, will branch upward like a forest reclaiming a deserted highway.

‘Visually, they will create the appearance of a forest overgrowing a traffic jam as nature reclaims it as its own,’ says ReefLine Director of Science Colin Foord.

image © Nola Schoder

public access during miami art week

Andrés Reisinger’s Meditation Buoy marks the site: A new large-scale, pastel-toned Meditation Buoy by digital-physical artist Andrés Reisinger rises from the ocean surface above the submerged cars. The buoy doubles as a navigational point and a contemplative marker, turning the seascape into a meditative zone accessible to swimmers and paddleboarders.

BMW x SipaBoards electric paddleboards: Visitors can travel to the site aboard co-branded BMW x SipaBoards electric paddleboards, available for pickup at ReefLine’s headquarters on 9th Street. The devices offer a quiet, low-impact way to traverse the water and observe the buoy’s position before diving or snorkeling below.

The Floating Marine Learning Center: ReefLine’s Floating Marine Learning Center — a hybrid dive boat and research deck — anchors near the artwork throughout Miami Art Week. The platform hosts: coral-restoration workshops; drop-in conversations with artists, divers, and scientists; daily educational sessions led by the University of Miami’s Rescue a Reef program; two-hour excursions departing from Miami Beach Marina; guided discussions on art and marine futures by artist Leandro Erlich and oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle.

Visitors can book excursions directly through ReefLine’s website.

image © Nola Schoder

image © Nola Schoder

image © Nola Schoder

image © Nola Schoder

image © Nola Schoder

project info:

name: The ReefLine | @thereefline

artist: Leandro Erlich | @leandroerlichofficial

location: Miami Beach, Florida

deployment: October 2025

previous coverage: November 2020, December 2024, August 2025

photography: © Brittany Weber, Nola Schoder, Christopher Uriarte

fabricator: Madco3D | @madco3d

structural engineering: Cummins Cederberg

construction: Kearns Construction

coral cultivation: Miami Native Coral Lab (Colin Foord)

artistic director, founder: Ximena Caminos
master planner: OMA / Shohei Shigematsu
curatorial advisors: Brandi Reddick (Cultural Affairs Manager, City of Miami Beach), Jérôme Sanz (Independent Curator)

The post tour leandro erlich’s underwater ‘traffic jam’ of concrete coral cars at miami beach’s reefline appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Meet the Ford Nucleon, an atomic-powered concept vehicle with a nuclear reactor that Ford Motor Company never produced. Presented to the public in 1958, the project proposed a car that would run on nuclear power instead of gasoline. It came from the car manufacturer’s Advanced Styling Studio, whose premise was to work on projects that looked 10 to 20 years into the future. The American industrial and automotive designer George W. Walker led the styling division of the atomic-powered car Ford Nucleon.

He believed that concept cars should create publicity and reportedly told the designers to develop ideas that would pique the public’s interest, even when the technology didn’t exist yet. Joining him were James R. Powers, who drew the Nucleon design, and Alex Tremulis, who headed the Advanced Styling Studio. The Nucleon project started as an exercise in packaging, with the leads asking the styling team to design a vehicle with a heavy power source mounted in the rear instead of a front-mounted gas engine. James Powers realized that placing a heavy reactor in the back meant the passenger cabin needed to move forward to balance the weight. This created the cab-forward design that defines the atomic car Ford Nucleon’s overall look.

Ford Nucleon Scale Model, 1958 | image courtesy of The Henry Ford Museum from its collections

bubble’ houses cabin, referencing fighter jet cockpits

The resulting vehicle was part of an exploration of future transportation that included flight, nuclear power, and aerodynamics. It measured 200 inches in total length with a wheelbase of 69 inches (the wheelbase is less than 6 feet on a 17-foot car). This means the vehicle had large overhangs at both ends and that the front wheels sat under the passenger cabin. The rear wheels are positioned far back to support the reactor weight. The short wheelbase would allow the car to turn in cities, but it created handling problems with the heavy rear load. Then, the passenger cabin extended beyond the front axle. This cab-forward design served two functions. First, it balanced the weight of the nuclear reactor behind the rear axle. Second, it maximized distance between occupants and the radiation source. The cabin features a cantilever roof, which allows a windshield with no pillars and a curved rear window. 

A ‘bubble’ houses the cabin, an element referencing fighter jet cockpits and appearing on other 1950s concept cars like the Lincoln Futura. Since the nuclear reactor would generate waste heat that must leave the system, James Powers placed air intakes at the front edge of the roof to channel cooling air toward the reactor at the rear. The team also added more intakes into the roof support pillars. The rear section of the atomic car Ford Nucleon holds the Power Capsule with twin tailfins that could stabilize it for high-speed travel. The fins created a V-angle that drew attention to the reactor location, and the bumpers retracted to reduce air resistance during highway driving. Ford planned to make the body panels from aluminum to reduce weight to offset the lead shielding that the reactor required. Then, the propulsion system would work as a closed-loop steam cycle.

scale model of the Nucleon, a 1958 Ford Motor Company styling conception for an atomic-powered car | image courtesy of The Henry Ford from its collections

drivers would not need to refuel the car with nuclear reactor

A small nuclear reactor using Uranium-235 fission would generate heat, and then this heat would transfer through a primary coolant loop to a steam generator. The steam generator would turn water into high-pressure steam, and the steam would drive turbines. One turbine would power the propulsion system. Another turbine would run cooling pumps and electrical generators. After passing through the turbines, the steam would cool in a condenser and return to liquid water. The system would pump this water back to the boiler to repeat the cycle. 

Ford recognized that car owners could not handle uranium fuel rods, so the company proposed a service model based on the replaceable Power Capsule. Owners would never refuel the car, and when the core depleted after 5,000 miles, the driver would visit a specialized Ford station. Technicians would remove the entire Power Capsule and install a fresh one.  The atomic car Ford Nucleon started to face problems that made production impossible. The main issue was radiation shielding weight. A fission reactor releases neutrons and gamma rays, and gamma rays need dense materials like lead or tungsten to block them.

the project would run on nuclear power instead of gasoline | image courtesy of The Henry Ford from its collections

Neutrons require hydrogen-rich materials like water or concrete to slow them down.  A reactor producing 100 to 200 horsepower would need shielding that weighs approximately 50 tons. George Walker stated the design assumed reactor bulk and shielding weight would decrease in the future, but this assumption was reportedly wrong. The physics of how radiation interacts with matter cannot change through engineering, making the 50-ton shielding around the concept vehicle immovable. The second problem of the atomic car Ford Nucleon was heat rejection. 

The concept vehicle only had air, and the roof intakes James Powers designed could not remove the waste heat the reactor would produce. The third problem was accident safety since a traffic collision that breached the containment vessel would release radioactive steam and core material. Even if the vehicle was never produced in the end, a ⅜ scale and non-functional model of it exists today at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, inside the Driving America exhibit. The museum has loaned it to other institutions, including the Atomic Museum in Las Vegas. Studio photographs from 1957 to 1958 show Ford built at least two models during development. One was plaster for studying forms. One was fiberglass for the final show model. The surviving artifact is the fiberglass version.

nuclear reactor mounted in the rear | image courtesy of The Henry Ford from its collections

project info:

name: 1959 Ford Nucleon

company: Ford Motor Company | @ford

museum: Henry Ford Museum | @thehenryford

location: 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, Michigan

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Hyundai unveils the Crater Concept, an off-road SUV that can double as an emergency response vehicle with its fire extinguisher, first aid kit, roof lights, and crash pad. A new design study from Hyundai Motor America, the vehicle is shown for the first time at AutoMobility LA 2025 in Los Angeles, which remains on site until November 30th, 2025. Here, viewers can see the exterior of the vehicle, which the design team calls as ‘art of steel.’ It is because the SUV becomes the platform to showcase how steel can move, bend, and hold shape. The body lines follow this idea, using smooth surfaces and precise edges to show how steel behaves when pressure is applied to it.

Since the design team wants the exterior to connect to the outdoor environments, the shape of the off-road SUV Crater Concept is sharp and protruding, from the skid plates to the fenders and roof features. The vehicle’s silhouette shows steep approach and departure angles, allowing the SUV to move over rocks or slopes without touching the front or rear ends. The 18-inch wheels use a hexagonal pattern inspired by the image of an asteroid hitting a metal surface and forming a crater. The tires carry 33-inch off-road wheels for traction and clearance.

all images courtesy of Hyundai Motor America

roof doubles as platform for lights, storage and equipment

A wide skid plate is placed under the body of the off-road SUV Crater Concept by Hyundai. It covers the lower front area and protects important parts when the vehicle moves over uneven ground. The roof has a platform for lights, storage, or other equipment, and two cables run from the hood to the roof, which help move branches away from the windshield on narrow trails. The fenders follow a straight, flat design to give the vehicle strong shoulders, while the rocker panels take inspiration from protective cases used for tools or instruments, showing that the vehicle is prepared for rough terrain. The lighting system uses Hyundai’s parametric pixel language, set inside layered structures that create depth. There are also extra lights on the roof, still using the pixel theme.

Several exterior elements have hidden uses: one recovery hook works as a bottle opener, and the side-mirror cameras can be detached and used as flashlights or for recording outdoor activity. Inside the off-road SUV Crater Concept, the team adds what it calls a crash pad to the dashboard, which looks like a bent metal sheet. Up close, this pole-like structure has holes that allow soft interior lighting to pass through. Then, there’s also a full-width head-up display that shows driving data and also includes a rearview camera feed.

Hyundai unveils the Crater Concept, an off-road SUV that can double as an emergency response vehicle

buttons for terrain modes such as Snow, Sand and Mud

A visible roll cage runs around the inside of the off-road SUV Crater Concept’s cabin. It acts as a structure and as a support for grab handles, helping passengers enter or exit. The seats have wraparound forms and 3D padding for body support, and the steering wheel has a center pixel display and quick-access buttons for terrain modes such as Snow, Sand, Mud, Auto, and XRT. The interior contains a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and a removable Bluetooth speaker, which can all be used during emergency situations and responses.

Some controls use mechanical links to small indicator lights so the driver can see each function. There’s also a small character called CRATER MAN who appears in several hidden locations as part of the off-road SUV Crater Concept’s storytelling. The team also includes an off-road controller to manage differentials, traction, braking, and driving modes. Other tools include downhill brake control, trailer brake control, a compass, and an altimeter. The exterior uses a green-gold matte tone inspired by natural California terrain, while inside, the materials include black leather, black Alcantara, brushed metal, and etched topographic lines. So far, the vehicle is still in its concept phase.

the SUV becomes the platform to showcase how steel can move, bend, and hold shape

the shape of the off-road SUV Crater Concept is sharp and protruding, from the skid plates to fenders

the doors swing outwards

glimpse inside the off-road SUV Crater Concept by Hyundai

the team adds what it calls a crash pad to dashboard, which looks like a bent metal sheet

the steering wheel has a center pixel display and quick-access buttons for terrain modes

the seats have wraparound forms and 3D padding for body support

the driving modes include Snow, Sand, Mud, Auto, and XRT

project info:

name: Crater Concept

car manufacturer: Hyundai | @hyundaiusa

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Iconic Auto Sports presents the SP40 Restomod Speedster, an art deco-inspired car that drives around in its vintage bodywork entirely crafted by hand. A reinterpretation of the 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster, the company uses the original car as the starting point and rebuilds it with modern materials, engineering, and chassis. The results keep the look and layout of the historic model while making it functional for present roads and requirements.  

The art deco-inspired restomod car takes on the early-decades design and moves it into the present. The body is no longer made from hand-rolled aluminum. Instead, the design team makes the full exterior from carbon fiber while maintaining the profile of the original car and giving the upgraded vehicle a low weight and robust structure. The company forms each part by hand, using molds and layers of carbon material.

all images courtesy of Iconic Auto Sports

art deco-inspired restomod car SP40 with modern cabin

Continuing the handcrafted ethos, the interior of the art deco-inspired restomod car is built to order. Each client chooses materials and layouts, with options including leather, walnut trim, aluminum parts, and carbon fiber elements. The controls use analog gauges, harking back to the car designs in the past, as well as the switches and dials that follow the shape and logic of vintage vehicles. Modern systems, such as climate control and wireless charging, are integrated into hidden areas, combining the past and the present while not sharing the same limelight.

The team removes the weakness of older engines and electrical systems and keeps the long, low form of the 1934 model. The chassis of the art deco-inspired restomod car uses a tubular spaceframe designed by Argentine engineer Pedro Campo, and the engine is a Ford Coyote V8 with more than 480 horsepower. The suspension uses an independent double-wishbone layout, and the system includes fully adjustable coilovers. The car rides on forged aluminum wheels to reduce its overall weight and increase strength. So far, the SP40 Restomod Speedster is produced as a collector item, made by hand, with each vehicle numbered and delivered as a one-off piece.

Iconic Auto Sports presents the SP40 Restomod Speedster

the model is an art deco-inspired car that drives around in its vintage bodywork entirely crafted by hand

the upgraded vehicle is a reinterpretation of the 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster

detailed view of the side

rear view of the vehicle

each vehicle is numbered and delivered as a one-off piece

project info:

name: SP40 Restomod Speedster

company: Iconic Auto Sports | @sp40restomod

The post art deco-inspired restomod car drives around in handcrafted vintage bodywork appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Can electric cars double as power generators for homes without electricity and neighborhoods experiencing blackouts and outages? In the recent announcement of Polestar, the company is using its Polestar 3 to supply energy to homes with bi-directional charging. The brand is working with the home energy company, dcbel, to make the first version of the system in California in the US. The setup comes in three main parts. Drivers bring over their Polestar 3 model next to their house. Then, they set up the home energy unit from dcbell called Ara.

The last is the software that manages the energy flow between the vehicle, house, and electrical grid, transforming the car into a power generator while parked. The company says that when the vehicle sits at home, it can send stored energy from its battery into the house and transfer it back to the grid when the grid needs support. It is how bi-directional charging works, since the battery operates in two directions, meaning it can take in electricity from the home charger. Polestar is also already preparing a second version of this project in Germany and later in other European markets, when the brand releases a home charger called Zaptec Go2.

image courtesy of Polestar, showcasing its bi-directional charging plan

Case studies of using EVs to supply temporary energy

What Polestar is doing continues the documented cases of using electric cars as power generators. Reports have stated that during the Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which struck southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales in Australia, some EV owners used the vehicle-to-load (V2L) option to power up their appliances during the blackouts. This method sends power directly from an electric car battery to external appliances using an adapter plugged into the charging port or a cabin outlet. In the news, an Ioniq 6 owner powered up their lights and major household appliances and ran a small air conditioner for six hours using only 28 percent of its battery capacity.​

In Brisbane, a story shares that a family who owns an MG4 hatchback supplied energy to their appliances using their vehicle’s battery. There was also a report here where a 2013 Nissan Leaf connected a simple inverter to the electric car to turn it into a power generator and keep his and his family’s fridge running and devices charged while using roughly 10 percent of the battery capacity per day. Then, a Kia EV9 and Ford F-150 Lightning owner was able to convert his electric car’s energy into a power generator after losing grid power around his property.

image by chuttersnap | read more here

bi-directional charging can be useful for future blackouts

Other cases of using electric cars as power generators include the PG&E Pilot Program in California in 2023. The company collaborated with Ford to launch a residential pilot program in Northern and Central California and use the Ford F-150 Lightning as a reserved energy supplier. Phase 1 tested the vehicle-to-home backup power applications, with Phase 2 launching vehicle-to-grid capabilities in the second half of 2024 to let customers supply power during peak demand periods. A year later, in a 2024 study by Australian National University, 16 Nissan Leaf vehicles in Canberra provided the ‘first documented and real-world demonstration of vehicle-to-grid technology’ by responding to a grid emergency when a major storm caused Loy Yang A, a large coal-fired generator in Victoria, to fail. 

The four vehicles that were actively charging immediately began discharging power into the grid, while the 12 idle vehicles activated their discharge capability on their own. These 16 EVs, then, stabilized the national grid. At the moment, only a handful of electric cars can supply energy to homes as power generators. They’re quite expensive and over time may cause battery health degradation to the vehicles. Adopting bi-directional charging, however, is rapidly being explored, and once it has scaled up, it can be helpful to neighborhoods without electricity, even those in remote areas, to turn their electric cars into temporary power generators.

electric cars can be power generators for homes using the process caled bi-directional charging

image by Mike Bird, via Pexels

image by Ed Harvey, via Pexels

project info:

name: Bi-directional charging

companies: Polestar, dcbel | @polestarcars, @dcbel.energy

cases: PG&E Pilot Program, Australian National University

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