PDA

View Full Version : At Last - Colani GT2



Spacenut
28-05-2009, 07:18 PM
Perhaps you won't agree with me, but I have long been a fan of Prof Luigi Colani's "bio-designs". Some of his vehicular concepts are among the most challenging and beautiful designs I have ever seen. Most of my favourites date back to the 70s, and finally, thanks to Car Styling.ru, here are some pictures of the Colani GT2...

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_1.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_2.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_3.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_4.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_5.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_6.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_7.jpg

I had to include the last picture, which I have in my book "Colani - the first 50 years" by Albrecht Bangert, as it also shows Colani's Spitzer silo truck concept, and the amazing Horsh supercar concept in Colani's workshops in Karlsruhe.

Colani is accredited with being the first to offer a fibreglass kit car in Europe, when he developed the Colani GT in the early 60s. I haven't included a photo here as it really ought to go in Alex's Uglies, but Colani's next effort (apart from the Porkie powered GTS, also based on a VW floorpan) was the GT2. Showing much of the "bio-design" cues that have always informed his work, the GT2 looks like some land-based Manta ray. Built on a standard VW Beetle floorpan, I do not know how many of these amazing machines were built. The white one is almost certainly the car that Colani used to tour Sri Lanka and India (the Bangert book shows a picture of this car parked in the jungle in front of a Hindu temple in 1972 - apparently Colani had ideas about selling it as a kind of Third-World sportscar...). Notice the clever use of Beetle rear lights. The green car may well be the same machine - as indeed might be the black one. The "Utah 1" script on the nose indicates that this is one of a number of experimental cars (and truck) that Colani took to Bonneville in 1989 for high speed testing.

Like I said, you might disagree but I think it looks incredible. Definately one for my fantasy garage (with a proper mid-engined layout, naturally :D)

Lauren

ChrisG
28-05-2009, 09:12 PM
Thanks Lauren, I've never seen one of those cars before, and I've seen a lot of cars. :clapping:

Looking at those I think the prof was well ahead of his time, I particularly like the black one it has a very panther like stance. I can also see hints of other cars in certain lines, not least the Nova in the white car's and the Horsh's side profile and the Ferrari P4 in the nose contours.

The truck is just bonkers though, it looks like a really sad moggy!!!

jimcub
28-05-2009, 09:13 PM
What's the large thing in the back ground with the large "s" on it.

Spacenut
28-05-2009, 09:57 PM
Its the Spitzer silo truck. Colani designed the cab to be ejected over the top of the trailer in the event of an accident.

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/stud ... _Truck.jpg (http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/2002_Colani_Mercedes-Benz_Spitzer-Silo_Truck.jpg)

He's been working on the design since the late 70s

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/stud ... 001_03.jpg (http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/1978_Colani_Truck_2001_03.jpg)

...And there's a squarebacked version for container haulage, this time based on a Mercedes-Benz chassis...

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/stud ... Sat_10.jpg (http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/1997_Colani_Mercedes-Benz_Vision_2005_Truck_TechniSat_10.jpg)

I remember watching the original truck on Tomorrow's World in complete amazement. I particularly liked the "three-pointed star" windscreen wipers, which seemed very appropriate for the MB platform.

Lauren

jimcub
28-05-2009, 11:17 PM
Brilliant

Simpatico
29-05-2009, 12:25 AM
Oh dear. Sorry Lauren but this is the first, and probably only, time our tastes don't coincide. Don't know much about the guy himself, but based on his vehicle designs (which are repetetive, evolutionary and predictable) to me he is a fraud, a talentless snake oil salesman who has conviced a generation of his self proclaimed brilliance by being merely outlandish and flashy. I would compare him with these people who exhibit a pile of bricks, or a skinned cat, and say "hey it's art". I don't know much about his product design, but suspect that other designers who have to produce something attractive and functional from within a million constraints deserve greater recognition, like say Tom Karen or Giugiaro.

CyCo
29-05-2009, 12:26 AM
That truck!! I remember seeing a model of one of those trucks when I was a kid. Very cool.

I've never seen that car before, and can only see a couple of those photos here at work, but looks cool. I'll have to check them again when I get home.

Spacenut
29-05-2009, 07:51 AM
Oh dear. Sorry Lauren but this is the first, and probably only, time our tastes don't coincide. Don't know much about the guy himself, but based on his vehicle designs (which are repetetive, evolutionary and predictable) to me he is a fraud, a talentless snake oil salesman who has conviced a generation of his self proclaimed brilliance by being merely outlandish and flashy. I would compare him with these people who exhibit a pile of bricks, or a skinned cat, and say "hey it's art". I don't know much about his product design, but suspect that other designers who have to produce something attractive and functional from within a million constraints deserve greater recognition, like say Tom Karen or Giugiaro.

Hehe - nobody said you had to agree with me. I'll admit Colani's outlandish designs are not constrained by the design parameters that others are forced to work with. But that's part of the appeal for me - most designers these days are given a brief which has to meet a whole string of functional requirements and then be built down to a price. Its no wonder all our cars look the same.

I won't defend the guy - he has a very short list of designs that have actually made it into production, and that says a lot - but I do like some of his designs, including the GT2. To me it has the same unrestrained sculptural qualities of Paolo Martin's PF Modulo... Art for art's sake. Just my opinion - sorry :bye2:

Lauren

Big Birds Car
29-05-2009, 08:42 AM
I like the truck, looks like Predator when he takes his armour off. The car would not be one of my favourite cars but the Horsh looks alot more pleasing to me and I could live with that no problem. (any more photo's).
The dark coloured one reminds me a bit about that Camaro on evilbay the other week :laugh:

Simpatico
29-05-2009, 12:29 PM
Have to admit that GT2 thingy is the best thing I've seen him do; I particularly like the way he's made the Beetle lights integrate actually. BUT.......stand it next to the Carabo, Tapiro, C111, Boomerang, Stratos, or any other classics from the same period, and errr, no. :sorry:

Spacenut
29-05-2009, 06:35 PM
Its a fair cop :D

adrenaline
02-02-2010, 08:47 AM
The best thing i've ever seen on a VW chassis....hell you'd never guess....

mattswan2512
02-02-2010, 12:31 PM
also have never seen this car but for me it's a wow it's a stunning looking motor and the body lines are fantastic I'd love this beauty sat in my garage.

Spacenut
02-02-2010, 01:23 PM
Can you imagine how hot it must have been driving in Sri Lanka with no opening windows? And I thought the Green Machine was a sun trap... :D

As I mentioned before, Colani is a real Marmite designer, and not all of his stuff works aerodynamically, but the wow factor is indisputable.

If you have a stomach for more, try this...

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/stud ... id_Car.jpg (http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/large/1970_Colani_Two-Part_Hybrid_Car.jpg)

A full-size inverted aerofoil concept using a Lamborghini Miura transverse V12 in the "power pod"

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/stud ... tch_02.jpg (http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/large/1970_Colani_Two-Part_Hybrid_Car_design-sketch_02.jpg)

Like I said, modern aerodynamics have achieved equal downforce efficiency without resorting to such extremes, but it would certainly attract attention on the High Street on Saturday afternoons... :D

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/stud ... ger_01.jpg (http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/large/1979_Colani_Sea-Ranger_01.jpg)

How about the Unimog Sea Ranger? Think it was just a model? Look again...

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/stud ... ger_03.jpg (http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/large/1979_Colani_Sea-Ranger_03.jpg)

Notice the funky fishing pod, and the UHF Satcom antenna - very handy if you are venturing off the beaten track!

Straying from wheeled vehicles, I've always liked this insectoid hovercraft...

http://www.bangertinternational.de/cola ... ani_08.jpg (http://www.bangertinternational.de/colani/images/preview/Colani_08.jpg)

How about a coke-powered steam train for the trans-Siberian route? No problem!

http://lh4.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDnlbiFUYp ... amloco.jpg (http://lh4.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDnlbiFUYpI/AAAAAAAARzc/tMah8OgIaqg/s1600-h/col073steamloco.jpg)

http://lh4.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDnleiFUY0 ... 010070.jpg (http://lh4.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDnleiFUY0I/AAAAAAAAR00/3AYYBXaN_88/s1600-h/P1010070.jpg)

Is your Dodge Winnibago starting to feel a little stale? Maybe you need one of these?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDppRyFUY4 ... ruck_3.jpg (http://lh6.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDppRyFUY4I/AAAAAAAAR1s/UrgG3AaCqik/s1600-h/Colani_truck_3.jpg)

http://lh3.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDppRCFUY3 ... ruck_2.jpg (http://lh3.ggpht.com/abramsv/SDppRCFUY3I/AAAAAAAAR1k/6DW7xD4rPzI/s1600-h/Colani_truck_2.jpg)

Its a motorhome... apparently.

And my favourite Colani hydrofoil, from 1973...

http://www.foils.org/gallery/col05.jpg

For some reason this is often referred to as a study for the X114, which was a German ground effect vehicle based on the Lippisch reversed-delta planform. My favourite (practical) WIG craft. Money no object? I'd have a Soviet A90 Orlyonok!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... onok_1.JPG (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/A-90_Orlyonok_1.JPG)

Sorry, I'm going waaaaaaaay off topic here :sorry:

Lauren

thestevie
02-02-2010, 01:46 PM
whats the motor home thing called?

mattswan2512
02-02-2010, 02:31 PM
Some of those vehicles are truly ugly but brave I must say. but they look like they belong in a world many years from now and that winny as you put it lauren looks like it should fly, I'll stick to my nova and if your paying lauren I'll have colani GT2 PLIS :cheers:

hildi25
02-02-2010, 05:49 PM
Where do you get this info from? Man, Lauren you are an endless supply of knowledge on at least cars. Well anyways I like the design and sort of abstract art of these vehicles(?).

Rob

Spacenut
02-02-2010, 07:08 PM
Well, all of that stuff was on the Interweb in one place or another. The trick is knowing that Colani (or any other specific designer for that matter) penned a ground effects vehicle, roadster, GT, exo-atmospheric lifting body etc.

If you look at the way the motorhome is articulated the engine and front wheels pull the thing along and the cockpit and living quarters are on the 5th wheel element! Are you sure you would rather have a Winnie instead?

Bottom line, Colanis stuff is mad :tongue: as a box of frogs, which is why you don't see it around very often :tongue1:

...Although, spookily, I understand that Colani was consulted on the design of the dashboard for the first generation Ford Ka, so you might have been exposed to more Colani than you thought :rofl:

Lauren

thestevie
02-02-2010, 07:32 PM
i just watched a click about him.
he pretty much said ferrari doesn't know what they are talking about.

"the latest and the fastest, an american machine"
one of the best quotes i have heard in my life
http://www.colani.ch

JemP
02-02-2010, 08:40 PM
Just imagine what would happen if Colani bumped into Steve McHugh at Stoneleigh??? :)

Spacenut
03-02-2010, 08:01 AM
he pretty much said ferrari doesn't know what they are talking about.

That may have been true once, but Ferrari are as on the ball with aerodynamics as anyone these days. Colani has always been an outspoken critic of mainstream manufacturers, but he's just being a typical artist. Colani's problem now is he is trading on aero ideas that are pretty old hat, and has to associate with major manufacturers to secure funding for research. But I like some of the stuff he has done, although a lot of his car designs are absolute howlers!

You've probably already noticed I prefer his 1970s design work as well :D

Lauren

Simpatico
03-02-2010, 08:37 AM
Just imagine what would happen if Colani bumped into Steve McHugh at Stoneleigh??? :)

Give him a medal.

JemP
03-02-2010, 10:52 AM
Just imagine what would happen if Colani bumped into Steve McHugh at Stoneleigh??? :)

Give him a medal.

Between them they could design and create the most amazing new Nova ever seen across the Universe!!! using the contents of Steves shed :)

supernova2
14-03-2018, 03:54 PM
]Hi would you send these pictures to my dad as he is not well at the moment and could do with a little pick me up.
Many Thanks tom .Perhaps you won't agree with me, but I have long been a fan of Prof Luigi Colani's "bio-designs". Some of his vehicular concepts are among the most challenging and beautiful designs I have ever seen. Most of my favourites date back to the 70s, and finally, thanks to Car Styling.ru, here are some pictures of the Colani GT2...

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_1.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_2.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_3.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_4.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_5.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_6.jpg
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss187/Spacenut_photos/ColaniGT2_7.jpg

I had to include the last picture, which I have in my book "Colani - the first 50 years" by Albrecht Bangert, as it also shows Colani's Spitzer silo truck concept, and the amazing Horsh supercar concept in Colani's workshops in Karlsruhe.

Colani is accredited with being the first to offer a fibreglass kit car in Europe, when he developed the Colani GT in the early 60s. I haven't included a photo here as it really ought to go in Alex's Uglies, but Colani's next effort (apart from the Porkie powered GTS, also based on a VW floorpan) was the GT2. Showing much of the "bio-design" cues that have always informed his work, the GT2 looks like some land-based Manta ray. Built on a standard VW Beetle floorpan, I do not know how many of these amazing machines were built. The white one is almost certainly the car that Colani used to tour Sri Lanka and India (the Bangert book shows a picture of this car parked in the jungle in front of a Hindu temple in 1972 - apparently Colani had ideas about selling it as a kind of Third-World sportscar...). Notice the clever use of Beetle rear lights. The green car may well be the same machine - as indeed might be the black one. The "Utah 1" script on the nose indicates that this is one of a number of experimental cars (and truck) that Colani took to Bonneville in 1989 for high speed testing.

Like I said, you might disagree but I think it looks incredible. Definately one for my fantasy garage (with a proper mid-engined layout, naturally :D)

Lauren[/QUOTE]

Gaisa
14-03-2018, 05:31 PM
Alas, photobucket has killed sharing images outside of their server, so we see nothing but banners :(

Spacenut
14-03-2018, 09:30 PM
Sorry, it's my fault - when Photobucket stopped all 3rd party hosting my image links were cut off. Then I closed my account and haven't even begun to repopulate my online image archive (fortunately everything I had on PB is backed-up on DVD).

Here's the linky to the Colani GT2 page on carstyling.ru - enjoy!

http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1987_colani_gt_2/images/13688/

Hope you are feeling better soon Malcolm :thumbup:

Lauren

Gaisa
15-03-2018, 05:31 PM
Thanks Lauren, ironically, you've reminded me that I need to keep ONE of my servers running for personal use and image sharing when necessary.

Peter
16-03-2018, 11:00 AM
Sorry, it's my fault - when Photobucket stopped all 3rd party hosting my image links were cut off. Then I closed my account and haven't even begun to repopulate my online image archive (fortunately everything I had on PB is backed-up on DVD).

Here's the linky to the Colani GT2 page on carstyling.ru - enjoy!

http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1987_colani_gt_2/images/13688/

Hope you are feeling better soon Malcolm :thumbup:

Lauren

Have you tried www.vgy.me ? I found it very simple, free and staying that way.

Spacenut
16-03-2018, 10:35 PM
Have you tried www.vgy.me (http://www.vgy.me) ? I found it very simple, free and staying that way.

Yes, like you I am 100% on vgy.me, I just haven't had time to repopulate my online archive with images yet :(