Ford Punk Concept by Linda Andersson

(Linda Andersson is an automotive designer currently working with the Jaguar Advanced Design Team.)

(text courtesy Linda Andersson)  "I believe that true customizers will continue turning the common into something special, the mass produced into something unique"

There is a need for a provocative and rebellious concept, 'a rebel against the blank car' aiming to strengthen the interactive relationship between man and car, to show a new direction on and off the road. A car with a personal 'face', which strives to fulfill the user's yearning for individuality.
Yet also expresses awareness and skepticism towards the way the car industry and mass media take market strategies and try to control people's minds by creating common identities.

The background

People’s aspiration for cars and the secret relationships people have with their cars has always fascinated me.

The personalized driving experience is, however, becoming eroded by the progressive automation of cars which often leads to the ‘driver’ becoming almost another ‘passenger’ going from A to B.
The exterior is often what initially excites you or what others judge you upon, but the interior of your car is just for you and this cocoon should be emotive enough to express and fulfil your needs and desires. The importance of the social interaction between man and car needs to be re-addressed by the designs of cars as a whole, we need to rediscover our love affair with the motorcar and bring back the passion into this relationship.

In the future, we need to concentrate on the journey and not just the destination.

The design

The exterior design of this concept is an exploration of form. The research pointed out that people wanted something unique and different from other cars on the road. The rebellious and provocative aspect also seems to be the common theme among car custom cultures. By analyse basic forms, aiming to achieve a rebellious form, the tube came to be the most interesting object. With one end round and soft transforming into a flat sharp end, it became the base for the exterior with it’s contrast in each ends. The influence of the gun as a provocative object is shown in the choice of materials, colours and textures by contrasting the gunmetal ‘pipe’ shaped front part with a rubber-matt black rear.

The interior design is based upon interviews regarding people’s aspiration for cars and aims to emphasize on the driver’s contact with the car, “It’s not all about what it looks like; it’s more about what it feels like”. Because of that the idea was to focus on those objects in the car that the driver are in physical contact with, such as steering wheel, seat and gear stick. The choice of material was also made to achieve maximal comfort and contact with the car, and by that fulfil the users needs, aspiration and lifestyles.