In terms of iconic racing cars, few can hold a candle to the Mercedes-Benz W196, particularly in Streamliner guise.
The car was produced by the German marque for the 1954 and 1955 F1 seasons and managed to score the two world championships in which it competed. Additionally, it claimed nine victories in just 12 outings and spawned a special ‘streamliner’ version for use at the high speed Reims-Gueux circuit in France.
Compared to Formula One cars of today, the W196 had a much sleeker, stylish and simpler design Inspired by the original, South Korean designer Minwoong Im has created an amazing W196R Streamliner study from / for the year 2040.
Considering that almost a century separates the designs of the two, they still bare resemblances to each other. Most notably, the future vehicle has prominent wheel arches, is painted silver and includes a tiny windscreen.
Unlike the real-life W196 Streamliner, Im’s car has a closed cockpit and includes modern-day aerodynamic aids like a Le Mans-inspired fin behind the cockpit and a bold splitter.
Other key design touches of the 2040 W196R Streamliner include the bulging jet engines at the rear, the enclosed rear wheels and as with any great Mercedes, a huge three-pointed star badge on the front grille.
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