Classics in Motion-A Deep Dive

Kristo Cairns
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This is an audio podcast series that focuses on the ultra rare, highly unusual, one of a kind metal works of art from days long gone.

  1. The Cabin Scooter: Messerschmitt’s Aviation-Inspired Microcar

    27 JAN

    The Cabin Scooter: Messerschmitt’s Aviation-Inspired Microcar

    The Messerschmitt KR200, or "Kabinenroller," is a three-wheeled microcar produced in Germany from 1955 to 1964. Designed by aircraft engineer Fritz Fend, its fuselage-style body and bubble canopy reflect its aviation heritage. It features tandem seating and an aircraft-inspired steering yoke instead of a traditional wheel. Powered by a 191cc two-stroke engine, it reaches 65 mph with impressive fuel efficiency. A unique mechanical quirk allows it to reverse by restarting the engine backward, providing four reverse gears. This iconic "bubble car" gained fame through celebrity fans like Elvis Presley and remains a celebrated piece of automotive history.

    17 min
  2. The Firebird III: General Motors’ Jet-Age Laboratory

    22 JAN

    The Firebird III: General Motors’ Jet-Age Laboratory

    The 1958 Firebird III was General Motors' most advanced concept car, blending jet-fighter styling with Space Age technology. Designed by Harley Earl, it featured a fiberglass body with seven fins and a double-bubble canopy. Inside, a joystick replaced the steering wheel and pedals to control steering, acceleration, and braking. It utilized a dual-engine system: a rear gas turbine for propulsion and a front gasoline engine for accessories. This "laboratory on wheels" introduced innovations like cruise control and anti-lock brakes, while its bold aesthetics directly influenced future Cadillac production designs.

    11 min
  3. The Orange Mirage: Mercedes-Benz C111

    15 JAN

    The Orange Mirage: Mercedes-Benz C111

    The Mercedes-Benz C111 is a tawny spaceship, a wedge-shaped dream carved from fiberglass and ambition. With its shimmering gull-wing doors and slippery silhouette, it exists in the liquidity of time—a 1970s vision of a future that never quite arrived. Originally a laboratory for the high-revving Wankel engine, this orange mirage transitioned from rotary whispers to record-breaking diesel roars at the Nardò Ring. It remains an evocative masterpiece of "what could have been," blending advanced aerodynamics with a luxurious soul, forever rocketing between nostalgia and the avant-garde.

    11 min
  4. The Michelin Centipede: High-Speed Tire Innovation

    19/12/2025

    The Michelin Centipede: High-Speed Tire Innovation

    In the 1970s, Michelin developed a highly specialized vehicle known as the PLR, or "Centipede," to safely test truck tires at sustained high speeds. Built on a heavily modified Citroen DS chassis, this ten-wheeled mobile laboratory utilized a unique hydropneumatic suspension to maintain stability and simulate heavy cargo loads. The massive vehicle featured dual Chevrolet V8 engines, with one dedicated to driving the car and the other powering a hidden eleventh wheel used for testing in the center of the chassis. This internal configuration protected the driver from catastrophic tire failures while allowing engineers to gather precise data in real-world conditions. Although modern indoor technology eventually rendered the project obsolete, the Michelin PLR remains a legendary piece of automotive history currently preserved in a French museum.

    11 min
  5. Karlmann King: The Diamond Stealth SUV

    19/12/2025

    Karlmann King: The Diamond Stealth SUV

    The Karlmann King is a high-end, custom-built vehicle recognized as the most expensive SUV in the world, with prices reaching up to $3.8 million. Constructed on a Ford F-550 chassis, this massive machine features a sharp, angular exterior inspired by stealth bombers and diamond shapes. While its 6.8L V10 engine provides significant power, the vehicle's extreme weight—which can reach 6,000 kg with optional bullet-proof armor—limits its top speed to only 87 mph. The interior is designed for ultimate luxury, offering amenities such as a coffee machine, 4K television, gaming console, and satellite communication. Produced in very limited quantities in Italy and the United States, each unit is a bespoke creation tailored to the extravagant tastes of its owners.

    16 min
  6. The Savage Power of the TVR Speed 12

    17/12/2025

    The Savage Power of the TVR Speed 12

    The TVR Cerbera Speed 12 was an ultra-high performance concept car from the late 1990s, initially designed for GT1 racing to challenge the McLaren F1. It featured an extreme 7.7-liter V12 engine, which was so potent it reportedly broke the dynamometer during testing, with power estimates nearing 1,000 horsepower. Weighing just over 2,200 pounds, it was projected to hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed over 240 mph. Ultimately, TVR's owner, Peter Wheeler, canceled the planned production, declaring the single finished prototype too savage and unusable for public roads. Only one road-legal example exists.

    15 min
  7. Italdesign Aztec: Blade Runner Speedster Design

    17/12/2025

    Italdesign Aztec: Blade Runner Speedster Design

    The Italdesign Aztec, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and unveiled in 1988, is a rare, low-slung sports car known for its futuristic, "Blade Runner" style. It is unique due to its dual-canopy speedster body, which completely separates the driver and passenger into individual cockpits, requiring electronic communication. The car uses an Audi-sourced turbocharged 2.2-liter five-cylinder engine routed through a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-wheel-drive system. Incorporating features inspired by space technology, the Aztec was produced in extremely limited numbers, with only about 18 examples reportedly built.

    12 min
  8. Maserati Boomerang: Giugiaro's Influential Wedge Concept

    16/12/2025

    Maserati Boomerang: Giugiaro's Influential Wedge Concept

    The Maserati Boomerang is a one-off concept car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Italdesign, debuting as a running model in 1972. Built on the Maserati Bora chassis, it featured a 310 hp, 4.7-liter V8 engine, capable of nearly 300 km/h. Its extreme, angular wedge shape and futuristic interior—where the steering wheel rotated around the stationary gauge cluster—were revolutionary. Though never produced, its styling proved highly influential, inspiring later designs like the VW Golf Mk1, Lotus Esprit, and the DeLorean.

    16 min
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This is an audio podcast series that focuses on the ultra rare, highly unusual, one of a kind metal works of art from days long gone.

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