Student Art: Saab Blackbird Concept inspired by famous jet
Click above for high-res gallery of the Saab Blackbird
If there's anything even more cool about the current crop of concept cars, it's that we can actually see a bridge to the technology in a lot of them. Not that we expect them to be on the roads soon, but the thought of something like the solar skin on Mark Kruse's Saab Blackbird concept making it to an actual production car doesn't sound as crazy as it did in 1990.
The Blackbird takes its cues from, surprise surprise, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance plane, yet looks even more to us like the head of a bird (as in woodpecker). The car's solar skin powers four electric motors in the wheels, with a battery array likely free to power the driver's LCD display and the passenger's wraparound communications panel.
The car can also go on a diet: the suspension can retreat into the body and trim the car down to just 52 inches (132 cm) wide. The seats are also width adjustable to fit the occupants. And while none of that sounds too outrageous, the rear seat placement could never work. With its backrest practically forming the rear bulkhead, you do not want to be the Blackbird's co-pilot in a rear-end collision. But if we're driving, we'll take it.
Gallery: Saab Blackbird Concept
[Source: Diseno Art]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Torrent 4:34PM (10/31/2008)
...........
Reply
TyWright 4:35PM (10/31/2008)
Oh man - can you imagine?!! I hope Saab goes this way.
Someone needs to save Saab from being a watered down offshoot of the GM parts bin
Reply
s13hybrid 4:37PM (10/31/2008)
This is not toooo crazy, but why can't designers put actual wheels and tires on these concepts? It can be crazy and cool, while still looking like something that could actually be made.
Reply
EXP Jawa 4:53PM (10/31/2008)
I thought that the "Born from jets" line implied Saab's jets, not Lockheed's...
I'm still trying to figure out the Blackbird tie-in. Does it drive fast at high altitude? Other that the red stripe around the nose & windshield, I don't see anything that visually ties them together. Or am I missing something rather obvious?
Reply
bigbear7787 6:43PM (10/31/2008)
i agree
gslippy 5:10PM (10/31/2008)
"Sir, I knew the Blackbird. The Blackbird was a friend of mine. You, sir, are no Blackbird."
Reply
Jeff 5:27PM (10/31/2008)
Why do design students always put such ridiculous wheels on their car concepts?
Otherwise, it's not too bad, except it looks like a one-seater.
Reply
r33 5:56PM (10/31/2008)
the blackbird?
i thought this was the saab gonzo.
Reply
amac 6:54PM (10/31/2008)
For real? It's hideous.
Reply
Paul B 8:58PM (10/31/2008)
Looks like the cars I drew in Jr. High study hall.
Reply
Nick 9:21PM (10/31/2008)
..Why isn't it black?
Reply
nissanfreak87 12:05PM (11/01/2008)
It always makes me laugh when people ask why design students do certain things, because we can! Mark is a graduate of the same program I'm in, and he's really good. People think that inspiration has to be literal, if it's inspired by the SR-71 it has to be an SR-71 on wheels, blah blah, no it doesn't! Understand that design students allow their minds to run wild, seeing as once we're in the industry we'll be bogged down by the corporate world telling us how to design.
Seriously people, chill out about designers having crazy ideas, not like it's ever going to be built, if it looked like an E30 3-series you wouldn't be happy either.
Reply
Matt W. 3:28PM (11/01/2008)
That looks like it was inspired by a Nike.
Reply