Initially teased back in July, Project Geländewagen – a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Mercedes Benz and Virgil Abloh, the Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton creative director – has finally been unveiled. Working with Mercedes-Benz Chief Design Officer, Gorden Wagener, Abloh has designed an artistic and futuristic model of the iconic G-Class (G-Wagen) which turned 40 last year.
Project Geländewagen retains the G‑Class’s iconic boxy form but is lower and wider to give it a more sporty look.
The exterior was painted white and sanded by hand to emphasis its monolithic shape. Other adaptations to the traditional design include the removal of indicators, outside mirrors and bumper bar.
“With Project Geländewagen we create a unique artwork that showcases future interpretations of luxury and the desire for beauty and the extraordinary,” said Wagener. “The result is something between reality and future.”
As owners of a G-Class car themselves, Abloh and Wagener used their personal experience when considering how Mercedes-Benz designs could be seen in a new light. Their aim was to drive luxury away from a polished and flawless aesthetic, and in its place, create something that was more raw and natural.
“One of the key points that we wanted to come across in the final product is the idea of being handmade and human-touched. You see this most in the finish of the car – it’s not a glossy, dark paint finish. This is intentional and something that was really important to the both of us,” says Abloh in an interview.
The exterior of the car arrives in a clean white to emphasize its silhouette, all the while laying its construction methods bare and celebrating the handcrafted imperfections that make it unique. Its paintwork has been partially sanded by hand to create a sense of simplicity.
The indicators, outside mirrors and bumper bar have all been removed and the body of the car has been both widened and lowered. The distinct personality of the classic car remains intact, however, and an exaggeration of the tires and spare wheel exude its renowned charisma.
“One of my personal rules — or ‘cheat notes’ as I like to call them — is the rule of three,” Abloh says when discussing what collaboration means to him. “To me, an existing object needs to be altered by only 3% to become something new, to evoke a new or different emotion, to be perceived differently by the world. I carry this with me in everything I do.”
Speaking about the collaboration, Wagener explained why Abloh was the ideal partner for Mercedes-Benz, “Like Virgil, Mercedes-Benz has the courage to be disruptive. The objective of ‘Project Geländewagen’ was to look at Mercedes-Benz design with a new perspective and create something unique that represents the future of luxury.”
There will just be one version of this collaboration. A one of a kind home-scale replica of the artwork, however, will be auctioned off following the launch, with proceeds being donated to an undisclosed charity that supports young artists. The winner of the model auction will also receive exclusive access to the co-creators, digging deeper into the model’s ideation and creation.
Source: Hypebeast