Stuttgart Hot Rods by Michael Alan Ross
A Blacktop Book Review
While enjoying this book, I got to pondering a few things.
At the Laguna College of Art and Design, like at pretty much EVERY Art School, you are taught that: “You cannot break the rules unless you KNOW the rules.” That always drove me crazy. It drove me crazy because: I want to break THAT RULE! I can’t help but think about ground-breaking artists and artisans who broke all the rules?
And then I think about Hot Rods. What is a Hot Rod? There is an interesting dynamic happening in the “hot rod” world today. The lines are blurred, or rather, the RULES are blurred. According to Ken Gross in 8 Heroes of American Hot Rodding a Hot Rod is: “A car that’s been stripped down, souped up and made to go much faster.”
I think that can be a vehicle of ANY form of propulsion. Why can’t you make a Hot Rod EV? The same principles apply but this time it is a new generation that has the passion and ability to create some new whiz-bang widget to make the EV perform incredibly. They will test, tune, fail and keep trying. That sounds exciting to me.
This book. Porsche Outlaws, Stuttgart Hot Rods says it all in the title. (Hardcover 192 pages, $55.00 USD) Take a classic, iconic, steeped in culture and identity brand and change it. How dare you think you can make something better that a PORSCHE? Dare be done. This book gives you example after example of passionate excited people who think they can make it better. AND THEY DO! Crazy. Paradigm shifting! and
INSPIRING!
Michael Alan Ross has beautifully presented the history and progression with examples shown in a group of passionate, creative and remarkable craftsmen. His photography is complimented with direct and inspiring text. I dig the designers section the best. Of course, Dean Jeffries (Monkee Mobile designer) and I was surprised by seeing Rob Ida’s take, I know of him with other marques. Then it was cool to see Singer as I recently enjoyed a private tour of their shop. (sadly I could not take any photos)
If you are looking for an inspiring book you can go back to over and over again. Get it. If you are looking for a gift for someone who has everything. Get it.
Now go out and break some rules!
