The Fisker - Galpin Partnership

The automotive aftermarket has seen its fair share of trends in the past decade; it's even more important that you're filled in on where that trend has brought us. In 10 years we've gone from pin stripes, 22 inch rims and LEDs everywhere you look to a much more subtle and clean approach. The transition has been impressive, and is even more so when you look at the big aftermarket players. In particular, we're talking about two important icons in automotive design: Henrik Fisker and Galpin Autosports, who have recently revealed their own takes on the Aston Martin Vanquish and the new Mustang.

If you don't know anything about Henrik Fisker or Galpin Autosports, let me clue you in starting with Fisker. Henrik Fisker is a name that carries weight in the auto industry. Since his early days at BMW, he's been most regarded for penning such designs as the BMW Z8, the Aston Martin DB9, the Aston Martin Vanquish, and of course his own creation, the eco-friendly and politically correct - as James May puts it - Fisker Karma.

As far as Galpin Auto Sports goes, you may recognize this iconic West-coast shop from the once popular MTV show "Pimp My Ride" - which was known for Exhibit and his nutty crew, and their rather unique approach to car customization, taking old beaters and making them new again, though as we recently found out, the surface was pretty much as far as they went. However, it's good to know that aside from the rides on the show, they are pros at customization, which is why this is an important marker in automotive history, because when Henrik Fisker and G.A.S. got their hands on the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Ford Mustang, the results of their combined efforts were stunning:

Image: Auto Evolution

 

 



We start with the Galpin - Fisker Rocket. Unveiled at the LA Auto Show last fall, this one-of-a-kind one-off Mustang was the beginning of a beautiful, yet unlikely partnership between G.A.S. and Henrik Fisker (Xhibit wasn't in any way involved). The process was actually so involved, that the partnership followed a full design process from original sketches to a full-size clay model, resulting in a new flex on classic muscle designed to bring back the classic spirit of the original Mustang. From a re-sculpted front end, housing a supercharged 725 horsepower beast, to the Bassani quad-tipped exhaust and custom decklid, the Rocket is everything the Mustang should have been - in my eyes at least.

Image: Auto Evolution

 

 

 

Now that you're familiar with the kind of great things that have come from the Fisker - Galpin partnership, we bring you to the latest creation to come out of the shop: the Thunderbolt. A reincarnation of the famous Aston Martin Vanquish, the only thing that this car really has with the Aston is the chassis. The rest, as you'll see below, is all Fisker - Galpin.

 

From the more articulated creases in the panels to the views provided by the wrap-around rear window and glass roof, one could enjoy this elegant sports car while they sip wine at their leisure, thanks to a special leather holder that cradles 2 bottles of their finest wine. And for those that actually plan on driving the Thunderbolt, you aren't left short of power.

 

New lowered suspension rides on high performance 21-inch wheels, and handles the V-12 beast from the original Vanquish that lives under the hood. While the car works itself around the corners of the Pacific Coast Highway, the driver is bathed in comfort - a custom interior complete with Natuzzi leather and an 11.6 - inch curved Panasonic screen, topped with a Maurice Lacroix Skeleton dash clock. 

 



Image: Business Insider

 

To the unfamiliar eye, this looks like a regular Aston Martin Vanquish - but when you put the aptly named "Thunderbolt" next to the normal car, it's easy to tell that almost every single panel has been reshaped to give the car a completely new look with just a hint of familiarity.

 

Image: Autocar

 

The lines on this one - off rendition by the former Aston designer speak his language perfectly and add a new appeal to this former Vanquish. Though it may not look like a complete reinvention, it's the details that make the Thunderbolt unique. The price for this rare piece of automotive history? $700,000. But you can't buy it, because Galpin has made a point to mention that this is just a design study, and that more would be built on a special order basis - if they ever even decided to go down that road.

 

So, In less than a year, we've seen Henrik Fisker and Galpin Auto Sports come up with a couple pretty amazing creations - but of course, what else do you expect from a designer that can take credit for some of the most iconic cars in the world?