What's behind Tesla Cybertruck's design

The Cybertruck has quickly captured the attention of the entire world, thanks to its minimalist aesthetics and radically innovative design that make it unique. The unveiling, which took place in Los Angeles in Apple style, featured Elon Musk and some assistants in testing the efficiency of the new arrival in front of the enthusiastic eyes of the public, even if not everything went as expected.

As it was predictable, the presentation generated a lot of reactions on social networks, but the interesting thing is how the so bizarre and innovative design of the SUV has unleashed the creativity and imagination of fans and curious people who have tried, even before they could see it in reality, to re-imagine and customize the Cybertruck - a bit as happens shortly after the launch of an Apple product or a Supreme item.

To emphasize the concept that we are not talking about a "simple car", but about an object that has become an icon even before its release, just think that Travis Scott exclusively introduced the Cybertruck and the Cyberquad in the clip of his single Gang Gang. The video, which recorded millions of views in a few hours, is set in the forecourt of a junkyard, then the footage moves to another location where the rapper shot some images above the Cybertruck and riding the Cyberquad, holding several firearms, including The Boring Company's Flamethrower.

The new Tesla branded SUV has concrete and specific inspirations. Imagined by Elon Musk himself with a look at the cyber-future, we find some similarities with the vehicles that appear in the films of Blade Runner in 1982 and Total Recall in 1990, where these cars with assisted driving help the protagonist or save his life.

LOTUS ESPRIT

As openly stated by Elon Musk, the design of the Cybertruck takes inspiration from the 1976 Lotus Esprit, in particular from the model used for the shooting of the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, in which the car could turn into a submarine capable of firing submarine missiles in seconds. The mark this car has left on a young Elon is tangible from his words in an interview with Jalopnik: "It was amazing as a little kid in South Africa to watch James Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me driving his Lotus Esprit off a pier, press a button and have it transform into a submarine underwater." This model was auctioned in 2013 by RM Sotheby's and purchased by the CEO of Tesla himself for £616,000.

LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH

The Lamborghini Countach could not be missing: presented at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show, it generated great surprise and amazement in the public. For its design and performances, it immediately became a symbol of the authentic Italian sports car: in fact, the line was characterized by precise lines that accompanied the unique shape, with doors that opened upwards. From that moment on, it became a symbol of all the V12s of Sant'Agata. The power was very high for the time: 375 hp allowed to reach a top speed of 315 km/h.

LANCIA STRATOS 0 PROTOTIPO

We find a radically innovative line and the same desire to send a strong message to the automotive industry in the 1970's Lancia Stratos 0 Prototype. Born from Marcello Gandini's design for Bertone, it represents a breaking point in the history of automotive design: with its wedge-shaped shape and extremely tight lines, it is not just an exercise in style, but a real experiment to re-design the very concept of the automobile from scratch. Gandini declared his objective: "to create an object that would attract the attention of visitors and above all of insiders because the important thing was to get people talking about it". Well, he certainly achieved it.

Just 840 mm high and 3580 mm long, it features futuristic technical solutions, such as the absence of doors (access to the two seats was guaranteed by the front glass that opened), an instrumentation with a futuristic design and a never seen before lighting system: on the front a single light band stands out, as wide as the car, while the rear lights formed a ring surrounding the radiator.

Its consecration to the great public came in 1988 with the film Moonwalker by Michael Jackson, where the Stratos 0 appeared for the first time in metallic grey, with powerful led headlights, armored and capable of reaching supersonic speeds, allowing the hero to escape his pursuers and stop their gunfire.

Elon Musk's new SUV opens a new chapter in the history of automotive design, while at the same time attracting a lot of praise and criticism. But one thing is for sure: although the first models will not be delivered before 2021, Cybertrucks are still being talked about, increasing the hype and waiting to see them roll on the road.