Creating Art With An Audi A7 Sportback

Think Liberty Walk and I’m sure the first thing that will come to mind, besides why or why not depending on your stance when it comes to overfenders, is exotics. Kato-san is always trying to push the boundaries and challenge people’s thinking, all the while transforming supercars like the McLaren 650S into rolling works of art.

You either get it, or you don’t, and that’s what makes art, well, art.

DSC04504

When I came across Newing’s Audi R8 and A7 Sportback at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, I saw two demo cars that had been transformed into works of art. However, the A7 struck a special chord with me; not being the typical candidate to receive the Liberty Walk aero kit treatment, it drew me in for a closer look.

DSC04525

In conjunction with Liberty Walk, Akiyasu Ikeda, president of Newing, wanted to venture out of his comfort zone and transform the A7 into something truly unique. The obligatory bolt-on overfenders came from Kato-san, but everything else you see, including the custom front and rear bumpers, carbon side skirts, ducktail spoiler and one-off exhaust system were all created in-house at Newing. They form parts that Ikeda-san calls his ‘Alpil’ line-up.

DSC04520

These days, wraps have made it pretty easy to change a vehicle’s exterior color, but with this build Ikeda-san wanted to try something a little bit more challenging. The two-tone effect has come about by painting most of the body in a beautiful candy red hue, spraying the roof candy black, and then blending the two colors together on the pillars.

DSC04510

MS-1 forged wheels in a 21-inch fitment and AirREX air suspension help pull the whole look together.

DSC04517

This is where most people would stop, but wanting the A7 to be a complete demo car meant the interior needed some custom love too. Calling on his old school friend who owns Robson Leather, Ikeda-san had the A7 interior’s completely redone in plush, white leather with bright red stitching to tie into the exterior paint.

It’s the combination of the exterior overhaul and Miami Vice-like white interior (which I imagine would be an absolute nightmare to keep clean) that has turned this Audi A7 Sportback into a work of art. So, through the lens of art, what do you think?

Ron Celestine
Instagram: celestinephotography

ADVERTISEMENT

Comments



Comments are closed.

30 comments

by Oldest
by Best by Newest by Oldest
1

Impressive and well done, and as unique as the rest 673 cars equipped with airride+currently trendy wheels+overfenders

2

I was thinking the same thing but it was more sarcastic in my head.

I genuinely want to know when will someone do something unique with a VAG automobile?

3
ReallyForeverAlone

Unfortunately, the vast majority of that scene is centered around form > function. I'd love to see more track-spec GTIs and Audis.

4

Umm, the show car scene will always be form > function, thats why its called a show. Want to see track spec cars, go to a track... i mean why would track guys make time for all the car shows when there are lapping days almost every weekend? Sure you might see one or two track spec cars at a show but the vast majority of them are at the track using their cars for what they built them for.

5
ReallyForeverAlone

Then how come whenever you go to car shows for other brands, you see more cars built to look like track cars? Take Honda Day for example: you'll see more roll cages and engine mods and race buckets than you see deep disk vintage wheels and coilovers turned all the way down. So no, it's not because of venue; it's because of the community behind a brand.

6

I don't know anyone who doesn't get the form>function ethos of show cars, it's a given but every Audi, VW, Skoda etc have the same 2 generic approaches : Air-ride, massive wheels, low pro tyres or stickerbomb, intentional rusting etc.

On the project gti articles it was even mentioned that a show attendee looked in the back of the car and was shocked to see not an air compressor but work equipment; there is nothing more symptomatic of the state of the VAG scene than that.

What I'm saying is that it's be refreshing to see someone take a different approach to one of these cars and do something that no other VAG owner has thought of.

7

I understand what your saying but what im trying to point out is a bit of selection bias. Essentially if you go looking for cars at car shows then you really aren't going to see to many cars that are race inspired. That being said, there is an event near me called June Jitterbug and the majority of the cars that show up are OEM+

When I go to the track for lapping days, or other racing events to spectate, I see a reasonable ammount of VAG cars being used an abused. From Audis in ice racing and rally to VW's being run in touring car series.

I think the problem is that in the end there will always be a lot of group think in any car scene, it just depends which scene you are looking at tho.

8

'You either get it, or you don’t, and that’s what makes art, well, art.'
Well put, I love the wider is better attitude of the car scene at the moment!
And that paint job is definitely unique.

9

I disagree. You can't define art incorrectly and then use it to justify what you like as art.

Alternative facts as they say on the Twitters.

10

You misunderstand, I wasn't using it as justification, my opinion was intended as a separate point.

11

Fair enough, my apologies.

12
topinsights_SS

In the past week I've seen more articles about "stance" than I have on another site that has the word in its very name. Please stop featuring played out garbage like this.

13

What can that car be used for? Interior in white leather, excessive aero kit and not functional, 21´s wheels... a great car, stupidly ruined, buy hey! have a carbon tails!

14

Its a demo car, it is used to demo Newing's and Robson Leather's work. The words were pretty plain and clear there, "the custom front and rear bumpers, carbon side skirts, ducktail spoiler and one-off exhaust system were all created in-house at Newing."

This is actually what i expect from a demo car, they should go crazy and try new things simply because it not only shows off the quality of work and what is possible but it also provides a litmus test for their future strategy. If they are paying attention to the reaction then they can make a judgment about what their business should focus on next. Also as a business this is considered an expense and more than likely a tax write off (Although i know nothing about Japanese tax law so i could be wrong)

You may not like it but this car does exactly what its supposed to do.

15

Too bad they included overfenders in the mix, and the obligatory "stancing".
The paint effect is very nice and the integrated pieces work reasonably with the body lines, unlike the boltons that look like the same ones on anything else just "fit" to that vehicle. And although the interior would be a nightmare if used often, that isn't the point as it's meant to be unique and beautiful- check.
I also agree that it seems we are being "pushed" a lot lately to look at stanced vehicles (cars that are not meant to perform well, or at all) and include them in the mix with real cars that look great, and also, um, work great. Sorry, Chuck Barris-styled cars are still just curiosity pieces and not real cars.

16

Art? Forget the cars. This is the most poorly written piece I have ever read on SH. And the quality of the writing is not exactly the reason we come here.

17

Nice paint

18
Brian Limback

absolutely love the paint color and that interior! not sure how i feel about the wheels though

19

Exactly this! I would love to have such an interior, and the paint is superb looking.

20
StealthStar17

Looking though the comments section, most of what I'm seeing is a bunch of close-minded assholes who call themselves "car guys." Sorry, but being a car guy means keeping an open mind and taking a time to appreciate every custom car build that's uploaded on this website. Even if it's something you don't like, somebody else might like it.

21

Unique builds are always appreciated, just look at yesterdays SVX!

22

The comments would look like a bunch of kids on ritalin having a conversation. Without discussion and ideas, whether positive or negative, the comments section would be quite boring

23

ronald mcdonald

24

The only reason that cars like these are considered art is to excuse the fact that they are all but undrivable (ie. of no practical use).

Ron, your definition of art is questionable by the way. Art is subjective, yes. The flipside is that you don't get to say that someone gets it and someone else doesn't. We are all right.

25
George Daygen

https://vimeo.com/174020720
Widebody by Clinched (clinchedflares.com)

27

Yawn. Yet another car done in the same style in the VAG arena, it really has become that stale hasn't it. Also who's demo car is this supposed to be? If it's Newing then all they have done is produce some bumpers, skirts and a spoiler which doesn't add up to much of a demo car for that company really.
Sorry Speedhunters but i've never bothered to comment on any articles over the years but please feature cars worth looking at and not something that has bolt on wings and shiny wheels.

28

Germans and art? hah didn't turn out so bad this time around :)

29

That would be the best car for red carpet / wedding use.
A very nice combination and a very high execution standards, the body is a little "common" but the interior is superb.

30

Not really my cup of tea but great execution all around. Nice set.

OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS