…And we’re back! The Voltex S2000 seemed to have drawn a multitude of car lovers and in this installment, we are going to show you the transport process along with how the S2000 appeared at the Autoshow. If you missed our behind the scenes look on how Nakajima-san assembled the aero, you can check it out here. As with the previous set of images as well as this set of visuals, we wanted to thank the photographic diligence of Jeff Liu of JLiu Photography in capturing moments we would otherwise not be able to see.
Last minute crunches seem to be a common practice when it comes to prepping cars for shows. It’s certainly common for most car guys but in this case, the majority of work was completed a week in advance. If you are familiar with driving low cars, then you know how impossible it would have been to drive the AP1 from Queens into Manhattan. The project was never meant to be on the street but during loading day, there isn’t much of a choice. With clearance less than 3 inches, the S2000 wouldn’t have been able to make it out of the garage where it was assembled if it wasn’t for a tow truck. Although the livery wasn’t entirely complete, you could already see how the lines designed by Edwin emphasized the voluptuous curves of the new aero. Without the vinyl work, some of the widths of the car would be lost in the mass of Lizard green paint. It’s 4am and it’s loading time!
After several tries and multiple wood planks, the Voltex S2000 was loaded and en route to the west side of Manhattan along with some of the demo cars that included a menacing sating black R35 GTR and a Ferrari 458 Italia lowered on Novitec suspension, a custom set of Work wheels and a Frequency Intelligent exhaust.
Once it was on the street, it commanded attention with its presence. The splitter magically further exaggerated how low the chassis sat on the asphalt and the concavity of the TE37 complimented the look. Now, only if NYC streets were as smooth as glass.
Once inside, the S2000 was ready for the limelight. Although the front and side splitters were made to withstand a hundred pounds of downforce, we were worried what would happen if a careless heavy adult stepped on some of dry carbon. Since we didn’t want to find out, some rope provided caution but we still wanted to let curious folks come as close as possible to the car. And finally, it was ready for the press and public.
Today is the last day to view the finished S2000 at the NYIAS. We will be planning an intimate screening of a video at Crown within the coming week so if you are local to NYC, keep your eyes peeled for more information.
The entry below was written by Edwin reflecting on his influence for the livery design.
It was late last year, after SEMA, when Calvin had mentioned they were going to embark on this project. I was honored that he had asked for my assistance in creating a distinct livery for the S2000.
My inspiration is rooted deeply in the Japanese styling of various motorsports and street cars. D1GP was where my initial interest in livery design peaked. I was also always drawn to the livery artwork of Tokyo Auto Salon demo cars and Itasha styling over the years. 90s Veilside, Varis and Runduce were always on the top of my list.
Voltex had been sharing sketches of their widebody S2000 as far back as 2014. The initial debut being on the Top Fuel S2000. There was no livery on it, however. It was fitted with various logos from partners and sponsors and still managed to look incredibly cool.
For Crown’s S2000, we had discussed the color of the car early on. Considering the color and the amount of body modifications, I decided on an approach for the design that would not overshadow those features while still enhancing the appearance. No D1GP or Itasha styling this time! More of a subtle Super Taikyu/TAS demo car focus. Working on the render was a bit of a challenge. There were no real side or front angle photos of the car that I could use. I had to refer to a few photos online and manually draw the body parts in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I had to do the same for the Varis EVO X and M4 SEMA projects from a couple of years ago. After mashing up photo and vector art, the foundation was complete and I was ready to lay down the livery design.
My mindset process usually consists of late nights after work on the computer, some form of bass music and a Modelo or two. When the creative focus kicks in, I start drawing lines that compliment the curves of the car, freehand. Slowly using negative space to attach shapes as a single design.
For this creative, the idea was to create the wind tunnel style lines that are usually visible when Voltex tests their aero.
During the design process, there are times where I try to throw in a subtle easter egg only those with the sharpest eyes will notice. In this case, I threw in an abstract “S” that ties it all back to the model name of this Honda platform.
The Voltex aero provides a larger surface area to add accent colors and branding. It was also important to make use of that real estate, without disrupting the look of the overall exterior. Nakajima-San actually recommended we paint the lower CF fender cover, but we opted to leave as is. The contrasting color along with the branding list and accent color worked very well together.
The approach for the main Crown Speed Lab branding differs from the norm as well. We tend to see companies simply add large logos in a few colors and call it a day. In keeping with the subtle but impactful approach, we opted for the matte stripe that travels along the lower portion of the car, leaving a mask that exposes the logo and underlying color. Finally, the accented fluorescent green stripe along the carbon edges brings it all together.
Many do not realize, one of the main challenges when it comes to livery is the application process. Have you ever tried to place a decal on your car and realized you had an air bubble or that you had applied it an angle? Imagine that, but multiplied by a massive scale. Definitely, a task that requires an immense amount of patience and precision. Calvin and the Crown staff worked for countless hours ensuring the render became a reality. I’m incredibly proud of the team for pulling off the application of this complex design in such perfection.
We hope you had a chance to view this car up close and personal at the auto show. If you were unable to, keep an eye out for upcoming announcements for the next opportunities to see this car in person or in action.
The next Crown Speed Lab X PRIMENYC.CO collaboration is already in the works. Stay tuned for updates, especially if you’re into rotaries.
