Cutting Edge

Although its white and pink livery always sets the Joe Sharp fleet apart, Joe’s 17-registration Volvo FH500 with its Suicide Squad blockbuster-inspired artwork is a real head-turner

- Dan Parton

When the film Suicide Squad hit cinemas in the summer of 2016, it was one of the biggest blockbusters of the season and some characters and imagery have gone on to become iconic, especially Margo Robbie’s Harley Quinn. So, when Joe Sharp, managing director of his eponymous company, was buying a new Volvo FH500 and wanted some artwork on it that would help it stand out from the crowd, something from the film seemed like an obvious choice, with Harley Quinn central to it.

“I was unsure at first as I thought it might look a little bit cartoony but when I saw the proofs, I thought ‘yeah, it’s going to work’,” says Joe. “I love the bit that says ‘let’s go save the world’ on the front of the truck.”

“It’s absolutely stunning,” adds Darren Price, the truck’s regular driver. “When it first turned up in the yard it was dark and the truck was packed up in a corner, so when I got in the next morning I was gobsmacked with how well it had turned out.

“I wanted to get all of the characters from the film onto the Volvo but I wanted to make sure Harley Quinn was the main one on the back of the truck,” Darren adds.

Darren was involved in the design of the truck from the off, adds Joe.

“I told him what we were thinking of doing – I quite liked the film – and as soon as I mentioned it, Darren said ‘yeah, I love it’.

Haydon Autospray

The truck’s artwork was airbrushed by Adam Haydon at Haydon Autospray in Radstock, near Bath. “We get everything painted at Haydon Autospray – we’ve been with them for 18 years now and they have always looked after us,” says Joe.