Michel Vaillant is a name that’s gone from comic books to television series and even a film. And is a name I’m going to be thinking of the next time I see any new Hyundai out and about. You see, Michel Vaillant is the lead character in a long-running French comic book of the same name by Jean Granot published in the early ’60s, about a young F1 racing driver’s escapades on track. Apart from probably having influenced a handful of kids to get into motorsport, the comic series is also the reason a young Luc Donckerwolke started drawing cars in the first place.
And now, decades later, Donckerwolke has come full circle, sketching cars in his free time for the very comic that inspired his choice of profession! That choice took him from an electromechanical degree from Brussels to a transportation degree from ArtCenter College of Design (Europe), and finally, in designing, as well as overseeing, cars that have helped turn the image of its maker at the time.
After a few years at Peugeot at the turn of the ’90s, Donckerwolke’s career really only took off when he moved to Audi a few years later, at a time when the brand was floundering. The Berlin Wall had fallen, a global recession was coming, and Audi didn’t quite hold the same cachet as a BMW, or Mercedes. There was also an undergoing shift in car design. Boxy, angled designs were giving way to softer curves, and Audi couldn’t be left behind.
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Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Overdrive.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Volvo XC40 Recharge
Volvo's first pure electric car promises performance and range a level above what its size suggests
Maruti Suzuki XL6
Mildly facelifted, but with core mechanical updates and feature upgrades to help take on new competition
Safety Ratings In For Creta, i20
GNCAP crash test results in for Hyundai Creta and i20, in their base variants with ABS and two airbags
Volkswagen Returns To Play A Two-Pronged Game With The Virtus
Volkswagen returns to play a two-pronged game in the mid-sized sedan space with the Virtus
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The X4 looks gorgeous and the diesel engine is bonkers! Read on if you still need more reasons to give it attention
BYD Han EV Enroute To India?
Overdrive has spied the BYD Han EV at the BYD facility near Chennai.
INDIA VS EV FIRES
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DATSUN SHUTS SHOP IN INDIA
Japanese carmaker Nissan has discontinued its subsidy brand Datsun in India owing to low sales numbers
HONDA TO MAKE ADAS STANDARD ACROSS INDIA LINE-UP
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GEAR AND GADGETS
GOPRO HERO 10 BLACK