RMX-1 becomes automotive art

The creative work of Bangladeshi automotive artist Leepu Awila is more of a design study than anything practical, of most interest is the story of how the car actually came about. The RMX-1 was originally hand sketched on the fly after the designer was inspired by a trip to an aquarium of all places. "I'm giving it big side-windows. People are gonna want to see the driver of this car," says Awila, "not just their face but what they're wearing, their trousers or skirt.”

Building the car was a matter of hammering out the raw sheet metal over a period of six weeks, relatively quick for car design. Gathering parts involved scouring used car markets, which turned up the chassis of an old Capri and glasshouse from a scrapped Calibra. Destined to be an art piece, rather than a roaring supercar, the RMX-1 shows that car culture can be a legitimate subject for the art world.

Awila was able to hone his skills in coach-building by building replicas of his favorite cars seen at motor shows. His first creation was a replica of the Lamborghini Countach that he built on the chassis of a Volkswagen Beetle. Since then his cars now feature impeccable finish, almost as good as the real thing.

Click ahead to see a classic ad from Peugeot, perhaps inspired by Awila himself. It depicts a man from India building his own 206 hatch with the aid of an Elephant after seeing an image of one in a magazine.

[Source: Top Gear]

More images plus the full television ad after the jump.