Pasadena College of Art and Design is just the finishing touch on a thorough artist’s education for this month’s student designer, Maurice Maschmeyer

Maschmeyer is a native German speaker fluent in English and French as well. An recent Italian immersion will make him a quadruple threat linguistically.

In terms of automotive and industrial design vision, Maschmeyer has an interesting eye for beauty and a sweeping, holistic aesthetic that previews next-gen hypercar styles.

Graduating in 2017, Maschmeyer will leave California to take his aesthetic and automotive design skills into a major OEM, and onto a street near you a year or so after that.

A particularly exciting prototype from Maschmeyer is his 975 Ernesto vision.

Think of this five-motor hybrid hypercar as one notch above the previous Enzo-based MC12. The space occupied by the Ernesto splits the difference between a million-dollar hypercar and a $5M concept like the Pininfarina Birdcage.

Despite aiming for 975 units to match the 975-kg and 975-hp specs, the Ernesto’s revolutionary one-way glass and other tech innovations seem a better fit for perhaps nine models in total.

DESIGN ANALYSIS

The Ernesto is quite a striking vision into the future. An almost surreal purity in form language for the upper bodywork sees the bodywork swing up and around the cockpit without the typical black windshield glasshouse. This may be feasible with nano-particle fibers, or a future 3D-printed graphene composite. The full view from inside is uninterupted by any A or B-pillars, which makes the ultra-reclined drive position more natural inside the 975.

A simple nose sweep breaks the design into unique upper and lower elements, broken apart by the nautical-inspired beltline seam that has long defined Italian exotica. Below the shark-like hood crease, black detailing and aero vanes sweep around each corner. The classic Maserati Trident badge does not hovers in the middle of space as on classic Maserati racecars. Instead, it lives as a sunken brightwork element in the main painted hood. The spikes of the weapon emblem point skyward as they race up the hood and roof. Punched negatively into the shape of the car, this defining centerline continues over the cockpit and into a stack of vertical red LED brakelights atop the engine cover.

Similar to the jet canopy’s one-way transparency, the Ernesto body panels allow LED lighting up front to be partially hidden behind the sweep of the nose and front wings. This pinch of fender flare rises high above the front and rear wheels, melting downward and wrapping each giant tire tightly.

The arced spin of the rear floorplan and free-standing lower rear fenders are an aerodynamic delight that lightens the visual appeal of the car as well as delivers huge downforce benefits at 200-mph-plus. This dramatic rising floorplan starts just behind the front fenders; which form a wave shape behind the front axle.

Mechanically, a supercharged straight-six provides primary motivation, but is supplemented by in-wheel motors all around. 4-way adaptive torque vectoring thus makes the Ernesto able to slingshot out of corners on a surge of electricity.

2005 Maserati Birdcage 75th

The design of the Ernesto is a breath of fresh air versus the current hypercar crop. So while LaFerrari and the McLaren P1 might not seem overdesigned and garish to 2015 eyes… the recent past shows us how rapidly hypercar design sensibilities are evolving.

Evidence?

2013 Lamborghini Veneno. Introduced just four two years ago, it already feels awkward and unnecessarily aggressive.

2013 Lamborghini Veneno

In this return to smoothness and flow, a 2019 reboot of hypercar basics may result in a machine as stunning and fresh a design as the 975 Ernesto.

We wish Maurice Maschmeyer the best in his studies, and look forward to seeing more of his style on the next generation of world-beating supercars!

Check out his design sysnopsis, social links and student curriculum vitae below.

 

 

2019 Maserati 975 Ernesto Concept

The Maserati 975 is a concept based on its heritage and defines Maserati’s approach to its future in lightweight and green sport cars. This concept hybrid hyper car for 2025 is named after Ernesto Maserati, one of the founding brothers, who passed away in 1975, to honor his memory to his 50^th anniversary. Taken from 1975 and Maserati’s connection to its deep family values, the 975 has 975 horsepower, weighs 975 kilograms, and is limited to 975 units produced.

This 5-engine hybrid hyper car has a total power output of 975 horsepower and a power to weight ratio of 1:1. It is powered by a 325 horsepower front-mid inline 6 which supercharges both the dual 140 horsepower front electric motors that propel the front wheels as well as the independent dual 185 horsepower rear hub motors attached directly to each axle that propel the rear wheels. Additionally it has a super lightweight ionized battery pack located in the center of the vehicle behind the drivers seat for ideal weight distribution.

It has an adaptive all wheel drive system that sends power to each wheel individually, which enhances handling, performance and safety. In pure electric mode it has a range of 200 miles (320km). But where the 975 really comes to its own, is on the track or on a mountain road. Due to its extreme vacuum suction gap in the rear past the cabin, it creates extreme amounts of down force.

Designed to keep Maserati’s heritage and incorporate its nautical influences, the 975 has a forward prone proportion enhanced by a ‘sharks ribcage’ that extends rearwards from the middle of vehicle. As though always on the showroom floor under its drapery, the 975 teases with its technical intakes and lights under the iconic Maserati waterline that runs from the headlights through the side to the taillights. Inspired by the theme of a fighter jet, the top streamline surface covers all the technical details under its skin. The drapery is peeled forward to expose the rear top exhaust, which furthermore enhances the 975s push forward proportion. Its strong low jaw with sharp teeth and high rear hips emphasize that it is always on its feet and ready to pounce forward.

 

 

Maurice on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricemaschmeyer

Maurice on Pinterest

https://www.pinterest.com/mauricemaschi/

Maurice Maschmeyer CV