Fab 40: Wiesmann Cars, Dülmen
If you're going to do retro style, do it with the kind of panache that makes contemporary cars seem strangely old-fashioned. That seems to be the self-imposed mandate at Wiesmann, a company that prides itself on building 'purist sports cars' at its extravagantly styled factory in Dülmen, about 40 kilometres from the Dutch border (the vast wooden roof structure resembles a gecko, the company's logo).
Founded 21 years ago by two brothers, Friedhelm and Martin Wiesmann, each car is hand-built, with high performance BMW mechanicals swathed in vaguely 1950s Jaguar-inspired bodywork. These are certainly not replicas, however, and both the Roadster and GT models favour a pared-down approach to deliver a very visceral driving experience, most especially in the V10-engined GT MF5, introduced earlier in the year.
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Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
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