Saleen's S7 supercar remains an icon of power, performance and style. And now, the man behind the design is striking out in a slightly different direction in a move that reflects the changing landscape of the car world.
Phil Frank, the designer who helped spawn the S7 more than a decade ago, is turning his talents to carbon-fiber components as he launches a new venture to complement his consulting business.
Frank, 45, has designed everything from Saleen's famous road-going jets to watches and glasses--and now he's taking aim at the potential customization market for the recent generation of sports and supercars, many of which rely on carbon fiber to maintain lithe curb weights and improve looks and performance.
It's called PFD Carbonworks, and it's based in Portland, Ore. The initial project is a carbon-fiber hood for the first-generation Lamborghini Gallardo. The idea is to give the car a slightly different look while drawing upon some of the design traits from the Reventón, the Sesto Elemento and the Aventador.
But the altered look is meant to complement the original character of the Gallardo, not divert entirely, Frank says.
“I'm not going to go off the deep end with design,” he tells AutoWeek. “That's not really my style.”
Rather, Frank is taking the approach of an in-house tuner, enhancing the look and playing up the natural athleticism of the Lambo.
“It's up there, in your face,” he says. “I want to be able to make a bold, carbon-fiber hood but expose some of the technology.”
He's also working on a carbon-fiber trim package to bolster aerodynamics on the Audi R8. It includes splitters and a Gurney lip spoiler. Down the road, Frank has designs for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Aston Martin Vantage. He'd also like to try his hand on the Aventador. It was just revealed in Geneva, but like any designer worth his salt, he has his own ideas.
Tangentially, he's working on a supercar-themed “spyder table,” which uses a carbon-fiber chassis, a billet-aluminum hub and tempered glass. These coffee tables and end tables are being pitched for bespoke environments, such as yachts, and to consumers.
“This is more like a self-expression kind of thing, and hopefully it grows into something sustainable,” Frank says.
That should be interesting to watch. He has one employee so far--himself--and does all of the computer-aided design and styles. He outsources the actual manufacturing of the parts.
The project is a fresh start of sorts for Frank. He says he stopped giving input for Steve Saleen's SMS Supercars about a year ago, and he battled thyroid cancer, which on this day has left his voice slightly raspy as he speaks into his cell phone. He's still up for energetic driving, however, and his ride of choice is a customized 2007 Ford Mustang packing 550 hp.
The carbon-fiber venture augments his design consulting business, pfd, (his initials, Phil Frank Design). He's aiming to make about 100 units a year, and as a relatively small entrepreneur, he'd like a quick return on investment.
From BMW's Chris Bangle to Camilo Pardo of Ford GT fame, designers tend to like to branch out, even if it takes them away from their roots as car designers. In Frank's case, he's trying to transition his passion for automobiles into a fresh start. As he put it, “What you see is all coming from me.”
The car world awaits what's next.
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Phil Frank, the designer who helped spawn the S7 more than a decade ago, is turning his talents to carbon-fiber components as he launches a new venture to complement his consulting business.
Frank, 45, has designed everything from Saleen's famous road-going jets to watches and glasses--and now he's taking aim at the potential customization market for the recent generation of sports and supercars, many of which rely on carbon fiber to maintain lithe curb weights and improve looks and performance.
It's called PFD Carbonworks, and it's based in Portland, Ore. The initial project is a carbon-fiber hood for the first-generation Lamborghini Gallardo. The idea is to give the car a slightly different look while drawing upon some of the design traits from the Reventón, the Sesto Elemento and the Aventador.
But the altered look is meant to complement the original character of the Gallardo, not divert entirely, Frank says.
“I'm not going to go off the deep end with design,” he tells AutoWeek. “That's not really my style.”
Rather, Frank is taking the approach of an in-house tuner, enhancing the look and playing up the natural athleticism of the Lambo.
“It's up there, in your face,” he says. “I want to be able to make a bold, carbon-fiber hood but expose some of the technology.”
He's also working on a carbon-fiber trim package to bolster aerodynamics on the Audi R8. It includes splitters and a Gurney lip spoiler. Down the road, Frank has designs for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Aston Martin Vantage. He'd also like to try his hand on the Aventador. It was just revealed in Geneva, but like any designer worth his salt, he has his own ideas.
Tangentially, he's working on a supercar-themed “spyder table,” which uses a carbon-fiber chassis, a billet-aluminum hub and tempered glass. These coffee tables and end tables are being pitched for bespoke environments, such as yachts, and to consumers.
“This is more like a self-expression kind of thing, and hopefully it grows into something sustainable,” Frank says.
That should be interesting to watch. He has one employee so far--himself--and does all of the computer-aided design and styles. He outsources the actual manufacturing of the parts.
The project is a fresh start of sorts for Frank. He says he stopped giving input for Steve Saleen's SMS Supercars about a year ago, and he battled thyroid cancer, which on this day has left his voice slightly raspy as he speaks into his cell phone. He's still up for energetic driving, however, and his ride of choice is a customized 2007 Ford Mustang packing 550 hp.
The carbon-fiber venture augments his design consulting business, pfd, (his initials, Phil Frank Design). He's aiming to make about 100 units a year, and as a relatively small entrepreneur, he'd like a quick return on investment.
From BMW's Chris Bangle to Camilo Pardo of Ford GT fame, designers tend to like to branch out, even if it takes them away from their roots as car designers. In Frank's case, he's trying to transition his passion for automobiles into a fresh start. As he put it, “What you see is all coming from me.”
The car world awaits what's next.
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