He seems to take these digital car caricatures quite seriously.
We've seen quite a few videos from noted car designer Frank Stephenson, but this one is different. Whereas the subject is usually a new supercar, this video offers a deep dive into the wide range of fictional cars available in the enduring video game Grand Theft Auto V. He already shared one video about GTA V's whips, and now, we have a follow-up.
Silly as that might sound – the vehicles are caricatures of actual cars after all – it is rather interesting to sample these digital creations through the eyes of a famous designer. Stephenson's rich portfolio includes hypercars like the McLaren P1 to everyday drivers like the modern Mini, and actually, this video starts with GTA V's take on both of those cars. To make a long story short, he's not impressed. Isn't imitation supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery?
More Opinions From Frank:
- Frank Stephenson Names His Three Personal Favorite Aston Martin Designs
- Iconic Auto Designer Weighs In On The New Lamborghini Countach
From there, the video focuses on six other cars available in the game. It's not hard to identify the sixth-generation Toyota Celica as the basis for the next car, though he's not a fan of the rally-inspired lights. His criticism continues with the third-gen Mazda RX-7, though he actually thinks GTA's version of the current Toyota Supra is better than the real thing. The pseudo-Ferrari SF90 is unfinished at the rear in his opinion, and the wild Lamborghini Marzal concept car lives in the GTA world, too. It's slightly modified in that it's also a submarine not unlike Bond's Lotus in The Spy Who Loved Me, but Stephenson loves it.
The video concludes with a lukewarm take on GTA's interpretation of the C8 Corvette. Curiously, we're surprised to find the video includes one of our older C8 Corvette spy photos for a real-life reference. Frank, we're stoked that you read Motor1.com and we'd be happy to help you out with your videos. A heads up to us before using one of our owned, watermarked images is the proper way to do things. That's our short criticism of the day here.
GTA V is certainly no driving simulation. It's not even a driving-focused game, but there's no denying that an extensive car culture exists in the online GTA universe. Perhaps these sometimes-goofy car designs are indeed worth a second look for possible real-life applications? Yeah, probably not.
Source: Frank Stephenson via YouTube
