The Future Now!.........Well Kind of
Sat, October 1, 2011 I love Star Wars, I really liked the Star Trek reboot and I dug Avatar but my favourite type of Sci Fi is the type set in the near future, you know? the kind Blade Runner inspired.
This got me thinking of what modern vehicles currently in use in the world today have inspired the vehicles seen in this kind of sci fi, and vice versa.
Cars are a good place to start.
The Bugatti Veyron is still the worlds most powerful and fastest road legal production car to my knowledge, however when unveiled many motoring journalists noticed an inspiration in the design taken from the Lexus concept shown in Minority Report.
Another example is the Audi RSQ concept driven by Detective Del Spooner in I, Robot, despite the reverse opening doors and enclosed wheels, there's little doubt it is derived from the Audi TT and furthermore the inpiration for the very successful Audi R8 Supercar.
Now lets take to the air with the Osprey:
If you are familiar with the Transformers movies you'll know this troop transporter as Michael Bay shoots it like it's a Victoria's Secret Model. The mix of plane with Helicopter gives it a unique look and versatility. It is a very effective means of moving soldiers into and from battle location, and you can see it's inspiration in the Hovership in Minority Report.
Now interestingly the Hovership looks more like a chopper than the Osprey but has no propellers on top, however it serves the same versatile function of transporting the Pre-Crime officers to and from locations and has the same sort of design DNA.
The first Jet fighter to be capable of vertical take-off was the Harrier, it's upwards thrusters making it completely unique and a huge advantage over other jets fighters when it came to being launched from an Aircraft Carrier. Now you may think looking at a Terminator movie as an example of anything real is crazy, however I'd argue with it's jet fighter looks but vertical take-off and hovering capabilities, the inspiration for the Hunter-Killer is none other than the Harrier.
At the moment there really isn't a sci fi underwater vehicle that I could link to modern day or vice versa, Sci Fi films just don't tend to go underwater much but maybe that will change with the Jim Cameron's forthcoming Avatar sequel.
Of course the big thing from these near future films that still hasn't come to pass are hover vehicles, these are a staple of the sub genre and while some attempts have been made they are still nowhere to be seen as a regular mode of transport, in car or bike form, but who knows, maybe ten years from now we'll have a chance to ride around on one of these (Scarlett Johansson does not come with the bike).
Reader Comments (3)
I think the Pre Crime transport look like Boba Fetts ship of anything
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