Skip to content
M346 Homage Sportovní vůz by Robson Marques de Pontes

M346 Homage Sportovní vůz by Robson Marques de Pontes is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 Zlatá cena A' Design Award in Automobil Competition Category.


ZlatoAutomobil· 2022

M346 Homage Sportovní vůz

by Robson Marques de Pontes

Client: Robson Marques de Pontes

Zlatá cena A' Design Award Winner in Automobil Category

Colors

The Design

About M346 Homage Sportovní vůz

M346 Homage je dvoumístný sportovní vůz navržený pro použití na silnici i na závodní dráze. Karoserie je vyrobena z kompozitů z uhlíkových vláken a je nesena trubkovým rámem z vysokopevnostní letecké hliníkové slitiny. Název i tvarosloví vycházejí z letounu Aermacchi M-346, jehož linie jsou převedeny do plynulých automobilových ploch. Řada detailů plní funkce jako aktivní aerodynamika a přítlak, které napomáhají při průjezdu zatáčkami a brzdění. Plánovány jsou dvě verze, jedna s motorem V8 a druhá s elektrickým pohonem.

The Recognition

About the Zlatá cena A' Design Award

M346 Homage Sportovní vůz je vítězem Zlaté ceny A' Design Award, nesmírně prestižního uznání udělovaného prvotřídním, úžasným a vynikajícím designům. Zlatí vítězové jsou mimořádně inovativní, vysoce vizionářské a oslnivě okouzlující výtvory, které odrážejí génia, moudrost a um svých designérů. Očekává se, že M346 Homage Sportovní vůz bude vysoce oceňovaným, trendy udávajícím a monumentálním vynálezem, který přináší dosud nevídanou hodnotu. Tento design, který získal Zlatou cenu A' Design Award, je velkolepý, respektovaný projekt, který velmi prospívá a posouvá hranice umění, vědy, designu a technologií. M346 Homage Sportovní vůz vyvolává silné pocity touhy, probouzí vášeň, podporuje kreativitu a fascinuje nás.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
The M346 Homage is an all carbon fiber bespoke sports car body project developed to dress a light-weight, aerospace inspired, all electric or mid-engine multipurpose automotive platform. The project reanalyzes conventions by blending the aerospace world with that of the automotive and, from the first sketch to virtual reality reviews, CFD simulations, generative design and the scrutiny until the last detail, everything in the project has been designed in an integrated and bold design taste.
Dimensions & Packaging
With more than 700 hp (in its internal combustion engine configuration) pulling a bumper to bumper total length of 4778 mm and a wheelbase of 1.193 mm, the mid-engine, two-seater M346 Homage stands at 1.193 mm from the ground and has a total width (discounting side mirrors) of 2.066 mm.
Tags
automotive design, car design, sports car, supercar, automotive project, automotive engineering, fighter aircraft, Aermacchi M346, aerodynamics, generative design
Production Technology
To be offered either with a V8 internal combustion engine or with an electric powertrain, from the beginning, the M346 Homage has been designed using either pen on paper traditional sketching skills to computer aided styling, augmented reality, other computer simulations and industry cutting edge materials and technologies available to achieve the final platform and body work that, inspired by the aerospace world, use light materials such as high strength aerospace aluminum alloy and carbon fiber composites in a perfect balance between craftsmanship and high tech solutions.
Design Challenge
Going end-to-end and completing the whole design research, creating a design story theme, sketching ideas, computer aided styling modeling and computer generative imagery rendering in only two months was a huge achievement, but accomplishing this on the top of a ready-to-build chassis platform with all the hard points and engineering restraints, while transforming and adapting the more brutal and technical formal styling language of an fighter aircraft into that of a fluid and elegant super car and enhancing active and passive aerodynamics with unique design solutions, was the biggest challenge in the design process of the M346 Homage.
Research
During the research phase of the project a deep analysis of both the formal design language as well as the functional elements of the Aermacchi M-346 fighter aircraft were carried out. All data collected in the form of visual and text input was then experimented in an automotive manner until achieving a perfect blending together with more traditional car design features and functions. As a result, the M346 Homage resembles the aircraft counterpart in its looks while reverse-engineering its aerodynamic solutions and preserving all the sharpness and sexiness of a sports car of such a nature.
Inspiration
In a balanced blend of elegancy and sharpness, lightness and rigidity, aerodynamics and downforce, form and function, the M346 Homage takes its name from its counterpart, the Aermacchi M346, an aircraft first created as a pilot trainer, but then quickly surpassing all expectative to become a fully armed fighter aircraft and finally having the honor of equipping the Tricolor Arrows. To keep up with this big responsibility, the project blends together emotional and functional design with a bespoke platform that will deliver the M-346 enough performance to literally take off.
Project Duration
The exterior design of the M346 Homage project was initiated in January of 2022 in Germany and Italy and completed, only 3 months later, in March of the same year.
Operation Flow
The M346 Homage is intended as a high performance road and track sports vehicle that takes its formal design language and concept at the lines and technical solutions found in the Aermacchi M-346 counterpart. With an aerospace aluminum tubular frame which also receives bespoke light-weight components as a backbone, the M346 Homage transforms this fighter aircraft language input into automotive fluid lines that elegantly morph into clever details that carry functions such as vehicular active aerodynamics and downforce for improvement in cornering and breaking assistance.
Patents
Intellectual property of the M346 Homage body design belongs to Robson Marques de Pontes.
Team Members
Robson Marques de Pontes - Lead Designer
Luciano Maffini - Collaborative Designer
Image Credits
Image #1: Computer Generated Image and collage by Robson Marques de Pontes, March 2022.
Image #2: Computer Generated Image and collage by Robson Marques de Pontes, March 2022.
Image #3: Computer Generated Image and collage by Robson Marques de Pontes, March 2022.
Image #4: Computer Generated Image and collage by Robson Marques de Pontes, March 2022.
Image #5: Computer Generated Image and collage by Robson Marques de Pontes, March 2022.

Sponsored

Explore Beyond Designers.org

Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Nominate Your Work for the A' Design Award.

Nominate