Five Things: Cyberpunk versions of today’s cars – Stuff.co.nz

The video game 'Cyberpunk 2077' may be a hot mess, but it has got a lot of people thinking about a high-tech/low-life dystopian future originally envisaged by the likes of William Gibson and Phillip K Dick.

It certainly made Bristol Street Motors think about it, so today we take a look at their thoughts on what today's cars might look like as classics in a cyberpunk future.

Range Rover Evoque

Bristol Street Motors

Not much ground clearance limits the cyberpunked Evoque off-road, but not much will get in its way on the road.

While the massive cowcatcher on the front might compromise its off-road ability even more than usual, the Range Rover Evoque clearly means business in 2077.

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Despite the lack of useful ground clearance, the chunky mud tyres and dual wheels on the rear suggest it could probably crawl its way over whatever it cant just push out of the way, although it would have to have been repowered with something a bit more substantial than the standard range of 2.0-litre turbo engines. Range Rovers thumping great supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8, perhaps?

Maybe with the addition of an electric motor and some batteries for some plug-in hybrid silent running when necessary...

Mini Cooper

Bristol Street Motors

A wide track? Check. Huge wing? Check. Weird lights with hoses coming out of them? Uh, okay? But this Mini means business.

A classic Mini Cooper in 2077 would clearly be all about speed. Outrunning Yakuza cyber-ninjas, the Authoritys armed A.I. drones or whatever dystopian nightmare is currently trying to kill you is the main concern here, and this Mini looks like it would deliver.

From the massively flared arches to accommodate the widened track and huge, grippy tyres, to the dramatic amount of intakes that suggest some serious breathing and cooling is necessary to whatever monstrously powerful engine propels it, this Mini clearly has the need for speed.

Minis recent announcement that it will be going all-electric means it is likely that a colossal electric motor and liquid-cooled battery pack are sitting in this hot rod Mini.

Ford Fiesta

Bristol Street Motors

Armoured up and looking mean is the Ford Fiesta is a future cyberpunk classic?

Like the Mini, the Ford Fiesta is a road-based rocket, but in this case it is more, shall we say, secure?

The heavy armour plating over the windows might add weight (unless it is some futuristic lightweight nano-structure cyber-armour), but that doesnt look like it would slow this hyper-Fiesta down anyway.

We would imagine some kind of hybrid powertrain for the Fiesta, based on the hot STs fantastic three-cylinder turbo unit (wound up to 11, of course) with maybe a pair of electric motors added to the rear wheels, just for fun.

The lack of visibility appears to be taken care of by a bunch of cameras at the front and, well, who cares about anything else when you have armour plating?

Audi R8

Bristol Street Motors

Street racing cyberpunk-style Audis R8 packs a tough-looking external roll cage.

We imagine street racing would become quite assertive and aggressive in a dystopian future, so an Audi R8 with an external roll cage is probably a pretty good option if that was your thing.

Its disappointing to see that the RS6 GTO concept-style white wheels have become popular by 2077, but we guess the addition of whitewall tyres on the rear add a touch of retro style?

While the current R8 packs a monster V10 and Audi has suggested the next one will be electric, we feel this R8 has a hydrogen vibe, so imagine an electric motor in each wheel being fed by a hydrogen fuel cell for maximum acceleration and a fairly wickedly futuristic sound...

Tesla Cybertruck

Bristol Street Motors

You cant have cyberpunk cars without Teslas Cybertruck.

Its not in production yet, but given it is actually called the Cybertruck, Teslas upcoming pickup simply has to be included.

Monster trucked up and ready to tackle some serious terrain, the Cybertruck of 2077 packs some serious lighting and... spikes?

Were not sure that those spikes are a wise choice though, because while they would be handy for clearing a path through some radioactive wasteland mutants, they would significantly reduce the approach angle. Unless they retract, of course...

It goes without saying that the Cybertruck would be electric, but we would like to think its range has been beefed up by filling the tray with batteries for a seriously long haul across that post-apocalyptic wasteland.

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Five Things: Cyberpunk versions of today's cars - Stuff.co.nz