Daniel Spurgin
Drive Slow is an immersive revival project rooted in a distilled driving experience where our very cars can provide a space free from digital stimulation. Through handcrafted details and carefully curated products, Drive Slow aims to shift and shape the tactile language of automotive culture, delivering a rich historically rooted response to the convoluted aesthetic of everyday offerings. Documented here is the personal journey of resurrecting a 1987 BMW 3-Series.
Before starting Drive Slow I knew two things. I wanted to apply my graphic design knowledge onto something off screen and combine that with my passion for automotive design.
With a little luck and an ad on Craigslist, I was able to find a space complete with an abundance of tools to complete the task at hand.
A second generation BMW 3-series was the blank, neutral and vintage canvas of choice.
The wheels were carefully selected to mimic the mindset of the late 80's touring car offerings and reflect the cues from the stock "bottle cap" wheels that came before.
The interior has been converted to an all black color pallet to maximize the outside and minimize distractions inside.
The rear seat and radio have been removed to purposely and forcefully reduce the amount of interference one must endure.
A website accompanied the exhibition space, displaying in depth photos and the Drive Slow Manifesto where the ideals of automotive designs are explained in relation to the outline on the wall.
Three large banners were used to create the one image, measuring 72 inches tall by 120 inches wide.
The car remained on campus for the opening of the show and the thesis defense.
