This is the Blackbird and it was designed by a film specialist company called The Mill for automotive manufacturers to shoot their cars in a convenient yet sneaky manner.
Why sneaky? Well, it enlists the help of CGI. And it all came about due to difficulties manufacturers experienced in shooting exciting videos with the actual car.
The Blackbird was built in collaboration with JemFX, Performance Filmworks and Keslow to be a rig that can be used in any location or under any lighting without having to use the physical car. The chassis of the Blackbird has an adjustable wheelbase (by 25 centimetres) and is powered by an electric motor that has the ability to mimic the dynamics of most cars. The likes of ride-height and rigidity can also be effectively synthesised.
It took two years to develop the hand-built Blackbird in the very same hangar that the legendary Blackbird SR-71 supersonic jet was once manufactured.
The exact manner in which the Blackbird works is rather difficult to get across in words, which is why we think the best way to learn about it is through the power of film. What with The Mill being a film company and all...
It does have many benefits for manufacturers and film-makers alike and although the manufacturing cost is undisclosed it's a given that this required plenty of money. Having said that, if a car is able to mimic the handling capabilities of almost any other vehicle, wouldn't that be the car that you wanted to buy instead? This could be a glimpse into the future of cars.
