This car shown here, photographed by @eanofoto and owned by @caretakerscollection, is the 1989 BMW Utah 8, and it was constructed by legendary German industrial designer, Luigi Colani. Colani’s ‘Utah’ series consisted of 13 different vehicles named Utah 1-13, all featuring different radical aerodynamic designs, and mechanics. In 1989, Luigi Colani prepared 12 of his 13 prototypes from his Utah series to attempt a number of speed record attempts during the “AUTOMORROW ‘89” festival, which was organized by Colani and considered to be the World’s First Alternative Car Festival. The event was held at the Bonneville Salt Falts Speedway in Tooele County, Utah, and there, Colani and his team of engineers tested each car, with each being more fascinating than the next. Perhaps one of the most known, or at least most often photographed of the group was this car shown here, the 1989 Utah 8. Miraculously, the Utah 8 boasts an overall height of just 35 inches, and weighed only 1,212lbs. As for most of Colani’s projects, the mechanics in the car were only used for tests, and were then removed shortly thereafter. The mechanics used on this car came by the way of a BMW motorcycle engine, while the rear axle was borrowed from a Lotus Super Seven. The curvaceous white plastic body was fitted to a carbon-fiber chassis, and the overall result is an amazingly interesting work-of-art. After Colani’s passing in 2019, a number of his extraordinary creations were offered for sale in either a damaged or incomplete state, including the Utah 8, where it was offered for sale in Rome, Italy for an estimated price of $90,000-$150,000, but failed to meet a bid anywhere close to that. Fast forward to current day, and the Utah 8 has officially been saved by @caretakerscollection/@thecolanicollection, where it sits happily amongst a number of other unique Colani products!
How many made? 1 of 1
Engine: 4-cylinder BMW turbo engine (1000cc) built by Swiss fine-tuners Zoller - 160bhp
Debut: Automorrow 89’, 1989
Top Speed: 150mph (theoretical)
0-60: less than 3 seconds (claimed)
Photo Credit: @eanofoto
Research: @rarecarsonly