Quasar Unipower

I know, right? Clearly brilliant.

Today’s car was inspired by remembering how the classic Mini Cooper used to be the donor car of choice for visionary designers who wanted to do a lot with very little. 

Imagine trying to reverse-engineer a 2025 MINI-anything. Lost cause. Headaches. Modules. Chonk.

This Quasar, on the other hand, is the type of Mini derivative I like to see. Back in the old days where safety was solely the responsibility of drivers (and crashing any car was like playing Russian roulette), there was much more freedom in what you could and could not do as a builder.

You can see what it looks like…would you drive it? I’m in.

Vietnam-born Nguyen Manh Khanh — later known as Quasar Khanh — was a visionary designer best-known today for his line of inflatable furniture.

Called the "Architect of air," Khanh sought to make design more accessible by using new and inexpensive materials.

The inflatable furniture, for instance, was produced from PVC in a beach ball factory. Galleries around the world still exhibit his art and design work.

Khanh’s Unipower was envisioned as an inner city runabout. It was wider than long and taller than wide; the car was — in my estimation — one of the most unique ever constructed. 

Like Marc Newson’s 1999 Ford 012C concept, sometimes the most innovative designs come from non-automotive designers.

The car was built on a modified Mini subframe, with a mid-rear mounted engine, automatic transmission, 10-inch wheels, and a totally flat floor, Khanh prioritized passenger space and ease of use above all else.

Sliding doors and completely clear chairs reminiscent of Khanh’s furniture designs mean there’s absolutely nothing blocking your vision. Because other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists can see those in the Unipower, chances are traffic would move a little more carefully when it’s around.