It should be said that we don’t condone the use of AI in creating original ‘art.’ Artists might spend their entire careers mastering a craft only for a robot to manufacture an inarguably worse product in a fraction of the time. For what it’s worth, we use a real artist for all of our original renderings.
That said, sometimes dabbling with AI can yield unexpected results.
The Dodge Viper RT/10 Shooting Brake you see here was created by self-proclaimed “AI Designer” Sebastian Simonsson (who you can follow on Instagram). Simonsson has worked in the auto industry for more than 25 years, doing high-end visualization and marketing for companies such as Koenigsegg, Oilstainlabs, and more.
Dodge Viper RT/10 Shooting Brake AI Concept By Sebastian Simonsson
Photo by: Sebastian Simonsson
We reached out to Simonsson to get a better idea of what the project is all about.
“The Viper was never truly a personal favorite, if I’m being honest,” Simonsson tells Motor1. “Throughout my upbringing, I was strongly drawn to JDM, and over the latter half of my life, my focus has been almost entirely dedicated to Porsche, where my true passion lies.”
Simonsson says the project started as all good ones do: as a wild idea. From there, he created an original sketch that he later plugged into AI and fine-tuned for the final rendering. If you look closely at the “Viper” and “RT/10” badges, the use of AI is obvious. But the concept as a whole looks mostly realistic—and pretty darn good.
Simonsson approached the idea with a simple tenet: ‘Lagom.’ In countries like Sweden, that term loosely translates to “not too much, not too little.” Even with its otherwise unconventional body style, the Viper concept is clean and understated.
“I have a deep passion for form and color, but my design language is unmistakably Scandinavian—rooted in restraint, balance, and clarity,” he says. “I avoid loud, overly saturated colors and unnecessary or provocative forms. The overall approach could best be described as OEM+, with a subtle racing heritage influence and a refined, purposeful execution.”
Of course, Simonsson recognizes the controversial use of AI to bring this concept to life. Even he admits that he doesn’t consider himself a designer in the traditional sense, but rather, a “creator” bringing wild ideas such as this to life.
Photo by: Sebastian Simonsson
‘I have a deep passion for form and color, but my design language is unmistakably Scandinavian—rooted in restraint, balance, and clarity.’
“Even though I use AI, I have enormous respect for ‘real’ designers,” he says. “I don’t consider myself a designer in the traditional sense—I see myself as a creator with a deep passion for automotive. One could argue endlessly about whether I have the right to be here or to do what I do without having formally studied car design.”
“But simply studying a discipline does not automatically make you a great designer, nor does it guarantee that intuitive fingertip feel for what is relevant, timely, or simply works. That instinct can’t be taught—and I would argue that I have it, or at least that it’s reflected in the reach, engagement, and appreciation my work consistently receives.”
“For me, AI is a rendering tool—nothing more,” Simonsson continues. “The only inputs it receives from me are camera settings, along with a very clear intent for lighting, mood, and atmosphere. The authorship, intent, and design decisions remain entirely mine.”
“It’s also important to note that AI is something I’ve only been using for the past six months. Prior to that, everything I did was based on traditional 3D modeling and design workflows. What has changed is that I’ve been forced to become better at sketching—and at clearly communicating intent through drawing. For me, that’s nothing but a win–win.”
Whether or not you agree with Simonsson’s decision to use AI here, there’s no arguing that the idea is at least very appealing on the surface. So appealing, in fact, that it’s garnered the attention of hundreds of people in the comments of Simonsson’s Instagram post. That even includes racing driver Jenson Button, who said: “So much want!!”
“Within the first 24 hours, the project was shared over 30,000 times, received more than 100,000 likes, and generated close to 900 comments,” Simonsson says. “I’m incredibly grateful and genuinely humbled by the response. What I didn’t anticipate was what followed: after the first day, more and more major accounts, notable companies, entrepreneurs, and industry figures began taking notice. Shortly thereafter, I found myself in meetings.”
What kind of meetings, exactly? Well, Simonsson hints that the project could potentially be on the road to production.
Photo by: Sebastian Simonsson
‘Within the first 24 hours, the project was shared over 30,000 times, received more than 100,000 likes, and generated close to 900 comments.’
“With the partners now involved—many of whom have extensive racing backgrounds, including direct experience with the Viper platform—we have a very clear understanding of where the car must be improved. We’re addressing chassis development, weight distribution, braking performance, structural integrity, and overall quality, taking a truly holistic approach to reworking this icon.”
AI or not, it looks great. Here’s hoping we see a real version on the road in the near future.
Read the full article here
