In 2007 a Dutch studio redrew the Ferrari 599 as a modern 250 GTO, with panels hammered by hand. The design made headlines, and Vandenbrink Design has carried it ever since.
- Country
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Netherlands - Founded by
- Michiel van den Brink
- Website
- Official website ↗
A Dutchman and a dream Ferrari
Some car brands start with a factory. Vandenbrink Design started with a drawing. By the spring of 2007 a Dutch coachbuilder led by Michiel van den Brink had the motoring press talking about a design study that looked like a 1960s racing legend reborn on a modern Ferrari. According to Top Gear, the reaction was so strong that the study turned into a plan to build the car.
The name is simply the founder’s surname, written as one word. Today the company calls itself Vandenbrink Design B.V., an independent, privately held firm based in Amsterdam and working, in its own words, within the classic tradition of special coachbuilding. Its CEO is Robert C.A. Koumans. It is careful to point out two things: it does not manufacture or sell cars, and it is not affiliated with Ferrari.
Hammered by hand
The way the GTO was made is half the story. According to Motor Authority, the designs were sketched by hand and the aluminium panels were shaped with a hammer. The basic structure of the Ferrari 599 underneath had to stay intact. Change it, and the car would have needed new safety testing and approval.
A badge in red and chrome
The emblem on the company’s website is an upright rectangle with a chrome frame. Inside, chrome bars divide a deep red field into vertical panels, and in the centre two chrome lines meet in a Y shape. Underneath sits the name VANDENBRINK DESIGN in classic serif capitals.
What does it mean? Vandenbrink Design doesn’t say. Any reading of hidden letters or Ferrari red in the badge is guesswork, so we’ll leave it there.
Ferraris, redrawn
Every Vandenbrink project so far has started from a Ferrari. The idea is a new body, made in the old coachbuilding way, on top of a modern car.
Landmark Vandenbrink designs
- 2007: Vandenbrink GTO. A modern homage to the Ferrari 250 GTO on a Ferrari 599 base. Top Gear reported a planned run of five hand-made cars, but the company says the GTO was not yet produced.
- 2009: Ecurie GTX. Racing car sketches based on the GTO, with slick tyres, a GT wing and front and rear diffusers.
- 2019: Vandenbrink Shooting Brake. A one-off based on a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, sold through Bonhams to a Ferrari collector.
The GTO still isn’t finished business. Vandenbrink Design now offers the whole project for a build licence or a full purchase of the design rights, with the option of building it with Italian partners who, it says, have a Pininfarina background. The company also says the design earned personal compliments from the late Andrea Pininfarina. For more on how badges are created, see how car logos are designed.
Frequently asked questions
Who is behind Vandenbrink Design?
The firm was founded by Dutch designer Michiel van den Brink, who led the GTO project. Today Vandenbrink Design B.V. is based in Amsterdam, with Robert C.A. Koumans as CEO.
What is the Vandenbrink GTO based on?
On a Ferrari 599. It was designed as a modern homage to the Ferrari 250 GTO, and the company now describes it as a 599 or F12 based project.
What does the Vandenbrink Design logo look like?
An upright chrome-framed rectangle with deep red panels split by chrome bars, two of which meet in a Y shape in the middle, above the name in serif capitals. The company doesn’t explain its meaning.
Is Vandenbrink Design part of Ferrari?
No. The company states that it is independent and not endorsed by, associated with or affiliated with Ferrari.
Pencil, hammer and a Ferrari 599
- Founder
- Michiel van den Brink
- Country
- Netherlands
- Headquarters
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Current emblem
- An upright chrome-framed rectangle with deep red panels and chrome bars meeting in a Y shape, above the name in serif capitals
- Known for
- The Vandenbrink GTO, a Ferrari 599 based homage to the 250 GTO
- Website
- Official website ↗
