Monty056 - Solved: Tod Man Plaa (2004), by Tobias Rehberger and unknown Thai workshop

[el_monty]

Fellow Autopuzzlers, for a point please tell me the name of this car, when and where it was built, and who directed the project.

Don't be naughty! Stay away from Google Search by Image, kids

[el_monty]

Up to the Experts

[Fёdor]

Alpine A110

[el_monty]

Alpine A110

That would be too obvious, wouldn't it?   
It's not an Alpine, although it was clearly inspired by it

[Fёdor]

SG

[el_monty]

Not SG

[thorax]

just seen this replica : don't remember where   

[el_monty]

It's online, of course. It has appeared on some pretty popular websites

[Lorenzo721]

Tod Man Plaa, built in Thailand for artist Tobias Rehberger.

[el_monty]

Correct! You get the point. "Tod Man Plaa" was built in 2004 and is one of a series of car copies in which German visual artist Tobias Rehberger has been commissioning throughout several years from an unnamed workshop in Thailand, sending them only crude hand-drawn sketches of the originals without any measurements, the only parameters being that the cars are driveable and built to human scale. This one is, of course, based on an Alpine A110, but there have also been similar "approximate" recreations of other models such as the Porsche 911, McLaren F1, VW Beetle, Mercedes-Benz C-111, etc. They each receive a specific name in Thai ("Tod Man Plaa" apparently means "Fishcake"). In the particular case of Tod Man Plaa, it has been reported that the workshop didn't even receive sketches, just descriptions of the Alpine over the phone, but I find that a bit hard to believe.

[Lorenzo721]

Thank you for the details, and the translation in particular! I would be embarrassed to explain over the phone the configuration of the headlights or the shape of the molding extending to the center of the hood and in the end get results so close to the original, so I agree with you to find the story somewhat unbelievable.