love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda

love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda

1985 Aston Martin Lagonda: A Rare Classic

 

When Swedish designer Love Hultén was approached by strategist Stephan Sigrist to create a bespoke synthesizer system for his customized 1985 Aston Martin Lagonda, the result was a marriage of automotive heritage and electronic music. The Lagonda, already a rare and iconic car, has become even more extraordinary with the addition of the innovative design by Hultén — who teamed up with designboom in June 2024 to unveil his Y-17 sound machine at Sónar+D. This collaboration introduces a unique, immersive experience for the passengers while reinforcing the importance of handcrafted artistry in a world increasingly dominated by digital technology.

 

The Aston Martin Lagonda, originally released in the 1970s and produced through the 1980s, was a car ahead of its time. It stood out for its angular, wedge-like profile and cutting-edge technology. In 1985, a special edition of the Lagonda was customized by Tickford for the Sultan of Oman, with luxury features like a VHS recorder, a screen, and a crystal bar. This model was a symbol of status and technological advancement. Ultimately Sigrist came to acquire the rare variant.

love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda
images © Andrea Klainguti for Classic Driver

 

 

love Hultén installs a custom Synthesizer System

 

Stephan Sigrist, an avid electronic music producer and collaborator from the Swiss think tank W.I.R.E., furthers the experience of the Aston Martin Lagonda by integrating a live music creation. ‘I wanted to develop a counter-position to the digital cars that do everything for you these days, that basically disempower people,’ Sigrist explains. This led to the idea of installing a synthesizer system in the back of the car, allowing passengers to play live music that would interact with the driving experience.

 

To bring this vision to life, Sigrist turns to Love Hultén, a Swedish designer known for his work that blends woodworking, electronics, and audiovisual art. Hultén is well-regarded for his hybridizations of old-school craftsmanship with modern technology, and his expertise made him the perfect candidate to create a system that was as much a piece of art as it was functional.

 

Love Hultén’s contribution to the Lagonda takes the form of a two-part synthesizer system: a drum machine and a small synthesizer. The synthesizer features an additional oscillator that visually displays the sound waves, allowing the passengers to experience both the auditory and visual aspects of their music creation. This setup provides entertainment for the passengers while highlighting Hultén’s unique design philosophy — one that emphasizes user interaction, creativity, and sensory engagement.

love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda
Love Hultén created a custom synthesizer system for a 1985 Aston Martin Lagonda

 

 

automotive heritage renewed with tactile technology

 

Beyond this Aston Martin, Love Hultén’s work spans a wide array of projects, from audiovisual synthesizers to interactive design experiences. His design philosophy often blends vintage aesthetics with new technology to challenge traditional boundaries. Hultén has gained recognition for his innovative designs, such as the Y-17 sound machine, a ferrofluid visualizer, and Desert Songs, a project that connects cacti with music through PlantWave technology. His approach to design is rooted in his own passion for electronic music, which is clear in his creations for both professional musicians and everyday users.

 

Hultén’s focus on tactile, analog experiences sets him apart in a world increasingly dominated by screens and touch interfaces. His work evokes a sense of nostalgia while at once embracing the possibilities of new technology. This ability to fuse the old with the new is especially apparent in his collaboration with Sigrist on the Aston Martin Lagonda, where the car’s heritage is enhanced by the tactile nature of the synthesizer.

 

The collaboration between Sigrist and Hultén adds a new layer of depth to the Aston Martin Lagonda. While the car’s original technology was already revolutionary, Hultén’s synthesizer system takes it into a new area of creativity and interaction. Because it allows passengers to create music while driving, the Lagonda becomes a platform for personal expression and creative engagement.

love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda
the 1985 Lagonda was known for its wedge-like profile and cutting-edge technology

love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda
Sigrist’s car was customized with a two-part synth, making it an even more rare and valuable edition

love-hulten-aston-martin-synth-designboom-08a

Hultén is known for blending vintage aesthetics with modern technology in his designs

love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda
the synthesizer system allowed passengers to create live music during the drive

love hultén installs custom synthesizer system inside a 1985 aston martin lagonda
Stephan Sigrist, an electronic music producer, wanted to enhance his Lagonda with live music creation

 

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project info:

 

name: Synthesized 1985 Aston Martin Lagonda

designer: Love Hultén | @lovehulten

client: Stephan Sigrist

photographer: © Andrea Klainguti | @andreaklainguti

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