Artist and photographer Todd Schmidt grew up motorcycling the west deserts of Utah, mountain biking Moab’s world famous trails, skiing the backcountry, piloting a hand-built plane, and sailing mountain lakes on his Hobie 16'. So it comes as no surprise that when we asked him to reveal his Soul Xpression, Schmidt took the outdoors to heart and designed both a Rally and Roadster version. With the rally, he wanted to give the Kia Soul the means to take you anywhere, be it on or off the pavement. He gave it a carbon fiber hood, OZ racing wheels, and a go-anywhere gusto. With the Roadster, he went for a sleeker look inspired by a night out in the city meant to turn heads. In both cars, all parts deliberately have both form and function, like a Swiss watch. "I find influencein the design of beautiful things around me. I love fine wristwatches. There is something about a miniature machine that quietly goes about its business with gears, jeweled bushings, and springs all packaged into a beautifully shaped and carved case," he says. Also inspired by classic cars and fighter planes, Schmidt’s design philosophy is to design with purpose, restraint and to respect what is visually pleasing. "I love things that look like everything on them is there to work, have a purity in design and are always ready to handle anything that comes their way," he says. "Soul Xpression to me means allowing yourself to be free, to follow your passion down whatever road it takes you."
Name: Todd Schmidt
Website:: toddschmidt.com
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Currently Resides In: Salt Lake City, Utah
Clients: Sony Entertainment, Microsoft,and THQ games
Favorite Music: Dick Dale, The Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Kenny Chesney, The Beach Boys, and Bon Jovi although I have so much music in my iTunes folder it is really hard to pick any artist or even genre.
5 Things You Can’t Live Without: My three-legged yellow Labrador Retriever Jax,
my favorite fountain pen in medium nib, iPhone, a good camera, optimism
5 Things In Your Car at All Times: Inverter to power my laptop and charge my digital camera, my Canon G10, tape adaptor so I can stream satellite radio through my iPod into the tape deck, cassette tapes. Even though my car has a six disc changer I still like to pop in a cassette and deal with the poor sound quality and linear presentation of music on a magnetic medium from time-to-time.
Why a roadster?
It is form driven by function—solid looking and clean. I wanted the car to be one the valet would leave up front to turn heads no matter what you’re parked next to. The top mount speaker bar can easily handle the ambiant noise of the city, setting the right mood for a night out. I saw this as a lifestyle vehicle that is primed for both solo driving and a night cruising with friends. This Kia Soul has the heart of a street machine with the soul of a celebrity out on the town.
What specifically Influeneces you in the design of your car?
This car was influenced by a cross between the cars that are raced in the WRC and the Dakar Rally. I wanted to give the Kia Soul the means to take you anywhere, be it on or off the pavement. I have always loved watching SKODAS, Renaults, and other automotive brands compete on roads that most people would fear driving their off-road vehicle on. I thought it was a fun project to take a great on-road vehicle and put it in a totally different environment in a sport that’s about having fun, the outdoors, and being in the moment.