I realize that most of the references to this particular car online are treating it with a mixture of amazement and contempt, an emotional cocktail I’ve been served many, many times. And, really, I don’t think that’s fair. Sure, this particular car isn’t to everyone’s taste, and, arguably, may only be to the taste of whoever put in the considerable time and resources required to make such a thing. But I think it’s an impressive achievement, especially because it uses one of the hardest elements for the DIY auto-customizer to integrate into a design: the wildly tall taillights of a Cadillac Escalade.
Look, say what you will about this thing, but whoever made it had a vision, and they executed on that vision, which puts them in the upper 1% of vision-havers worldwide. That vision seems to be the urge to take what appears to be a second-gen (1999-2001) Acura TL and transform it into something that feels like what an aspiring car designer in 1940 might have predicted for what cars would look like in the future after eating a huge, sweaty fistful of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
As I noted, I think the punctum of this build has to be the massive Escalade taillights, integrated into what may be simultaneously the tallest and yet stubbiest tailfins ever crafted by human hands.
Here, just look at it, via this ex-Twitter account’s post:
Help pic.twitter.com/cng2PKWf9t
— Torx ????⛽ (@Spottyroo) May 29, 2025
Man, just look at it: the bulging fenders, the oddly squared-off trunk, the minimalistic bumper, and, of course, those taillights. Everyone three counties away will know when this car is braking or about to take a turn, and I salute that. You’re not just turning on your brake lights in this car: you’re broadcasting your braking plans to the world.
It looks like the car has been spotted before, in a state prior to it being finished and painted, which gives some interesting insight:
So they finished painting it… ???? pic.twitter.com/RzJZ4Ma5yt
— Ely ???????? ???? △ (@ely_sec) May 29, 2025
The front end is puzzling as well; what exactly is going on there? I did a little digging, and was happy to find that pictures of the front end do exist online:
Those pictures seem to be from a car show in January, and the photographer has a nice full 3/4 front view of the car:
Wow. It does not disappoint. The inspiration of that front end feels a little different from the rear, though, which feels like a late 1950s fever dream. The front end reminds me more of a car from the late 1930s or early 1940s, like this 1939 Dodge:
Sure, there are differences and more modern touches, like that pair of nostril-lights, but in overall form, this feels like a late 1930s/early 1940s front end. With the rear feeling like something out of the 1950s and the relatively untouched center greenhouse section retaining its late 1990s/early 2000s look, we have a car that literally spans 60 or so years of automotive styling.
So maybe it’s not exactly coherent; who among us is? Personally, I believe this Acura owner was inspired to build this thing one day while stuck in traffic behind an Escalade:
Maybe they saw those twin scarlet towers and felt somethings stir inside them. A challenge, of sorts. Why should this boxy SUV be the only car that gets to have taillights with the same proportions as a highway streetlight, or maybe a very subtle and elegant boomerang? It shouldn’t! And they accepted the challenge, and set out to transform their trusty but boring-looking Acura into something truly memorable.
Is it all based on that Acura TL? I mean, I think so, though it is rocking Silverado wheels and that lower sill sure is thick. Is it on some kind of GM truck chassis? I don’t think so, the suspension looks more Acura than Silverado, doesn’t it?
A lot of effort and skill and time and resources went into this thing, and while it may be many people’s first instinct to jeer, I’m going to suggest a different path: celebration. Someone is having a fantastic time with their car, and in doing so, they managed to tame the mighty and unruly Escalade taillights, and I believe that deserves our respect. And maybe fear.
Harold, umm, the HOA would like a few words with you…..
This person had a vision. Unfortunately they need glasses.
I do. I do respect it.
And as someone with a house full of half-finished projects (including cars) I admire the builder’s work ethic too.
I would be happier if you hadn’t found them
Anthony Ray just nods his head in approval.
I love this. It points to the ridiculousness that is an Escalade. Like, why the fuck are the taillights so big? It’s gross. The Escalade has always been gross. It’s just people with no brains and some money buying something someone else told them to.
The fenders are 40 Ford pieces, the hood looks to be a heavily modified 42-46 Ford pickup. I guess if the builder likes it.
Feels like a Mitsuoka car that they went crazy on. Remember this is the company that gave us the Oorochi. And the Classic Le-Seyde
I would happily DD an Orochi, I love them.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that is offensive to Mitsuoka’s fine aesthetic sensibilities.
LOL! 😀
My eyes!!! IT BUUUUUUUUURNS!!!!!
Look like maybe Willys front fenders.
Truly magnificent, that grille makes me want to wear a mask and stick LEDs in my nostrils. Quite inspiring.
Kill it with fire.
File this under how not to attract partners…
Probably, though I can’t fathom exactly what kind of partners this would entice.
AI designed.
“Hey ChatGPT, design a car with a TL body, Escalade tail lights, and an Art Deco/Steampunk front end.”
Perhaps not, but it sure as fuck looks like it was.
Today I saw an SUV that while not quite this weird, was weird in the opposite direction. The tail lights were *squinting* at me. Thanks to some “decisions” made about fonts I had to be less than polite to a few fellow drivers to figure out it was a Fisker Ocean. Just as off-putting was the CHMSL that was C(R&L)Mounted. Looked like a blob fish. Opposite.
Has JT shared any thoughts on the Ocean?
“Dear car designer, please send us your resume.
Best wishes,
Mitsuoka Human Resources Dept”.
The front and rear fenders appear to be 1940 Ford pieces. Yeah, not my taste but it seems like it was reasonably well executed, at least looking at it on a computer screen.
Well that Escaladed quickly.
I snarfed Trader Joe’s Drive Thru Red into my sinuses thanks to you.
This effort cries out for an in depth analysis by Adrian and possibly a counterpoint by Bishop. Make it so, oh puleeze make it so.
I know. It’s such a mishmash.
The tailight/tailfin part isn’t quite a war crime though, and it seems (from these few pix) that it was done with some skill.
I agree, the construction skill is evident. I do question the overall design and integration choices. It gives off essences of Aztek, Alti Cord, Clenet, and boundless enthusiasm.
That nose/front clip is so confusing though! 😉
That’s a nice way of putting it. The front does balance the rear in sheer weirdness. It’s kind of hard to look at.
Showed to my wife who’s an architect/industrial designer and she was convinced it was ai generated … why would anyone make something like that was her opinion.
Overall it is such a mixed bag of styles, shapes, historical themes and such, it’s like a Swiss Army knife fever dream homage to automotive design from the 30’s through to today.
No, no you dont.
#hotmesscalade
#hotmethcalade
Has anyone ever built a car by blindly grabbing parts and welding them together?
Who would be dumb enough…oh wait.
Effort maybe, skill? No it looks like a Transformer in mid change. And a sidekick transformer besides.
I’d like to see the people who complain about Yukons with Escalade light mods even try to hate on this. You can’t. It’s perfect. No notes.