Motoring art: Chris Twitchell

By Mick Walsh

| 30 Sep 2026

Classic & Sports Car – Motoring art: Chris Twitchell

A trip to Maranello in 2011 to visit the Ferrari museum with his father ignited Chris Twitchell’s artistic aspirations.

“I spotted a wire body buck for a 250GTO made at Carrozzeria Scaglietti,” he says. “It was a beautiful piece of design, but also functional. It was an epiphanal moment and really got my creative juices going.”

Once back home, Chris started experimenting with 3D wire shapes based on his own Lotus Europa.

Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Coupé, reimagined as a wireframe model by artist Chris Twitchell

The first piece was 1:3 scale, and started with a hand-carved solid former before he soldered steel wire around it to create a shape; the finished sculpture was sprayed lime green to match his car.

Mounted on a handcrafted board, this impressive piece of wall art measured 1.2m long.

Chuffed with the first attempt, Chris began researching other subjects, including the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé and Ferrari 250GTO.

Using a CNC machine to cut the buck made the creative process quicker, but artistic input was key to realising a classic shape.

Bright colours highlight the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7’s lines

“The impact of a wire structure is about what you leave out,” explains Chris. “It’s not a scale model – including every detail would be overwhelming.

“My aim is to celebrate the car’s beautiful shape, with the wire highlighting key body lines.”

Following the 300SLR and 250GTO, Chris has since crafted wire sculptures of the Porsche 911 Carrera RS and Bugatti Chiron.

Recent displays at Rétromobile in Paris, the RAC’s Art of Motoring, Boxengasse and the Wilton Concours des Légendes have been received enthusiastically.

Chris Twitchell’s Ferrari 250GTO sculpture reflects the work of Sergio Scaglietti

“There are so many dream cars that I’d love to create,” he says. “High on the list are the beautiful Ferrari 275GTB and the incredible Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale.

“I have to be a little commercially minded about subjects, but I’d love to do something pre-war. The Bugatti Atlantic and Delage D8 Aero Coupé would make sensational pieces.”

It’s no surprise that Chris has such a keen appreciation for automotive form: both his father and grandfather have owned some spectacular vehicles.

“After being demobbed from the RAF, my grandfather started trading cars,” Chris tells us. “He was one of the first Warren Street dealers, and his varied stock over the years included a Bugatti T57 Atalante, a Maserati A6GCS and a Mercedes 300SL.”

The Bugatti Chiron is one of Chris Twitchell’s more modern subjects

“That exposure rubbed off on my father, and after a number of classic Jaguars Dad became hooked on Iso,” Chris recalls. “We had some great road trips to France in his Lele.

“I grew up around his restoration of a Champagne Cocktail-coloured Grifo S2, which he still owns.

“As a baby, I remember having car parts as ceiling mobiles, so there wasn’t much hope for anything else!”

The Twitchell motoring gene continues with both Chris and his brother who, like their father, are self-taught engineers.

Between his main job as a surveyor, Chris has rebuilt a Westfield, a Lotus 47-style Banks Europa and his current “more practical” Porsche 914 with 3.2-litre Carrera power.

Together with creating his wire sculptures, Chris, like his father, clearly packs lots into his days.

For more, see ctwitchell.com or follow @c.w.twitchell on Instagram

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