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Passionate about history and sustainability, Seattle-based industrial designer Douglas Varey started building go-karts as a family project. The first car was built at home for and with his 11 year old daughter, but the designer fell in love with the idea of creating green go-karts from scratch. Using re-purposed and eco-friendly materials, electric engines and plenty of creativity mixed with ingenuity, Varey now designs and builds vintage-inspired go-karts that look as good as they ride.
His latest creation is Austin Seven Boulogne, which is inspired by the 1923 Grand Prix de Boulogne, a voiturette and cyclecar race where several Austin 7 lightweight cars competed. The entire build process took two years and started with pencil sketches which were then imported in Illustrator and used to make the frame, drive and front suspension. To build the frame, Varey cut the parts and tack welded them together, adding the steering, axle, fiberglass radiator cover and the rest of the components one by one. The body is made of FSC-certified Okoume marine plywood and covered in sustainable and extremely tough Xorel fabric made by Carnegie. The 5KW BLDC electric engine with a 200A sine wave controller is powered by a 48V LiFePO4 Lithium battery pack. A burgundy leather seat adds more elegance to the build, and so do the beautiful hand-painted details. Lightweight and made to stand the test of time, the Austin Seven Boulogne illustrates how great design, vintage charm and expert craftsmanship can create a truly timeless gem. Photo credits: Max Moseley.
