CYCLOPS Page keywords = CYCLOPS Automobili SpA Stan Mott Robert Cumberford Roger Locataire Cinzano Piero Martini Trebor Crunchog Tom Meshingear Road & Track John Bond

Updated 30 Jul 2008, 00:30 ET
(Created 21 Aug 2007)
[Ref: This is cyclops.html (URL http://sbiii.com/cyclops/cyclops.html )]
[This page, and succeeding pages, have been moved from sbiii.com to sbiii.com/cyclops/.]

Stan Mott and the
CYCLOPS

Hosted by S. Berliner, III

CYCLOPS Page

SITE INDEX:

(20 Jul 08)

On S. Berliner, III's original Cyclops page (which is how Stan came to call) - background to this page, unindexed except for:
SuperCyclops (350BHP diesel).
Two Versions of Cyclops Side Window Rears.

On this Cyclops page (heavily revised 31 Oct 07 and again 14 Nov 07):
Stan Mott in original Cyclops, at R&T ca. May 1957.
Stan Mott's Original Artwork.
Stan Mott, Artist. (07 Jul 08)
The Cartoons.
Cyclops' Night Out. (05 Jul 08)
[The Official Plans of a Cyclops II (orthographic views)].
Martini's Teeth. (05 Jul 08)

On Cyclops page 2 - Classic Cyclops: (16 Nov 07)
(16 Nov 07)
Cyclops Railcars (November 1985). (07 Jul 08)
Cyclops Competition Container Caravans - the World's first All-Purpose Adjustable Vehicle (APAV) (November 1990). (05 Jul 08)
Cyclops Pony Express (March 1992). (07 Jul 08)
Cyclops Safety Car (circa 1993). (16 Nov 07)
Cyclops Simplice (October 2007).
Single Cartoons and Illustrations (July 2008). (19 Jul 08)

On Stan Mott page 1: (14 Nov 07)
Les 24 Heures de Choo-Choo" [the 24 Hours of Choo-Choo (as in Le Mans).
The History of Tanks {Racing Tanks, that is}. (19 Jul 08)
A Tribute to Genius - Soviet Aircraft Designer Igor Sokerov. (20 Jul 08)
Very Expensive Thrills.
Single Cartoons and Illustrations (moved to Stan Mott page 2 on 30 Jul 2008).

On Stan Mott page 2: (14 Nov 07)
Single Cartoons and Illustrations (moved to Stan Mott page 2 on 30 Jul 2008).
Gokart Drawings and Photos.
Recent Photos of Stan Mott.

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image;
for the full ~1.3Mb art click here]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

WELCOME!

Yes, welcome to The Official Automobili Cyclops SpA Website, as demonstrated by Trebor Crunchog careening a Cyclops grand prix car through the Monte Carlo Casino (above). He was taking a little short cut to win the 1968 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix! You may not have read about this win, considering it was the most under-reported Grand Prix win in racing history! Why? Because certain forces could not accept the fact this Cyclops was powered by the much too revolutionary...

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

One reason, as this genuine drawing shows, is the intricate layout of its five (5) spark plugs and its one hundred and fifty-one (151) valves. Need we say more? Since you asked so nicely; the engine's upper crankcase cooling fins were designed in the shape of T. Tom Meshingear's flat top, and the lower crankcase cooling fins were designed in the shape of Trebor Crunchog's beard, to commemorate their contribution as Cyclops importers/race car drivers to Automobili Cyclops SpA.

(31 Oct 07)

HISTORICAL NOTE:

"Although I produced most of the Cyclops features over the years, Robert Cumberford is co-creator of Cyclops and crucial contributor to the Cyclops myth (I mean reality). Robert created Piero Martini, wrote six Cyclops articles, and assisted me greatly in learning how to write 13 Cyclops articles. Robert has been a successful car and aircraft designer for the last 50 years, and Design Editor for Automobile Magazine for the last 21 years. If I tried to explain the fun we've had over the last half century satirizing the foibles of the automotive world, no one would believe me - particularly since we got paid for it! It's been a tough life.

Stan Mott"

I heard from Stan Mott, hisownself! He called from Germany, where he lives, on 24/25 Jul 2007, and you will find some neat surprises (and can expect FAR more) here!

Artwork © Stan Mott, courtesy of Automobili Cyclops SpA
Clicking on the banner was supposed to take you directly to an
Automobili Cyclops SpA page but it is no longer active,
wherefor the creation of this page for Stan.

[This page is a greatly-enlarged (and open-ended) successor to my earlier page on my AT&T WorldNet site, http://home.att.net/~Berliner-Ultrasonics/autocycl.html {also accessible as http://berliner-ultrasonics.home.att.net/automotv.html}, which it supplements.]

Lest you list me loony, there really WAS a Cyclops out on the street in front of the Road & Track office 'way back; here, courtesy of Stan Mott, is a "photograph of original Cyclops with Mott at the wheel, circa May 1957, outside offices of Road & Track magazine" (caption by Stan Mott):

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image]
(ca. May 1957 photo courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

Now, we come to the pièces de résistances, real, honest-to-gosh COPIES of Stan Mott's ORIGINAL ARTWORK!

- all artwork reproduced here is scanned from direct, first-generation copies of the originals, supplied to me by Stan Mott himself and Stan Mott has retained the copyright ownership of all such artwork and has given me (S. Berliner, III) specific, written permission to reproduce said artwork on this site (http://sbiii.com/cyclops/); no other reproduction of said artwork is permitted for any purpose whatsoever without the prior, written permission of Stan Mott.
Any other reproduction of these works is unauthorized and is a direct violation of the author's rights in intellectual property.

Further, since these works are copied from 50-year-old board-mounted art, some shrinkage and warpage, as well as mounting-tape gum wicking has occurred; I have trimmed the scans only as I deemed appropriate to minimize memory needed while presenting the works in their authentic current condition. Also, in order to speed loading of the page, I have provided thumbnailed images which are what appear here; to get the higher-resolution images, simply click on the pictures that you see on your screen.

The brown paper package from Germany had this rubber stamped on it (I assume Stan colored it):

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image]
(stamp courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

Inside was a letter from Stan giving permission to publish the drawings and the captions for them, on this letterhead:

[Automobili Cyclops SpA Letterhead]

Stan Mott, Artist

First, however, I want to depart from Stan's preferred layout of his work to point out that he is not only a fabulous cartoonist and a superb illustrator; he has the sure eye and hand of a true artist. To "illustrate" my point, I'm pulling two of his non-Cyclops pieces from the Single Cartoons and Illustrations section - {to follow}: (07 Jul 08)

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 13. Seven of the world's greatest Mercedes racing machines in a row in the old Mercedes Museum, Stuttgart. Starting at bottom left; a 1934 W25, a 1935 W125, a 1939 W154, a 1939 W165, a 1954 300SL, a 1954 W196, and a 1954 W196R.

I particularly like the work of famed Dutch artist/illustrator Mauritz Escher; Escher, whose work on reflections is simply amazing, would be singularly proud of Stan for this one:

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 15. The elegance and beauty of ancient German art and technology are reflected in the hood of an S500 Mercedes. The clock on the 1370 Rathaus (Town Hall) in the town of Ulm, Germany, tells the time of day, month, sun rise, and sun set.

O. K. Here we go - the cartoons! The selections were chosen by Stan and he supplied the captions (remember - these are thumbnailed images - click on the pictures for larger/sharper images):

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: "2. From "Beyond Belief" the first Cyclops article published in Road & Track magazine, March 1957. In it our heros, T. Tom Meshingear and Trebor Crunchog, are on a Los Angeles street corner watching VW beetles swarm past. "There's money in this somewhere.", T. Toms says. And they're off to Italy to buy foreign cars cheap, import them to the states, and make millions. There they meet Piero Martini, creator of the Cyclops II, who can manufacture Cyclops IIs at such a low price they can resell them in the U. S. for $14.32 and turn a profit. They buy and herd thousands of Cyclops to a nearby shore. They lash them together to make a ship (Cyclops float) and after many mishaps at sea, end up surfing the last fifteen Cyclops IIs on to a Southern California beach. They can't find a dealer to sell the cars, until they meet Ernest Chumley, Bugatti enthusiast and lawnmower repairman. The first buyer is a Japanese gardener. The second a guy getting too old to ride his 1924 Henderson 4 motorcycle, and finally a VW owner - which turns the tide and Cyclops becomes a massive success."

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 3. The Cyclops production line from "Visit To The Cyclops Factory". T. Tom and Trebor discover that Cyclops IIs are made out of recycled Cinzano signs on 100 factory production lines, each twelve feet long {the lines or the cars?}. They very nearly see the legendary super secret and mysterious Cyclops I. May 1959 R&T.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 4. Piero Martini demonstrating full use of Cyclops' air brakes while leading the team in Cyclops Super Sports coupes-made out of magnesium Cinzano signs -- to a 1, 2, 3 LeMans victory. II Cyclops At LeMans August 1960 R&T.

[THIS is the drawing I misremembered as having Piero reaching out
with his right hand to shift or brake or some such.
Aha; he was holding the door open!]

Stan asked that this lone Cyclops miscellaneous cartoon be place here; it was badly mangled at the ends (especially at the right end) and is about 8½" x 13⅞", so it had to be pieced):

(19 Jul 08)

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

The Start, "Cyclops & The East African Safari Rally"
Road & Track June 1964

[Pieced at right of lights, under the starter's flag, left of his hands, then above his right hand and both arms, along his left shoulder and down the rear of the Cyclops, thence down through the exhaust clouds and the crowd.]

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 5. Trebor and T. Tom in full chat in a Cyclops Normale powered by the incredible CPM-2-SROa9(b) engine with the revolutionary GP Gambe Potenciale drive train (old army boots) heading for an astounding victory in the East African Safari Rally. June 1964 R&T.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 6. "The Adventures of Cyclops 007 or The real Story of the 49th Targa Florio". Cyclops pit crew fires up the revolutionary Cyclops 007 Oleoso Oliva Sette economy model, sold only in Italy, for 5000 lire, or $8.10. In spite of only a 30cc engine powered by olive oil, Cyclops goes on, with some help from T. Tom's and Trebor's mastery of slot car racing, to win the 49th Targa Florio. August 1965 R&T.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 7. The 3-story high Tagliafalciata (swath cutter) Cyclops racing van complete with crew's quarters, machine shop, dyno room, parts cage, engine room, garage, kitchen, ristorante, cafe, topless a-go-go, and Piero Martini's personal office replete with mahogany desk, potted palms, over-sized sofa, Persian rug, Florentine chandelier, Venetian fireplace, moose head, and huge bay window in the exact same shape as a Cyclops windshield, was the star in "Cyclops at Indy". But the Super Cyclops Indy with the revolutionary "Mancino Mano" device which functioned as aerodynamic guidance fin, self-lifting jack, turn indicator, and back scratcher all in one, with T. Tom driving and Trebor using Indy Tradition, won the race. June 1968 R&T.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 8. The Cyclops "2+ Tutto" inflatable Grand Prix car/Family bus is made from the finest barrage balloons that Cinzano could produce. Trading off at the wheel, Trebor and T. Tom, blast the 2+ Tutto through Germany's foul weather, powered by German's favorite brew to, yes, win the Nurburgring GP. February 1969 R&T."

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 9. The spring-powered "Cyclops Ecce Homo" is not only the world's most ecologically sound automobile, it was fast enough to -- what else? -- win the Japanese Grand Prix. March 1971 R&T.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption: 10. Our hero machine has a go with the Mao GP car in "Cyclops & The Great Wall of China Grand Prix". The result opens up a vast new market for Cyclops products on the Chinese mainland. July 1972 R&T.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

Stan asked that these two cartoons (Miscellaneous 2 and 3) be inserted here:

(19 Jul 08)

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)
Cyclops Turbo Rocker, R&T June 1977

[click on thumbnailed picture for larger/sharper image]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)
Early Cyclops II with Cheesy Belt/Pulley Drive^TM, R&T June 1977

S. Mott caption: 11, 12, 13. The "Cyclops XII" is the fastest, most expensive, and most lethal luxury automobile ever made. Powered by a turbo-powered Pratt & Whitney of Canada, PT-6A-PM turbine engine boasting 1,209.6 HP and an estimated top speed of 400 mph, the Cyclops XU is just what every bored billionaire absolutely must have! And it was designed, mind you, in 1979, decades before the multi-million dollar "super cars" of today! And what does the Cyclops XII cost? We'll just pretend we didn't hear that question. November 1979, R&T.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption - see 11, above.

[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger/sharper images]
(image courtesy of and © S. Mott - all rights reserved)

S. Mott caption - see 11, above.

S. Mott caption: 14. To give a quick idea how Piero Martini's mind works, let us tip toe up on little cat's paws and listen to a conversation between Martini and a client. During it, the master just might create another ultimate machine. Shhh, listen.

Impossibly wealthy Oil Sheik: Signor Martini, I am blue.
Martini: Hah, I have idea for you! (See how quick he is?)
Sheik: What?
Martini: Something expensive.
Sheik: To buy? Where?
Martini: The personal aircraft carrier! Fantastico!
Sheik: But cars...
Martini: Exactemente! I make aircraft carrier out of cars, Cyclops Us. They float. So by lashing hundreds of thousands of them together they form magnifico aircraft carrier. Just what you need. No one else has.
Sheik: But I get seasick.
Martini: Ah hah ... that is why it is land-based carrier. It rolls on ground, desert, your desert.
Sheik: But how could it be a real aircraft carrier with no water?
Martini: We bring our own water.
Sheik: Where?
Martini: On deck.
Sheik: But how can the planes land on water?
Martini: Sea planes.
Sheik: Well, I don't...
Martini: Don't worry. Will be absolutely safe from Russian scoobie divers. I put sharks in water.
Sheik: You are a shrewd man, Signor Martini.
Martini: Ah, my friend, for you ... anything!
Sheik: What will my aircraft carrier look like?
Martini: It is up above this text.
Sheik: Ohhh, praise Allah! How much?
Martini: I thought you would never ask.

From "Cyclops Review", June 1982 R&T.

S. Mott caption: 15. Not to worry about Martini getting uppity after selling multi-billion dollar special machines to oil sheiks. Here we have a standard Cyclops II with the latest II fashion accessories stepping out with fine company. Which prompts us to ask: "Say, Mr. Cyclops, is that my baby out with whom you are stepping?" "Cyclops Fashions", June 1982 R&T.

Here's another Cyclops Single, miscellaneous no. 4; Stan asked to have it posted here: (19 Jul 08)

S. Mott caption: Cyclops Jewelry, Bikini, Tattoo & Roller Skates are the direct result of Martini's keen interest in thoroughbred women. Here we see Ms Cyclops 1982 displaying the goodies. If someone out there does not like Ms Cyclops displaying her goodies, you may leave now.

"Cyclops Review" June 1982, R&T

Cyclops' Night Out (from Road & Track, June 1978):

(05 Jul 08)

Martini's Teeth

(05 Jul 08)

S. Mott caption: 1. It all started when Piero Martini, creator of Cyclops, realized he was not talking as fast as usual. He ordered the Cyclops Styling Section to start sketching ideas for a new pair of diesel/olive oil-powered false teeth. This was the winning sketch:

S. Mott caption: 2. The diesel/olive oil-powered false teeth inspired other designs, notably the "Cyclops Automatico Lawnmower":

S. Mott caption: 3. The "Cyclops Automatico Lawnmower" inspired the "Cyclops Watch Mouth":

S. Mott caption: 4. And, finally, the "Cyclops Watch Mouth" inspired the "Cyclops Gift Mouth". Martini gave it as a gift to the former Soviet Union leadership. It was given a place of honor in the Kremlin. Little did these leaders know that the gift mouth's bladder was full to bursting with diesel/garlic fumes collected from the exhaust system. Soon after giving out a gigantic belch, the Soviet Union fell apart. I'm not saying that the Cyclops Gift Mouth was instrumental in destroying the "Evil Empire". But the green haze that plagued the Kremlin for months thereafter didn't exactly prolong it.

Here, thanks to Stan, are the orthographic views of the Cyclops II:

S. Mott caption: 20. The official plans of a Cyclops II. Yes, chain drive from engine to Throptic Drive^®. And trailing arms to rear axle to keep it all from going cattywonky.

{Yes, "cattywonky"; that's exactly what Mott wrote!

Words fail me in expressing my gratitude to Stan Mott for sharing these great drawings with us.

[This page is a greatly-enlarged successor to my earlier page on my AT&T WorldNet site, http://home.att.net/~Berliner-Ultrasonics/autocycl.html {also accessible as http://berliner-ultrasonics.home.att.net/automotv.html}, which it supplements.]

Please visit the Automotive Page, et seq.

To contact Stan Mott, write to:

To contact the Webmaster, please click here.

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Stan Mott and the CYCLOPS

CYCLOPS Page

SITE INDEX:

WELCOME!

HISTORICAL NOTE:

Stan Mott and the
CYCLOPS