Hedley - What the .01% is Lusting After
If you are a rare connoisseur at the intersection of art collector and classic car afficionado, perhaps you are already on the path to owning a unique piece from Hedley Studios. Who is Hedley Studios, you ask? Hedley Studios is the exclusive partner of Bugatti, Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Bentley, collaborating closely with these storied marques to recreate the most iconic vehicles from each automaker’s history. Led by creative founder, Ben Hedley, these beautiful pieces are fully drivable works of art. They are neither fad nor passing trend. They are objects of desire of the .01%, a reflection of artistic expression and pure exhilaration.
Headquartered on a former Oxfordshire Royal Airforce base, Hedley Studios is located in the town of Bicester, about 60 miles northwest of London. Here, founder Ben Hedley and his team execute their singular blend of design, meticulous engineering, craftsmanship, elegant style, and automotive passion that are their hallmarks. Each piece they build is precision scaled (66 to 85% of the original car size) and propelled by a zero emission powertrain. Limited editions by definition, each piece is customized to the collector’s exact specifications, numbered, and signed by the artist who hand built it. A stamped chassis plate from the original brand and certificate of authenticity underscore the unique status of Hedley Studios as the only company in the world authorized to design and manufacture an Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, or Ferrari, outside of the automakers themselves.
For the Art Lover
Art collectors have been drawn to Ben Hedley’s creations as a new art form to add to their collections. Hedley has also collaborated with acclaimed artists to craft one-of-a-kind art cars that have caught the eyes of modern art collectors. The Bugatti Baby II, the model that first launched the Hedley Studios collection, has served as a superb canvas for a number of creative talents. The Bugatti Baby II is a 75% scale reincarnation of the renowned Bugatti Type 35, developed using a full 3D scan of an original 1924 French Grand Prix car.
Bugatti’s in-house artist, Jascha Straub, lent his unique talent to the Hedley Studios’ Bugatti Baby II. Straub leads Bugatti’s “Sur Mesure” initiative, the ultimate personalization program, working hand in hand with clients to create automotive haute couture. The artist transformed the Bugatti Baby II with a tribute to the Chiron Super Sport Golden Era. He applied a series of hand drawn sketches commemorating iconic Bugatti cars and history, using the same doré gold and nocturne black contrasting paint scheme as on the Chiron Super Sport. The result is a one-of-a-kind art car crafted for a discerning client.
Hedley Studios inaugurated another work of automotive art, commissioning New York based artist Alex Alpert to reimagine the Bugatti Baby II. Alpert created two companion pieces, drawing inspiration from the marque’s heritage with intricately drawn illustrations on the hand-crafted bodywork, one white, one black. Alex’s signature graffiti style lends each piece a fresh and contemporary appeal, a playful juxtaposition with a car whose racing pedigree was established a century ago.
For the Thrill Seeker
While collectors embrace the art cars, the Hedley Studios Ferrari Testa Rossa J “Pacco Gara” edition provides an altogether different appeal for lovers of speed and adventure. This is a 75% electric recreation of the ultra rare 1957 pontoon-fendered Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, one of the most iconic in the history of Ferrari and motor racing. This special edition, which translates to “Race Pack,” further rarifies the standard Testa Rossa J with track minded enhancements for those who lean more into the “drivable” half of “drivable art”. These enhancements include a top speed of 50mph (80 km/h), suspension & performance changes to deliver a racier feel, a quicker ratio steering rack, with adjustable dampers and drilled disc brakes, all combining to deliver a highly responsive track-focused car. Design features unique to the Pacco Gara include period-correct spotlights and an aero enhancing tonneau cover matching the interior leather, further enhancing the dramatic aesthetic.
For the Car Collector
Hedley Studios celebrates the individuality of our discerning clients often embodied in their highly customized full size cars. For dedicated automotive afficionados and passionate collectors, Hedley Studios offers near infinite levels of personalization in the commission of each one-of-one piece.
To begin their personalization experience, clients are invited to visit the Hedley design studio in Bicester, or a Hedley artisan will visit the client in their home. Aided by the Hedley Studios online configurator and custom-made renderings, each client will be able to visualize their one-of-one before it goes into production.
This rare opportunity to celebrate individual style extends across the entire Hedley Studios portfolio. Many dedicated owners choose a Hedley Studios piece to match the style of an existing asset within their automotive collection. Take, for example, this (pictured) Ferrari Testa Rossa J designed in collaboration with Ferrari’s very own in-house personalization Atelier. Finished in a striking blue, white, and yellow color-scheme, this client-led, one-of one commission was inspired by matching the livery of the owner’s Ferrari Monza SP2.
While each Hedley Studios piece is an authentic and fully licensed product of exclusive partnerships with the world’s most prestigious automotive marques, their art cars and special editions demonstrate the truly personal and bespoke nature of the brand. Combining the allure of these names with almost endless levels of personalization, Hedley Studios invokes the collector’s passion and style with each piece they create.
Clients interested in learning more about Hedley Studios, or who wish to reserve one of the remaining build slots, are invited to contact concierge@hedleystudios.com or visit hedleystudios.com.
