Luka Design (France) - AllCarIndex

Luka Design was a French design studio founded in 1995 by Lucas Bignon, a graduate of the School of Fine Arts in Toulouse. The company was based in Cachan, near Paris, and became known for experimental design projects that ranged from furniture and artistic objects to transportation concepts. In the automotive field, Luka Design produced a handful of prototypes during the late 1990s and early 2000s, each reflecting an interest in lightweight construction and unconventional styling rather than series production.

The first and best-known project was the Silver Bee, developed in the late 1990s. It was conceived as a small roadster built on a racing sports car chassis, with a body finished to appear like polished metal. The Silver Bee showcased aerodynamic efficiency and a minimal weight philosophy, aiming to blend racing performance with distinctive aesthetics. A second version, called the Silver Bee II, appeared a few years later. This updated design employed a tubular space-frame chassis and a composite body. Luka Design planned for the car to accept production engines in the range of 170 to 220 horsepower, with a weight target of around 450 kilograms. Although these specifications suggested performance close to club-level racing cars, it remained at the prototype stage.

Another notable project was the Twin T, introduced around 2001. This concept combined elements of a sports car, dune buggy, and all-terrain runabout. Compact in size with a rear-mounted engine, it was imagined as a versatile leisure vehicle. In 2002 Luka Design presented the Turtle, which pushed the idea further into the realm of a rugged utility buggy. Powered by a small Smart 0.6-liter engine producing roughly 55 to 61 horsepower, the Turtle used a rotomolded plastic body intended to be tough, lightweight, and inexpensive to produce. Like the Silver Bee series, it did not proceed beyond the prototype stage.