This Citroen Concept Blends Gullwing Magic With Camper Living for a Unique Experience

It's nothing new that outdoor living is a trend that will never disappear, so it makes a whole lot of sense to create concepts that revolve around this lifestyle, Be they for the present, future, or a setting that will never exist.

Furthermore, some styles will remain as timeless as diamonds. I'm talking about the styling of the one and only "Gullwing," the 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. It's a look and literal feel that countless other cars have mimicked, but none pulled it off better; that's just my opinion.

But it appears to be the opinions of others, too. For instance, the project before us today, the InsideOut, is a vehicle that was inspired by the Gullwing. Yet Simon Kim's—a Google-translated name—design also blends outdoor living into the timeless Benz, somehow giving birth to a Citroen in the process.

Come to think of it, any other brand name could have been strapped to this concept, and we don't know why Kim chose Citroen of all companies, but the result would have been the same: a car that does all sorts of cool things, so let's dive a tad deeper into the magic.

As I explored Kim's Behance page, everything starts with the general shape and idea behind the car. The goal was to create a vehicle that "blurs the boundaries between inside and outside," and as we can see, that target was hit spot on. If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out the image gallery before going on.

Now, according to Kim, the general shape of the car was inspired by nothing other than perfume bottles and even crafted with tons of glass in order for drivers and passengers to see as much of the outside world as possible.

As for the rest of InsideOut's magic, let's pretend we just parked our vehicle on the side of some lake and are now ready to relax for the rest of the day; we won't ask questions as to how we got here. At this stage, we will indulge in opening those Gullwing doors and exposing the interior to the outside world, or the other way around; you understand the idea. After all, it's in the name.

With the wind rushing through the car and the sun beating down on you from up above, what better thing to do than just kick back and really get comfortable? This is where we see more of this designer's ingenuity. While there are four seats available in this Citroen, if you plan on using the InsideOut in its "Picnic Mode," you'll be able to lean the front seats all the way back, uniting them with a rear one. In the process, we'll create a massive lounge bed where you and your significant other can hold each other as you listen to the birds nearby or watch the clouds above.

There is another mode that the InsideOut displays called "Private Mode." But I like to call it "Disagreement mode." I'm talking about the image where we can see this vehicle's cabin literally split in two, creating two separate lounge pads instead of one.

I can just picture myself and my significant other sitting around, laughing it up when I crack a joke about my mother-in-law. With a look and a tad of awkward silence, a button is pressed, and I start to get the idea that I may have pressed some wrong buttons myself. During this mode, the doors of InsideOut are also closed, giving us that privacy Kim talks about.

Now, this vehicle is clearly not for overnight stays. It has no bathroom, no galley, just those two possible lounges. So, when it's time to finally leave your campsite, we'll be able to see the final touch that Kim added to this rather "roadster" perfume bottle with wheels.

While we've been camping out, the InsideOut has been sitting low to the ground, bringing us that much closer to the natural world around us. But, when it's time to head home, this Citroen rises off the ground, connects back in the middle, and seals its doors for the drive back. There better be an AC unit inside because it doesn't look like there are any retractable windows.

Then again, the InsideOut is just an expression of one mind's vision of a future where humans are living closer to the natural world around them. This brings me to my last observation: this is a concept, and while a future where we see Citroen crafting such a machine will most likely never be upon us, it's ideas such as these that get us thinking about a different kind of future.