A$AP rocky unveils 'need for speed' mercedes-benz 190E

a first look at A$AP Rocky’s real-life Mercedes-Benz 190E

After months of a hushed collaboration, pictures of A$AP Rocky’s real-life Mercedes-Benz 190E were finally unveiled. The American Rapper customized the iconic car model for the upcoming ‘Need For Speed Unbound’ game, launching officially on November 29, 2022. Last October, the online racing franchise released a simulation of the vehicle’s digital replica to build anticipation among the gaming community.

First-look images reveal a mid-split, black-and-white coating with a slogan etched on each side: ‘Alway$ $trive and Pro$per’ and ‘If Not Now Then When’. The front, meanwhile, sports a gold grille, headlights with X-shaped tape, and underlights emitting a sci-fi-like green glow.

all images © Mark Riccioni (unless stated otherwise)

stay up to date with the ‘need for speed unbound’ collab

Involved as well in A$AP Rocky’s Mercedes-Benz 190E collaboration is the international car culture collective Speedhunters. One of its members, Ryan Stewart, took to Instagram a few days ago, explaining the process of customization for the rapper’s ride:‘We’ve kept super quiet about this project, but now we can show you the result. It’s a fully functional, driving, larger-than-life character. Every panel is altered, all four arches are tubbed and there’s some wonderful, old-school craftsmanship in it. Some great friendships have been forged along the way too, which is what car life is all about.’

AWGE, Rocky’s creative consultancy, led the branding for the ‘Need For Speed Unbound’ project. Visit the gaming platforms’ and Speedhunters’ websites (here and here) to get the latest updates on this collaboration.

mid-split black-and-white coating