The Sbarro Espera School of Automotive Design was created by the renowned Swiss designer Franco Sbarro over two decades ago.

With the world of modern automotive design seemingly overrun by sterilized designs based on safety and emissions requirements, Sbarro Espera Futura’s mission is to foster creative ideas and return a bit of creativity and, dare we say, wildness, to automobiles.

Students come to Espera Sbarro from all over the world, and a period of 10 months are taught all the basic aspects of automotive technology and design, culminating in the creation of one-off automotive design studies.

The automobile offered here, the 2008 Sbarro Espera Genesis, is one of these design studies.

Designed for the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, the Genesis is a radical one-off design study created by the Espera Sbarro class of 2007–2008.

Clearly an amalgamation of 1930s hot rod design with the classic European sports racer, the Genesis is a two-seat roadster with no provision for a top.

The body,...