On June 4, a remarkable exhibition titled Secret Garage opens at the Special Purpose Garage Museum of the FSO in VDNKh, inviting visitors into what organizers describe as a fantastic automotive technoverse. The program promises a show that’s truly impressive and bound to surprise in a good way, drawing curious minds from tech enthusiasts to casual passersby.
What makes this event special is the blend of striking graphic work by renowned industrial designer and illustrator Andrey Tkachenko with futuristic concept cars and motorcycles from Ford-Market, Trump-Cars, Rockabilly-Garage, and other private collections. The juxtaposition of real designs and speculative visions creates a dialogue between what exists and what could be, set against a broader USSR-inspired backdrop that adds a unique historical flavor to the experience.
Highlights include a custom Iron Head car that fuses elements from various Soviet trucks and automobiles, hot rods built around a Ford A chassis—the ancestor of many classic Russian designs—and the GAZ-A prototype known as the Eifel 1935, alongside a GAZ-12 ZiM in Raggarre style. Also featured are the Vladimir Kireev Argo all-terrain vehicle, a Moskvich-407 track racing car redesigned with a coupe silhouette, and a rat-rod powered by a V8 drawn from a 1939 Ford Taunus. Real machines are complemented by Tkachenko’s vivid graphic narratives, exploring what machines from a parallel Soviet reality might have looked like. The public can glimpse genuine dream cars that are futuristic and detached from current norms, yet unquestionably recognizable in their silhouette and spirit.
The exhibition is staged in the Interchangeable Exhibition Hall of the Special Purpose Garage Museum of the FSO of Russia at VDNKh. The opening occurs on June 4 and the exhibit runs through July 10, 2025, offering guests an extended window to experience the fusion of tangible machinery and imagined futures. [Citation: Exhibition organizers]
In related news, Balashikha hosts a rare four-wheel drive Moskvich-410 that has undergone a meticulous restoration, a reminder of the era’s enduring engineering charm. Visitors can also discover that detailed previews and additional visuals are available through messaging platforms, inviting a broader audience to engage with the content beyond the physical hall. [Citation: Balashikha restoration notes]
Overall, the Secret Garage event stands as a celebration of design, engineering, and storytelling. It invites audiences to reflect on how the past informs future automotive aesthetics, while offering an immersive experience that blends real vehicles with speculative, visually arresting narratives. [Citation: Event overview]