He works on the vehicles that roam the Wasteland of “Fury Road” and “Furiosa”: Colin Gibson opens the doors of his garage to reveal the design secrets of these mechanical creations.
There’s another Gibson must-see in the wasteland of the Wasteland. If Mel Gibson played the legendary Mad Max, anti-hero of the postapocalyptic universe imagined by George Miller, in three feature films, Colin Gibson works behind the scenes on an equally essential aspect of the franchise. It is in fact to this former actor converted to mechanics (!), winner of an Oscar in 2026, that we owe the impressive vehicles of Fury Road and Furiosa.
On the occasion of the cinema release of the prequel led by Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, he spoke to our colleagues at www.automobile-magazine.fr on his “Mad” motorized creations. Selected pieces.
Warner Bros.
Concretely, tell us how you design a “Madmaxian” vehicle?
Colin Gibson: The first step in manufacturing Mad Max cars often involves scavenging abandoned vehicles or spare parts from various supply sources. The raw material can come from cars, trucks, motorcycles, airplane parts or even agricultural machines, or even the remains of industrial machines. You know, everything has to be considered for the creation of new machines. Each car is like a blank canvas, waiting to be transformed into a fearsome mechanical beast.
Each car is like a blank canvas, waiting to be transformed into a fearsome mechanical beast.
Once the basic materials are gathered, we can begin what I call the modification process. This may include reinforcing the structure with additional metal to create armor, installing rugged all-terrain tires for maximum traction in difficult terrain, raising the chassis, and adding improved cooling systems for the engines in an environment where heat and dust is a constant challenge. In short, the process of creating these rolling war machines is a mix of recovery, reinvention and boundless ingenuity.
Modified and overpowered, they represent extensions of their identity and their ability to survive in this hostile world.
Warner Bros.
Why do cars play a crucial role in the “Mad Max” saga?
Because human beings find themselves in a postapocalyptic world where resources are scarce. As a result, only the law of the strongest prevails. Cars become a symbol of this struggle for survival and domination. Modified and overpowered, they represent extensions of their identity and their ability to survive in this hostile world. And since roads are often the scene of brutal combat between rival factions, they become weapons in themselves. They are used to pursue, attack and defend against other protagonists!
This idea comes from George Miller who has a limitless imagination
Warner Bros.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done?
George wanted to create a degenerate character. A man who had managed to survive in this crazy world even though he was blind. The only presence at his side was a guitar. It was the artist Iota who embodied this character. We had put it on a vehicle going at full speed with dozens of amplifiers around it, well secured! A huge sound system. This idea comes from George Miller who has a limitless imagination. When he offered me this project, there was no script, but there were all the storyboards. The problem was finding the machine that would hold all this gear. We ended up with an eight-wheeled machine, an old military rocket launch vehicle. We then welded old air conditioning duct sheets on top. The double neck guitar, which is a real instrument, weighed 60 kg and it was supported by a piece of a Datsun 1600 chassis! It could even be used as a flamethrower!
The rest of this interview can be read on www.automobile-magazine.fr
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is currently in theaters