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Just what happens to abandoned cars?

April 24, 2020 08:17 IST

Strange and isolated places aren't everyone's cup of tea -- but they are where photographer Dieter Klein gets to work.

In shabby backyards and dusty barns, in deserted fields and thick forests, Klein roams strange and isolated places to find once gleaming vehicles left to rust and ruin. From a dented Porsche to a faded Cadillac, a battered VW Beetle to a whole fleet of abandoned military jeeps, Klein’s subjects creak with bygone glamour and might. As moss and gnarled branches transform motors into eerie artifacts, Klein’s award-winning automobile photography is not only a tribute to classic cars, but also to the transformative power of nature and the enduring intrigue of people and incidents unknown.

 

The mesmerising results appear in stunning new coffee table book Lost Wheels - The Nostalgic Beauty of Abandoned Cars, which is out next month.

Scroll down to see some of the wonderful pieces.

A haunting image shows a 1949 Ford and a 1946 Chevrolet lying abandoned in an enchanting forest in the state of Georgia. They're clearly past their prime - and so is the plastic furniture.

A 1951-1956 Austin A30 (top) and two 1949-1956 Saab 92s (centre and bottom) form a car sandwich in a Swedish forest.

A 1956-1962 Fuldamobil S7 Fram King left to rust in the central German city of Fulda. Klein's true passion is the imagery of deserted automobiles.

A 1950 Porsche 356 in a severe state of disrepair lies somewhere in Germany. Did you know the 356 was Porsche's first production car.

Half car or half tree? A 1937 Chrysler Imperial was found while Kleing travelled through Georgia in the United States.

A lone and battered 1974 Pontiac Grand Prix lies forlornly in the middle of a lush green field in the state of Wyoming.

The interior of a DKW F89 Meisterklasse ('Masterclass') smothered in all manner of vegetation.

This is what it looks like when Mother Nature takes a firm control over these 1941 Ford Trucks in Florida.

While travelling around France, Klein came across this row of abandoned Citroen Traction Avants -- a model made between 1934 and 1957 - overwhelmed by branches, leaves and mud.

A rusting 1946 Ford Panel truck and trailer in the state of Nevada.

Lost Wheels - The Nostalgic Beauty of Abandoned Cars by Dieter Klein, published by teNeues, will be available in May for £29.95.
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