Ampol’s wind-up car takes a wild ride

Created by Saatchi & Saatchi and directed by Swedish duo StyleWar through Sedona Productions, this fun little ad from Aussie petrol company Ampol follows an unlikely hero on a whimsical adventure.  

The campaign captures the journey of a characterful, miniature car on a treacherous adventure to reunite with its owner, from suburban streets to river crossings and even an echidna encounter.  

Special effects company YipeeKi-Yay crafted three versions of the car for production: two remote-controlled and one puppeteered, each tailored for different terrains. Each was custom-designed, 3D printed, hand-painted, and fitted out with moving parts, including working lights, wipers, and a spinning wind-up key. 

StyleWar (Martin Sjöström and Oskar Holmedal) said “We were excited to figure out how to shrink a Russian arm rig to this little car’s size for fast, dynamic shots. Using an in-camera approach that could interact with our talent, the grip and camera team utilised a rickshaw rig with a snorkel lens licking the tarmac to achieve the speed and scale we wanted. Our model maker created three unique miniature cars for everything from underwater trails to Steve McQueen–style jumps.”