[Watch] Shaquille O’Neil’s customized Lucid Air EV proves no car is too small for Shaq
Towering at 7’1″, Shaquille O’Neil is truly a sight to behold. He’s said publicly several times that he loves cars – and currently has 40 tucked away. Recently, he added a Lucid Air to his fleet, but quickly discovered he wasn’t able to fit. So, he did what any wealthy car lover would do: he had it modified.
West Coast Customs, a body shop in Southern California, is well-known for its celebrity specials. The company posted to its Instagram (@westcoastcustoms) that they were working on a “Shaq special,” changing the Lucid from a four-door to a two-door.
Employees had to cut out the center B pillar and move it further back to accommodate his stature and improve visibility. The rear seats were removed to give O’Neill more legroom to reach the pedals. Shaq also had his DJ name, “Diesel,” etched into the grille and rear tailgate.
The factory wheels were also swapped out for wheels with floating center caps that bear the Superman logo. All passenger windows, including the rear and front windshield, were heavily tinted. West Coast Customs also repainted the Lucid to match the color of O’Neill’s Rolls Royce Cullinan.
The shop’s followers were more concerned about safety
West Coast Custom’s Instagram post has almost 22,000 likes at the time of publication and almost 200 comments. Most viewers wondered about how the modifications made the EV less safe.
“I guarantee you that changes the crash test data and would almost 100% fail,” wrote a commenter. “The B-pillar has moved back so the stress load on the A-pillar beam is probably 300% more. That roofline will collapse on frontal impact for sure.”
Another couldn’t help but comment on the change in structural integrity.
“Safety has left the group chat,” they wrote.
Others liked the fact that most of Shaq’s four-door vehicles become two-door coupes to make him more comfortable, while others found it ironic that “Diesel” was put on an all-electric car.
Another was concerned the alterations voided the warranty.
“I wouldn’t worry too much about the warranty, I’d worry about the strength and integrity of the car in case of a crash,” responded a viewer.