Edward Ruszczyc was born over 40 years ago into a family of painters, artists, archaeologists, and independence-fighting aristocrats. From an early age, he was expected to follow tradition and become a hardworking painter.
But Edward wanted to be more than the great-grandson of the renowned Ferdynand Ruszczyc. He was deeply connected to art, but he was also fascinated by cars. For a while, that second passion had to wait.
From metal posters to metal body panels
More than ten years ago, he founded a company called Displate. At the time, it sounded like a crazy idea and very few people believed in it. I have to admit I was one of the doubters. Geek posters printed on metal did not seem like something that would work.
But it did.
The pandemic was a difficult time, but not for everyone. People were sitting at home, staring at empty walls, and started decorating them. Many chose metal posters made by Displate.
Today, Edward is no longer involved in the operational side of the company. Instead, he has turned his attention to another metal vision, this time in the automotive world.
Ruszczyc began rebuilding Defenders on a larger scale, using newly engineered aftermarket bodies and chassis. The idea of making Defenders great again sounds bold, but it works. These cars still have their raw, frame-based character, but the handling is far better than you would expect. They are reworked, chemically protected against corrosion, and about seventy-five percent of each vehicle is new.
The road to Dakar
Edward's dream was Dakar. The classic version of the famous cross-country rally was the obvious choice, but even that did not fully satisfy him. Eventually, he decided to go with Taurus.
Taurus is a Dutch-built machine designed for the Challenger class in Dakar. It has a carbon fiber body on a lightweight frame, a 1.0 TSI engine, and massive Reiger suspension. There is no glass in the windows, and in the desert that means helmets, sand, and speed.
The team
The team is mentored by the legendary rally driver Krzysztof Hołowczyc. The launch event brought together the crew and the people behind the project for the first time in front of an audience.
Why are we writing this?
Because Driven Stories is a media partner of the team, and we write about people chasing their automotive dreams. We are going to Dakar 2027 with Edek and the crew.
