How was this done?

[Joseph James Photos]

Can anyone tell me how this effect was done?

Harley Davidson of Scottsdale - Commercial : Harley Inside - YouTube

[P.M.B · Accepted solution]

It's always hard to tell exactly how something was done.  One way this COULD be done is with a cloth simulation which is basically a particle simulation.  At the last possible moment the frame (video frame) of a real car is switched with a polygon model of the car that is attached to cloth system. 

[Mylenium]

I agree with Gutter-Fish. Some 3D work was quite likely involved, though the actual reveal looks a lot like a 2D image warp. You can do part of it with AE's distortion effects and tools like Puppet, but to achieve that level of control like in the ad you will probably have to buy RevisionFX' RE:Flex.

Mylenium

[P.M.B]

You're right it does look kinda 2d

[Joseph James Photos]

Thank you! I hate not knowing how things are done lol. Need to hire the person who does this!