Auto Design

The Audi rush to leadership in the luxury car segment is giving BMW no time for pause.

Here is the beautiful Audi A5 Cabriolet. A flagship with comfortable accomodotin for four (fair for five) that is challenging all rival in its class and above that. Inded, for those who want more popwer and look Audi also the S5 Cabriolet to offer.

Here again, please enjoyd the view. For more info and comments I shall be back soon.

Click on images below for photo gallery.

BMW has released a large selection of their stunning New Z4. The new sports car introduce the “convertible-coupé” architecture in a BMW two-seater fun-to-drive package. The look is simply gorgeous as visitors to the upcoming NAIAS (the Detroit Motor Show) will have the priviledge to witness. More news and comments here soon. In the meantime please enjoy the images I am proud of bringing to you.

Click on image below for complete photo gallery:

The American congress will have to say yes to the rescue of the American car industry. If not under the Bush administration, if will happen after Barack Obama replaces him at the White House.

Their 14 billion dollars “helping hand” is mainly going to save General Motor from bankruptcy and perhaps give some support to Chrysler (which will likely be the first victim of the current hurricane). Ford, for the time being, is resisting on its own as an independent company to maintain respect and credibility. It would just be happy with a favourable “credit line”, which is all right. If it happens, the sale of Volvo will give them additional breath and reach.

The government might eventually take a 20% stake into GM and become the largest (and ruling) shareholder. In addition the USA government is appointing a “Czar” to supervise the development of the American car industry, according to a policy that will give priority to the benefits of the nation, its environment, its economy at large, rather than short term profits for the management (first) and the shareholder (next). The top executives will see their unrealistic salary drastically cut. If they are allowed to keep their jobs.

Executives will see no bonus until their company (and the industry at large is well on its feet again) and shareholders may forget their dividends for a while. Read the rest of this entry »

Swiss entrepreneur Frank M. Rinderknecht to steal the show with concept car introducing fully variable body design.

The creative and trend-setting Frank M. Rinderknecht of Rinspeed is ready to anticipate what he will be showing at the forthcoming Geneva International Motor Show (March 5th thru March 15th 2009). Read the rest of this entry »

 It is funny. I have received invitations for two “design” events in the past days. Both were very intriguing and I was positively curious about them. The trouble was that both events would take place on Friday the 12th of December at 6:30 PM in two different locations in Turin. This was a good reason to go back to the town that has been the capital of car design for the past 60 years and this year has played the role of “Turin World Design Capital 2008″. Read the rest of this entry »

MINI has released official pictures of the success of the current Cabriolet due to make its first public appearance at the Detroit Motor Show next month. It is good to hear that the BMW Group is sticking to their long term program and will be in Detroit with their little jewel offering open-roof motoring for up to four car enthusiasts. Here is the second generation Cabriolet of the Mini of the third millennium giving us the desire of bright and sunny days, for ourselves and for the car industry. Read the rest of this entry »

Pininfarina fame and glory is expanding in the Far East, from where I got the news that one of the car designed and developed by Pininfarina, the middle-class JAC A 108 saloon has been nominated “Best car in Show” at the Guangzhou Motor Show run in the second part of November.

JAC is the brand name for Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. and the model name in China is Tongyue. The A 108 is available with a 1.3- or 1.5-liter gasoline engine, at prices ranging between 7.300 and 9.800 U.S. dollars.

To international standards the choice of the jury might surprise those who are  not familiar with the Chinese market today.  There, with the price of fuel having sky-rocketed and the fear of the global recession, small cars have become very popular among car buyers who are in the market for fuel efficiency and safety. Being an entirely new and fresh project with high safety standards and a modern, fuel efficient four cylinder engine, the roomy and relatively small JAC by Pininfarina seems to have all it takes to conquer the market and be the “Best Car in Show”.

In Singapore, late last month, the Pininfarina Sintesi concept-car unveiled last March at the Geneva Motor Show has been selected for “Red dot Award” among a selection of 1900 design concepts from 48 Nations.

The Pininfarina Concept-car has been elected for its innovative technology and Pininfarina vision of the car of the future. The international jury quoted: “for the excellent quality of its design and the outstanding innovation of its technological content”. Read the rest of this entry »

According to unofficial but well informed sources, Alfa Romeo is working at a new development of its limited edition and very successful Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The Alfa 8C GTA.

Official sources declined to comment on the rumour but rather than denying the report they simply say “no comment”.

Declining to comment on plans for a new successor, while the current one is still on sale, is not simply a practice by all manufacturers but is a must, if they want to survive.

Every single unit of the lot of “500 only” limited production Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, has been sold but a good share of the production has still to be delivered and the first 8C Competizione are due to reach the U.S.A. only next month – May, 2008. Read the rest of this entry »