Auto Design

A couple of days ago I returned to Balocco, at the Fiat Group Automobiles proving ground, to test drive the new Alfa Romeo Mitos equipped with the very promising “Multiair technology”. In few months there will be three versions: the 1.4 MPI (aspirated) the 1.4 TB 170 HP and the 1.4 TB 136 HP, where TB stands for Turbo Benzina (gasoline). The first two goes on sale in fews days in main European markets. The Quadrifoglio Verde comes in Janaury, when the right hand drive cars will also be ready for export.

I was very keen to witness the impact this technology (comparable to the invention by Fiat’s engineers of the revolutionary Common Rail) will have on the reduction of emission from all sort of internal combustion engines (fuel with gasoline, E85, oil for diesel, CNG,  LPG) as well as on their performance.

A few laps on the two of the many circuits created at Balocco (the so-called Langhe for handling, and the regular one for high speed) are very convincing: the 1368cc four cylinder engines in aspirated setting (78  kW) or turbocharged (100 kW for the  or 127 kW for the “king of the hill” Quadrifoglio Verde) have all it takes to deserve the label of “truly Alfa Romeo’s Cuore Sportivo”. They are very flexible, very progressive yet very brilliant (prompt in their response at low revs and low gear) and reactive in mid-load and mid gear condition. Out of the track and on twisting mountain road, driving the “100 kW” turbo engined Mito I found myself going most of the time in third gear, with which you can do virtually anything as if it were an automatic. This used to be, and still is, very typical of the Alfa Romeo dynamic cars. What left me a lot more cold and sceptic is the gearbox, not so fast not so precise when you need to shift into first or second gear. Here Fiat Powertrain Technology, the suppliers of the powertrains have many opportunities for improvements.

Nothing, or almost, is changed as far as the design goes and I decided I would add a touch of beauty to my story with a pleasant excursion up North.

The day of my test drive I was very lucky as I was allowed (an unusual concession) to take the new Mito out of the proving ground so that I could go on my own, where I wanted to really test the car and used it to experience an enjoyable drive that I could recommend to you, should you have the chance to be in Balocco (that is mid-way between Milano and Torino) or in Milan and have one day for yourself.

The main destination is a small place called Orta San Giulio, a small town on the Lake Orta. Every good travel guide will recommend a visit. Especially if you are not so keen on shopping in Milano and you have seen its main attractions. A day (or two) out of town may be very refreshing and good for you physical and spiritual health. If you have the time and you are lucky enough to get a room you may even consider to spend one night at Villa Crespi, a rather unique combination of a 4 stars luxury hotel and gourmet restaurant rated with two stars by the most authoritative Michelin Red Guide to restaurants and hotel. Rooms start at 150 euro (which might be a lot cheaper than an equivalent hotel in Milano, especially if you visit a fair there, consider it for the Salone del Mobile, if you are a designer) and a lunch or dinner ranges from 70 to 120 Euros.

The village of Orta and the San Giulio island, with the Monte Sacro (Holy Mount) a World Heritage site of UNESCO, more than justify the journey and can fill up a whole day, walking through the woods of Monte Sacro, strolling though the village and looking at shops, buildings and people, eating a refreshing ice-cream and taking a short boat ride to the San Giulio Island.

Lake Orta lies to the west of Lake Maggiore, in the northern Italy. It is a minor star in the constellation of the subalpine lakes, but all the fascination and the history of the larger lakes seem to be concentrated in this short space.

Do not be ashamed or surprised if you have never heard of Lake Orta and Orta San Giulio. This is not know even by many Italians. Yet it has long been a favourite by discriminating for the quiet beauty of its landscape, its fascinating history and its wealth of artistic treasures – principally Romanesque and Baroque architecture.

The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, visited the lake in May 1882 and said that the experience changed his life forever. Indeed he inscribed the date “from Orta onwards” as a preface to his masterpiece Thus Spoke Zarathustra. French famous novelist Honoré de Balzac, described the place as “grey pearl in a green jewel-box”.

I have been there few times before and choose to spend just a couple of hours thus taking the time to drive to Milano via the Mottarone pass and down to Stresa where I would reach the motorway.

You have to drive up the Mottarone, especially on a clear day to enjoy a stunning view over seven Alpine lakes of different size, two of them in Switzerland, with the white Alps as a background.

If the air is not absolutely clear you will still see the closest lakes Orta, to the west, and Maggiore to the East, The peak is at an altitude of 1491 metres.

From the pass you can drive downhill along a very entertaining private toll-road (where you will cross into very few cars) with a poorly maintained tartan surface that put to full test the suspension of the Alfa Romeo Mito, rich of hairpins and faster bends that you will love to handle with the agile and dynamic Alfa Romeo. I had a great fun.

Back on the motorway I checked the difference between the “Comfort” and the “Dynamic” driving model that let the driver choose the pace (performance and consumption) at the push (or pull) of a switch.

Well, I had a great day and should you have the chance to share my experience I am sure you will simply love it.

Ever wondered what is all about a major exhibition area at an international motor show?

If you have, here is all you may want to know about AUDI’s 6,000 square metres display designed to present 34 Audi of all sorts and to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the company.

The Audi stand at the IAA will be “Bright White and with a Big Heart” says the company which is announcing five world premieres, including what it describes as insights into electric mobility of tomorrow.

Audi S5 Sportback debuts in Frankfurt

To build it they will use 230 metric tons of steel, 560 square meters of glass, 67 kilometers of electric cable. Some 300 fitters will work 25 days to assemble the “installation” (a work of art) downloaded from 90 trucks

The result of their work will be a gleaming white stand – 6,000 square meters in size (4,000 at ground level and 2,000 one storey up) – with a dazzling design to showcase 34 perfectly situated Audi vehicles. The Audi stand spans 86 meters in length and 46 meters in width. At the center of the stand there is a huge heart show-casing key Audi innovations such as TDI technology, lightweight design/construction, and Audi history. A chrome-polished R8 will get visitors’ hearts pumping even faster.

Through the press and public day it will be the work place for 55 Audi employees as well as 85 event hostesses/hosts trained and prepared to provide details to all interested visitors.

This puts each and every one of the 34 exhibition vehicles in the best possible light. Audi’s trade-show specialists begin planning the configuration of spotlights months in advance and down to the millimeter so that no unwelcome reflections arise and that every perfectly positioned Audi’s colors and contours are perfectly accentuated.

The same applies to the stand’s steel structures, which weigh many tons and are precisely positioned by surveyors who use laser measurements. Everything must be 100 percent perfect. This is due to reasons of not only time but also safety: some 750,000 people are expected to visit the 2009 IAA! Stands must therefore be indisputably sound in design and execution.

Audi says it had managed to execute a trade-show strategy which costs far less than that of its strategic competitors. A considerable amount of the materials Audi uses at a trade show, for example, will not simply be discarded, but rather re-used at future automotive exhibitions. It could be said that Audi relies on a modular trade-show framework – an assembly concept of sorts.

Audi’s IAA Stand: Specs and Facts

6,000 square meters of overall floor space

4,000 m² on ground floor; 900 m² of elevated surfaces/ceilings

2,000 m² upper floor

34 exhibition vehicles (5 of them world premieres)

2 vehicle lounges (quattro Lounge: 162 m², A5 Sportback Lounge: 85 m²)

3 catered lounges (309 m² altogether) with 150 seats

12 months of planning; 55,000 hours of planning

90 truck loads

300 people on set-up team

24/7 set-up

25 days of setting-up

560 m² glass façade

230 metric tons of steel

67 km of cables

39 metric tons suspended from the Hall’s ceiling

8.45 meters: height of the lighting truss’s lower edge

3 km of truss crossbeams

1,400 spotlights

2,000 KW power output

Highlight LED: 14 meters wide and up to 4.70 m high

Highlight LED with 2,101,248 Surface-Mount Devices (pixels)

Heart of Audi: 40 meters long and up to 10 m wide

Heart of Audi with approx. 1,500 LED panels (á 16×16 LED points)

19 different exhibits, incl. 2 cutaway engines

Various floor coverings: laminate, genuine wood veneer, aluminum, anodized-aluminum panels, concrete scrap, glass, carpet

95 meters of leather-covered seating in Heart of Audi; 7 staircases

25 offices and conference rooms

16 climate-control units

85 event hostesses/hosts

55 Audi employees.

It is called McLaren MP4-12C and it has been designed by Frank Stephenson.

I am offering you a selection of official images with not much words at this time. For two reasons. I am in a hurry and, despite McLaren has released a 29 pages text I have no clue about what this car is going to be really, for the very simple reason that McLaren has been very careful at not release any data that would its competitors critical information about its overall weight (the supercar body is made of carbon fibre and light alloys) and dimensions.

What is clear is that the ultimate McLaren is a top performer designed and engineered to compete in the core segment of the supercars market. Read the rest of this entry »

Here the first official images of the all-new Ford C-MAX, whi

ch will make its global debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show next week.

The new Ford C-MAX takes its design cues from the stunning iosis MAX concept car unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show early last March and represents Ford of Europe entry in the compact MPV market. In Frankfurt Ford is expected to announce that the C-MAX will also be sold in the North American market.

The all new MPV comes with a clear personality and a coupé-like silhouette and sweeping roofline with no apparent compromise on the use of space.

According to Ford the C-MAX will introduce a host of new technologies such as an all-new 1.6 litre direct injection petrol engine, a semi-automatic parallel parking and a blind-spot detection system.

Ford says it will start selling the new C-MAX in the second half of 2010 as the first in a new generation of global vehicles developed from Ford’s new C-segment platform, scheduled for introduction over the next several years. The global range will also include the all-new Ford Focus due in late 2010.

Absolutely on time, as expected within the world of aristocracy, here comes the Rolls-Royce “princess”. It was fist announced, early this year by the “200EX” traditional  number-and-suffix lettering at the Geneva Motor Show. Now it is ready to make its official appearance with the name of “Ghost”. The name has a long tradition and deep meaning at Rolls-Royce; however, the 2009 Ghost is really something you want to see. When you have this chance, her most striking character impress you from the very beginning: how simple, beautiful and elegant it is, despite its unusual length. Indeed, Ian Cameron, Chief Designer of Rolls-Royce, stresses that “Simplicity is the hardest design principle to follow.” in presenting the latest delivery of his team of very talented designers.

Ghost’s flowing lines are dominated by its majestic ‘Yacht Line’ styling. Large, uninterrupted surfaces flow between finely sculpted horizontal lines that provide definition. Together, the upward-sweeping sill line and low-cut roof create a powerful profile, almost as though the cabin has been pushed toward the rear. Powerful shoulders and flanks draw in sharply as they flow from the rear wings to the tail lights, while touches such as the optional chromed exhausts hint at Ghost’s more dynamic nature.

While incorporating classic Rolls-Royce design cues – the elevated prow, long bonnet, short front overhang, sharply raked A-pillar and elegant tail – Ghost exudes an informal aura. Contemporary touches include self-righting wheel centres and the Xenon headlamps that frame the latest evolution of the Rolls-Royce grille. Here the sides of the intake have been curved inwards and the vanes set back into the opening. “We wanted this to be less reminiscent of the traditional Parthenon style and more like a jet intake,” says Ian Cameron.

A contrasting Silver Satin finish (introduced on 200EX) is an option for the bonnet, grille and windscreen surround. The finish is achieved by setting silver metallic paint under a layer of lacquer, giving a flawless matte finish. The bonnet and windscreen surround are then honed from aluminum.

The central principle of delivering simplicity out of complexity runs throughout Ghost. Everything is designed, engineered and crafted to enhance the drive and ride experience, not to complicate it.

Ghost rides on a bed of air. Double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension work with an intelligent, four-cornered, air-suspension system and electronic variable damping to deliver the refinement that has been associated with Rolls-Royce for more than 100 years.

The new air suspension system in Ghost is so sensitive that it can detect even the smallest of changes. For example, it will sense the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other and compensate accordingly. A complex computer system reads multiple inputs from sensors around the car; the dampers alone make individual load calculations every 2.5 milliseconds. This ensures not only perfect comfort but also precise steering and dynamics for the driver. The air suspension system also incorporates a lift and kneel function, raising or lowering Ghost by 25mm.

Inside Ghost.

The interior design team has come up with a contemporary ambience while staying true to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ traditions of fine materials and peerless comfort. There are elegant, frosted lamps and chrome door handles, traditional violin key switches and eyeball air vents, frosted white dials and refined instrumentation. Deep-pile carpets can be complemented by optional lambs wool floor mats for a truly luxurious feel.

Charles Coldham, Interior Designer stresses that “Ghost is as refined and cosseting as anything this company has ever produced.”

While Ghost is 400mm shorter overall than the Phantom saloon its interior space is comparable.

Driver and passengers, enter into Ghost through substantial doors. Housed within the front doors are integrated Teflon-coated umbrellas. The rear doors are traditional, rear-hinged coach doors, opening to a generous 83 degrees. Once the passenger is inside, these doors can be closed at the touch of a button. The interior space is filled with natural light, enhanced by the optional Panorama.

Within Ghost’s ample doors and high shoulder line, occupants feel serene, cosseted and safe.

In the rear, the intimate ambience of the lounge seat is emphasized by its position behind the C-pillar, heightening the sense of privacy. The informal seating creates a convivial environment, its slight curve allowing you to turn more easily towards the person next to you. Its elevated position gives a clear view past the electronically retracting Spirit of Ecstasy to the road ahead.

Individual lounge seating is offered as an alternative to the standard lounge configuration. This allows the addition of a massage function and also perforated leather for a cooling stream of air from the seat surface. A cool box with interior illumination and integrated champagne glasses is also available.

Veneered picnic tables are another option, incorporating the finest leather and veneers matched to the rest of Ghost’s interior. Fitted to the rear of each front seat, these tables are a traditional Rolls-Royce design cue and finished with a veneered surface with leather-covered backs.

A modern Rolls-Royce.

Ghost is the most powerful car that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has ever produced. However, Rolls-Royce power is delivered in a very different manner to other cars. It arrives in an elegant, cosseting way that some have described as being designed to lower the pulse, not raise it.

The principle of simplicity extends to the act of driving Ghost. The host of complex engineering software and technologies beneath the surface serve to make driving easier and more enjoyable, not to intrude or confuse.

Ghost is powered by a brand new, 6.6 litre twin-turbo V12 engine, unique to the model. Featuring direct injection, it produces 563bhp – enough to propel Ghost from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds* and on to an electronically governed top speed of 155mph. With 780 Nm of torque available at just 1,500rpm, delivery of power is immediate and extremely smooth.

“A Rolls-Royce should be graceful in every way: the way it handles, feels and brakes.”
says Helmut Riedl, Engineering Director.

The Mercedes-Benz 190D BlueEFFICIENCY experimental vehicle.

If you too have been questioning why today cars are so large and heavy, and wondered what could they do for us and the environment if they were simpler and lighter, here some facts and food for thought from Mercedes-Benz. Read the rest of this entry »

SOMETHING TO RUSH TO FRANKFURT FOR.

Shortly after I posted my early preview of the upcoming IAA in Frankfurt, the news of the spectacular and very promising VISION EFFICIENT DYNAMIC concept by BMW came in.

The news radically changed my perspective because everybody will now be willing to look deeply into the BMW show-car (an exciting catalogue of trend setting design ideas) and what is underneath. It clearly is a major development of the BMW M1 Hommage unveiled last year at the Villa D’Este Concorso d’Eleganza.

BMW is not being conservative in stating the potential of their ActiveHybrid technology and what sort of performance (in absolute terms, including use of energy) they are looking at for the near future. Read the rest of this entry »