Auto Design

PEUGEOT RCZ

Back from holidays, I am facing great difficulties sitting back to my desk and go through the news to report, possibly in a sensible order. The sun is hot, the wind is fresh,  the sky is blue, the air is clean. Outside. What am I doing in my hole with a keypad and a monitor challenging me?

In addition, there is too much to report but nothing new to make “the news”. It is business as usual. Read the rest of this entry »

An Embarassing Comparison?

When I received the first set of official pictures of the Audi A5 Sportback, the first thought that came to my mind was how far (or, indeed, how close) the new “5 door coupé” from Audi  is from the new Porsche Panamera. The two cars are very different in many ways, starting from their selling prices to their fuel consumption and performance via their overall dimensions. You cannot compare them when the time comes to buy one.

Yet, they have a lot in common. They are both luxury cars, they both fit in the new trend of  “dynamic, coupé-like, four seater, authoban-cruisers” with that fastback design and rear hatch. Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Audi introduces the R25, the latest prototype in its legendary race- car line-up.

Read the rest of this entry »

Comes November 20^th and we will know the winner of the 5^th Design Challenge.

Nine Southern California design studios of the top carmakers have presented their own concept and design of what the Race Car of the future will be in 2025.

The Design Challenge is held within the frame of the Los Angeles Auto Show that opens its gate to the public on November 21^st.

This year theme for the challenge was to «Visualize Auto Racing in the Year 2025» along the following guidelines: «Today’s race cars have ground-breaking technology to improve speed, power, performance and safety but what a difference 17 years into the future can make. Imagine race cars that go beyond the expectations and challenges of racing today, such as never needing to stop for re-fuelling or collision avoidance assistance technology for enhanced safety».

According to Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc. «Automotive designers have always been fascinated with Motor Sports and this year’s Design Challenge has provided them with the opportunity to use their creative talent to look at these cars with new eyes, using innovative technologies and approaches”.

Works by Audi, BMW, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen are pitted against each other to showcase their talents and further explore new ideas in automotive design.

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Entries will be judged by Tom Matano of San Francisco’s Academy of Art University, Imre Molner of Detroit’s College for Creative Studies and Stewart Reed of Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design. Daniel Simon, an established car designer and founder of Cosmic Motors, is the special guest judge this year. Simon began his design career at Volkswagen and recently published his first book: Cosmic Motors-Spaceships, Cars and Pilots of Another Galaxy. His book seems to have suggested the theme of this year challenge and the flavour of some of the works presented, whereas other works have inspired themselves to the superlative illustration technique of Syd Mead.

Starting today I am sharing with you their works. One per day. And in alphabetic order. Go to AUDI R25.