Auto Design

Here eventually an image that reflects a bit of the latest Supercar designed by Jason Castriota for Stile Bertone. The ultimate fuoriserie from the famous Italian coachbuilder is called Mantide and will make its first public appearance at the famous “Balocco” Fiat Group Automobile’ proving ground. I think the car is going to look gorgeous, its sound will be intimidating and the speed really high, if the goads of cutting 250 pounds (some 115 kg) off the original weight and the low aerodynamics Cx have actually been achieved.

Having reached a certain age I recently suspected I am getting old, without realising it or, even worst, with no intimate will to concede it. Now I know I am old.

This morning I received from Bradley R. Farell an e-mail message saying “Hi, Jason wanted me to send you a exclusive photo. Photo credit to: www.pdj-photo.com“. The photo is this one that I am glad to offer you, as a unique exclusive preview, teaser, or what else you like to call it, of the Project M.

Coming from New York, this must clearly be the latest and most advanced “communication technique” and if you do not understand why this gentleman Farrell is approaching me in such a sharp and to-the-point style even though I have not had the privilege of having been introduced to him, it must certainly be because I am getting old, out of touch and far from the new trend.

I hope that you, my readers, will concede me that at least I am making an effort to reduce the lag and remain in touch with the modern reality and the futuristic trends. Whereas most of my colleague journalist would consider the “exclusive” image an April’s Fool joke sent 12 days to late and forget about it in an instant, I choose to offer you every bit of information you may like to see.

Just do me a favour, if you will: tell me that I was right in bringing this to you, rather than just ignore it, as my old-style school of journalism and communication had suggested as an instinctive reaction.

P.S. – Just between you and me: I would have much preferred to bring to you a colour rendering in the old times style.

1970 Bertone Stratos – Just one of many benchmarks for J. Castriota.

According to absolutely unreliable sources, the bespoke supercar being completed at Stile Bertone facilities in Caprie under the direction of Jason Castriota might be called CAT 1. Speculative sources in Torino like to think this might eventually be the name to be given to the first public work of the Italo-American design for Stile Bertone. The bespoke “fuoriserie” into which Stile Bertone and Castriota have invested some six months of intensive design, engineering, manufacturing and video-taping work will be making its first public appearance at the Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este, in parallel with the disply of its full scale model at the Shanghai Motor Show. According to some, the name is the acronym of Coupé Aerodinamico Tecnologico 1, to stress the company tradition for futuristic design works. Other sources are ready to bet that the actual meaning of the acronym is Castriota Automobili Torino. It seems to be a joke but….why not.

According to one reader, the tail of Stile Bertone supercar has a strikingresemblance to the Stola 1998 Abarth Monotipo

At this time it is interesting to take a good look to the design and the making of the SVS Codatronca by Ercole and Paolo Spada. This spectacular supercar – built on the chassis – and with the powertrain – of one of the most powerful Chevrolet Corvette might well serve as a benchmark for the evalutation of the Supercar soon to be unveiled in mock-up form at the Shanghai Motor Show and as a running prototype at the Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa D’Este, later this month.

The two cars share a lot in addition to their mission and ambitions: attract car collectors with a passion for high performance speed and clear cut, very distinctive design.

The SVS Codatronca TS comes with a Chevrolet Corvette ZR 1 V8 engine tuned up to deliver 630 HP at 7000 rpm and 668 Nm of torque at 4800 rpm. This is said to be good enough for acceleration time of just 3.4 second from 0 to 100 kph and a top speed of 340 kph in 6^th gear, at 7000 rpm.

Unlike the Stile Bertone supercar, which aims at setting a new record at the Nuerburgring, the SVS Codatronca has been designed and tuned to enhance “the pleasure of driving instead of speed record, in the perfect style of the gentleman driver.”

The other remarkable difference between the two is that whereas Stile Bertone and Jason Castriota made extensive use of carbon fibre for their bodywork, the Spada (Father & Son) elected the traditional aluminium body panels technique for the construction of their Codatronca. Here, a review of the making of the SVS Codatronca TS and few images of the actual car.

Click on image for complete photo gallery:    

After the recent experience with my poston the MOMO Mirage that proved how little I know about historic car I shall venture again into territories I am not familiar with and will simply trust whatthe organisers of the 2009 Concorso d’Elganza di Villa d’Este have said to this wonderful car to be seen also at Villa d’Este and Villa Erba, courtesy of Mr. Ralph Lauren. The car from the Bugatti fold that claimed the highest production run and the greatest economic success was the T 57. This model was the only Bugatti to go into series production before the war. One of the most spectacular designs to be based on the T 57 was the Atlantic, of which just three units were produced. Its crouched stance, the vertical, riveted ribs that ran horizontally along the bodywork and its teardrop-shaped side windows gave this model a unique appearance that raised it to one of the icons of motoring history. With the Bugatti Atlantic 57SC, the Concorso presents one of the true legends of the automotive past. The design hails from Jean Bugatti, the son of Ettore Bugatti. Gracing the Concorso will be the last of the three units built. The original owner kept the car until 1967. After changing hands several times, the Atlantic was bought in 1988 by Ralph Lauren, who commissioned Paul Russel with its complete restoration. The car will be making its first European appearance in 18 years at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2009.

For a comprehesive report on this Bugatti, I recommend

Among the most beautiful cars to be seen at this year Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este is this unique Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B designed and built by Carrozzeria Touring in 1938. The extremely elegant (and fast) Berlinetta was built on the running chassis developed by Alfa Romeo as the successor of the very successful Alfa Romeo 8C 2300. In its time, the Alfa Romeo 8C built in many different configurations for the road  and for the racing circuits was one of the fastest motorcars world-wide. Alfa Romeo built only 33 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B running chassis but, only six were coachbuilt as Berlinetta.

This Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta is owned by Alfa Romeo’s Museo Storico

This unit, coming back to Italy after 62 years spent around the world, ranks as one of the most elegant vehicles to emerge before the Second World War. In September 1947 the car migrated from Italy to Switzerland and to the USA. After being sold to a buyer in South Africa in 1980, the car – with red paintwork at that time – was restored in England and repainted in its original blue.Powered by the famous Alfa Romeo straight-8 designed by Vittorio Jano, the car was purchased in 2005 by Jon Shirley, one of the founders of Microsoft who resides in Medina (Washington) and restored to its original condition

Voted Best Car in Show at Pebble Beach last year, it is very likely that it will double its success and be awarded the Coppa d’Oro di Villa d’Este by public referendum. After all the Concorso takes places few miles away from the shops where this car was built 71 years ago.

Obviously, the American gentleman and car connoisseur Mr. Peter S. Kalikow loves cars and the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Two years ago he visited the Concorso with his brand new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, subtly redesigned exclusively for him by Pininfarina.

Last year he returned to the Concorso with his stunning Ferrari 250 GT Serie 1, 1958 and went back home with a new trophy.

This year he is coming back again with a very intriguing car which story must be said.

When Mr. Kalikov visited the New York Auto Show in 1957, he became an instant fan of European cars. This passion led him to Alfred Momo of the New York Jaguar Garage, and a close friendship was to ensue. One day, some years later, Kalikov and Momo travelled to Italy, to drive cars and meet all the key personalities of the car world: Enzo Ferrari, Sergio Pininfarina, and the Orsi brothers. In 1967, Mr. Kalikow sought Momo’s opinion before deciding whether to order a new Aston Martin DBS and what emerged from their conversation was the happy idea of designing a sports car of their own. Against the advice of his family, Kalikow decided to build a four-seater GT for the American market to fill the gap between the spirited Ferrari and the luxurious and comfortable Rolls-Royce. In Pietro Frua he quickly found a designer and coachbuilder. The original plan to turn out 25 vehicles a year fell victim to high production costs and an ailing economic environment. And so just five cars were built, three of which remained in Peter S. Kalikow’s ownership. One of them will be participating at the Concorso on April 24 through 26.

At this anniversary Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the BMW Group will itself be celebrating a rather special birthday: it was 80 years ago that BMW produced its very first automobile. “The past 80 years have shown the high status that BMW accords to design and style. The same applies to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. And that is not least of all why are a perfect fit,” says Karl Baumer, Director of BMW Group Classic and Chairman of the Concorso
When BMW looks back on its 80-year tradition of car manufacturing at this year’s Concorso, visitors can expect to set eyes on some stunning beauties on wheels. Among the models on show will be a BMW 303, the first Bavarian car to sport the kidney-shaped radiator grille, and an example of the BMW 502, which entered the motoring history books as the so-called “baroque angel”. Models dating back to the 1960s, such as the BMW 2002, and the cars that established the BMW model series in the 1970s will also rank among the exhibits. As a special highlight, BMW will be presenting all its legendary roadsters of the last 75 years: from the 315/1 and 319/1 to the 328 and 507, all the way to the Z1, Z3 and Z8 – plus the latest addition to the family, the new BMW Z4.

Designed at Bertone by Marcello Gandini, this concept car was first unveiled before the public at the Geneva Motor Show 40 years ago. Combining beauty with excitement – that phrase might well sum up the idea behind this concept: an open car that could be turned into a coupé. And that also explains its name, a contraction of Spider and Coupe. The front end was designed in textbook Bertone style while accommodating the hallmark BMW kidney grille. The car’s form also harked back to the timeless beauty of Albrecht Goertz’ BMW 507. The wheelbase of a BMW 2500 was cut and shortened by as much as 350 mm. from 269 cm to 234 cm in length for the job, and the engine came from the BMW 2800.

The BMW 2800 Spicup was discovered in The Netherlands last year and has been fully restored so that 40 years after its world premiere, Roland d’Ieteren will bring the car to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2009 to appear before the public for the first time after its restoration.

More pictures to be posted soon. Please come back.

BMW and the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este will be celebrating their 80^th anniversary this year with a very special edition that will also mark the ten anniversary of the BMW sponsorship and involvement of the famous event on the banks of Lake Como. Although BMW was established in 1916 (as a constructor of aircraft engines) the company built its first passenger car in 1929 after becoming famous for its motorcycles. Read the rest of this entry »