Auto Design

The rendering released by Peugeot to tease the public looking for the opening of the Paris Motor Show on October 4^th is attractive but does not show much of the forthcoming concept car, neither for its architecture neither for its powertrain. The company wants to keep our interest alive and for the time being only says what it is.

First: it will be called RC something, much like its recent predecessors, the RC ♠ et ♦ concept cars revealed in 2002, and the 908 RC (2006 Paris Show). Perhaps RC § “fleurs” (flowers), for its eco-friendly nature? Peugeot says their latest Research Concept is a show-case of future ideas, combining many design, engineering and technology ideas in a single vehicle.

Even more relevant is the fact that the new show-car aims at anticipating a feasible, affordable and versatile car, “with four doors, four seater and a highly innovative hybrid architecture” that aims at a very high level of efficiency both in terms of performance (with its potential 230 kW/313 HP) and minimal impact on the environment (CO2 emissions of 109 g/km in the combined cycle or ZERO in electric mode). Clearly a high performance and emotional car that match with the spirit of the time and capable of combining environment friendliness with driving pleasure.

 DEDICATED TO ANDREA PININFARINA.

 Andrea Pininfarina has suddenly passed away on August 7^th; the very day one of his latest achievement was due to be air freighted to the United States, on behalf of its owner: Mr. Roland Hall.

The British gentleman who commissioned the design and construction of such an outstanding work of art, shocked by the tragic event, immediately wanted the car to be dedicated to the memory of Andrea Pininfarina “such an extraordinary man”.

 I am proud of joining him in dedicating this report (actually drafted before the fatal accident) to his memory, his work and his men, who passionately worked to deliver this unique “Fuoriserie by Pininfarina”.

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PREMIERE AT THE PARIS MOTOR SHOW IN OCTOBER.

As the count down to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in China is coming to a close, the automotive industry – just back from the London Motor Show – has launched its count-down for the introduction of a wave of new cars at the Paris “Mondial de l’Automobile” Motor Show opening its gates to the public at large on October 4^th.

First on August 1^st to unveil its new baby is Ford.

The look of its new KA developed and engineered with the co-operation of Fiat and Italdesign-Giugiaro can now be seen in the first official pictures. The car is build in Poland on the industrial platform of the Fiat Panda and Cinquecento but its looks share nothing with the Italian rivals. The new KA looks charming and  attractive, a sort of miniature Fiesta but with a design and a personality of its own. Read the rest of this entry »

Here is  the list of the renderings and scale models presented by the students of the Scuola Politecnica di Design of Milan for their Master degree. their works.

See report.

Alfa Romeo Coelus design by Ian Bunjak (Slovakja)

Alfa Romeo Camenae design by Ryu Seung-Wook (Korea)

Alfa Romeo Phoenix design by Iulian Bumbu (Rumania)

Alfa Romeo Tessa design by Murat Atvur (Turkey), Adam Denning (USA)

Alfa Romeo Orbita design by Mark Salerno (Australia) and Tulay Engin (Turkey)

Alfa Romeo 6C Torio design by James Edmund van der Merwe (Sud Africa) with Artem Popkov (Russia)

Alfa Romeo Essentija Design by Franco Grassi (Italy), Alessandro Fiorentino (Italy)

Alfa Romeo Exelixis design by Gabriel Feyer (Brasile), Kostantinos Paradeisou (Grecia)

Alfa Romeo MilleMiglia design by Aleksej Ivaskievic (Russia).

Click on the picture below to see all works.

SPD STUDENTS’ LOOK INTO ALFA ROMEO FLAGSHIP.

What will be the look of the next Alfa Romeo flagship? The car that will lead the return of the Italian brand to the U.S. market sometime around 2011.

The students graduating this year from the “Scuola Politecnica di Design” (SPD) of Milan, worked on the question with the support of the Alfa Romeo designers and following the direction of Mario Favilla. Recently they have presented their work to a selected audience, among which was Lorenzo Ramaciotti, vice-president design for the entire Fiat Group Automobiles (FGA) and Maserati.

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Walter De Silva, not long time ago, said that new car design increasingly tend to become car..caricatures. He was referring to decoration. I share his opinion and I am to an advocate of design simplicity. This clearly explains why I was rather embarrassed the other day, when a Ferrari enthusiast and owner asked my opinion on the new Ferrari California, designed by Pininfarina. Read the rest of this entry »

After China, BMW wants to conquer Russia and be “the” premium car makers there. This is what I understand after seeing this news on the web at The Cool Hunter online magazine.

Obviously, to make a very strong (and possibly good) impression on the emerging Russian capitalists BMW has spared no fantasy, guts and courage to create a monument (though temporary) monument to its new and soon-to-be-launched flagship. The 7 series.

Right at the world-famous Red Square, cosmopolitan Russian and tourists have been able to watch the strip-teasing of the new 7 series, placed in a gigantic Hour-Glass and covered by some 200  thousand of balls. When the balls fall in the lower part the new 7 series were revealed.

“Placement” is not a new world in the car business when marketing, advertising and sales are the games but, after a series of 007 James Bond movies, this is opening a new frontier.

It looks modern, very dynamic, absolutely stylish and 100% Morgan. It has four motors but only weights 600 kg, before taking two adult passengers in its cosy cabin with wonderful seats made of sophisticated laminated wood. The basic facts says it comes with 200 kW of power, an estimated ratio of less than 3 kg per hp and the performance of a real sports car (o to 100 kph in 7 seconds) that perfectly fit with the heritage of Morgan Motor Co.

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Originally established in Milano back in 1926 by Felice Bianchi Anderloni and Gaetano Ponzoni, the Italian coachbuilder that became famous for its elegant and light cars went out of business some 40 years later. Now it is back under the leadership 8 and with the finance of Belgian car enthusiast Roland D’Ieteren, who also has acquired control of Ruote Borrani and Carrozzeria Granturismo via its own Zeta Europe B.V. holding company.
Their first new car is what they call the Bellagio Fastback Touring, a unique development of the Maserati Quattroporte into a dynamic station wagon.

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BMW M 1 Hommage

By Giancarlo Perini © – Photo: Archivio Perini ©

From Car Styling magazine, issue 185 – July 2008.

The Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este is absolutely about elegant life-style, friendly personal relations, heritage and – under the BMW drive – design. Here automotive beauties from the past meet the concept cars and design studies of the future. In few words, Como, Villa d’Este and the “Concorso d’Eleganza” were the perfect backdrop for the unveiling of the 2008 BMW M1 Homage. On the other hand, it is only natural that the opportunity to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the iconic 1978 BMW M1 was not missed by the German company that keeps supporting in every way the event. In fact, they did not miss the chance and unveiled, with a very surprising move, their BMW M1 Hommage design study.

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