Auto Design

Geneva will offer a preview of the powerplants that Fiat would share with Chrysler in the USA, as early as next year, if the alliance currently under scrutiny will get the green light. Read the rest of this entry »

It was expected for the Frankfurt Motor Show next September but Sergio Marchionne and “his boys” did not want to wait too long. Now, the good news is that the open-air Fiat 500 Cabrio will be officially unveiled six months earlier, at the Geneva Motor Show,next month. Sales are planned to start in April, according to a reliable source. Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

 In time of global villages, Fiat has unveiled a unique Concept Car for Latin America at the latest international motor show of Sao Paulo in Brazil, on the even of the final race of this year dramatic F1 championship. Read the rest of this entry »

David Wilkie has left, or – to be more accurate – is progressively leaving Stile Bertone to join past school-mate and famous designer Murat Gunak at the Swiss based “Mindset AG”. David is already very active at Mindset where an innovative and attractive electric car is under development. In a telephone interview David said he was very attracted by the project and the people of Mindset and decided to challenge himself because “I wanted to be more of a “hands 0m” designer than a design manager”. However, David Wilkie has not left entirely Stile Bertone. Read the rest of this entry »

Not to be missed.

Never before I have seen so many dream and concept cars in the same place ad the same time. This unique opportunity is offered by Torino 2008 World Design Capital and you must visit it before it closes on November 23.

For all details and a comprehensive introduction, go to http://www.torinoworlddesigncapital.it/portale/en/content_1.php?sezioneID=291&testoCompleto=1

Beware and please do not shoot the messenger: strangely enough, the exhibition closes at 6.20 p.m.

You also should not miss to get a copy of the Exhibition Catalogue currently on sale only in Italian but soon to be available also in English. Read the rest of this entry »

Long before the launch of the Fiat 500, in Turin and the remaining part of the Italian car enthusiasts’ world, the idea of customize one of the new “small baby” with the most distinctive and possibly convincing “individual” touches has stimulated all sort of fantasies and projects. Maria Paola Stola, the wife of well-known “creative entrepreneur” and founder of Studiotorino, Alfredo Stola were among the first one to say “I want to design my own 500″.

Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

Eager to see and comment on the all-new Ford Ka, made in Poland by Fiat? Come back after midnight CET.

 FIAT 500 DIABOLIKA- COMING SOON.

Maria Paola and Alfredo Stola of Studiotorino simply could not resist the temptation to offer their own interpretation of the super-trendy Fiat 500.

First Maria Paola was asked by a private entrepreneur to help with the customizing of a “very luxurious” tuning of his own Fiat 500 called, certainly not by chance “Pepita” (Italian for Golden Nugget).

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