Auto Design

Those of you who read Car Styling magazine might have been puzzled by my report on the Geneva motor show published in the latest (and last?) issue of the magazine.
For some mysterious accident that are more common in the printed press than you can image my text was cut and mixed up. For a more accurate reading and for the records I am publishing here the original text. Just as a sign of respect for my readers.

Official statistics show that the latest and 80th Geneva Motor Show set a new record for “premieres”, with as many as eighty “new cars”, or so, unveiled for the first time there. Now, considering the space in the magazine is not growing with the number of new cars at motor shows, let’s go straight to the point and answer the usual questions: how was the show this year. What was relevant and worth recording for the years to come?

First I would say that I saw more irrelevant, disappointing or irritating cars (read designs) than interesting and attractive ones: be for their design or their lack of innovative ideas/concepts. A short list includes the Aston Martin Cygnet,  Renault Megane CC, Renault Wind and Toyota Auris.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este this years has been as good as the weather. That is to say that half of it was very good, with peaks of excellence, and the remaining half was bad, raining and boring, with touches of ugliness.

 By the end of the elegant week-end on the Lake of Como, one would say it was not one the best edition ever but still offered enough interesting cars to look at, people to greet and talk to, and subjects to discuss.

As such it was one not to be missed. Those who did not attend it missed the extremely rare chance of hearing the sibilo and smelling the pollution of its turbine engine, not to mention seeing this extraordinary visualisation of the dreams about the cars of the future they were dreaming in the fifties and sixties.

  Read the rest of this entry »

Back from the Geneva Motor Show I choose to offer first a first selection of interior shots, either from the show itself or its carmaker. Part 1 shows the ones I liked. Part 2, tomorrow will show what could be better.

In these pages a selection, for the entire gallery click on the image at the bottom.

 Rinspeed iChange

 Rinspeed iChange

Ford 2009 Iosis MAX

Ford 2009 Iosis MAX

Lexus RX 450H

Lexus RX 450H

Hyundai ix-onic

Protoscar Lampo

Italdesign Giugiaro FN Namir

Click image below for the photo gallery:

After the news, that we brought to you long time ago (previous post), here comes the car.

The Rinspeed iChange all-new electric car, designed to minimize energy consumption by optimising its aerodynamics. Indeed, in addition to a powerful electric motor with a Subaru gearbox and Lithio Ion batteries (of two different sizes) iChange displays and demonstrates a complete catalogue of energy saving solutions, as well as energy enrichment and conservation: from solar cell to low-consumtion entertainment centre. The details will soon be available, as we approach the opening of the Geneva Motor Show.

For the time being we let the images speak for the car itself. Only a couple of notes: the transparent roof is electrically opened to grant access  to driver and passengers and where the driver takes a passenger or two with him the roof is lifted in the back to grant convenient head clearance to the rear passengers.

Click on Image below for complete photo gallery:

Swiss entrepreneur Frank M. Rinderknecht to steal the show with concept car introducing fully variable body design.

The creative and trend-setting Frank M. Rinderknecht of Rinspeed is ready to anticipate what he will be showing at the forthcoming Geneva International Motor Show (March 5th thru March 15th 2009). Read the rest of this entry »