Auto Design

“Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good action; try to use ordinary situations.” -Jean Paul Richter. Read the rest of this entry »

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

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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.

500 Abarth ASSETTO CORSE – Official Technical specifications

Engine

• 4 cylinders in line, 4 valves per cylinder, 1368 cc.

• Power output: 200 bhp (147 KW) at 6500 rpm.

• Peak torque 300 Nm at 3000 rpm.

• Garrett GT 1446 fixed geometry turbocharger.

• Special reinforced water and air sleeves.

Transmission

• M32 6-speed gearbox

Suspension

• McPherson layout at front, special racing shock absorbers,

coaxial spring with nut for adjusting height of car.

• Rear : inter-connected arms, special racing shock absorbers,

springs with nut for adjusting height of car.

Steering

• Electric power steering with racing tuning.

Brakes

• Brembo radial front calliper with four pistons M4X40.

• Perforated, self-ventilating front brake disc, ø 305 mm x 28 mm.

• Rear calliper with ø 36 mm piston.

• Rear brake disc, ø 264 mm x 11 mm.

• High-performance Racing brake pads.

Body

• Rear spoiler and front bumper splitter.

Chassis

• Reinforced cage structure, welded to the bodyshell.

• Lightened interiors, Sabelt Racing safety setup.

• Optimised driving position, shifted towards the centre of the car.

Wheels

• Painted, forged aluminium wheels, 7” x 17”.

• Tyres:205/50 ZR17.t

Weight

• 930 Kg.

see my first report

Complete Photo Gallery

By Giancarlo Perini © Photo: Archivio Perini©.

As the new Fiat 500 Abarth is getting ready for the first test-drives on the Balocco test-track, by a selected number of motoring writers, ABARTH is ready to start a limited production run of a racing development that will revive the epic times, when our fathers were furiously racing a smallish metal box with a small two-cylinder 595 cc. engine in the back. Almost five decades later the concept is basically the same but the outcome and the car is radically different. It is called Fiat 500 Abarth Assetto Corse (Italian for racing tuned). Read the rest of this entry »