Auto Design

Bertone has announced that the dream car they have designed over the Maserati chassis shared by the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione will be named Pandion. The choice is consequent with Bertone’s tradition of naming their spectacular show car with animal names, such as the Alfa Romeo Testudo, Canguro, Carabo and Delfino. Read the rest of this entry »

In addition to a new show car, BMW will be presenting an upgraded version of its Z4 roadster/convertible. This is the Z4 s35i which comes with a new M Sport look as standard. The powerful two-seater is powered by the 3.0 litre twin-turbo six-cylinder in line engine credited of 240kw (340) HP that is matched by the 7 speed automatic transmission. Its acceleration allows the top-of-the-range Z4 to go from standing to 100 kph in only 4.8 seconds.

To visualize this potential, BMW is delivering the new model with standard M Sport package, that will be available for other versions as an option. The M Sport upgrades emphasize the Z4’s athletic character through aerodynamically optimized exterior features and customized interior components. Special 18-inch light-alloy wheels in five-spoke design round off the sporty character of the Z4 sDrive35is, In addition, 19-inch light-alloy wheels are available as an option.

The upgrades also includes the M Aerodynamics and adaptive M Suspension. The adaptive M Suspension combines a ride-height reduction of 10 millimeters (almost 0.4”) with electronically controlled shock absorbers (Dynamic Damping Control) to improve the vehicle’s agility without compromising ride comfort.

The new model is further distinguished by a striking front bumper with a matte aluminum trim bar in each outer air intake, a rear bumper with accentuated surrounds on the tailpipes, and a rear diffuser finished at top in body color and black textured surface underneath.

It is called McLaren MP4-12C and it has been designed by Frank Stephenson.

I am offering you a selection of official images with not much words at this time. For two reasons. I am in a hurry and, despite McLaren has released a 29 pages text I have no clue about what this car is going to be really, for the very simple reason that McLaren has been very careful at not release any data that would its competitors critical information about its overall weight (the supercar body is made of carbon fibre and light alloys) and dimensions.

What is clear is that the ultimate McLaren is a top performer designed and engineered to compete in the core segment of the supercars market. Read the rest of this entry »

The Mercedes-Benz 190D BlueEFFICIENCY experimental vehicle.

If you too have been questioning why today cars are so large and heavy, and wondered what could they do for us and the environment if they were simpler and lighter, here some facts and food for thought from Mercedes-Benz. Read the rest of this entry »

LILLI BERTONE HAS FULL CONTROL OF “STILE BERTONE”.

Lilli Bertone, the strongly minded widow of the late Nuccio Bertone, is reportedly the only owner of the Stile Bertone design think tank as of July 28^th. After the Turin Court ruled that Mrs. Bertone has the right to a minimal majority stake in the company, with the remaining 49.9periodical in the hands of her two sisters, the Bertone matriarch has succeeded in buying them out and ensure herself 100% of the stakes into Stile Bertone. Read the rest of this entry »

In a brilliant move, designed to anticipate all speculative scoops, Ferrari has unveiled today its plan for the introduction of their new Ferrari 458 Italia. The new high performance two-seater supercar will be first unveiled at the Frankfurt’s IAA motor show in mid-September. The company will be taking “advanced booking” but the car will go on sale late this year. Read the rest of this entry »

According to some reports, Stile Bertone has stated that it plans to accept up to ten orders for their Corvette ZR1 Mantide “one off”, each carrying a price tage of 2 million dollars. That is some 1.6 million euros, just 0.1m euros higher than the price Jason Castriota mentioned when I talked to him at the Villa d’Este Concorso a couple of weeks ago. The add-on is probably the price of the full-optional ZR1 serving as the starting point for their job. 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 »

One of you has asked me which was your favourite car at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2009?

Now I am in a hurry to catch a flight out of town but I can try to post a quick reply. Difficult question. Here the first answers. Considering this is a Concorso D’Eleganza and not a competition about the most attractive (for overall qualities such as rarety, power, brand, performance, style, etc.) among the classics my first choice would probably be the 1954 Aston Martin DB 2/4 built by Bertone.

Second choice would be the 1952 Lancia Aurelia B52 built by Vignale.

Among the “concept” I would say that none win my points for elegance but if I have to choose one among them as the most interesting I would say the Mindset (with its very elegant interior)

and the Stile Bertone Mantide for its dynamic proportions and style.

I shall come back to this in a week time, though.

It might appear to be ironic, and perhaps it is. At the time when American giant General Motors is on the verge of bankruptcy and of embracing the Chapter 11 procedure in effort to be born again from its ashes, it hyper performance sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is becoming the most popular platform for bespoke and very unique Supercars. Read the rest of this entry »