Auto Design

Turin Italy - Via Gramsci

Street picture by Ambra Zamuner

The new Ferrari California attracted enthusiastic attention wherever it has been presented so far. How could it be otherwise? The California is two supercars in one but its development required more than twice the commitment that every new Ferrari commands. Yet, its design has been the most challenging task in years. Read the rest of this entry »

Going to an international motor show is like going to the annual market. You meet a lot of friends and people, see many things and you come back home with the head full of information, impressions, news, comments and opinions. So much so that indeed you need a few days to arrange everything in some sort of order so that you get to the essence of the experience. This is all the same and yet all different every time. And I am not just talking of the cars.

As for cars, new cars I mean, I have come home with an incredible load of pictures and information.

I would have to share them all with you the very moment I sat back to my PC last Saturday but this is simply impossible. It takes a lot of time to put a label and classify more than 2000 images.

Now, having done just that I can start sharing with you some of the most significant. Or at least some that I image you want to see as soon as possible.

This is why, at this time I am offering you a series of photo galleries to look at. What you see is a combination of images shot at the Paris “Mondial de l’Automobile” and images provided by the press offices and design studio of the car makers.

I am giving priority to the latter ones, as the most attractive and unique.

Related information and comments will be posted shortly. Click on images below to access their photo gallery.

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 »

According to inside sources at Maranello, Jason Castriota, the most talented designers of Ferraris and Supercars in recent years, is leaving Pininfarina. The American-born Italian designer could not be reached so far but Pininfarina’s press officer, Daniele Cornil, did not deny the report, simply answering “no comment” to our request for confirmation. However, Cornil added “we will not make any comments before our press conference at the Paris Motor Show on October 2nd”.

The designers’ circle in Turin is excited about the rumours and everybody is wondering what Castriota is going to do. Whether he is going to join another company or will set up his own design consultancy. Read the rest of this entry »

Part 1. The Dream. (See Part 2. The Reality)

  First written for Car Styling, Issue 175 (Tokyo, November 2006).

* Stories and cars from recent past you may like to read and see again.

This story is not about a new car, or a supercar.

This story is about a man and his passion for beautiful, powerful and extraordinary cars. Ferrari and just a few more.

I  confess I love him. Even though I have not met him so far, nor seen him person and despite the fact that he is actually threatening my job by telling everybody the entire story as it develops. It does it not for money but just for the pleasure of sharing his passion for Ferrari and Internet. He has done it long before I, as a professional journalist, got a clue of what is going.

Why do I love him? Simply because he is a generous and such a passionate man that he needs to share his passion with everybody else. His passion is simply too much for himself.

Sharing to me means joy, happiness, giving and taking, and I love this. Go to this web site: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92754&page=5 (after registering with FerrariChat.com) and you will see what I mean. His pen name is Napolis.

Read the rest of this entry »

Part 2. The Reality. (See Part 1. The Dream)

  First written for Car Styling, Issue 175 (Tokyo, November 2006).

* Stories and cars from recent past you may like to read and see again.

THE REALITY OF THE 2006 FERRARI P4/5 BY PININFARINA.

 We said that this is the story of a man, Yet we shall not forget the car, and what a supercar!

The 2006 Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina is absolutely unique, and that is not just because there is only one in the world but for its outstanding concept and contents: heritage, technical sophistication, extreme performance and design.

Read the rest of this entry »

WHAT A VINTAGE FOR DESIGN!

Post your wishes and your opinions, here.

Leonardo Fioravanti (link) -  Marcello Gandini (link) – Giorgetto Giugiaro (link)

Is it just a chance that the three most talented and creative Italian car designers were all born within a period of seven months?

Even more striking is the fact that two of them were born only 19 days apart. Giorgetto Giugiaro and Marcello Gandini were both born in August 1938, in Garessio and Torino, only 80 km apart.

One was named Designer of the Century and induced into the Automotive Hall of Fame, the other is credited with the design of the Lancia Stratos and Lamborghini Countach, just to name a couple of the most dramatic sports car ever built.

The third top designer of the same vintage, and born just some 130 km from Torino, is Leonardo Fioravanti, the man who has penned some of the most successful Ferrari among which we shall here name the Ferrari 365 GTB 4 “Daytona” and the Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer (BB).

Car design seems to preserve these men and their creativity very well.

No one among them is thinking of retirement and they are all very busy and motivated at creating new car design. They are all having fun with it.

What has shaped their passion for sports car, their creativity, their approach to car design and to life? These are question that might have many different answer? Have you got one?

Would you tell me what you think and see how they are perceived, loved, criticized or appreciated around the world?

To start with, please vote your favourite designer.

[poll=2]

If you like, you can also post the name of the car(s) you love most among those they have designed.

• Leonardo Fioravanti (link)
• Marcello Gandini (link)
• Giorgetto Giugiaro (link)

Giorgetto Giugiaro is simply the most talented, productive and successful car designer of all times. The only one nominated “Designer of the Century” by an international Jury, he is celebrated by the Hall of Fame and has been awarded several Honoris Causa doctorate as an architect. With more than 50 years of very intense work as a car designer he is the president of a company that employs more than 1000 specialists and create cars from a white piece of paper (including the Chinese Brilliance Zhongua) and still enjoy himself at designing cars, as well as any sort of products. In his spares time he love to paint, ride his cross-country bike and crossing the Africa deserts.

About being 70, in a fast interview between two meetings he has answered our direct questions, with a smile. Here is his opening statement.

Mr. Giugiaro, you seem to be positively committed to follow the example of (the world-wide famous painter) Pablo Picasso, who at the age of 90 was still enjoying painting. You are still more than 20 years away from that age and – if we are right – you continue to personally design some of the cars created by Italdesign-Giugiaro. Is it really so? Read the rest of this entry »

Meet the man who has designed extraordinary, famous and successful automobiles. From the innovative and trend setting BMC 1800 Berlina Aerodinamica to the Ferrari 288 GTO, from the Ferrari Dino 206 GT to the Lancia Gamma limousine. The Ferrari P5 and P6, the Alfa Romeo 33 Spider Prototipo Speciale and the mythical Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer (BB). His name is Lorenzo Fioravanti and his favourite car is one he has not designed but long dreamed of: the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider designed and built by Pininfarina.

Read the rest of this entry »