Auto Design

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 »

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 »

BMW M 1 Hommage

By Giancarlo Perini © – Photo: Archivio Perini ©

From Car Styling magazine, issue 185 – July 2008.

The Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este is absolutely about elegant life-style, friendly personal relations, heritage and – under the BMW drive – design. Here automotive beauties from the past meet the concept cars and design studies of the future. In few words, Como, Villa d’Este and the “Concorso d’Eleganza” were the perfect backdrop for the unveiling of the 2008 BMW M1 Homage. On the other hand, it is only natural that the opportunity to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the iconic 1978 BMW M1 was not missed by the German company that keeps supporting in every way the event. In fact, they did not miss the chance and unveiled, with a very surprising move, their BMW M1 Hommage design study.

Read the rest of this entry »