All posts tagged car design
Summer lovin' in Milan: Fiat 500C Castagna Milano
This interesting Fiat 500C Castagna Milano model was spotted recently on the streets of Milan, sporting a curious striped canvas top and completely open-air side panels. Showing off what we’d describe as a nautical inspiration, the summery Fiat 500C is more an example of something we’d expect to see cruising the Amalfi Coast, or down at Portofino, but it adds a nice touch to a Milan street scene.
Fiat 500C Castagna Milano summer cabrio
Video: 2011 IED Ferrari Xezri, 540 Pegaso and Ethesian concepts
The European Design Institute in Turin took three Ferrari concepts to the Ferrari World Design Contest of 2011, and along with the Ferrari Xezri, which took out second place, here are the details on the other two as well. With a brief to create a hypercar of the future with surprising design, technology, performance and eco-sustainability, the Xezri was joined by other student creations, including the Ferrari 540 Pegaso and the Ferrari Ethesian.
The Xezri was created by Samir Sadikhov, studying Transportation Design, who created his hypercar inspired by the wind - both in terms of style and as a source of energy. He took as a study the principles of flexible aeronautical design, and the Xezri uses a large wing placed on the roof of the car that rises at speeds of over 200 km/hr, allowing air to flow into the engine compartment to cool the motor.
Other students studying Transportation Design created the 540 Pegaso by Giuseppe Ceccio, Giacomo Pierin and Matteo Politano; and the Ferrari Ethesian concept by Alessandro Nardolillo. These final two designs represent the last of the three models which were admitted to the finals of the Ferrari World Design Contest as all the thesis projects on car design from the 2010-2011 academic year of Transportation Design were admitted. Check out the extra pics below and the video for the 540 Pegaso and the Ethesian.
Ferrari World Design Contest 2011: Xezri, Pegaso and Ethesian from IED Turin
Continue reading: Video: 2011 IED Ferrari Xezri, 540 Pegaso and Ethesian concepts
Ferrari Eternità wins World Design Contest
The Ferrari Eternità concept by the Hongik University in Seoul has won the 2011 Ferrari World Design Contest. Coming up second and third behind them was the IED institute from Turin and the Royal College of Art, London. This year 50 schools and colleges participated in the event.
Ferrari’s brief for the World Design Contest was to make a hypercar of the future, surprising in its design, technology and the materials used. The future Ferrari Enzo could apparently adopt some of the ideas and style developed by the designers for the contest.
The second place Ferrari design was called the Xezri and was created by Samir Sadikhov from Azerbaigan. The third placed model, the Cavallo Bianco, was a joint effort from Henry Cloke and Qi Haitao from China. The first three winners get a money prize and an internship gig at Ferrari’s Style Centre.
The Hongik University entry is a futuristic model with some Ferrari design cues and added modern touch. The Eternità is an aerodynamic roadster with heavily sculpted lines, a wraparound windscreen and large wheels. It was also awarded for best use of Alias software, while the award for the “Most Unexpected Technological Solution” was won by “The Drake” concept by Jiangnan University.
Continue reading: Ferrari Eternità wins World Design Contest
Fiat 500 MPV design study
Will we talk in years to come of how the modern Fiat 500 brought the Fiat Group back to the United States with a retro, dolce vita design in a compact city car? Quite possibly, but we shouldn’t forget how the original 500 was a family car for many Italians in the post-war, economic boom era - despite its very miniature size.
A new design study though, has turned the tiny car into a real family vehicle in the shape of the Fiat 500 MPV. The model is like an extended version of the Fiat Panda, but with the 500 style. That’s quite a reductive definition though, so we’ll leave it to the industrial designer who produced the work, to describe his vision. David Obendorfer says:
According to reports, the Fiat Idea substitute would actually be quite different, stylistically speaking - but that’s not to say we can exclude the possibility that Fiat has a kind of “Family Cinquecento” in mind for the US market. The maths behind the model you see in the pictures has been built calculating the platform and dimensions of the Punto Evo/Alfa MiTo models.
Being an owner of a Fiat 500, I found it interesting to experiment with models that could emerge if the 500 became a family car. Overall, the style and layout of the 500 lend themselves to an MPV version.
2013 Mini revealed in video?
The next generation Mini to appear in 2013 may have been revealed in this rap video released by BMW, in which we see a Mini concept model in clay appear. Autobild suggests that it is a sneak peek at the 2013 Mini, especially as the clay model shows two different front end designs. It’s either that, or this video - which is dedicated to Mini giving design students a chance at some work experience - simply shows a couple of old designs stuck together which have been used only for the purpose of video. Given the latter proposition and the fact that the clay model in question is on prominent display, perhaps Autobild is just indulging in some very speculative stirring. See the video after the jump.
Fiat Coupe gets new design
It seems that when thinking of a Fiat Group coupé design, the model should generally be Ferrari-branded and built by Pininfarina. We’ve got no complaints there, although this design study is actually of a Fiat Coupe. British designer Peter Norris wanted to make it more upmarket and so has imagined it as a model built by Pininfarina, but which will keep its Fiat Coupe roots.
Carscoop is describing it as a design study of what a 2012 Fiat Dino could look like. It’s a front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car with very low roof line making it looked stretched and purposeful. The English particularly like the British Aston Martin touch to the front end.
The designer himself used to own a Fiat Coupe, and has made this a slightly more luxurious one than what would traditionally be associated with the brand, creating a Pininfarina-badged Fiat Coupe. He says:
I used to own a Fiat Coupe 16v Turbo, and whilst it frequently broke down and cost me a fortune in repair bills, I just didn’t have the heart to get rid of it. I still turn my head every time one drives past me. The Pininfarina styling inside as much as outside just oozes with Italian flair and really was, and still is different to anything else on the road. Some people have referred to it as a ‘baby Ferrari’.
Fiat Coupe by Pininfarina design study
Mercedes-Benz Style kicks off with Eurocopter EC145
This Eurocopter EC145 with a Mercedes interior is the first product in the new Mercedes-Benz Style design division. The division has been set up to take Mercedes design to fields other than automobiles, but without skimping on the luxury along the way. The helicopter went on display at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva and is particularly impressive for its luxury interior.
Mercedes designed the interior with its own style in mind, including wood trim and ambient lighting similar to finishes used on the Mercedes S-Class and E-Class. There is a touch of MPV practicality though, too, with Mercedes creating a versatile interior to the helicopter where seats can be shifted or removed to seat from four to eight passengers.
It looks quite cosy and first class in there, and the Mercedes sedans are the vehicles lending themselves to the inspiration. There is no clue as to what else the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Como, Italy is working, but we’d gladly have a ride in this all the same.
Continue reading: Mercedes-Benz Style kicks off with Eurocopter EC145
Ferrari Cities of Tomorrow
The London Ferrari Store has this Ferrari “Cities of Tomorrow” exhibit on show, having collaborated with the Royal Institute of British Architects to build it. The display is supposed to demonstrate how architecture and buildings can draw inspiration from car design, and was created by Duggan Morris Architects. Components from Ferrari F1 and GT cars have been used and the exhibit is on show until May 29th at the Ferrari Store, London.
Ferrari Cities of Tomorrow exhibition
Audi Q3 video
This high tech video with special effects and some funky music shows the new Audi Q3 in a good light as it keeps turning on its stand. We still can’t help wondering at the futility of a model like this in the Audi range, though. Indeed, the access that the Volkswagen group has to low-cost investment in new models across its brands seems like almost a cynical gesture to us as we wait to see some innovative design direction, or models that speak more of the excitement we felt on first seeing the Audi TT way back, or the R8.
It’s far too easy and predictable right now to jump on the crossover bandwagon and VW is unfortunately doing that very effectively across all its brands. After sharing the Volkswagen Tiguan and Audi Q5 platform with the Audi Q3, a possible Q1 and even future Seat models, we’ll be all SUV-ed out from the group before long. Still, that’s just our impression and if this is the start of a new crossover era, it’s quite possible that the market will prove us wrong and we will continue to potter about in outdated hatchbacks.
Bijan Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport
This is a very understated video to salute someone with such flamboyance, but we think it works best this way. After designing a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, world-famous designer Bijan Pakzad passed away suddenly from a stroke. This is a video tribute to him and his Veyron design from Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti head of design. The video takes us through the design features, mostly including shiny aluminium and yellow two-tone exterior, and interior yellow and carbonfibre contrast - personally designed by the eccentric Bijan who used his trademark style. Watch through to the end of the video and there is a lovely little anecdote, with much pathos, regarding a Bijan perfume bottle.
Citroen DS4 last design videos
After the Citroen DS5 presentation at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show, the French company has released all the last videos of the Citroen DS4 design in a flurry, probably to concentrate on the new model instead. The DS5 is the next up in the DS range after the DS4 and the two are more similar to each other than the first DS3.
The first video is about “first impressions” on seeing and driving the DS4 but it actually gives us some extra information about the crossover style driving characteristics. While trying to keep a coupé feel, Citroen has also made sure the driver sits up high, in a comanding position, while also having some fun. The fifth episode takes a closer look at the Citroen DS4 interior and while we find the videos slightly exaggerated in terms of their praise for the work done, they’d be good viewing for anyone interested in a career in car design.
The final sixth episode in the DS4 design video series looks at some of the past inspiration and iconic DS model referred to in the making of the modern vehicle, and where the range could go in the future. See after the jump for the last two videos.
Alcantara Interiors does plaid for Jaguar XKR 75
This unique Jaguar XKR 75 was produced in collaboration with Jaguar Italy and Alcantara and is a one-off version with a special interior. The usual leather and wood trim on this 530-hp Jag has been replaced with a cheque Prince of Wales “Firenze” Alcantara trim for the seats, central arm rest, roof and door and window trim.
It’s an unusual finish (almost looks like someone got their golf trousers mixed up with their car interior) and was designed by Giulio Cappellini and Paola Navone from Alcantara Interiors. In the meantime the XKR 75 super model has been overtaken by the recent Jaguar XKR-S presented at the Geneva show, which has 550 hp and no cheque fabric trim on the inside… for the moment.
Jaguar plaid Alcantara interior
Continue reading: Alcantara Interiors does plaid for Jaguar XKR 75
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