We’ve all had someone write something in the dust of our car when we’d been a little too long between washes, and in light of this, Mini has produced a “Mini Wash Me” art book featuring artists that have worked with automobiles for the first time.

Ten artists have produced works for the project: Smash137, Fabian Bertschinger, Marisa Pichler and Gigi Burn, Tika, Euro, Aurèle Sack, Stefan Ege and Seak, August, Rémi Jaccard, and Dieter Meier.

The book has been produced in Zurick by designer Alfredo Häberli, author Michèle Roten and Professor Jacqueline Otten from the Design Department at the Zurich University of Arts. 2,000 copies of the book will be available from November, showing Mini’s long term link with the art world and pop culture. For more information, see www.washme.ch and check out the lovely gallery below.

Mini Wash Me artbook

Continue reading: Mini "Wash Me" art

“Why Ferraris have lost their beauty” could be the topic for an entire thesis on Italian car design and automobile history, but as it happens, Gavin Green writing in Car, has put together a simple but effective piece on the new Ferrari style.

Green seems to be a real fan of Ferrari, and someone who knows them well, so we can assume he hasn’t written the piece to increase readership. Basically he says that while modern Ferrari models have maintained, and even developed if that’s possible, the pure driving style, the beauty has been lost along the way.

But as the capability has blossomed, the beauty has been besmirched. Ferraris aren’t gorgeous any more. The California has a fat arse. The 612 is fussy and ill-proportioned. The Enzo is more bug than bird. Even the F430 lacks the visual grace and profile poetry of the old F355, the last lovely Ferrari.

Continue reading: Ferrari: Italian automobile design goes astray

The inauguration of Stile Italiano Giovani 2008, or young Italian style, has taken place. The event is an exhibition that presents the best from young car designers and will run until November 23.

The exhibition is part of the Torino World Design Capital 2008 festival, and will take place at Torino Esposizioni, the historic venue for the old motor show. The event shows pieces from car designers around the world, examples of which you can see here.

The first is a Porsche 917 V10 central-rear, created by Adriano Stellino who is 20 years old. It has entered the top of the rankings at the competition. The second is a Lamborghini Lidia from Luis Camino Calleja, 26 years old from Spain, who is in second place thanks to his “accessible supercar” idea.

The third is the lovely and asymmetric Trioba 2+1 from Indian Shashwath Bolar, 26 years old, which has been appreciated for its original and adventurous interior of an electric supercar. You can find all three projects in the following PDF file.

Continue reading: Young Italian style 2008: new talen in car design from Turin