So, I know you have seen pics of the R8 before, but nothing beats seeing one in person, and then taking many many pics of it. Yet another CDF exclusively unexclusive exclusive spy photo shoot……. I am not even going to type words, just view……..

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Now that summer is half way over (damn it!), forget buying a BBQ on clearance. Make your own. This is definitely the hottest and most powerful looking BBQ out there. This is also one BBQ you wouldn’t mind taking up some of your gear head garage.

Thanks for the pics Aaron!

Check out this bike done by Herald Cramer (recent graduate looking for work). Some great work creating a fluid form and integrating everything for a clean aesthetic. Here is the info from Core 77….

Harald Cramer’s ORYX design won him a $1,000 scholarship from the 2007 Dimension 3D Printing Group Extreme Redesign Contest. The ORYX bicycle is a custom-made time trial bike designed to be shockproof without loosing traction. The one-sided wheel suspension and crank have been shifted to the inside, which Cramer says adds to the overall aerodynamics. The crank itself has been integrated into the bicycle frame, and includes an enclosure for the chain to help prevent injuries. Cramer’s concept also finds a solution to the challenge of changing tires. One push of a button makes it possibly to easily slide the wheel off from one side of the bike and cut down on the repair time and hassle.

Take a peek at Cramer’s work over at Coroflot.

Note to Cramer…put some sketches in your portfolio. Glamor shots only get you so far. Employers want to see your development skills. It’s what you will be paid to do.

CDf is looking for a sweet t-shirt to sell through our upcoming shop, to hand out at events, and so on. We were planning on designing it ourselves but thought instead that it would be better if our readers hand a hand in it.

So, that’s how the T-Shirt Design-A-Thon Contest was born!
The winner will receive a free shirt with their design on it, and will go down in CDf history.

So, here are the rules:

- Designs must fit within the 10″ x 10″ square on the front and back of the shirt. (See image below for reference)
- Designs must incorporate the words “CarDesignFetish” on it somewhere.
- Designs can be in black & white or in color.
- Designs can be for front, back, or both.
- T-shirts will be sold in a variety of colors, both light and dark, so keep that in mind.
- All designs must be original… no photographs of cars or copies of someone else’s sketches.
- CDF will become the owner of the designs, but you will receive credit for them and can include them in your portfolios.
- Designs should be submitted in 200 dpi JPeg, .EPS or TIFF files.
- Send your designs in to cardesignfetish [@] gmail.com
- Contest ends on August 3rd, and winner will be chosen that day by the CDf staff.
- Bonus points for a catchy “fetish” tag line.

And, that’s pretty much it.

So, have fun, enjoy, and get creative.

And, our logo should you choose to use it.

In the “Ultimate Camper” blog I said I wanted a kegerator. Well if that isn’t possible this will make do just fine. I am sure you have seen the micro fridge that throws you a beer, but how about one that opens and pours it for you. And by the way, could this be R2D2’s son?

What a womanizer……

From Uncrate

If there’s anything we like more than robots, it’s beer-pouring robots. The Asahi Beerbot ($800) became an internet star when videos of it first appeared, and now you have the chance to own one yourself. The ‘bot stores and refrigerates six cans — although it was designed for 350ml Japanese cans, it works with 355ml American cans just fine — and features a programmable voice, cleaning mode, and child lock. Beer. Pouring. Robot.

It’s been a relatively slow news week, so I thought I would spice it up with some adverts based around a BMW/Audi rivalry.

The image up top is BMW’s first advert. Audi’s response after the break.
Enjoy!
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Forget the days of setting up tents, hooking up trailers, or driving that shoe box for Shaq on wheels. Now there is the Earth Roamer, an after market company making conversions for vehicles. Here is one on a favorite of mine, the new Jk Unlimited. The motorized flip top roof allows room for a queen size bed and 9 feet of head space. Power is self sufficient with batteries and solar panels, so no annoying generators. All the amenities are included like refrigerator, running water, forced hot air furnace. Is there anything else you could need?….One more, a kegerator would be nice.
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How did this television show ever make it, and where do they find these people?

I watched 1 episode, and could not believe the stupidity of some of the ideas. There is a reason that design is a profession…..

Enjoy….

View their site and laugh

check this sweet invention

Scion has a great addition to there already keep you there for hours website. The World of Deviants. You may have seen those cute little Sheeples on some of Scions’ new commercials. Now you can go through the story book and save the factory. I had a blast playing the short games through the story. Take ten minutes from staring at your cube wall and have some fun.

Little Deviant: Destroy the Boring Sheeple

An Essay by: Scott Digital

Ford…….will survive……GM will survive……..Chrysler, Audi, Mercedes, etc.….. But who cares, seriously. Let’s use a human’s evolution from infancy to death as an analogy for a car company. As a child, our choices are small, but as we approach our teen years, we have enough knowledge to make some powerful decisions (some right some wrong). As we approach our graduation from high school we have the energy and ability to do some truly great things. During these years also have a sense of invincibility, which is often a good thing (in the case of an extreme athlete) and not so good in terms making errors. College is a time where we hone our impulses and learn to be most productive. Soon after our 1st (real) job, responsibility hits with our financial burdens, and possibly a wife and soon kids……. This is in terms of creativity, the crux. Either a person can manage and become more inspired, or it all ends…… Then middle age hits, and the downward spiral begins. The young adult that once would jump fire now would not even think about it. The self preservation kicks in and the person ( company ) is paralyzed because of their financial burden, their 5000 kids that depend on them, their 5 spouses, the homes, the cars, the empire has to be maintained doesn’t it.

Here is the exact state that the traditional companies are in, burdened by the empire they must maintain. In comes the small player……. Think along the lines of Tesla, Paulin Motor Company, Luigi Colani, Ginetta, Castagna and the many other (lets just call them) Coach Builders. What put so many Coach Builders out of business back when the industrialized world came into play is exactly what is going to put them back in business. Artisans are expensive to keep employed and too slow for real production numbers. Manufacturing has come so far in the past 5 years that it is now possible for some of these fantasy creations from the little company to be produced. Gone are the men with the magic touch, in comes the computer with the special tool. With many companies now having the financial resources (example Google http://google.org/recharge/ ) and the want for change, I predict major changes will come. Non traditional car companies and partnerships have been forming for the past few years.

Let me use an example, the new Duesenberg Torpedo Coupe concept. Why develop a new drivetrain, brakes, suspension and (windshield wiper motor), etc, etc, etc………. The traditional car companies have already developed them for you, just buy them. If the small companies can concentrate on a small number of parts, this can create a greater car as a whole. I understand it will still take development to make all these pieces to work together, but the task suddenly seems less daunting. This led me in the beginning to call them “coach builders” not car companies. Because they are in fact leveraging current manufacturing, to produce a car that is greater in the ways of looks then the sum of its parts. Think about this; Computer speed doubles every 6 months ( Moore’s Law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore’s_law) but the average fuel consumption for a V8 powered car in 2007 is only 10-15 mpg greater then it was in 1969, go figure. So why waste the millions of man hours to keep developing the same thing? For my engineers out there, I am not an ignorant Wall Street type that does not understand cars. Vehicle architecture has come a long way, as well as brake development, etc. My statements are very broad, and need to be understood from a very real assessment that automobile development has not been on par with developments in manufacturing, consumer products, or technology in just about any other field.
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