Batmobile Design Competition: WINNER!Batmobile Design Competition: WINNER! Congratulations to Paul Denton for winning the Batmobile Design Competition!  Paul's rendering, seen above, captures that "bad ass" feel of the Dark Knight: it's moody, menacing, and full of drama. ...

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CDF's Batmobile Design ContestCDF's Batmobile Design Contest CarDesignFetish knows that you like cool cars.  We also know that you like to sketch cool cars.  What happens when you put the two together?  A really cool design contest, that's what! We're...

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Dwayne Vance: Design and Render Vehicles Online Course (March 3)Dwayne Vance: Design and Render Vehicles Online Course... Superstar Designer/Artist (and friend of CDF) Dwayne Vance is hosting an online class for rendering vehicles in Photoshop and Painter.  This Thursday, March 3rd at 2PM EST (11PST) Dwayne will be hosting...

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Sketch P*rn: February EditionSketch P*rn: February Edition February is over, and that means more awesome sketches were released in the month.  Point your eyeballs here for great digital work from Volkswagen, pencil sketches from Renault, sketches over photos...

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How to Make Cute CarsHow to Make Cute Cars Cars that share the general traits of a baby’s face trigger the ‘Isn’t it cute’ response in consumers. The Fiat 500 is the latest in a long line of "cute cars."  So what is it about cars...

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Classic Design Concepts Open House

Category : Events

head_cdcopEarlier this week we had the chance to visit Classic Design Concepts for their annual open house event.  They allowed us to venture through their epic hallways, peering at sweet vehicle designs, concepts, and an assortment of rims and aftermarket parts that left my wallet longing to be opened.

While we can’t show you everything (some of the concepts were under heavy lockdown… aka “no photos”) we can show you some of the general fun thatw as had, as CDC had some incredible cars on display.

Hit the jump below to see the full gallery, and special thanks to Matt Korich at CDC for arranging!

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Local Motors’ San Francisco Electric Car Competition

Category : Competitions

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I love shooting brake concept vehicles.  Audi especially seems to have nailed that proportion down.  Local Motors, however, believes that budding young designers and car enthusiasts can best the quad rings with a shooting brake competition aimed at developing an electric car for San Francisco… or as I like to call it: the house that Joe Montana built.

The center of the tech 2.0 world is home to emerging technology and enthusiasts looking for fresh, hip, advanced designs.  Heck, Apple is just right down the road.  Local Motors asks would-be designers to create a compact, yet spacious electric automobile.  The winner gets $2000 in the competition that runs until September 8th.

Full details after the break.  Or, just click here to go to the LM page.

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Mihai Aron’s Lamborghini Alcaldes

Category : Student Work

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3D modeler/designer Mihai Aron has been creating industrial designs that mimic folded paper, translating the look into vehicles and products.  His latest is a Lamborghini concept, dubbed the Alcaldes (“a mayor or chief magistrate of a Spanish town”, thank you TheFreeDictionary), is a sexy beast in the style of many modern Lambos: edgy, threatening, and glossy black.

The amount of jaggies around specific areas (like the wheel arches) can be a little overboard, but the vehicle definitely has that Lambo stance.

Take a look at the full spread of images of the concept in his portfolio.

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2012 Buick Crossover Revealed

Category : Big 3, Crit, Design, Fetishing, Production Car

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Here it is the 2012 Buick Unnamed Crossover.  Due to a good memory and a fellow blogger Mr. Banovsky we believe this is 95% the Buick Crossover shown at GM on Mondays event.  This vehicle actually debuted as a concept in Brazil under the name Chevrolet GPiX (meaning Global Pictures???) in Soa Paulo 2008.

The GPix would receive unique front/rear clips and the Buick badge.  It is a neat little vehicle to slot under the Saturn Vue Buick Plug In Crossover out next year.  The front end has a look reminiscent of the Riviera Concept from a couple years back.  I am sure the wheels would not be so sporty for the luxury brand.

It did look good in person and should do well.  Follow the jump for some other views of the new Buick.

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GM’s Design Direction in 140 Characters

Category : Design, Events

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Monday and Tuesday brought plenty of GM-related events, the majority of which were documented via social media.  The trips to the Design Center were especially sweet for many, as future vehicles and design direction were viewed.

Twitter played a huge part in the event, allowing the event-goers to let their friends (and the world, really) know about the upcoming cars.  Explaining a car design is rarely a simple task, especially when talking about details and form.  However, the use of Twitter forced the attendees to focus in on key words and viewpoints in describing the designs… 140 characters or less, baby!  As such, I’ve gathered some of those tweets for your reading pleasure.  Follow the jump to read ‘em!

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HeliCARpter!

Category : Student Work

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That there is a half-car/half-helicopter hybrid concept developed by ZEEP Design.  Have flying cars finally arrived?  Well, no.  However ZEEP has created a concept that is very much a Transformers 3-worthy addition, converting from a car to a helicopter and back.  The rear proppeller utilizes magic to descend and become the rear tire as the front “hub” spins forward.  The design is extremely basic and geometric, consisting of little more than some extruded shapes and fancy kinematics.

Impractical? Yes.  Cool?  Possibly.

We’ll reserve judgement until flying cars become a reality… in the year two thousannnnnnnd!

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[Images courtesy zeepdesign.com]

GM’s Future Products

Category : Autoshows, Big 3, Concept Car, Crit, Design, Events, Fetishing, Production Car

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Yesterday I was able to attend GM’s Product and Technology Event where they put on a show to present their future capabilities. The people invited were all random going through 30 different channels to reach bloggers of varying types.   The morning started off with Mr. Lutz making some great comments. My favorite being his reference to their old interiors looking like “hardened lava.”  I couldn’t explain it any better.  We then got a tour of the four new Brand “Salons.”  Unfortuneatley ther were no cameras allowed, so I will do my best to describe them.  Hit the jump and look into the next 24 months of GM’s lineup.

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GMC                                    Buick                                      Chevrolet                                   Cadillac

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GM Goes Bonkers with Social Media Expose

Category : Business, Production Car

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Today GM hosted a special outing for social media users (aka Facebookers, Twitterers, and bloggers) to showcase some of the new (and unknown) products that are forthcoming from the big blue box.

Last year, Ford and GM embraced social media:  Ford introduced the Fiesta Movement, and GM has hosted several events and drives.  Being an active part of the consumer’s life via outlets like Twitter and Facebook has helped put people more in touch with the big companies, being able to provide instant feedback.

Today’s event had several folks Tweeting about their experience at the GM Tech Center and proving grounds, revealing several of GM’s upcoming products.

Big props to friends of CDf Joel Feder and Adam Barrera, among others, who are tweeting about their experience:

From @joelfeder (Joel):

Just had a great talk with #BobLutz and then took some pics w/ him! I’m going on a limb the G8 will be back as a high end #Chevy #GMtech #GM

We can take pictures now. At the Milford proving grounds http://twitpic.com/deo22 #GMtech #GM

Just spoke w/ #Cadillac director. They have a working cts-v sportwagon in the builing. Probable production next summer. No I’m not kidding!!

From @highmileage (Adam):

Shockers so far: 3 new Buicks, 2 new Cadillacs, 1 new GMC, and every future Chevy is a knockout.

Ed Welburn calls the #GM Design Dome “a house of dreams,” “holy.” I am bathing in future.

Michael Burton, #GM Buick design “advocate” on Buick: “premium without being pretentious.” For better or worse, snob appeal won’t be a problem at Buick

@GMTexas: I can’t tell you how thoroughly gorgeous the next Malibu is. Had to touch it. Interior designer Dave Lyon let me feel its new IP.

Follow all of their tweets online (click their names above).

Sketch P*rn: Dave Owsen’s Modular Car

Category : Sketch P*rn

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Recent CCS grad Dave Owsen has posted his renderings to Coroflot for the Hyundai Swap concept, a vehicle whose interior is hot-swappable.  Using simple linework and shading, with color only where needed, Owsen’s sketches pop off the page.  The renderings are almost whimsical in nature:  the vehicle comes alive, is friendly, and has a nice stance all with his use of clean graphic breakups.

The thick linework has an almost cartoon feel to it, and coupled with more detailed renderings for the interior create shots that are nice design studies without overdoing it.  Students: sometimes you don’t need to go balls to the wall with a rendering.  Leave a little to our imaginations.

More images after the break.  [via core77 and Owsen's Coroflot page]

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Cars & Coffee at Motor City Casino

Category : Autoshows, Events

Here is something cool to start your weekend off.  The Motor City Casino in Detroit is hosting Cars & Coffee.  Cars by Chip Foose and others will be on display bringing together lovers of all types of vehicles.  Chip was also a big influence in helping to design the automotive themed casino.

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MotorCity Casino welcomes car fans

Ursula Watson / The Detroit News

Cars and Coffee at the MotorCity Casino Hotel brings together lovers all types of cars, such as classics, exotics, concepts and hot rods. If motorcycles are more your speed, you are welcome as well. Cars by custom car designer Chip Foose and others will be on display. Cars and Coffee will be held from 6-10 a.m. Saturday at MotorCity Casino Hotel parking structure, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. For information, visit detroit.carsandcoffee.info.