This concept makes a big impression with its paper-cutter doors, but it also gives me a bit of deja vu.
Design Analysis – Alfa Romeo Pandion
On March - 13 - 2010
Design Analysis: Peugeot SR1
On March - 12 - 2010
“Peugeot”. I love saying that word. It’s sexy in that “I have a sexy French accent” kind of way. Birthing forth from Peugeot is the SR1, a turbo-diesel hybrid that anyone living in Twin Peaks would love.
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Design Analysis: Porsche 918 Spyder
On March - 12 - 2010
The facts: the 918 Spyder is a hybrid electric engine capable of achieving 500HP, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, and 78 MPG. The downer: it’s just a concept (for now) but Porsche admitted that they, too, are in love enough to potentially pursue the vehicle on the open road.
Mercedes-Benz F 800 Style
On March - 11 - 2010
The Mercedes-Benz F 800 has style written over it, no really they even included it in the name. So it must be stylish, right? You should be able to come up with an attractive vehicle when you combine Audi, BMW and the new swoops of Hyundai. Yes I just threw in Hyundai when talking about a Benz. It is exciting though to see a relatively stodgy brand create a vehicle with such emotional surfacing. The future is looking bright and curvaceous for the brand with the biggest front emblem.
The basic theme lines of the car are nothing really new but are executed in a precise manner. The complex surfacing looks like Bangle stopped by to touch one more car. If everything in between these lines was simplified the vehicle would result in a much classier execution.
GQbyCITROËN Concept Vehicle Oozes Sexuality and Class
On March - 5 - 2010
The words “classy” and “sexy” aren’t always used together in the same sentence, and when they are it’s usually during an episode of the Jerry Springer Show or on the red carpet at the Oscars. When GQ and Citroen teamed up for their latest concept car, the aptly named GQbyCITROËN, they managed to utilize those words without becoming cliche.
This is the kind of car that you can imagine seeing paparazzi huddled around as Jude Law exits from behind the wheel and the tones of Corinne Bailey Ray are emanate outward. Classy. Sexy. And, pretty nicely designed, too.
The GQbyCITROËN has a wonderful proportion: slammed roof-line, accentuated haunches, and a shoulder that a linebacker for the Steelers would fear. The striking red color further emphasizes the dynamic, pulled linework and form language, as if the vehicle was constantly driving through a wind tunnel. While there may some questionable overkill — the formed blip behind the front fender and the now infamous Citroen concept car carp-mouth — the design team led by DS3 designer Mark Lloyd certainly had fun creating the car. The chrome accents, giant wheels, and concave glass all add that extra level of love that a paparazzi-mobile deserves.
The interior, although minimalistic itself, includes color and material design by Savile Row… and it shows. Elegant form language, concave surfaces, and striking red highlights amidst a black and white gold background have a sporty-futurism to them that sports cars often miss. This is a car about the details, and it shows.
Sign us up.
More deets after the jump, including a press release and photos.
The SHC Aims to Redefine Green Cool
On February - 25 - 2010
What might eco-friendly vehicles look like in the future? How about the not-so-distant future? Jamie Martin, of the UK’s Jamie Martin Design, takes a stab at bringing a unique, exciting look at hatchbacks in the year 2014.
Martin’s vehicle has quite a bit of focus on airflow, both into and around the vehicle, and spacial distribution of material to give it a more dynamic, almost futuristic, appearance. The orange trim details maintain its sportiness against other near-future competitive hatches like the Civic. The boy-racer aesthetic lives on in 4 years.
The vehicle isn’t a wild departure from what we see on the road today. In fact, it looks like the evolution of what vehicles like the Chevy Volt and new Honda CR-Z can become, mixing crisp aesthetic lines with unique proportions on smaller frame.
More images and details after the break. All images courtesy Jamie Martin Designs.
Viscom 101 – Mercedes-Benz Sculpture
On February - 1 - 2010
And the Eyes on Design Award for Best Silver Car Reference goes to…
Design Analysis – GMC Granite
On January - 22 - 2010
When I hear GMC’s tagline Professional Grade, the first thing that comes to my mind is the ubiquitous Bunn coffeemaker – the kind that you see in restaurants and bars. Solid, metallic and built to last, these machines and others like them have a cachet all their own. The sort of cachet that makes you think, “Well, if it’s good enough for professional needs, it’s good enough for me.” Other brands are forging ahead on a similar path, such as Maytag. Their Performance Series of appliances are sold under the banner Commercial Technology, drawing attention to the heavy duty springs and belts “under the hood”. So with this context in mind, what will GMC’s Professional Grade aesthetic look like going forward?
Hopefully, the answer to this question is found in the GMC Granite. Styled in GM’s California studio and fabricated in Michigan, this ‘urban utility vehicle’ won the coveted Eyes On Design award for concept vehicles. As an instructor at the College for Creative Studies, I constantly preach to my students that car design is all about two key ingredients: proportions and detailing. The Granite is a great example of a theme that gets these two ingredients right – inside and out.
Detroit Auto Show Rumors
On January - 21 - 2010
With all of the industry events during the preview of NAIAS you get to hear a lot of rumors from a variety of people. Some true and some not but all interesting. Here is our run down of some interesting tid bits picked up off the floor when the drinks ran out.
Buick Regal GS – High potential of making it to production. Really no reason not to since it is made as an Opel.
Chevrolet Aveo RS – Looked great at the show, but production form changes the front clip, lighting details, and the size wheels. I saw this version at GM’s Technology Event in the fall and it needs help. No RS version is going to create a lot of bad press for the new Aveo.
GMC Granite – This was an actual real concept car created in just 7 months. Many GM designers were not a fan of a small GMC and are not supporting it to well. GM employees seem to be split 50/50 on whether this concept will make it into production. Personally I thought this was Best of Show and would bring many new buyers (myself included) to the brand. This vehicle was a gerat interpretation of a small GMC.
Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep – Busy , busy , busy is all that can be said for team Pentastar. No vehicles at Detroit but 16 new vehicles coming through next year. 11 refreshed and 5 all new. There are 9 new interiors coming out by next year and some have not even been designed yet. Most exciting to me is a new Jeep Wrangler interior coming after next years subtle refresh. I was told I will love it. We will wait and see.
Supposedly Mr. Sergio Marchionne does not like showing vehicles far ahead of actual production. Hence why there were no vehicles in Detroit, nothing is ready to come out. We will not even see the upcoming Jeep Grand Cherokee until spring when it goes on sale. Could he be bringing the suspense of the old days when you would actually go to the dealership just to watch the cover come off the new car? That would be great and really stick it to us bloggers (not us) who break embargoes early.
Ford – The new Fusion / Mondeo is said to be amazing and will blow away everything out there. Hopefully they grew out of the global growing pains had by the new Focus.
Audi E-Tron – This version of the E-Tron will be the next R4. It has the same proportion of last years VW roadster.
VW New Compact Coupe (NCC)- This will most likely be the new Jetta Coupe, assuming they stick with the Jetta name.
What did you here? If you have any other rumors you heard be sure to add them into the comments section.
2 Weeks Left – 2010 Car Design Calendar
On January - 7 - 2010
The Limited Edition 2010 Rendered Hope Charity Calendar is about to finish printing. There is only 2 weeks left to order! This year’s calendar has already been a great success and surpassed last year’s sales. The children at the Detroit Children’s Hospital are grateful.
Just a reminder that the calendar is full of transportation artwork from designers across the country and 100% of the profits go to the Children’s Hospital. This will truly be a collectors edition showing Sangyup Lee”s last sketches from GM. He is now Chief Exterior Designer for VW at the Santa Monica Studio.
Click here to order yours today!!
Press Release after the jump….
