Our good friend Michele Leonello has posted another helpful tutorial for those who are looking to learn the basics of drawing cars.  This one employs a simple grey marker technique to depict a classic vehicle, the GT40.  Click the image above to see Michele’s process from start to finish.

This year at NAIAS, Chevrolet officially took the wraps off of the new Aveo Sonic.  (Yes, we know: we still don’t like the name either.)

The redesign of GM’s key subcompact was a lengthy process, and the Bowtie has been kind enough to post a video interview with John Mack, Design Director, and Allen Kim, Lead Designer, about what drove the direction for the vehicle.  From its motorcycle-influenced cluster to the jet-turbine vents, the Designers speak about several of the key decision points.

It’s only about two minutes long, but should provide a good idea as to some of what made the new vehicle a 180-degree turn from the previous generation Aveo.

Our friends at Autoline are back with some terrific NAIAS coverage yet again! This year, they have two full days of coverage with interviews, first looks, and late-breaking news from the show floor. Expect to see some reveals, interviews with Designers, and more as the team works its butt off to make the show a great one.

Join in on Monday and Tuesday for live video coverage and chat from 12:30PM EST until 2PM EST.

Autoline LIVE from NAIAS 2011
Pop-out Chat Window

In a previous installment, we chronicled the ups and downs of the Djet, one of Matra’s forays into the small sports car market.  This is the Djet’s successor, the 530.

By 1965, Matra’s CEO wanted to produce a sports car that would be more accessible to the buying public; a voiture des copains, or car for friends.  So he tapped former Simca designer Philippe Guédon to create the 530 (Guédon had previously made modifications to the Djet).   The new car would employ a steel frame fitted with a polyester body.  Power would come from a mid-mounted Ford Taunus V4.  And unlike the Djet, the 530 would sport a targa roof and pop-up headlights — both progressive features for the time (“Matra 530″).

Stylistically, the resulting theme is quite attractive.  It’s slim, with a sort of bird-in-space movement in the bodyside — punctuated suddenly by a dramatic haunch over the rear wheel.  The wheels, for their part, are unusually small, but I don’t mind.  Proportionally, it all seems to work.  After all, this is a far more relaxed car than the Djet.  It’s the kind of sports car you would take on a leisurely drive through the country rather than compete with at the track.  And like many French cars, it’s an excellent canvas for artists.  This example, painted by Sonia Delaunay, makes an almost deconstructivist counterpoint to the base car’s shapely figure.

“Matra 530.”  Wikipedia. 11 Jul 2010.  Web.  9 Jan 2011.

Very few individuals can hold the title of “Legendary Automotive Designer”.  Chuck Jordan was one of those.

This past Thursday, Dec 9th, Mr Jordan passed away at the age of 83.  Jordan was best known for an incredible career at General Motors, spanning 5 decades from 1949 until 1992, and culminating with his appointment as just the fourth ever VP of Design within the company in 1986.

He was influential in the magical era of vehicle design (50s-60s) and brought General Motors to the forefront in the 1980s and 1990s.  One of his most famous creations, the 1956 Buick Centurion, is still regarded as one of the greatest of the General’s concept vehicles.

Chuck Jordan will be missed.  RIP.

[via Autoblog]

[Image credit: NY Times]

Small cars are trying to make a come back by creating a perception that they are not cheap little econo boxes.  When you hear the word Sonic you immediately think of two things…look above.  Cheap fast food and a game character targeted to six year olds does not paint a good image for someone coming out of college and ready to build their life up.  Maybe high schoolers will like it since they work there, but Sonic does not pay enough for them to actually buy the car.

I guess if the price is right and the fuel economy is there people will still buy it regardless.  But I don’t see many buyers aspiring to say Hey, Check out my Sonic…..

Polishing a Turd is a common expression in design school.  This happens when you try and do a hot rendering over a horrible drawing.  You can’t cover up a bad structure with a pretty covering.  I think everyone will agree the Jeep Compass is a turd of a design.  Well Jeep has been doing some polishing.  This new refresh is a much needed improvment, but there is still a ways to go…

The new front end is worlds better and I am confident that when or if there is a new Compass in the future, this will be an attractive direction.  Even with the polishing and new cladding there is one area that would make this vehicle immensely better.  The stance of the Compass has always been horrible.  The sucked in wheels make the car look unstable and cheap.  There are new more detailed wheels that look like they are even a tad bigger then before, but it is not enough.  Take a look below.  By pushing the wheels out to the body greatly enhances the presence of the vehicle.  So who knows, go buy some wider aftermarket wheels and this Compass just may turn a few  heads.

[Images courtesy of Autoblog]

Having owned a Jeep Cherokee back in the day I formed a bond with it that has yet to be relived.  There was something so simple and pure about that SUV that is lost in todays vehicles.  Or maybe it was because I was in high school and created a lot of fond memories in it….  Back to the cladding, newly introduced for 2011.  What hit me was how the black plastic changed the proportions of the body side so much when contrasted with a lighter body color.  Vehicle body sides have gotten so thick in the past few years with narrower daylight openings and more safety regulations.  This mask really makes it look like the old Cherokee.

After comparing the two, the body lines of the Patriot do echo the Cherokee but with some modern interpretation.  If they would just get rid of the round headlights and take some influence from the Cherokee and new Grand Cherokee it would be a real winner.  I have some hope that the next version coming out in a couple years will hit the mark, provided that a new Fiat platform doesn’t screw with the proportions.  Maybe this refresh will help rekindle the passion of those die hard Cherokee fans out there.

On another note I passed a Compass in camo and saw that it also receives the cladding.  I couldn’t tell if they went the extra mile needed to make the vehicle noticeable in a good way.

Well maybe it is and maybe not, but one thing is for sure. I have seen the better looking Opel Insignia Sports Tourer driving around a lot lately. Not just the same one over and over again either. All different colors in a variety of locations. This usually means one thing,  its coming.  I won’t be surprised if it shows up at this years Detroit Auto Show.  Station wagons Sports Tourers have been a tough sell in the states but I think Americans are beginning to unknowingly cave in to the idea. I will leave the rest of that theory for a later post.  Pictured above is the bulked up Regal GS version which better make it if GM plans to liven up Buick.

More pics after the jump of the tamer version…

Mini has always had the most fun and creative marketing group.  Here is yet another example taking advantage of people standing around staring at an empty conveyor belt.  This would be the first time I would actually enjoy waiting for my luggage which is of course always the last one to come off the plane.   I can’t figure out why other brands have not taken some notes from Mini.  Oh wait, I know.  No other brand has a fun factor to it.

[pic via Cool Hunter]