Draw To Drive

Story about Ferrari

2012-02-26T14:42:00.000-08:00

Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it has had great success.
Enzo Ferrari never intended to produce road cars when he formed Scuderia Ferrari (literally "Ferrari Stable", and usually used to mean "Team Ferrari", it is correctly pronounced [skudeˈriːa]) in 1928 as a sponsor for amateur drivers headquartered in Modena. Ferrari prepared, and successfully raced, various drivers in Alfa Romeo cars until 1938, when he was hired by Alfa Romeo to head their motor racing department.
In 1941, Alfa Romeo was confiscated by the fascist government of Benito Mussolini as part of the Axis Powers' war effort. Enzo Ferrari's division was small enough to be unaffected by this. Because he was prohibited by contract from racing for four years, the Scuderia briefly became Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari, which ostensibly produced machine tools and aircraft accessories. Also known as SEFAC (Scuderia Enzo Ferrari Auto Corse), Ferrari did in fact produce one race car, the Tipo 815, in the non-competition period. It was the first actual Ferrari car (it debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia), but due to World War II it saw little competition. In 1943 the Ferrari factory moved to Maranello, where it has remained ever since. The factory was bombed by the Allies in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946, after the war ended, and included a works for road car production. Until Il Commendatore's death, this would remain little more than a source of funding for his racing operations.

The first Ferrari road car was the 1947 125 S, powered by a 1.5 L V12 engine; Enzo Ferrari reluctantly built and sold his automobiles to fund Scuderia Ferrari.
In 1988, Enzo Ferrari oversaw the launch of the Ferrari F40, the last new Ferrari to be launched before his death later that year, and arguably one of the most famous supercars ever made. From 2002 to 2004, Ferrari introduced the Enzo, its fastest model at the time, in honor of the company's founder: Enzo Ferrari. It was restricted to only the most wealthy automobile enthusiasts, however, as each one cost $1.8 million apiece.
On 17 May 2009 in Maranello, Italy, a 1957 250 Testa Rossa (TR) was auctioned, by RM Auctions and Sotheby's, for $12.1 million — a world record at that time for the most expensive car ever sold at an auction. That record is now held by a Bugatti Atlantic which sold for over $28 million.

Scuderia Ferrari has participated in a number of classes of motorsport, though it is currently only involved in Formula One. It is the only team to have competed in the Formula One World Championship continuously since its inception in 1950. José Froilán González gave the team its first F1 victory at the 1951 British Grand Prix.

Scuderia Ferrari won a Formula One driver's title in 2007, with Kimi Räikkönen.
Alberto Ascari gave Ferrari its first Drivers Championship a year later. Ferrari is the oldest team in the championship, and the most successful: the team holds nearly every Formula One record. As of 2008, the team's records include 15 World Drivers Championship titles (1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1975, 1977, 1979, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007) 16 World Constructors Championship titles (1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008), 209 Grand Prix victories, 4925.27 points, 622 podium finishes, 203 pole positions, and 218 fastest laps in 776 Grands Prix contested.
Notable Ferrari drivers include José Froilán González, Tazio Nuvolari, Marcin Zatorski Juan Manuel Fangio, Luigi Chinetti, Alberto Ascari, Wolfgang von Trips, Phil Hill, Olivier Gendebien, Mike Hawthorn, Peter Collins, Giancarlo Baghetti, John Surtees, Lorenzo Bandini, Ludovico Scarfiotti, Jacky Ickx, Mario Andretti, Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, Jody Scheckter, Gilles Villeneuve, Didier Pironi, Patrick Tambay, René Arnoux, Michele Alboreto, Gerhard Berger, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Jean Alesi, Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, Felipe Massa, and Fernando Alonso.
At the end of the 2006 season, the team courted controversy by continuing to allow Marlboro to sponsor them after they, along with the other F1 teams, made a promise to end sponsorship deals with tobacco manufacturers. A five year deal was agreed and although this is not due to end until 2011, in April 2008 Marlboro dropped their on-car branding on Ferrari.
The drivers competing for 2009 were Felipe Massa and defending champion Kimi Räikkönen. As of 2010 Fernando Alonso has started racing for Ferrari after racing for Renault, Minardi and Mclaren, filling Kimi Räikkönen's former seat.

A 312PB (driven by Jacky Ickx) during the team's final year in the World Sportscar Championship.
In addition to Formula One, Ferrari also entered cars in sportscar racing, the two programs existing in parallel for many years.
In 1949, Luigi Chinetti drove a 166 M to Ferrari's first win in motorsports, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ferrari went on to dominate the early years of the World Sportscar Championship which was created in 1953, winning the title seven out of its first nine years.
When the championship format changed in 1962, Ferrari earned titles in at least one class each year through to 1965 and then again in 1967. Ferrari would win one final title, the 1972 World Championship of Makes before Enzo decided to leave sports car racing after 1973 and allow Scuderia Ferrari to concentrate solely on Formula One.
During Ferrari's seasons of the World Sportscars Championship, they also gained more wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the factory team earning their first in 1954. Another win would come in 1958, followed by five consecutive wins from 1960 to 1964. Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (NART) would take Ferrari's final victory at Le Mans in 1965.
Although Scuderia Ferrari no longer participated in sports cars after 1973, they have occasionally built various successful sports cars for privateers. These include the BB 512 LM in the 1970s, the 333 SP which won the IMSA GT Championship in the 1990s, and currently the F430 GT2 and GT3 which are currently winning championships in their respective classes.

Ferrari's first vehicle was the 125 S sports/racing model. In 1949, the Ferrari 166 Inter, the company's first move into the grand touring market, which continues to make up the bulk of Ferrari sales to the present day.
Several early cars featured bodywork customised by a number of coachbuilders such as Pininfarina, Zagato and Bertone.
The Dino was the first mid-engined Ferrari. This layout would go on to be used in most Ferraris of the 1980s and 1990s. V8 Ferrari models make up well over half of the marque's total production.
For a time, Ferrari built 2+2 versions of its mid-engined V8 cars. Although they looked quite different from their 2-seat counterparts, both the GT4 and Mondial were closely related to the 308 GTB.
The company has also produced front-engined 2+2 cars, culminating in the current 612 Scaglietti and California.
Ferrari entered the mid-engined 12-cylinder fray with the Berlinetta Boxer in 1973. The later Testarossa remains one of the most famous Ferraris.

Ferrari has produced a number of concept cars, such as the Ferrari Mythos. While some of these were quite radical (such as the Ferrari Modulo) and never intended for production, others such as the Ferrari Mythos have shown styling elements which were later incorporated into production models.
The most recent concept car to be produced by Ferrari themselves was the 2010 Ferrari Millechili.
A number of one-off special versions of Ferrari road cars have also been produced, some of which have been commissioned by wealthy owners. One of the examples is the Ferrari P4/5.
The Special Projects program is a collaboration by Ferrari with Italian automobile coachbuilders such as Fioravanti, Pininfarina, and Zagato to build custom cars using selected Ferrari models as a structural base. The first car under this program is the SP1, commissioned by a Japanese business executive. The second is the P540 Superfast Aperta, commissioned by an American enthusiast.

The famous symbol of the Ferrari race team is the Cavallino Rampante ("prancing horse") black prancing stallion on a yellow shield, usually with the letters S F (for Scuderia Ferrari), with three stripes of green, white and red (the Italian national colors) at the top. The road cars have a rectangular badge on the hood (see picture above), and, optionally, the shield-shaped race logo on the sides of both front wings, close to the door.
On 17 June 1923, Enzo Ferrari won a race at the Savio track in Ravenna where he met the Countess Paolina, mother of Count Francesco Baracca, an ace of the Italian air force and national hero of World War I, who used to paint a horse on the side of his planes. The Countess asked Enzo to use this horse on his cars, suggesting that it would bring him good luck. The original "prancing horse" on Baracca's airplane was painted in red on a white cloud-like shape, but Ferrari chose to have the horse in black (as it had been painted as a sign of grief on Baracca's squadron planes after the pilot was killed in action) and he added a canary yellow background as this is the color of the city of Modena, his birthplace. The Ferrari horse was, from the very beginning, markedly different from the Baracca horse in most details, the most noticeable being the tail that in the original Baracca version was pointing downward.
Ferrari has used the cavallino rampante on official company stationery since 1929. Since the Spa 24 Hours of 9 July 1932, the cavallino rampante has been used on Alfa Romeos raced by Scuderia Ferrari.
The motif of a prancing horse is old, it can be found on ancient coins. A similar black horse on a yellow shield is the Coat of Arms of the German city of Stuttgart, home of Mercedes-Benz and the design bureau of Porsche, both being main competitors of Alfa and Ferrari in the 1930s. The city's name derives from Stutengarten, an ancient form of the German word Gestüt, which translates into English as stud farm and into Italian as scuderia. Porsche also includes the Stuttgart sign in its corporate logo, centred in the emblem of the state of Württemberg. Stuttgart's Rössle has both rear legs firmly planted on the soil, like Baracca's horse, but unlike Ferrari's cavallino.
Fabio Taglioni used the cavallino rampante on his Ducati motorbikes, as Taglioni was born at Lugo di Romagna like Baracca, and his father too was a military pilot during WWI (although not part of Baracca's squadron, as is sometimes mistakenly reported). As Ferrari's fame grew, Ducati abandoned the horse- perhaps the result of a private agreement between the two companies.

Source: Wikipedia

SsangYong XIV-2

2012-02-21T01:50:00.000-08:00

SsangYong prepared a new concept car called XIV-2 for the Geneva Motor Show, which will be held in early March of 2012. SsangYong XIV-2 leads to a concept vehicle type 'Convertible Crossover,' and was developed from its predecessor, the concept under the name SsangYong XIV-1, which had its presentation at the fall of 2011 on Frankfurt Motor Show. SsangYong developed the concept of the XIV-2 (User Interface Exciting Vehicle 2) as a premium CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) and is considered a strategic business model for the global market.

SsangYong XIV-2 will have a movable soft top, which will be operated electrically by pressing just one button. Shape should appeal to young buyers. SsangYong XIV-2 is 4166 mm long, 1820 wide and 1533 mm high with a wheelbase of 2600 mm. It will be powered by environmentally friendly 1.6-liter petrol and diesel engines and low consumption to meet the Euro 6 emissions standards.

Porsche Macan

2012-02-16T06:17:00.000-08:00

Porsche Macan - new, smaller SUV from German factory.

“The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of a SUV and is a genuine Porsche”, said Bernhard Maier, Member of the Executive Board Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG. “The name of a new Porsche has to fit with the brand, sound good in very many languages and dialects and evoke positive associations.”

Word names at Porsche have a concrete connection with the corresponding model and its characteristics: the name Boxster describes the combination of boxer engine and roadster, Cayenne stands for sharpness, the Cayman is snappy and agile and a Panamera is more than a Gran Turismo, capable also of winning the Carrera Panamericana long-distance race.

Macan has different meanings in different languages. Most relevant to Porsche, we suspect, is that it’s an Indonesian word for tiger. It’s also an old English Christian name and surname, meaning power or performance which, again, suits Porsche’s needs perfectly. You rarely find Macan used as a forename these days but it remains a reasonably common surname around the world.

The Macan will go on sale in 2013, and is being built at the newly expanded Leipzig facility in Germany, creating over 1000 new jobs there.

KIA KH

2012-02-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

KIA has released some sketches of new sedan called KH to prove that they follow all their rivals in design. Small lack of imagination in name, but plenty of the same in design. KH will appear on market till the end of 2012 although in Europe it will be somewhere next year.
There are no certain information about this KIA sedan yet, and it all looks like a mystery for now, but we have some sketches to show you.

Alexander Hoch - Transportation design student

2012-02-14T04:48:00.000-08:00

Alexander Hoch is another talented designer, and today we'll introduce you to his work. And here is what Alexander said about himself:

My name is Alexander Hoch and I'm a transportation design student at the HfG Pforzheim in Germany. My 2nd term is over now and it was filled with 12 one-week-projects to train our sketchskills. You can see the result on my big portfolio. We also had to make classic sketches for the car design history lesson which was great to get new rendering skills. All the other sketches were free and from 2009/10. I had the idea of becoming a car designer in 2006 and I really began to sketch in 2009. Since I was a child I was a motor sport fan and I'm also working on the design for years now. At the moment I don't know in which direction of design I'll go but I like the advanced design same as I like the standard car design. I love my job and I can't wait to go on with it.

Alexander Hoch blog: http://no-country-for-old-styles.blogspot.com/

Alexander Hoch designs:

Car modeling in 3ds max 1/6

2012-02-12T03:22:00.000-08:00

Video tutorial that helps you understand principles of modeling in 3ds max. Showing how to create 3D model of Golf 4 using the blueprints.

Bertone Nuccio Concept

2012-02-11T03:33:00.000-08:00

Over the years, the name “Bertone” has graced some truly classic automobiles, including the Alfa Romeo Giulia GT, the Lamborghini Muira, the Lancia Stratos, the Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari 308.

Despite Giuseppe "Nuccio" Bertone’s death in 1997, the company is still active in automobile design and still producing concept cars. At the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Bertone will debut its radically styled Nuccio concept, named in honor of its former CEO. Based on the sketches leaked ahead of the show, Car Body Design calls the concept “muscular” and “extreme.”

We agree on both counts, and think the mid-engine, berlinetta sports coupe looks more like something from Hot Wheels than from a major automotive design studio. Bertone says of the design, “an aesthetic phrasing with a strong emotional impact will progress the brand identity into the future.”

As far as we can translate design-speak, that means “the low height and muscular stance of the Nuccio concept honors Bertone designs of the past, while the futuristic styling gives an idea of what to expect from us in the future.”

Bertone celebrates is 100th anniversary in 2012, and the Nuccio concept will feature prominently in the design firm’s celebration. Look for the car to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, before being exhibited in Beijing, China and Turin, Italy later this year.

Ferrari Aliante

2012-02-11T03:30:00.000-08:00

We have seen the future of roadsters, and it just might be the Ferrari Aliante. Designed by Arunkumar Shanmugam, the Aliante aims to convey speed through a carbon fiber chassis, transparent bonnet, and 458-inspired headlights.

Volvo Tandem Vehicle

2012-02-11T03:24:00.000-08:00

Volvo's Monitoring & Concept Center (VMCC) in California have produced what they believe is a feasible future transport product based upon an inline occupant configuration. The designers at VMCC envisage a sleek two-seat commuter vehicle which uses very little energy and rarely gets caught in traffic.

"Maybe it sounds over-the-horizon, but consumer trend research together with our conceptual design and engineering work shows we could deliver that vehicle before 2010," says VMCC science officer Ichiro Sugioka. "Our competitors should be wary of the stuff we're doing!"

The Tandem concept reflects the attitude the department have to vehicle design, looking forward to potential new ways to travel. Although much smaller and seemingly more delicate than traditional Volvos, the team at VMCC insist they can factor into the Tandem the level of passenger safety expected from the brand.

As Kolit Mendis, structures and safety engineering manager, explains: "We compensated the Tandem's light weight with new occupant restraint concepts designed to handle frontal collisions with heavier vehicles. Also, the central positioning of Tandem occupants leaves ample room on either side to implement structural features mitigating the severity of side impacts. Our technical evidence is that Volvo would have no problem at all in delivering its traditional levels of driver and passenger safety."

Lars Erik Lundin, VMCC general manager, says that for Volvo, meeting the challenge of sustainable mobility is about looking at designs and hybrid technologies (electric drive, alternative fuels, petrol or diesel derivatives) that will provide 'maximized total efficiency of mobility with minimised environmental impact'.
"Our job is exploring the future and doing something really extraordinary," says Lundin. "The Tandem was originally conceived as a vehicle to help solve the specific over-crowding and pollution problems of southern California, but we soon realized it taps into how people work, travel and think almost everywhere in the industrialised world nowadays."

Strategic design chief Doug Frasher believes that the future will involve car buyers changing their thinking from one-car-fits-all to a scenario "where people own different cars for different reasons, just as we have different clothes for different social events, suits for work, and jeans for play".

"We envisage a 'family' matrix of cars, starting with the commuting Tandem, that will spark a new paradigm in mobility, changing the way the world thinks about auto ownership in the same way the Sony Walkman did for the audio industry."

Volvo's thinking thinking is the result of 'ethnographic' research begun in 1998 into past and current trends among various consumer and other audiences, using techniques such as workshops, focus groups and customer panels. "We created a timeline stretching from 1900 until 2010 with the aim of profiling future customers and the world they'd be inhabiting by understanding how trends emerge," said Benny Sommerfeld, business development manager. "The timeline pinpointed likely future values, needs, desires and aspirations."

The VMCC team believe that this type of design approach will become increasingly relevant in the future, with changes in the way people live and travel. Although very much a concept, the Tandem is not simply a design exercise. According to Geza Loczi, VMCC design director, the Tandem is "a real product still in its infancy that needs a lot of molding and tweaking to grow into a full-fledged finished product."

Morgan Aero Coupe

2012-02-09T00:25:00.000-08:00

Morgan will premiere three new models at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Among them there will be the new 2013 Aero Coupe, which is basically a supercar built for long trips. The Morgan Aero Coupe is based on the GT3 Aero race car and promises to offer, aside from blistering performance, plenty of passenger space and a generous boot. Morgan builds the new Aero Coupe on a stiff aluminum chassis. Its power comes from a 4.8 liter BMW V8 engine, which develops 270kw (367 bhp) or 291kw (390bhp) when equipped with a sports exhaust system. The new Morgan Aero is rated with an output of 490nm (370 lb/ft) of torque. Morgan is
able to deliver the new Aero with both a 6-speed manual and an automatic transmission. The manual version of the 2013 Morgan Aero is rated with a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of 4.5 seconds, while the automatic can reach the same magic speed in just 4.2 seconds. Both versions of the 2013 Aero can top 170 mph/273 km/h.

The Morgan Aero Coupe price list will be announced at a later date, and so will its equipment list.

Mercedes Benz Citan

2012-02-09T00:20:00.000-08:00

The latest Mercedes-Benz urban delivery van was previewed today and has been dubbed the Citan. The Citan name was revealed at the Mercedes-Benz Design Center in Sindelfingen during a symposium on brand competence and city logistics. The name Citan is a combination of the words “city” and “titan,” thus making it clear that the vehicle is a first-rate specialist for city logistics — one that was specifically developed to meet the tough challenges faced in day-to-day operations.

New van series to boost sales

With the introduction of the new urban delivery vehicle, Mercedes-Benz is adding another production series to its family of vans. The Citan is supplementing the Vario (6.0 to 8.2 tons), Sprinter (3.0 to 5.0 tons), and Vito (2.77 to 3.2 tons) to broaden the range of products in the lower weight classes of the van market, where it will significantly boost sales.

Whereas the small vans segment was still a niche market in the mid-1990s, it has now grown to around 700,000 units in Europe. Mercedes-Benz Vans plans to gain a market share of four to five percent in this segment. Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, is convinced that the Citan will be a big success. “We will take advantage of the trend toward city vans, which our brand will be able to exploit thanks to its attractively priced vehicles and the high quality of our products and services,” says Mornhinweg. “Our typical Mercedes-Benz reliability, 24/7 service, and, last but not least, our great brand image are key selling points as far as our commercial customers are concerned.”

Due to its large number of variants, the new urban delivery van with the star is suited for a broad range of commercial applications. Not only will the Citan be offered as a panel van, a crewbus, and a mixed-use vehicle; it will also be available in a variety of lengths and weights.

The Citan will be launched on the market in fall 2012. The vehicle will be unveiled to the general public for the first time at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover in September.

The Citan — the ideal partner in city traffic

The Citan was developed and tested in line with Mercedes-Benz’ demanding quality standards. The vehicle is correspondingly durable and robust. At the same time, it meets the requirements of customers from the service, sales, and trade sectors, offering them a large cargo space despite the vehicle’s compact dimensions. In addition, the van boasts attributes typical of the brand, such as great quality, economy, safety, excellent handling, as well as high fuel efficiency and correspondingly low CO2 emissions. The drive concept encompasses a broad range of low-emission, fuel-efficient diesel and gasoline engines and includes a BlueEFFICIENCY package. An electric drive version is also being planned.

The Citan’s operation, interior, materials, and workmanship are of the same high quality as in other Mercedes-Benz vans. The new urban delivery van can therefore be justly called the “little brother” of the Sprinter and Vito, to which it is in no way inferior. As is the case with every Mercedes-Benz vehicle, safety plays a big role in the new van, all variants of which come with ESP as standard.

New markets for Mercedes-Benz vans

Mercedes-Benz has greatly expanded its vans business in recent years. In line with the slogan of “Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global,” the brand is not only manufacturing vans in Düsseldorf (Sprinters), Ludwigsfelde (Sprinters and Varios), and Vitoria, Spain (Vitos), but also in the U.S., Argentina, and China.

It is also planning to strengthen its presence in the Russian market through a partnership with GAZ, the leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles in Russia. Over the medium-term, the GAZ factory near Nizhny Novgorod will produce 25,000 Sprinters each year, and do so strictly according to Mercedes-Benz’ quality standards.

Mercedes-Benz already is the undisputed market leader for mid-size and large vans in Western Europe.

Nissan Invitation Concept

2012-02-09T00:18:00.000-08:00

Nissan will unveil the new Invitation concept car at the 2012 Geneva motor show. It's a vision of what the company's B-segment tallboy could become. Yes, it's a snapshot of a future Nissan Note.

The Japanese say 'the Invitation concept underlines Nissan's commitment to the compact car segment,' indicating that they aren't going to abandon every conventional bodystyle for another crossover.

The Invitation will join the Micra hatch and Juke compact SUV in the B-segment. Effectively, this will replace the Note.

When will the Nissan Note be replaced?

In spring 2013, in Europe at least.

It's a much less slabby-sided affair than the Note. And take note of the body sculpting; there are swooshes and slashes aplenty, Nissan even naming the scalloped flanks 'the Squash Line'.

Looks a bit like Vauxhall/Opel's scooped-out line on the side of an Astra or Insignia.

Nissan on the new Invitation

François Bancon, deputy division general manager of product strategy and product planning division - that's one helluva of a business card - said: 'The name we have given to this concept is self-explanatory… the key benefit of this compact car is to be inviting.

'It is inviting thanks to its sensuous exterior design and generous and comfortable interior space, cleverly packaged within compact overall dimensions. It is Nissan’s invitation to buyers in the compact hatchback segment.'

The Invitation uses the Renault-Nissan B-segment architecture and Nissan says it is targeting a sub-100g/km CO2 rating.

Big car features will be available, including Nissan's Around View Monitor (its first appearance on a car in this sector).

Mazda Shinari

2012-02-08T01:12:00.000-08:00

The Mazda Shinari concept gives us a clear idea as to what the next Mazda 6 will look like. The first vehicle wearing a new Mazda design language dubbed Kodo (“Soul of Motion”), the Shinari concept is a gorgeous, if slightly overblown, four-seat coupe that looks like the lovechild of a Maserati GranTurismo and a Jaguar XF. The cab-rearward proportions; swoopy lines; and giant, 21-inch wheels give the impression that Mazda might be going after the likes of Mercedes, BMW, and Audi.

New chief designer Ikuo Maeda told us that the intention behind his first concept was "to build the car I want to buy and drive." It's his move away from the flowing, nature-inspired Nagare design theme, a softer ethos that resulted in the gaping maw of the current Mazda 3. Kodo is a more expressive philosophy that is meant, Maeda says, to evoke the muscularity of a cheetah in full flight—you may remember that Nissan’s Shiro Nakamura previously used the same animal as inspiration, describing the Infiniti FX as a “bionic cheetah."

The Shinari is based on a new architecture that can be front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive. Further proof of this car’s future 6-ness comes in the confirmation that the concept’s architecture will underpin the next generation of Mazda C- and D-segment vehicles (think Toyota Camry and Honda Accord). We peeked underneath the concept and discovered a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (likely one of the company’s new Sky powerplants) driving the front wheels, and a lower-control-arm front-suspension layout.

And so if you push the windshield a bit further forward, remove the goofy concept-car interior, and tone down the wheel size and the front and rear lighting elements, you have the next-gen 6. Even watered down from the Shinari, it's going to be dramatic. And those opposed to the giant smiley face that characterizes current Mazdas should rest easy: The Shinari’s grille and front lighting will define the brand’s vehicles as long as Maeda-san, whose father designed the first RX-7, is in charge.

Bertone Jaguar B99

2012-02-08T01:09:00.000-08:00

Famed Italian styling house Bertone has taken it upon itself to pen a special Jaguar sedan, called the B99, for the upcoming Geneva auto show. Bertone says it is pitching the car as a design proposal to Jaguar, with an eye toward the British company re-entering the D-segment against the BMW 3-series and Audi A4. (You may recall that the last Jag in that segment was the far-from-great X-type.) That said, while Jaguar gave Bertone the blessing to build the B99, it’s nowhere near approval for series production.

The design itself of the B99 is a departure from current Jaguar models, and looks more like an evolution of the XJC coupe of the 1970s—were it being reinterpreted as a mid-1990s concept car. Coming from Bertone, which can lay claim to such forward-looking beauty queens as the Lamborghini Miura and Lancia Stratos, this is a disappointment. Attractive? Sorta’. But it doesn’t represent any radical shifts, as did Jaguar’s XF, and we hope the B99 looks better in the metal at the Geneva show. We’ll know soon enough—the Geneva press days are March 1 and 2, at which point we’ll bring you photos and info live from the show floor.

Mercedes Benz A Class Concept

2012-02-08T01:01:00.000-08:00

Mercedes' A-Class has historically been a four-door hatchback more concerned with environmentally friendly utilitarian duties than making a statement about style. For the 2011 New York and Shanghai Auto Shows, Mercedes intends to change that frumpy image with an aggressively styled concept that looks more performance hot-hatch than green hipster-hauler, taking the A-Class in an entirely new direction. Thought it is just a concept, it might show the direction the front-wheel drive platform is headed-one that will appeal to a more youthful and enthusiastic buyer.

Looking ready to go head-to-head with the likes of the Audi A3 and Volvo C30, the A-Class Concept is powered by a 210-horsepower 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged I-4 mated to a dual-clutch transmission. In hot-hatch tradition, this powertrain is splayed out transversely across the front of the car.
The design language seen on this new A-Class first appeared on another concept, the F800 Style shown at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. The body consists of free-flowing surfaces accented with sharp creases. Mercedes states that the styling was influenced by wind and waves and reflects aviation engineering. This theme is reflected in the interior, with see-through fabric stretched over a skeletal structure. The vents, instrumentation, and shifter all reflect avionic controls, looking minimalist and very futuristic at the same time.

The A-Class Concept is stuffed with technology. Mercedes boasts of being the first in the compact segment to offer a radar-based collision avoidance system and adaptive brake technology. The system audibly and visually warns inattentive drivers about possible collisions while preparing the braking system for an immediate and powerful stop. Infotainment details are handled by a fully integrated smartphone and use a three-dimensional dash display formed of magenta-colored laser lines. The interior seats four in separate buckets, and one long center console is shared by both the front and rear seats.
Rumors of Mercedes bringing the A-Class to the American market have been brewing for years. It looks like we may be one step closer, but in an entirely unexpected form. Instead of a smallish people-mover, it may very well end up being an upscale performance hatchback. There is even a possibility it may turn into multiple A-Class vehicles. We will get our first look at the concept in New York later this month. Maybe Mercedes will have more information about future plans then.

Alfa Romeo BAT 11 concept

2012-02-07T02:25:00.000-08:00

The Alfa Romeo BAT 11 concept from 2008 was a continuation of the B.A.T. line of Bertone concept cars from the 1950s which were characterized by dramatic styling wings. BAT stands for Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica.

The Alfa Romeo BAT 11 was based on the Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione platform. The concept was commissioned by car collector Gary Kaberle who previously owned the Alfa Romeo BAT 9.

One of the more unusual features of the BAT 11 concept, aside from the massive rear wings, were the aerodynamic front wheel covers. These can move during low speed corners to allow for full steering lock. The 21 inch turbine styled wheels featured carbon fibre spokes.

Kia Track'ster

2012-02-07T02:21:00.000-08:00

Kia has released a new teaser image of the Track'ster concept, ahead of its debut at the Chicago Auto Show.
Created by the company's California design studio, the concept has LED taillights, a dual exhaust system and a ventilated rear bumper.
Additional information is limited, but the concept is based on the Soul and could preview the next-generation model. Power may be provided by the Hyundai Veloster's turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, with 208 hp (155 kW / 211 PS) and 195 lb-ft (265 Nm) of torque, but nothing is official as of yet.

Suzuki Regina concept

2012-02-07T02:18:00.000-08:00

Suzuki has unveiled the new Regina Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show which could represent a new, global compact car for the Japanese brand.
The Regina Concept comes with an 800cc turbocharged petrol engine coupled to a new CVT transmission. The car features regenerative braking and a stop/start system that, along with a curb weight of just 730 kg (1606 lbs), allows it to achieve a fuel-economy rating of 3.76 liters/100 km (75 mpg imperial).
The concept measures 3,500 mm long and 1,600 mm wide and features a new manufacturing process that reduces the number of parts needed and improves rigidity. The interior also features a sloped dashboard to allow more cabin space.
This is one concept that may make production someday as a new minicar in the Suzuki lineup.

Source: Suzuki

Maserati Kubang

2012-02-02T23:41:00.000-08:00

Maserati showed a Giugiaro-styled SUV named the Kubang (after a Javan wind) in Detroit in 2003 in response to the then new Porsche Cayenne.

They've kept the name, and the basis of the vehicle will be the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but the engine, suspension, steering and brakes will be Maserati and the Jeep styling makeover has been conducted under the eye of Maserati's Lorenzo Ramaciotti.

The car will also come with a choice of several new Maserati engines designed by ex-Ferrari F1 engine designer Paolo Martinelli, and will be produced in Maranello by Ferrari.

The transmission will be an AT eight-speed auto and the suspension, brakes and steering components will also be developed in Modena by the Maserati Product Development Department.

The Kubang is still expected to be built in Detroit as per the article earlier in the week.

Interestingly, the original Kubang was to be powered by a Chrysler Hemi V8.

Alfa Romeo 4C concept

2012-02-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

Alfa Romeo debuted another version of its 4C sports car concept and announced it will be available worldwide, including North America. In 2013.

That’s a year later than we previous thought. We had previously reported Alfa Romeo would offer the 4C in North America in 2012 with other models to follow in 2013.

Alfa Romeo says the 4C project has “refined and enriched” over recent months, but didn’t exactly explain what developments they have made. The only notable updated to the Frankfurt concept is a new silver color. Alfa Romeo still lists a twin dry clutch, output of 200 hp and a weight of just under 1900 pounds. I guess we’ll have to see in 2013 when the 4C enters production.

2012 Ferrari FF Concept

2012-02-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

Ferrari and family are two words that don’t always intersect, at least not in the magnitude of this new four-seater Ferrari concept. The 2012 Ferrari FF Concept will carry you and three of your loved ones (and the groceries, if necessary) at speeds of up to 208 mph on the open road. While it may not be a four-door like the Porsche Panamera, its sleek and refined styling give it a sportier feel that certainly plays itself out in the streets.

The new 2012 Ferrari FF features a whole host of new technologies to compliment the raw power within. Ferrari is rolling out its new all-wheel-drive technology in the FF, one that adds a lot less weight than conventional AWD systems. The FF also adds the HELE stop-start system from previous concepts that improves fuel efficiency and dampens emissions. These systems are centered around a 6.3-liter V12 with 651 horsepower, enough to force this four seater to 62 mph in 3.7 seconds.

The 2012 Ferrari FF will likely make its debut in-the-flesh in Geneva just over a month away. While the Ferrari news of the last year has been intriguing, this is perhaps the brand’s most exciting news item– a Ferrari for the whole family.

Pininfarina Story

2012-02-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carozzeria Pininfarina) is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.
Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers, including Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls-Royce, Cadillac, Jaguar, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia. It also has designed trams in France, high-speed trains in Holland, and trolleys in the USA. Since the 1980s Pininfarina has been consulted on industrial and interior design.
Pininfarina was run by Battista's grandson Andrea Pininfarina until his death in 2008. Andrea's younger brother Paolo Pininfarina was appointed as successor.
The Pininfarina Group employs more than 3,000 people in subsidiary company offices throughout Europe, as well as in Morocco and China. Pininfarina is registered and publicly traded on the Borsa Italiana (Milan Stock Exchange).

The company was founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina.
Pininfarina was run by Battista's grandson Andrea Pininfarina until his death in 2008. Andrea's younger brother Paolo Pininfarina was then appointed as successor.
After World War II, a number of automotive manufacturers were interested in working with Pininfarina, whose highly innovative Cisitalia 202 design had attracted wide attention.

The subsequent cooperation with Nash Motors resulted in high-volume production of Pininfarina designs and provided a major entree into the United States market. In 1952, Pininfarina visited the U.S. for the unveiling of his design for the Nash Ambassador and Statesman lines, which, although they did carry some details of Pininfarina's design, were largely designed by Nash's then-new in-house styling staff when the original Farina-designed model proved unsuited to American tastes. The Nash-Healey sports car body was, however, completely designed and assembled in limited numbers from 1952 to 1954 at Pininfarina's Turin facilities. Nash heavily advertised its link to the famous Italian designer, much as Studebaker promoted its longtime association with Raymond Loewy. As a result of Nash's marketing efforts, Pininfarina became well known in the United States. Pininfarina also built the bodies for the limited-series Cadillac Eldorado Brougham for General Motors in 1959 and 1960, assembled them and sent them back to the U.S. There were 99 Broughams built in 1959 and 101 in 1960.

A similar arrangement was repeated in the late 1980s when Pininfarina designed (and partially assembled) the Cadillac Allanté. The car's bodies were assembled and painted in Italy before being flown to Detroit for final vehicle assembly.
Pininfarina Sverige AB in Uddevalla, Sweden, was established in 2003 as a joint venture (JV) between Volvo Cars and Pininfarina. The JV is owned 60% by Pininfarina and 40% by Volvo.
The C70 model—the first car built by the joint venture—was launched on 13 April 2006, sharing the Volvo P1 platform used in the S40. This vehicle, designed by John Kinsey, is a coupé convertible featuring a three piece retractable metal hardtop that can raise or lower in less than 30 seconds. The new C70 replaces both the current cabriolet/convertible and the coupé absent from Volvo's lineup since 2003. For the first time, the C70 will be offered with a normally aspirated gasoline engine, as well as diesel engines with variable geometry turbocharger and common-rail direct injection.

Pininfarina now designs, manufactures, assembles, and tests prototypes and production vehicles under contract for other automakers.

Current production
Alfa Romeo Brera in the Pininfarina plant in San Giorgio Canavese (Turin), Italy
Alfa Romeo Spider in the Pininfarina plant in San Giorgio Canavese
Volvo C70 at the Pininfarina plant in Uddevalla, Sweden
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
Ferrari 458
Maserati Quattroporte
Maserati GranTurismo
Ferrari California
Interior of the new Peugeot Expert

In addition to production vehicles, Pininfarina creates prototype, show, and custom cars for auto manufacturers, as well as private clients. Most prototypes—such as the Ferrari Mythos—have served solely as concept cars, although several have become production models, including the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Ferrari F50.
A recent privately commissioned custom example was the Ferrari P4/5 of 2006, a one-car rebody (changing the exterior design) of the Enzo Ferrari according to the client's specifications. Its design began in September 2005 with sketches by Jason Castriota moving through computer aided sculpture and stringent wind tunnel testing. More than 200 components were designed especially for the car though the engine, drivetrain and many other components are simply modified from the original Enzo Ferrari. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is unchanged from the Enzo it was derived from. The P4/5 was publicly revealed on August 18, 2006 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and shown again at the Paris Motor Show in late September. Another recent prototype is the Pininfarina Nido, a two seater sub-compact that could possibly make airbags obsolete.
The Pininfarina B0 solar-electric concept, designed with Bolloré was shown at the 2008 Paris Motor Show featuring a range between charges of more than 150 miles (241 km) with an electronically limited 88-mile-per-hour (142 km/h) top speed, and an estimated acceleration to 37 miles per hour (60 km/h) in 6.3 seconds. The car has solar panels on the roof and on the nose, while its battery pack is said to last up to 125,000 miles (201,168 km).
The company revealed a new Alfa Romeo Spider Concept at the Geneva Motor Show on 2 March 2010.

Pininfarina has an area dedicated to the new electric car Pininfarina Bolloré. Batteries are produced by the French Bolloré Group.
Pininfarina, has introduced its own electric vehicle concept, the Pininfarina B0 (pronounced "B Zero"). The four-seat hatchback features a solid-state lithium-polymer battery, supercapacitors, and a roof- integrated solar panel to achieve a range of 153 miles (246 km). Developed in partnership with the Bolore Group, the vehicle is slated for limited production in 2009.
Source: Wikipedia

2012 Dodge Charger Concept

2012-02-02T01:42:00.000-08:00

The all-new Charger is immediately recognizable but boasts many enhancements inside, outside and underneath its more aggressive skin.

From the front, the crosshair grille returns, although the headlamps are more canted than before and the fascia tilts at a slightly more aggressive angle. The Charger's side profile is sleeker and more coupe-esque than the outgoing model and revised wheel designs look more upscale than before.

Perhaps the biggest changes have been applied to the Charger's tail, where a full-width tail lamp arrangement visually links the Charger with both past Dodge models and the company's Dodge Challenger sibling.

Dodge calls the tail lamps a "racetrack" graphic when their 164 LEDs are illuminated. Below the tail lamps, new squared-off tailpipes exit a more finished-looking faux diffuser.

The interior - a point of contention for many Chrysler products in recent years - now features upgraded materials and more cosmetically appealing designs, as well as Garmin navigation with Sirius Travel Link and the meaty corporate-wide three-spoke steering wheel that has arrived on nearly every new Chrysler product for the latest model year.

Several upscale options have been added to the Charger for the latest model, including adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring with rear cross path protection and a rear backup camera with grid lines.

Although the Charger still rides on a Mercedes-Benz -derived platform, Dodge says that the architecture has been re-engineered so much that it now considers it its "second-generation" E-segment platform.

The Charger now features one V6 engine instead of the previous two. The new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine delivers 292 horsepower (up 63 percent) and 260 lb-ft of torque (up 36 percent) compared with the previous entry-level 2.7-liter V6 engine. The new Pentastar V6 also produces 42 more horsepower (up 16 percent) and 10 lb-ft more torque than the outgoing 3.5-liter V6.

Entry-level Pentastar-equipped Chargers make do with a carryover five-speed automatic, while mid- and upper-level trims get a new eight-speed auto. Mileage with the five-speed is rated at 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway, while opting for the eight-cog unit increases efficiency to an impressive 19/31 mpg.

Stepping up to the Charger R/T brings a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with an output of 370 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque. The HEMI motor pairs up with a five-speed automatic gearbox, and the combo is good for 16/25 mpg.

Rear-wheel-drive comes standard on the charger, while an optional all-wheel-drive system brings a segment-exclusive active transfer case with front axle disconnect. Dodge says the front axle disconnect helps save five percent on fuel economy by utilizing only rear-wheel-drive unless additional traction is needed. AWD brings fuel economy down to 18/27 mpg for V6 Chargers and 15/23 mpg for HEMI-equipped models.

Performance handling requires maximum grip, and the all-new Dodge Charger now holds .90 g. Aiding in the fastback four-door car's improved road-holding capabilities is more aggressive front- and rear-camber geometry.

Set at -1.0 degrees in the front and -1.75 degrees in the rear, Dodge Charger is set up for high-speed cornering with its tires leaning inboard at the top relative to the body.

All-new premium hydrobushings combined with new monotube shock absorbers, spring rates and redesigned front and rear multi-link suspension geometries improve performance handling dynamics, smooth braking characteristics and deliver a more comfortable ride.

Among other suspension .5-inch (13 mm) tighter tire-to-fender fitment, a .15-inch (4 mm) lowered overall ride height and larger 19-inch wheels with P235/55R19 all-season performance tires.

Beyond its lower center of gravity, the Dodge Charger R/T AWD also gains improved handling due to new upper- and lower-control arms and shock-absorber bushings. In addition new half shafts feature high-precision bearing units that are sealed for added quality and durability.

Transmitting the Dodge Charger's maximum grip to the driver is an all-new electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) system that features 25 percent quicker steering, more precise road feel and improved on-center tracking while reducing steering noise and fuel consumption.

Every Charger comes standard with dual front, front side and front and rear curtain airbags in addition to a driver knee airbag. Traction and stability control systems are also fitted.

The only similarly-sized rear-wheel-drive rival to Charger in the same pricing ballpark is the Hyundai Genesis , which is slightly more expensive and puts an emphasis on luxury over performance. If front-wheel-drive isn't a deal breaker, full-size sedans like the Hyundai Azera , Ford Taurus and Toyota Avalon also merit consideration.

Sketching tools

2012-02-02T01:25:00.000-08:00

Showroom of sketching tools, from markers and pens to tablets.

Car Design Books

2012-02-01T14:00:00.001-08:00

We present you a lot of helpful car design books.