Innehållsförteckning för No. 179 från AUTO & DESIGN

When Elio Zagato passed away this year on September 14, at the age of 88, another chapter in the history of motor car design came to an end. Elio, the son of Ugo Zagato, who founded the world famous Milan bodyworks, and father of Andrea Zagato who, together with his wife Marella Rivolta, has kept the passion typical of that increasingly rare breed, the ‘bespoke coachbuilder studio’, alive and well into the business’s 90th year, was also a successful driver, and first raced in 1947 at Piacenza in a Fiat 500B coach-built for him by his father as a graduation present. He was the archetypal Italian gentleman driver, who designed and built spectacular GTs during the week and then raced them on Sundays. He took part in 150 races, winning…

According to recent estimates, the number of cars in circulation worldwide could more than double within the next forty years, so a serious commitment to environmental issues is vital to prevent harmful emissions from spiralling out of control. Carmakers have significantly stepped up their efforts in this field, proposing “ecological” solutions that will be available in the short to mid term. The recent Frankfurt motor show confirmed this, with all the prototypes exhibited either conceived for or already equipped with alternative powertrains to the conventional internal combustion engine, offering reduced fuel consumption and emissions. While there were plenty of hybrid and dual fuel solutions, most of the attention was focused on electric power which, with lithium ion batteries, is finally beginning to overcome its greatest hurdle: range. It was also…

Opel continues its exploration into the trinity of style, quality and technology in medium sized cars, transferring the philosophy of the Insignia into the new Astra. The new car marks a radical departure from its predecessor, even in terms of its increased size: it is now a full 17 cm longer (4.42 metres), with a 7.1 cm larger wheelbase, while front and rear track have gained 5.6 and 7 cm respectively. The new style stands out for its dynamic silhouette, cab-forward architecture, sculpted flanks featuring the distinctive blade element extended across the full length, and a muscular tail. Distinctive “eagle eye” headlights give the car an intense glare. In the cabin, space, elegance and intelligent solutions abound. The blade theme recurs in the dash and door panels, alongside high quality…

The final projects by the students of Coventry University are exercises in imagination combined with environmental awareness. The widely varied and original proposals developed by the students of the Automotive, Transportation and Product design courses illustrated the youngsters’ interest in all forms of transport: as well as nautical craft and two-wheelers, both with and without engines, there were motor cars (of course) in all shapes and sizes and a number of other curiosities. Many of the projects explored strikingly original structural and powertrain solutions and new materials and technologies. Fantasia e consapevolezza ecologica, questa la sintesi delle impressioni suscitate dai lavori di fine corso degli studenti della Coventry University. Le proposte – sviluppate dai ragazzi dei corsi di Automotive, Transportation e Product design – sono assortite ed originali e dimostrano…

Thirty years of automotive design and thirty years of Auto&Design. There could have been no more appropriate theme for the sixth edition of Autostyle, held in Mantua on October 7 and 8, the annual competition for young designers organised by Berman and the company’s CEO Roberto Artioli. While the workshop draws prominent names from the design world every year, this edition – especially planned to coincide with the anniversary of our magazine – was more special than ever, with the Sixteenth century Palazzo Te, the former summer residence of the Dukes of Gonzaga, hosting a star studded collection of illustrious designers and key figures in the motor world. The list included Giorgetto Giugiaro, Paolo Pininfarina, Walter de’ Silva, Wolfgang Egger, Patrick Le Quément, Lorenzo Ramaciotti, Chris Bangle, Donato Coco, Ryoji…

The gigantic IAA at the Frankfurt Messe got even bigger this year, as the BMW Group added a new pavilion at the opposite end of the fairground from the traditional Mercedes-Benz/smart exhibit hall, almost a full kilometer away. But bigger was definitely not better, as many of the upper level halls once chock-full of industry suppliers were completely empty, and stalwart mainstream companies like Nissan and Honda chose not to be present, given the economic crisis. Many manufacturers had nice “green” low-emission, high-fuel-economy models on display, but it was clear that their corporate hearts were not involved. Indeed, there was a palpable sense of disbelief on the part of most German companies. For every exemplary little feel-good model there was something totally over the top, two-ton plus masses of metal…

Even if there were no double chevron on the grille, there would be no doubting the provenance of the Revolte unveiled at Frankfurt: such a nonconformist approach in terms of both concept and formal interpretation could only be from Citroën. With its arched profile, amethyst purple paintwork for the body, ivory roof and an interior making use of unusual materials and solutions, the Revolte is a luxury city car that breaks away from the commonplace to follow new canons infused with the traditions of the brand and its profound French roots. “Citroën is the most Parisian of all the French brands”, explains Concept Car division director Carlo Bonzanigo as he describes the inception of this B segment concept, in which some see a possible future DS2. “It would have been…

The 2008 edition of ADI Design Index, a volume which brings together a selection of what are judged to be the most innovative Italian products, opens the three-year run-up to the XXII Compasso d’Oro. Published products – a total of a hundred or so developed in 2007 – are pre-selected for the Prize in 2011 and are subdivided into eight theme areas: Living, Environment, Work and services, Personal, Visual Design, Exhibition Design, Theoretical, Historical and Critical research, and Research for business. “So how are we supposed to behave in a period of transition like the present,” asks Enrico Morteo in the pages of the volume. “What do we look for, what should we emphasise? Look to the future: do not think of objects or forms but try to focus on…

“Dirty Business”, an intriguingly titled project sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Trucks and involving 27 students of the design course at Munich University of Applied Sciences, produced some uniquely original ideas. These were all based on the needs of a variety of different world situations, and they included a quantity of punchy, coloured and formally dynamic projects. To ensure a fresh approach, the brief was to develop a heavy-duty vehicle that went beyond simply borrowing formal Mercedes-Benz language, moving forward from the styling viewpoint to explore new structural possibilities while remaining within the realms of feasibility. Before beginning to develop the aesthetic concept, the students were asked to reflect on the environmental themes that characterise our times and to take account of them in their designs. Mercedes-Benz designer Martin Kreidl briefed the…

Preceded by the workshop of the evening before, 7 October, described in the previous pages, the second day of Autostyle was dedicated to the competition for young would-be designers following the formula instituted by Berman six years ago. A formula which over the years has succeeded in faithfully interpreting the initiative’s spirit and purposes. The ceremony to proclaim the winners and hand over the prizes was hosted in the Palazzo Te congress hall, while the exhibition part of the historic summer residence of the Gonzagas saw a display of the 26 projects of the 12 selected by the jury out of seventy or so proposals about whose validity invitees and the public present were also called on to make a judgement. The finalists, including just one girl, from six countries…

Enough of cars parked unimaginatively as if they were in a garage! When it reopens its doors to the public in late 2010, the Turin Automobile Museum will be a completely different place, in which the museum’s 200 exhibits will retrace the history of the past century in a more dynamic dimension, far removed from a dusty, static concept of the past. Doing justice to the completely restructured building and its larger display area is a truly original exhibition devised by the Swiss architect François Confino, the former artistic director of the National Cinema Museum at the Mole Antonelliana, one of the most popular venues in Turin. Indeed, the goal of the renovated car museum is to attract a broader spectrum of visitors, appealing to everyone from families to tourists…

The automotive world often has many surprises in store for its key players. Take the case of Peter Horbury, for example, who has gone back to head Volvo design after five years with Ford US. Everyone asks him if he agrees with the design language with which the Swedish brand broke away from its traditional box on wheels look. Wikipedia even has it, says Horbury, that he left Volvo before he could play a part in the design of the C70 and C30: “I had to laugh: how long do they think it takes to make a car? I was still at Volvo in 2004.” Yet paradoxically, it also incorrectly credits him for the significant facelift applied to the C70 and C30, which were both presented at Frankfurt. “I never…

Fiat’s MultiAir technology makes its debut in a performance model as it joins the engine line-up offered for the Alfa Romeo MiTo. There is logical reasoning behind this choice: the revolutionary electrohydraulic valve actuating system developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies not only reduces the fuel consumption and emissions of the 1.4 litre turbo petrol, it also offers excellent performance in terms of torque and acceleration. This is an environmentally friendly approach which, however, does not compromise performance and is perfectly in keeping with the current trend for downsizing sweeping through the automotive world, applying advances in technology and paring away the superfluous to create a leaner, more efficient solution. Not only is the MiTo the most compact sports model in the history of Alfa Romeo, it is also the first…

The Vehicle Design course at the Royal College of Art is now in its fourth decade. Since its inception in 1969, many of the big names in car design have graduated from the course: these include Marek Reichman, Gerry McGovern, Geert Hilderbrand and the Callum brothers, to mention just a few. Things have obviously changed since the 1970s – expectations are different and there is far less certainty in the workplace – and the best way to tackle this is to encourage innovation, teaching students to propose new ideas and experiment, but with a sense of awareness. To give space to fresh new ideas, the college decided to celebrate its birthday alongside a presentation of end of course projects. Ha raggiunto i quattro decenni di attività il corso di Vehicle…