car design

EXCLUSIVE: Ralph Lauren to Exhibit Car Collection Classics for the First Time

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, The Classicist, Architecture & Design

Images exclusive to Luxist, courtesy of Ralph Lauren; click for high-res gallery

Some of the most precious gems in famed fashion designer Ralph Lauren's incredible car collection will be exhibited for the the first time ever in Paris this spring. Lauren's collection, in our opinion the finest one in private hands on the planet, features impeccable examples of the rarest and most valuable vehicles in the world. We can reveal exclusively that four of his exquisite automotive works of art, which have never before been seen in public, will be on view at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from April 28 – August 28: a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM; a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti; a 1956/1958 Jaguar XKSS; and a 1931 Alfa Romeo Monza 8C 2300.

13 other Lauren cars will also be on display during the exhibit, entitled The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection, including an amazing 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (above), a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, and a 1938 Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Coupé. The last two alone are worth about $30 – $40 million each, and are among the world's most expensive cars. The Paris exhibit will focus on European models created between the 1930s and the 1990s, "illustrating the evolution of car design in the 20th Century." They were selected by curator Rodolphe Rapetti and will be arranged by scenographer Jean-Michel Wilmotte, with the "kinetics" and sound of the vehicles conveyed by means of various films and recordings. The museum will also be producing a luxe book to celebrate the occasion.

Gallery: Ralph Lauren's Cars Headed to Paris

Tags: Alfa Romeo, Bentley, billionaire, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Bugatti, car collection, car design, celebrity cars, classic cars, designer, exclusive, exhibit, exhibition, fashion design, fashion designer, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GTO, ferrari+250+gt, ferrari250gt, France, Jaguar, McLaren, mens style, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, museum, museum show, Paris, Porsche, Ralph Lauren, ralph+lauren+car+collection, ralph+lauren+cars, ralph+laurens+car+collection, ralphlaurencarcollection, ralphlaurencars, ralphlaurenscarcollection, supercars, The Classicist, worlds most expensive, worlds most expensive car, worlds most expensive cars

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Ralph Lauren to Exhibit Car Collection Classics for the First Time”

Jaguar to Launch Fastest Production Model Ever in Geneva

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

Jaguar to Launch Fastest Production Model Ever in Geneva

On March 1, Jaguar will launch the new Jaguar XKR-S in conjunction with the legendary E-Type's 50th anniversary at the Geneva Motor Show. With a higher output supercharged V8 engine, revised suspension, and a new aerodynamically-driven design, the Jaguar XKR-S is designed to be a true luxury GT with eye-popping performance – the fastest production Jag ever built. "The XKR-S is a bold and exciting new model for Jaguar," says Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar's new Global Brand Director. "We expect to attract both loyal and new Jaguar driving enthusiasts who still want the comfort, opulence and class only a Jaguar can offer, combined with inspirational performance."

The Jaguar XKR-S produces 550 hp with 502 lb/ft of torque, offers a top speed of 186 mph (300km/h), and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds. In addition to the debut, Jaguar will be marking the 50th anniversary of the E-Type with the first in a series of celebrations. The famed British marque will host an E-Type fête at the Restaurant Hotel du Parc des Eaux-Vives in Geneva, where the original car was introduced by Jaguar's founder Sir William Lyons half a century ago. "It is impossible to overstate the impact the E-Type had," notes Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director.

Tags: car design, Geneva, Geneva Motor Show, Geneva Motor Show 2011, Jaguar, Jaguar E-Type, luxury cars

Maserati and Lamborghini Planning SUVs in 2012

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Architecture & Design

The rumor mill is going into overdrive with reports that both Lamborghini and Maserati plan to launch an SUV in 2012, aiming to capitalize on the success of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and BMW X6. Aston Martin's recent decision to move ahead with its Lagonda SUV concept means that there are no longer any barriers to entering a market that may once have threatened to dilute super-luxury brands. Lamborghini's SUV is expected to be a modern revival of its famed LM002, produced from 1986 – 1993. Dubbed the LM00X and modeled on the Audi Q7 platform (Lamborghini is owned by Audi), it's expected to be fitted with the new 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 set to debut in the Audi S7 next year, Auto Express reports. Maserati's SUV meanwhile will be a refined version of the Kubang GT Wagon concept they unveiled in 2003. The new SUV will most likely take its design cues from the Quattroporte, though Russian designer Andrey Trofimchuk Simeonych has come up with an artful rendering (above) of what it could look like. Both the Lamborghini and Maserati SUVs will initially come in a sporty three-door configuration, with the Maserati most likely priced around $100,000 and the Lamborghini in the $150,000 range.

Gallery: Maserati SUV Concept

Tags: Aston Martin, Audi Q7, car design, Lamborghini, luxury cars, Maserati, Porsche Cayenne, SUV

Lord Foster Designs $70 Million Factory for McLaren's New Supercar

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Architecture & Design

Famed British architect Lord Norman Foster has designed a stunning new $70 million Production Centre for McLaren where the legendary racing marque is busy assembling their wicked new MP4-12C supercar. The sleek new facility is an adjunct to McLaren's Technology Centre at the UK HQ, which Foster also designed and built for the company. Every aspect of the the Production Centre, a shrine to the ultimate in automotive technology and car design, is "clean, clinical and present for good reason," Wallpaper notes. The Production Centre is a low energy, eco-friendly structure with a roof designed to collect rainwater and a displacement ventilation system. It's connected to the Technology Centre by an underground walkway for ease of communication between McLaren's design and engineering teams. The overall effect is straight out of a James Bond film with its all-white interior, ceramic tiled floors and all-black technician's outfits; the only splashes of color come from the cars themselves.

Gallery: Lord Norman Foster for McLaren

[via JamesList]

Tags: architect, architecture, car design, design, Foster + Partners, Lord Norman Foster, McLaren, McLaren MP4-12C, Norman Foster, supercar, UK

The Classicist: Made in the Shade - Porsche Design Heritage Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style, The Classicist, Architecture & Design

Unlike some collections whose famous names reflect only lucrative licensing deals, products bearing the Porsche Design label have a pedigree that's strongly linked to the famed sports car marque. The Porsche Design Studio was established in 1972 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, designer of the iconic Porsche 911 and grandson of the founder of the world-renowned German automaker. Since then Porsche Design has become synonymous with innovative luxury products boasting immaculate craftsmanship, state of the art technology and the absolute highest quality materials, all adhering to the same clear functionality of form. While the product line ranges from cell phones to superyachts these days, sunglasses, one of the first items produced and one with the strongest ties to driving, remain the most appealing.

During the '70s and '80s the coveted sunglasses were the shades of choice for the rich and famous who prized elegant, sporty style. Now Porsche Design Eyewear has come out with a new "Heritage Collection" of aviators celebrating this colorful history. Often copied by others, they remind us that the originals haven't been bettered. The new collection is not just a re-issue of the most notable sunglass designs however, but also an update for the 21st century. Iconic styles that went out of production years ago are back with major upgrades in materials with super lightweight, anti-corrosive titanium frames and lightweight shatter-proof polycarbonate lenses with a multi-layered premium anti-reflective coating. Priced from $250–$409, there are four classic styles in the collection in various color combinations, all variations on the iconic aviator shape and all now available from haute online eyewear boutique Eyegoodies.

Gallery: Porsche Design Heritage Collection

Tags: aviator, aviator sunglasses, aviators, car design, design, Eyegoodies, Eyewear, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, German design, Germany, leather, Porsche 911, Porsche Design, sports car, sunglasses, titanium

Continue reading “The Classicist: Made in the Shade - Porsche Design Heritage Collection”

Wally Supercar Concept for the Superyacht Set

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos

Monaco-based boatbuilder Wally, known for its avant-garde yacht designs, is responsible for some of the most eye-catching craft plying the waters. As we reported last year they also make some of the world's coolest high-performance skis. Now Matthew Hockham, an automotive design graduate of the UK's Coventry University, has come up with a Wally supercar concept inspired by both of the company's passions. Hockham's brief was to take Wally's distinctive design language and apply it to a suitably high-end and high-tech automotive concept. "The aim is to bring the essence of Wally onto the land and offer an exclusive user experience," he tells Car Body Design. Hockham's design uses Wally's trademark futuristic form language with sharp edges, black glass surfaces and hi-tech gray tones. The side profile was inspired by the lines of the stunning 118 WallyPower yacht. The interior makes extensive use of carbon fiber and teak, two materials used widely by Wally, and the elongated chassis is especially designed to transport a pair of Wally carbon fiber skis.

Gallery: Wally Supercar Concept

Tags: car design, carbon fiber, concept car, design, industrial design, Monaco, skis, supercar, teak, UK, Wally, yacht

World's First Zero Carbon Superyacht, Powered by Mercedes-Benz

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

A British car design expert named Richard Sauter known for several important innovations has adapted the latest in green automotive technology to create the world's first zero carbon superyacht. The design for the lightweight 160-ft. yacht employs both Mercedes-Benz's BlueTec clean diesel engines and the KERS (kinetic energy regeneration) system used by Porsche in its new 918 Spyder hybrid supercar, along with solar power. Dubbed Transcendence, the sleek, high-performance yacht will be capable of 25 knots under full power using what Sauter claims is the cleanest marine propulsion system in the world. Solar cells situated on PV deck spoilers in addition to the KERS and plug-in sources of energy charge a lithium ion storage system that runs all the yacht's services including AC, day and night. The system allows Transcendence to achieve her maximum speed under peak loads and to navigate in and out of harbors with zero emissions under battery power alone. Inside are luxe accommodations for 10 guests as well as 12 crew, fitted with the latest high-end sustainable materials.

[via JamesList]

Tags: car design, design, hybrid, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz BlueTec, Porsche, Richard Sauter, solar, superyacht, UK, yacht

Retro Cool: Bentley Dynamo Concept

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Bentley, founded in the UK in 1919, is as British as they come, but it took a designer from Boston to come up with the coolest concept for the marque that we've seen in recent memory. Marc Senger's Bentley Dynamo concept is inspired by the famed 1929 4.5 liter Blower Bentley racecar. An alluring modern take on the original, the Bentley Dynamo features a 4.3 liter supercharged "blown" four-cylinder engine making for massive power. Back in the day the Blower Bentley – a vintage example of which just sold for $1 million at the UK's Historics at Brooklands auction as we recently reported – produced 175 hp and got about 2.3 mpg. With a wheelbase of 110" and killer neo-retro looks, Senger's Dynamo is a fitting legacy to the Blower, which Ian Fleming, who owned one, chose as James Bond's original vehicle (it's featured in three of the 007 novels, Casino Royale, Live and Let Die and Moonraker). Ralph Lauren owns one of the most famous Blower Bentleys still around today, painted with the number 8 like Senger's rendering.

Gallery: Bentley Dynamo Concept

Tags: Bentley, Blower Bentley, car design, concept dar, Ian Fleming, Marc Senger, Ralph Lauren, UK

Ferrari 612 GTO Concept by Sasha Selipanov

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

What will Ferrari's planned 2012 replacement for the big 612 Scaglietti grand tourer look like? Berlin-based Sasha Selipanov, who calls himself the Angry Car Designer, has dreamed up one appealing possibility: a killer 612 GTO concept combining the sinuous lines of Ferrari's latest models along with a nod to the famed 250 GTO. Considering that Ferrari just unveiled its 599 GTO it's practically impossible that a 612 GTO could follow suit so quickly, if at all, but that doesn't stop Selipanov's project from being beautiful. He hasn't engaged in the usual concept car game of laying out engine specs and such or gassing on about quilted Alcantara seats; concentrating instead on gorgeously rendered lines. Feast your eyes and dream on.

Gallery: Ferrari 612 GTO Concept

Tags: Berlin, car design, concept cars, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferrari 599 GTO, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

2020 Lamborghini Minotauro Concept

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

There's something about Lamborghini that inspires design students to try and improve what is already one of the world's most exotic supercars. Witness the Badall, Insecta and Conquisto concepts we've written about in the past. Now Italian designer Andrei Avarvarii has come up with a vision for what a Lamborghini could look like in the year 2020. Avarvarii, a master's candidate at Milan's Scuola Politecnica di Design, drew up plans for an eye-popping electric supercar with help from Lamborghini's head of design Filippo Perini. His 2020 Minotauro concept employs four separate electric motors splitting the power 70% to the rear wheels and 30% to the front via a KERS system and Li-Tec flat-cell battery in back of the vehicle. That leaves room for a central seating position for a third passenger in the rear. Triangular exhausts meanwhile not only cool the batteries but also "act like the tubes of a subwoofer, channeling the sound of the electric motors placed behind them."

Gallery: 2020 Lamborghini Minotauro Concept

Tags: car design, concept car, electric car, Italy, Lamborghini, supercars

Lamborghini Ankonian Concept

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A German design student has come up with a killer concept for a next generation Lamborghini that's a cross between the Reventon and the Batmobile. Slavche Tanevsky's vehicle is dubbed the Ankonian after a breed of black-haired bull in a nod to the famed marque's mascot. It features a fairly narrow body, cab backward classical GT silhouette, and a mélange of soft and angular surfaces. Tanevsky, a design student at Munich University, says the main themes behind the concept are "underground" and "hardcore", reinforced by a combination of shiny black and matte charcoal finishes. Lamborghini's engineers, who are apparently impressed with Tanevsky's work, helped him render the concept which could one day make it's way into production.

Tags: car design, CarDesign, concept car, ConceptCar, Germany, Lamborghini, Munich

Mercedes-Benz Archimed Concept from Iran

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

When Iran makes it into the media here these days the focus tends to be negative, but not all the news is bad. Mohammad Morassafar, a young mechanical engineering and design student at Azad University in Tehran, has shown that with his newly unveiled eco-efficient Archimed Mercedes-Benz concept. His innovative three-wheeled, two-door, four-passenger luxury transport is named in honor of Archimedes, the Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Fitted with gullwing doors, the hybrid vehicle carries a combination of three different engines, two electrical and one diesel powered. With a hypothetical output of 356 hp it's designed to achieve a top speed of 158 mph. Able to literally turn on a dime and rotate 360 degrees while stationary, it's designed to maneuver in cramped urban quarters.

[via JamesList]

Tags: car design, CarDesign, concept car, ConceptCar, hybrid, Iran, Mercedes-Benz, Tehran

Citroen DS named "Most Beautiful Car", Rare Example fetches $440k at Auction

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

A rare Citroen DS convertible set a new record when it sold last week at Bonhams' Retromobile auction in Paris – the same event where the barn-find Bugatti Type 57 Atalante found a new home – for a high bid of 337,500 euros, equivalent to about $440k. Wait a second, a Citroen? A 1973 Citroen, actually, making the high price even stranger, but this was no ordinary DS. The rare convertible was made by French coachbuilder Henri Chapron, one of only three DS23 convertibles he made and the only one with fuel injection. The striking shape the roofless DS cut prompted Citroen to put it in its catalog for public consumption.

The sale came at an apropos time, as Citroen prepares to relaunch the DS line with a new concept at the upcoming Geneva show, and a panel of automobile designers named the original Citroen DS to be the most beautiful car of all time. Beauty being in the eye of the beholder of course, but now seems like a golden time for the iconic DS.

Gallery: 1973 Citroen DS23 Chapron convertible