The Maxima is the biggest Nissan you can buy without going to
Infiniti and beyond. Such an imposing car demand entry-level luxury
features.
Showing posts with label Designed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Designed. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Cars & Girls: Inden Design Mercedes SLS AMG & Katja Runiello
Inden Design has released a series of photos entitled ‘Haute Couture meets Tuning’ starring the Inden Design Mercedes SLS AMG and German photo model, dancer and television personality Katja Runiello.
Inden Design fitted the Mercedes with a set of 21 inch light metal rims painted in high-gloss black combined with gloss-lathed beddings. The wheels are completed with Continental high-performance tires measuring 265/30R21 at the front and 295/25R21 at the rear.
The German tuner also tweaked the exhaust catalysts and the manifold. Thanks to engine mapping the 6.2 liter V8 engine of the SLS now provides 623hp compared to the standard 571. For more information regarding tuning of the Mercedes SLS AMG, or any other car made by Mercedes or Ferrari, please contact Inden Design.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig
No, that's not Peterbilt's new concept for a futuristic long haul truck you're looking at. It's an entry in the company's RIG2: Road Icon Generation 2 competition, a contest being run by Local Motors to develop new ideas in aerodynamic designs for Peterbilt semis.
Contest entry is open through June 26, with design materials including CAD and Photoshop files available at the Local Motors Forge website. Prizes include $10,000 for the winning entry, and cash for anyone who finishes in the top ten. All will be selected via community voting, except for the top prize, which will be chosen by Peterbilt from the top 10 vote-getters.
The partnership with Peterbilt is just the latest effort in crowd-sourcing from Rally Fighter builder Local Motors, which launched its Forge collaboration site at SEMA last year.
Audi unveils A1 in exclusive red and white flavors
Audi is launching a German-market special edition of its tiny A1 and A1 Sportback. Called A1 Amplified, the special models are available now in either Misano Red or Glacier White paint and include some special trim and other upgraded options.
The Amplified A1 is based on Audi's A1 Ambition trim line, but tacks on an extra $2,500 to cover its unique equipment. With glossy black-finish roof arches, mirrors, grille and S Line spoiler, the look is more aggressive than the suspiciously cute standard A1. Black 17-inch alloy wheels and a matte-finish stripe complete the transformation. On the interior, upgrades include sport seats and body color air vents, as well as a unique set of floor mats.
As if that's not enough, buyers can opt for two further levels of amplification. For just over $5,000, you can get an Amplified Plus A1, which also includes a black headliner, LED interior lights, a color-coordinated key, and more body color interior trim. Stainless pedals and a full exterior body kit with LED taillights add to the sportiness quotient, along with a gloss black rear diffuser and dual exhaust for A1 models fitted with engines over 103 horsepower.
There's also a third Amplified package, reserved for A1s with over 120-horsepower engines. This one adds S Line sport package interior, including leather seats with contrasting stitching, body color setback shells, and bright floor mats. Rear glass is tinted and the body kit and roof wing are done up in gloss black. With 18-inch wheels and Xenon headlights, this is one truly loaded A1, which carries an $8,800 premium.
The Amplified A1 is based on Audi's A1 Ambition trim line, but tacks on an extra $2,500 to cover its unique equipment. With glossy black-finish roof arches, mirrors, grille and S Line spoiler, the look is more aggressive than the suspiciously cute standard A1. Black 17-inch alloy wheels and a matte-finish stripe complete the transformation. On the interior, upgrades include sport seats and body color air vents, as well as a unique set of floor mats.
As if that's not enough, buyers can opt for two further levels of amplification. For just over $5,000, you can get an Amplified Plus A1, which also includes a black headliner, LED interior lights, a color-coordinated key, and more body color interior trim. Stainless pedals and a full exterior body kit with LED taillights add to the sportiness quotient, along with a gloss black rear diffuser and dual exhaust for A1 models fitted with engines over 103 horsepower.
There's also a third Amplified package, reserved for A1s with over 120-horsepower engines. This one adds S Line sport package interior, including leather seats with contrasting stitching, body color setback shells, and bright floor mats. Rear glass is tinted and the body kit and roof wing are done up in gloss black. With 18-inch wheels and Xenon headlights, this is one truly loaded A1, which carries an $8,800 premium.
- New sporty edition models can be ordered for the A1 and A1 Sportback
- Exterior and interior color schemes in Misano Red and Glacier White
- Three different equipment levels available for each edition
Audi has released two new exclusive editions for the A1 and the A1 Sportback. Their names are the A1 amplified red and the A1 amplified white, and they are being launched on the market now.
The new edition models are based on the Ambition line, which is available for all engine versions of both models. The models combine exclusive optional features from Audi, quattro GmbH and Audi Genuine Accessories. In the amplified red line, the body is painted in Misano Red pearl effect, while the amplified white is painted in Glacier White metallic. Both lines are available in three different equipment levels that build on each other.
The first level is known as amplified. On this model, high-gloss black is applied to the roof line, S line roof spoiler, exterior mirror housings and single-frame grille. The exterior is further accentuated by 17-inch alloy wheels in five-arm design with black inserts and a matt, transparent film for the engine hood, roof and rear hatch. Eye-catching features inside the car include air vent sleeves in the body color, black sport seats with stitching in Parade Red (amplified red) or Rock Gray (amplified white) and floor mats with piping in matching colors.
The second level of the two edition models is called amplified plus. Its interior is upgraded by a black headliner, an LED interior light package and a color coordinated ignition key. The interior is further customized by the center console and interior mirror housing, which are both painted in the body color. Stainless steel caps for the pedals and foot rest underscore the car's sporty character. The exterior has sporty add-on parts from the aerodynamics competition kit, painted the same color as the body, and LED taillights. A special feature is the high-gloss black diffuser insert that integrates two matt black tailpipes on the left side (one tailpipe for engines up to 77 kW).
The third level, amplified advanced, is reserved for A1 models with over 90 kW of engine power. This represents the pinnacle of the sporty edition models. In addition to the equipment features offered for the amplified and amplified plus levels, this version offers the interior features of the S line sport package. In this package, Audi installs S sport seats with black upholstery in Silk Nappa leather and contrasting stitching in Parade Red or Dark Silver. The seat back shells painted in high-gloss Misano Red or Glacier White are the absolute highlight. A matching finish on the floor mats rounds out the color concept. Dark tinted glass at the rear offers privacy. The add-on parts from the aerodynamics competition kit and the large roof wing are both painted in high-gloss black. Xenon plus headlights and matt black 18-inch wheels in five-arm "Rotor" design emphasize the dynamic character of the A1 amplified advanced special edition model.
The A1 amplified red edition models are available now, and the amplified white versions will follow shortly. Prices start at €1,990, while the two higher levels are priced at €3,990 and €6,990.
via: Audi
Misha Design Mercedes CLS and SL
Both cars have received bespoke bumpers, wheel arch extensions and door sills, together with a diffuser tail with integrated exhausts.
Misha Designs SL-M wide body kit can be installed on any Mercedes-Benz SL R230 models, built between 2003 to 2011. What’s more, you don’t have to own the range-topper model as it works with the SL500, SL550, SL600, AMG SL55, AMG SL63 and AMG SL65. However, the older Mercedes-Benz SL R230 models need front facelift conversion that incudes new headlights and grill.
Meanwhile, the Misha Designs CLS-M body kit can be installed on any Mercedes-Benz CLS 218 models built from 2011- present. It kit works on CLS500, CLS550, and AMG CLS63 and includes the front and rear bumpers, hood, fenders, side skirts, diffuser, roof spoiler and trunk spoiler. Optional Carbon Fiber accessory pieces -- hood vents, front lip, rear bumper vents, diffuser, roof and trunk spoiler.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Mini reanimates Rocketman concept for London Olympics, is it reconsidering production?
Has the Mini Rocketman concept really burned up like a fuse up there alone? Don't count it as grounded just yet, because while the last we heard BMW had canned the idea of producing the miniest of neo-Minis, it has given the original concept car a new lease on life.
As part of its partnership with the 2012 London Olympics, Mini has retrofitted the smaller-than-a-Cooper concept with a theme that celebratres both the games and the country hosting them. The red, white and blue of the Union Jack replaces the cold gray tones of the original, with the flag motif recreated out of the illuminated braces that support the glass roof. Carbon fiber still abounds, with white panels inside bearing the sites and years of previous Olympic games.
All in all, it's a rather stunning reimagination of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show concept, but only raises more questions in our minds as to whether the decision to axe the Rocketman's production possibilities isn't due for a rethink.
As part of its partnership with the 2012 London Olympics, Mini has retrofitted the smaller-than-a-Cooper concept with a theme that celebratres both the games and the country hosting them. The red, white and blue of the Union Jack replaces the cold gray tones of the original, with the flag motif recreated out of the illuminated braces that support the glass roof. Carbon fiber still abounds, with white panels inside bearing the sites and years of previous Olympic games.
All in all, it's a rather stunning reimagination of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show concept, but only raises more questions in our minds as to whether the decision to axe the Rocketman's production possibilities isn't due for a rethink.
A tribute to the capital of Britain: The new-look MINI Rocketman Concept.
14.06.2012
Munich/Oxford/London. This summer the best athletes from some 200 countries will gather in London, England for the London 2012 Games – the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet. A total of 302 medals for the Olympic Games and 503 for the Paralympic Games will be up for grabs between July and early September, but the Games are about more than outstanding sporting achievement alone. The event plays a particularly important role as a platform for cultures to interact. And for London itself, there is the opportunity to once again put its best foot forward as host city. British premium car brand MINI will roll out the red carpet for the Olympians and Paralympians with the new edition of a spectacular small car study first presented at the International Geneva Motor Show 2011. The new design of the MINI Rocketman Concept combines innovative ideas for personal mobility in major cities with classical, unmistakably British design features inside and out. This extraordinary car will be on show in the BMW Group Pavilion, which is located close to the Olympic and Paralympic Village and will act as a showcase for the company during the Games.
The MINI Rocketman Concept caused quite a stir at the Geneva Motor Show 2011 as a ground-breaking new concept car majoring in driving fun in tight spaces. The 3+1-seater, with its three doors and an exterior length of just over three metres, is imbued with the timeless core values of the brand: irresistible design, clever functionality, smile-inducing agility and exceptional efficiency. In the process, it also offers a very contemporary take on the "creative use of space" principle that has held sway at the British carmaker for more than 50 years. The concept car approaches classic Mini territory in terms of dimensions, while advanced technology underpins a lifestyle-focused mobility solution equipped for life in large cities such as London over the years ahead. The MINI Rocketman Concept's spaceframe is made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, enabling a lightweight construction. Its innovative interior concept accommodates three full-size seats and an extra seat suitable for short journeys.
A commitment to British style and the roots of the brand.
The new edition of the concept car sees MINI reaffirming its commitment to the brand's British roots. The classic Mini reached out from its homeland to leave an indelible mark on roads around the world, and MINI Plant Oxford now produces no fewer than five models for the brand's global markets. The new MINI Rocketman Concept wears its British heritage on its sleeve, most prominently in its exterior and interior colour schemes and more subtly through the use of extremely high-quality materials and stylish details. All in all, it embodies a typically British form of sporting elegance.
The colours of the British national flag, the Union Jack, come to the fore on both the outside and inside of the car, red and white accents accompanying the dominant dark blue. The body's non-metallic paintwork is interspersed with exposed carbon components at the front end and around the doors. And the 18-inch light-alloy wheels have white polished areas and a metallic red accent. Matt Porcelain White paintwork is also used for the mirror caps, boot opener and surrounds for the radiator grille and headlights.
The grille structure – made up of MINI logos – could certainly be described as an "eye magnet", thanks also to its red metallic paint finish and contrasting white surround. A red strip emphasises the path of the hallmark MINI diagonal link between the wheel arch and door at the foot of the A-pillar. This takes a particularly chunky form on the concept car and also makes a feature of the door hinges. The two-section split boot opening consists of one upward-pivoting element and a second segment which extends out of the body in the form of a drawer – and which is also painted blue on the inside in the new MINI Rocketman Concept. The rear lights have a trapezoidal stirrup design and work using projector technology.
Another special feature is the distinctive lighting design for the roof. The concept car has a full-surface glass roof, whose illuminated braces recreate the look of Britain's Union Jack flag. Even when the roof is not illuminated, the braces – running horizontally, lengthways and diagonally – continue to shine in bright Porcelain White. In darkness, the integrated optical fibres provide a pleasant indirect illumination of the interior and a compelling night design visible from the outside. On the new MINI Rocketman Concept, the roof's transparent surfaces are bordered by a metallic red painted strip.
All aboard for a sporting ambience and tribute to London.
The Union Jack-led colour concept is also employed extensively and to stylish effect inside the new edition of the MINI Rocketman Concept. The interior exudes a sporting ambience, while intricate details emphasise the car's connection to London. The inner door panels and rear side sections are trimmed in dark blue nubuck leather, while the familiar MINI elliptical door rings provide an effective contrast with their white leather. The circular surrounds for features such as the air vents, door pulls and stereo speakers, are split into two sections and consist of a red inner ring and white outer ring.
The exposed carbon elements in the interior accentuate the MINI Rocketman Concept's high-tech character and are incorporated into its colour scheme. For example, the blue paintwork used for the dashboard merges smoothly into black around the steering wheel, producing a harmonious flow of colour into the dark carbon surfaces. The most distinctive element of the dashboard is the cockpit surface, which is bordered by a red bar and has a striking 3D effect. Its relief structure depicts the name of every host city of the summer Olympic Games in the modern era using artistically intricate lettering, with London given particularly prominent billing.
The seat surfaces blend blue nubuck leather with an innovative textile fibre. The upper sections of the seats' side bolsters, which provide additional support under dynamic cornering, are made from a rubberised material whose composition takes its cues – in terms of both style and function – from high-performance sports textiles and shoes. The seat belts also share the dark blue tone of the seat surfaces, while thin red and white strips add extra flourishes.
The new design of the MINI Rocketman Concept also displays its sporting spirit, Brit-chic style and eye for extravagant details through the range of sophisticated accessories for the interior. The stowage compartment on the centre console between the driver and front passenger symbolises a basketball court with miniature players. The key fob for the new concept car, meanwhile, comes in the form of a rocket decked out in British national colours. Other interior features include a rucksack attached behind the front passenger seat, which is made from the same rubberised material used for the seat bolsters and also sports the three-dimensional cockpit motif.
The new edition of the MINI Rocketman Concept cuts an unquestionably British and unmistakably MINI figure. Designed to welcome the athletes taking part in the "greatest sporting show on earth" to London this summer, the new edition of the concept car underlines the central role played by typically MINI customisation in every new product idea from the brand. The MINI Rocketman Concept also captures the imagination with its innovative technology, giving it all the ingredients it needs to lay on an irresistible combination of driving fun and sustainability. This, then, is further evidence of the brand's extraordinary creativity in the design of solutions for urban mobility over the years ahead.
14.06.2012
Munich/Oxford/London. This summer the best athletes from some 200 countries will gather in London, England for the London 2012 Games – the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet. A total of 302 medals for the Olympic Games and 503 for the Paralympic Games will be up for grabs between July and early September, but the Games are about more than outstanding sporting achievement alone. The event plays a particularly important role as a platform for cultures to interact. And for London itself, there is the opportunity to once again put its best foot forward as host city. British premium car brand MINI will roll out the red carpet for the Olympians and Paralympians with the new edition of a spectacular small car study first presented at the International Geneva Motor Show 2011. The new design of the MINI Rocketman Concept combines innovative ideas for personal mobility in major cities with classical, unmistakably British design features inside and out. This extraordinary car will be on show in the BMW Group Pavilion, which is located close to the Olympic and Paralympic Village and will act as a showcase for the company during the Games.
The MINI Rocketman Concept caused quite a stir at the Geneva Motor Show 2011 as a ground-breaking new concept car majoring in driving fun in tight spaces. The 3+1-seater, with its three doors and an exterior length of just over three metres, is imbued with the timeless core values of the brand: irresistible design, clever functionality, smile-inducing agility and exceptional efficiency. In the process, it also offers a very contemporary take on the "creative use of space" principle that has held sway at the British carmaker for more than 50 years. The concept car approaches classic Mini territory in terms of dimensions, while advanced technology underpins a lifestyle-focused mobility solution equipped for life in large cities such as London over the years ahead. The MINI Rocketman Concept's spaceframe is made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, enabling a lightweight construction. Its innovative interior concept accommodates three full-size seats and an extra seat suitable for short journeys.
A commitment to British style and the roots of the brand.
The new edition of the concept car sees MINI reaffirming its commitment to the brand's British roots. The classic Mini reached out from its homeland to leave an indelible mark on roads around the world, and MINI Plant Oxford now produces no fewer than five models for the brand's global markets. The new MINI Rocketman Concept wears its British heritage on its sleeve, most prominently in its exterior and interior colour schemes and more subtly through the use of extremely high-quality materials and stylish details. All in all, it embodies a typically British form of sporting elegance.
The colours of the British national flag, the Union Jack, come to the fore on both the outside and inside of the car, red and white accents accompanying the dominant dark blue. The body's non-metallic paintwork is interspersed with exposed carbon components at the front end and around the doors. And the 18-inch light-alloy wheels have white polished areas and a metallic red accent. Matt Porcelain White paintwork is also used for the mirror caps, boot opener and surrounds for the radiator grille and headlights.
The grille structure – made up of MINI logos – could certainly be described as an "eye magnet", thanks also to its red metallic paint finish and contrasting white surround. A red strip emphasises the path of the hallmark MINI diagonal link between the wheel arch and door at the foot of the A-pillar. This takes a particularly chunky form on the concept car and also makes a feature of the door hinges. The two-section split boot opening consists of one upward-pivoting element and a second segment which extends out of the body in the form of a drawer – and which is also painted blue on the inside in the new MINI Rocketman Concept. The rear lights have a trapezoidal stirrup design and work using projector technology.
Another special feature is the distinctive lighting design for the roof. The concept car has a full-surface glass roof, whose illuminated braces recreate the look of Britain's Union Jack flag. Even when the roof is not illuminated, the braces – running horizontally, lengthways and diagonally – continue to shine in bright Porcelain White. In darkness, the integrated optical fibres provide a pleasant indirect illumination of the interior and a compelling night design visible from the outside. On the new MINI Rocketman Concept, the roof's transparent surfaces are bordered by a metallic red painted strip.
All aboard for a sporting ambience and tribute to London.
The Union Jack-led colour concept is also employed extensively and to stylish effect inside the new edition of the MINI Rocketman Concept. The interior exudes a sporting ambience, while intricate details emphasise the car's connection to London. The inner door panels and rear side sections are trimmed in dark blue nubuck leather, while the familiar MINI elliptical door rings provide an effective contrast with their white leather. The circular surrounds for features such as the air vents, door pulls and stereo speakers, are split into two sections and consist of a red inner ring and white outer ring.
The exposed carbon elements in the interior accentuate the MINI Rocketman Concept's high-tech character and are incorporated into its colour scheme. For example, the blue paintwork used for the dashboard merges smoothly into black around the steering wheel, producing a harmonious flow of colour into the dark carbon surfaces. The most distinctive element of the dashboard is the cockpit surface, which is bordered by a red bar and has a striking 3D effect. Its relief structure depicts the name of every host city of the summer Olympic Games in the modern era using artistically intricate lettering, with London given particularly prominent billing.
The seat surfaces blend blue nubuck leather with an innovative textile fibre. The upper sections of the seats' side bolsters, which provide additional support under dynamic cornering, are made from a rubberised material whose composition takes its cues – in terms of both style and function – from high-performance sports textiles and shoes. The seat belts also share the dark blue tone of the seat surfaces, while thin red and white strips add extra flourishes.
The new design of the MINI Rocketman Concept also displays its sporting spirit, Brit-chic style and eye for extravagant details through the range of sophisticated accessories for the interior. The stowage compartment on the centre console between the driver and front passenger symbolises a basketball court with miniature players. The key fob for the new concept car, meanwhile, comes in the form of a rocket decked out in British national colours. Other interior features include a rucksack attached behind the front passenger seat, which is made from the same rubberised material used for the seat bolsters and also sports the three-dimensional cockpit motif.
The new edition of the MINI Rocketman Concept cuts an unquestionably British and unmistakably MINI figure. Designed to welcome the athletes taking part in the "greatest sporting show on earth" to London this summer, the new edition of the concept car underlines the central role played by typically MINI customisation in every new product idea from the brand. The MINI Rocketman Concept also captures the imagination with its innovative technology, giving it all the ingredients it needs to lay on an irresistible combination of driving fun and sustainability. This, then, is further evidence of the brand's extraordinary creativity in the design of solutions for urban mobility over the years ahead.
via: Mini
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Ferrari finalizes design for Enzo successor
A report in Car And Driver decrees that the final design for the successor to the Ferrari Enzo, which is being called by its internal code F70 for now, has been established. Whereas the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta was a collaboration between Pininfarina and Ferrari's in-house studio led by Flavio Manzoni, the F70 is the sole creation of the in-house team.
The designs that CD calls on to describe the F70's so-called "three-arc" body are the Millechili concept of 2007, the Enzo-based P4/5 and F430-based P4/5 Competizione commissioned by James Glickenhaus, and the rear-end treatment of the Pagani Zonda. That appears to cover a lot of design ground, but it does fit the evolution of the line, namely in having a carbon fiber coupe whose width is emphasized and whose three-dimensional forms are reinforced by compact, filled-out forms with harder edges. The web site Carpassion.it has rendered its take on the F70, and while it's pretty ornate in a Speed Racer way it's also pretty bleeping cool.
Within those forms are said to be active and passive aerodynamic aids, and complex airflow venting that begins as early as the headlight surrounds and that is being called "revolutionary" by Ferrari designers. Underneath, and no less revolutionary, will be a carbon fiber chassis that keeps weight down to roughly 2,650 pounds and a HY-KERS-equipped V12 that can motivate proceedings with something like 900 horsepower combined. With a promise that it will be seen this year, we should soon be able to get away from the mules and onto the masterpiece.
via: Car and Driver
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