Former Chair of Art Center's Trans Dept, Stuart Reed designed this homage to Bugatti and presented it at The Eyes on Design Show last weekend. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Rumor is, this guy special ordered that car and then changed his mind! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Let’s Celebrate Design Process At Detroit’s New Industrial Exhibit The Detroit Institute of Arts now has a curator of automotive, industrial and decorative design, and local designers can help shape the collection. BY DAVE RANDPUBLISHED: JUN 25, 2024 Image Unavailable, Please Login TOM MURPHY For those of us living in metropolitan Detroit, most recognize that one of the region’s crown jewels is the Detroit Institute of Arts, one of the finest museums of its type in the country. A few years ago, the museum announced it would expand its collection with works of automotive design and technology. And earlier this year, the DIA appointed Shelley Selim to this position as the Mort Harris Curator of Automotive, Industrial and Decorative Design. Image Unavailable, Please Login In Search of Design Leadership This is exciting news for a number of reasons. There is no other fine arts institution in the US that will have a collection specifically focused on automotive design. Given the DIA’s standing and prestige, this will lend additional credibility to the collection. And what better place to house such a collection than Detroit—the birthplace of both the industry and the corporate automotive design organization (GM’s Art and Color Section, 1927) as we know it today. Image Unavailable, Please Login DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS The DIA’s Shelley Selim. The planned collection will consist of concept sketches, scale models, prints, paintings, photographs, and more. Some material has already been donated. But with a strong local design community—where designers tend to keep artwork they’ve done in the past—I’m sure the museum won’t have any difficulty finding those willing to fill out the collection. The Detroit location will work to the collection’s advantage. Given time—and the efforts and funding needed to procure and organize the work—the DIA could become the repository for American automotive design art and supporting work. I hope Ms. Selim will view the design community as a deep resource as she continues her work. Thanks to their wealth of professional experience, automotive designers are the subject matter experts she will need. Image Unavailable, Please Login DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS GM clay modeler Gianna Bell was highlighted at DIA’s 2021 exhibit, Detroit Style: Car Design in the Motor City. Use them to form an advisory group—perhaps several for specific areas—to deal with questions and to shape the goal and mission of the collection. How can this treasure trove be presented in a way that appeals to all museum visitors? What properties should be part of the collection? What type of shows will eventually emerge from this collection? Do the initial limits of the collection steer the subject matter or does a proposed exhibit direct what properties should be acquired (or borrowed)? Understanding the story behind a car designer’s work will lead to a better appreciation for it. I do have some concerns, though. Despite the vast potential for this collection, there has been no mention of a dedicated gallery within the museum. Hopefully a permanent display is in the plan, but could much of this collection be stashed away in the museum’s archives most of the time? And how will the work be presented? The museum has a long history of delivering excellent exhibitions of a particular artist, along with a narrative that put the artwork in the context of the artist’s life and times. That approach of telling the “story” behind the beautiful painting could apply as well to the automotive art by putting in context, for example, a particular vehicle’s development, part of a period design movement, or even the life’s work of the designer. Image Unavailable, Please Login Why Pick Black, White or Gray, When Options Exist? Sketches are really just physical representations of the designer’s thoughts—some with perhaps more artistry and drama to sell those thoughts—so understanding the story behind the work will lead to a better appreciation for it. The DIA has a great opportunity here. Other fine art institutions around the country have hosted automotive design-themed exhibits, generally in the form of classic car displays. The DIA had its own Detroit Style: Car Design in the Motor City a few years back as well. Image Unavailable, Please Login TOM MURPHY The DIA’s 2021 exhibit, Detroit Style: Car Design in the Motor City. But in general, these were temporary displays—one exception being New York’s MOMA, which has nine cars as part of its permanent collection. The difference with the DIA project is that it can target American automotive and industrial design work, with an emphasis on the creative design process, not the final result. Image Unavailable, Please Login TOM MURPHY It will take time for the DIA’s new endeavor to be fleshed out in detail and scope. But the promise of a permanent home for design work that would have gone unseen and unappreciated in the past should make many a designer very happy and proud. I know it does for this one, and with high expectations I look forward to the first exhibit from this significant new addition to the DIA collection. Dave Rand (pictured right) is the former executive director of Global Advanced Design for General Motors. Image Unavailable, Please Login DAVE RAND COLUMNIST Dave started scribbling cars in his math books in elementary school and eventually parlayed his enthusiasm into a career in automotive design. He started at General Motors in 1978, working there for more than 32 years and eventually becoming the Executive Director of Global Design. He later worked as a consultant for both domestic and foreign companies. When he isn’t preoccupied with home renovations, Dave likes standing back and contemplating his award-winning 1966 Jaguar E-
On Instagram today: BMW Design eugenegalison The BMW brand has long been identified with luxury, performance, and a particular design ethos that has garnered a loyal following among car enthusiasts. However, in recent years, a noticeable shift in design language has sparked significant debate within the automotive community. The newly revealed BMW M5, in this case, serves as a focal point for this discussion, summing up many of the controversial elements that have left fans, including myself, divided. To understand the current discontent, it is crucial to look back at the evolution of BMW's design language. BMW's design philosophy has traditionally been rooted in a balance of elegance and sportiness, characterized by clean lines, proportional aesthetics, and a distinctive yet understated presence. The kidney grille, Hofmeister kink, and balanced proportions have been the hallmarks of BMW design, resonating deeply with its core audience. In recent years, BMW has adopted a more aggressive and avant-garde approach to its design language. This shift has been most evident in the expansion of the kidney grille, which has grown significantly in size across various models. The grille, once a subtle and elegant feature, now dominates the front fascia, creating a polarizing visual impact. Additionally, the overall design of new BMW models, including the latest M5, has become more angular and complex. Sharp lines, exaggerated creases, and an aggressive stance have replaced the smoother, more harmonious shapes of previous generations. While these changes aim to convey a sense of modernity and dynamism, they have not been universally well-received - a thing BMW is aware of! As the automotive landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how BMW navigates the feedback from its community. Whether the brand will adjust its design philosophy or continue to push the boundaries remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the conversation around BMW’s design direction is far from over. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
New $2.5 mil Aston Martin Valiant not to be confused with the Plymouth Valiant. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I saw this early this morning. At first I thought it was an AI version of the Mustang GT3 for Lemans It has so many Mustang design cues; greenhouse, rear shoulders, tri-lights out back, similar rear wing, lots of boy-racer skirts & vents and a "kustom" Kar tubular version of early 2000s front end. Imagine my shock when I read it was an Aston-Martin commissioned by F. Alonso! Good Gawd, what were they thinking?! I will of course defer to your admonishment 'to see it in the steel first', but I cannot think of any way this dosesn't end up on 'ugliest car of 2024' list. Not at all disappointed that I don't have the $2.5 mil or whatever this is going to cost... Image Unavailable, Please Login
That's a tidy-looking car. I'm still resisting an electric with every fiber of my being, but that's a nice-looking one. All the best, Andrew.
IMHO, the Valiant was probably a tasteful looking car when the designers finished it up at 5 PM. However, I don't like all the gingerbread enhancements the cleaning crewe added to it overnight.
Aston Martin - Aston has done pretty cars but this one no longer continues that tradition. Not their best work nor what they have previously demonstrated they are capable of. Ford Capri - How dare they recycle the Capri name and try to claim some heritage to it. I guess this car is OK. I too have now use for any of the electric slot car. NO buzz and whir here!
Wondering if the vehicle might have a low residual value at the future time of turn-in due to the novelty of EVs when first leased by jm2? If so, maybe John could purchase the car at turn-in for residual value and then flip it to Andrew if a low residual might be a purchasing bargain for Andrew?
It's a long sad story. I loved the car when it was working. The lease is up in August and I'm back to ICE. CT5.
Sometimes I do over 300 stop-start miles in a single workday in all kinds of weather/temperature. I need the ability to do a splash and dash from a gas station during a packed day, so an EV is not a viable option for my job. All the best, Andrew.
1946 Cadillac Concept https://www.deansgarage.com/1946-cadillac-concept-car-becomes-crash-test-dummy-2/
I wonder why they used it as a crash tester. It sort of sounds like they had decided to scrap it anyway and needed something for the production car to hit so that's how it met its end. All the best, Andrew.
