Design/Style auto news

Official: New pics show 2013 Nissan Altima from all angles

Nissan has released a passel of official photosd of the 2013 Nissan Altima, the sedan it "would like to make #1 if customers agree." While the new styling might take getting used to, the other changes are all welcomed: it's lighter, has a revised transmission, will return 38 miles per gallon if equipped with the four-cylinder, and starts at $21,500 before the $760 destination charge.

Now that the Altima and Toyota Camry are known quantities, the pending reveal of the Honda Accord will fill out the field and then we'll have a better idea of the fight to come. Until then, have a closer look at the new Altima in the photo gallery above.

Report: Volkswagen designer claims no cost was taken out of Jetta, Passat interiors

There was a lot of built-up excitement surrounding the larger and less costly 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, but the anticipation deflated among critics when the model's less-than-impressive interior was revealed to the world. Critics chided the cheapened cabin, and quite a few negative reviews followed.

It's tough to argue that in the process of its upsizing, the Jetta's interior wasn't downgraded with lesser plastics and trim. The 2012 Passat does a much better job in this regard, but even then there are some areas where it feels like cost has been taken out of the cabin. But none of that is apparently enough to stop designer Jae Min from taking issue with these characterizations. Ward's Automotive reports that VW's chief U.S. designer claims that the Jetta and Passat interiors were not the victims of cost-cutting. Min claims that the money was simply re-purposed, with money shifting "from here to there." The designer went on to add that the automaker was able to lower the starting price of both vehicles in part because of more flexible vehicle architectures and shifting production from Germany to the States.

While Min sounds convinced that no pennies were pinched, we're not so sure - unless when he says money was shifted "from here to there" he means "from where you can see and feel to where you can't." Regardless of what we think, one statistic is impossible to argue: Jetta sales have shot up 43.9 percent this year and Passat sales have skyrocketed by 80.9 percent. That, ladies and gentlemen, is letting the numbers do the talking.

Video: China chastizes Beijing Motor Show over scantily clad models

Our post on China's "Tiger mom" phenomenon was illustrated with that above picture; it's the Jeep Wrangler Dragon Design Concept at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, accompanied by a booth professional. The model - her, not the Jeep - made a fair few friends in the Autoblog Comments section, but it turns out she and her kind attracted the ire of the Chinese authorities.

The Capital Ethics Development Office gave the Beijing show organizers a caning because the "scantily clad" models had "a negative social impact," and the show was warned not to let "such vulgar publicity" occur again. There's a lot of room between that leather bustier and a burqa, however, so all's not lost for next year's show in Shanghai.

Scroll down to watch the Bloomberg video on the matter.

Continue reading China chastizes Beijing Motor Show over scantily clad models

Official: Brabus turns its attention to custom jets

If you're looking to give your Mercedes-Benz an added dose of performance, look no further than Brabus. The aftermarket tuning house specializes in customizing Daimler's finest, and doesn't stop at upgrading the engine and running gear, either. With packages like the iBusiness suite, Brabus will turn your S-Class, for example, into a 219-mph high-tech office on wheels. In other words, it'll make it more like a private jet. But what if you want your jet to feel more like your customized Mercedes? Brabus can help with that, too.

The new Brabus Private Aviation division is set up in response to customer demand and follows a similar project launched recently to outfit yacht interiors. It allows discerning and well-heeled clients to either retrofit the cabins of their existing private jets or commission the accoutrements to be fitted to new aircraft direct from whatever aerospace concern is building their new private jet.

The focus is on both luxury and business capabilities, which Brabus is currently displaying with two concepts at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva. Scope 'em out in the high-resolution image gallery above, the press release below and the dedicated website beyond the link.

Continue reading Brabus turns its attention to custom jets

Report: Magna Touchskin technology takes a swipe at switchgear in cars [w/video]

The Touchskin interface has beeen on display since last October; now it's at a stage where Magna is shopping it to automakers. Although Magna is the marquee name, the various components that comprise Touchskin are produced by nine companies: Plastic Electronics, Engel Mould Technologies, Schöfer, Magna Exteriors and Interiors, Hueck, Niebling, Votteler, Hennecke Polyurethane and formquadrat.

It is exactly what it sounds like: instead of buttons and knobs populating the center tunnel space around the gearshift, there is a a perfectly smooth Clearmelt panel whose glossy surface heals itself of scratches and nicks. On either side of the shifter in the concept is the IDMP area, where your mobile phone rests. Without needing to be docked, the phone can connect with the car through Qi transmitters (common to phones as of this year) and be charged. The IDMP area and near-field Qi system is one of Magna's contributions and the company says it can't be hacked like Bluetooth or Internet protocols.

To the rear of the concept panel is the haptic interface, a protuberance that responds to numerous fingertip gestures to provide control of the car's various systems. It is made possible by the Touchskin film, produced in reel-to-reel fashion at a rate of 80 meters per minute, that can be molded to any shape and is wedded to the Clearmelt with copper foil.

There's a video just below to take you through the production process and how Touchskin works. It's unlikely the entire panel would make it into a new car, but we can certainly see it creeping, piece by glossy piece, into our Minority Report futures.

Continue reading Magna Touchskin technology takes a swipe at switchgear in cars [w/video]

Report: Pininfarina turns first net profit since 2004

Automotive News reports Pininfarina projects it will turn a profit for 2012, thanks in part to debt restructuring. The Italian design studio hasn't seen a profit in eight years, but signed a deal in April to restructure $182.6 million in debt. The move effectively stretched the studio's repayment deadline from 2015 to 2018. At the same time, Pininfarina announced it will likely see an operating loss this year, but a one-time gain of $57.6 million will result in the net profit. Last year, the company lost $8.3 million in the first quarter, though that figure has dropped to just under $4 million during Q1 2012.

Pininfarina also saw its net revenue increase by $2.9 million. The company designs vehicles for manufacturers the world over, including makes like Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls-Royce and Cadillac, though CEO Silvio Pietro Angori recently announced China is set to become the studio's largest market this year. That title was previously held by Germany.

Crushed Ferrari makes for world's most tragic coffee table

This post isn't for the weak of stomach or faint of heart. The sad truth of being an automotive enthusiast is that we're all hoarders on some level. We yearn to collect various bits of paraphernalia plucked from our favorite race teams and derelict junkyard hulks. Now Charly Molinelli Design has elevated our pack rat tendencies to high art. Or at least clever interior design. Using the cubed remains of an indistinguishable Ferrari, the designer set about crafting a coffee table that doesn't look like it belongs tucked away in a tacky man cave.

Behold, the Crashed Ferrari Table. The designer calls wedging the squared remains into the glass case "a dead hero placed into a coffin." Sounds fitting to us. There's no word on how much one of these would cost you if you wanted to take it home. Then again, there's something more than a touch depressing about seeing all that red crammed into a pine box. Head over to the Molinelli Design site for a closer look at the table's creation.

Report: Why your next car may not come with a CD player

Michael Arbaugh, chief designer of Ford interiors, describes center console space as "oceanfront property" - already fully populated, with more tenants trying to move in every year. Speaking to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit, Arbaugh said one tenant he'd like to evict is the CD player because it's dead weight for audio Luddites.

Ok, so he didn't say that exactly. But Arbaugh believes they're out of fashion with people under 30, and that growing lack of interest means they occupy space that could be better employed. CD players also add weight that has to be countered somewhere else in the march to meet CAFE regulations, an endeavor with nearly aerospace tolerances anymore.

The CD-less car is just talk at the moment, but there's no doubt it's coming. More and more computers are being sold without optical drives, and as it goes in the tech world so it shall go in the car-tech world. If we could just get carmakers to properly integrate connections for other PMPs that can play lossless codecs and don't mutilate the music, we wouldn't mind at all.

Vilner takes on the BMW F800R [w/video]

Vilner has taken the time to give the BMW F800R a once over to create the Predator. Built for a wealthy Russian businessman, the machine received a complete aesthetic redesign with plenty of components hewn from carbon fiber.

What isn't stitched from composite is coated in chrome, and the company's engineers set about shortening the bike by almost 10 inches. Vilner also ditched the dual saddle for a single seat variant and remade the headlight array. Red LEDs have replaced the standard bulbs, and a set of repurposed BMW Z4 turning indicators are now part of the action.

The Predator remains largely unchanged mechanically, though Vilner threw in a new, hand-built exhaust system. That means this machine still yields around 87 horsepower from its 800cc engine. Scroll down to check out the quick press release as well as a video of the bike.

Continue reading Vilner takes on the BMW F800R [w/video]

Official: Chevrolet Trax crossover headed to Paris, not bound for U.S.

If you're wondering why the name Trax sounds familiar, it's because we've heard it before. That's right, General Motors' chunky little crossover concept has blossomed into the production CUV you see here, and might we say, it's quite a handsome little thing.

Details about the new Trax are scarce, but since it looks to be based on the same high-riding platform derived from the Sonic that underpins the Buick Encore and Opel Mokka, so we'd expect the powertrains to simply carry over unchanged.

But know this: General Motors has no plans to offer the Trax in the United States, citing "the strong position of the Equinox" as the reason why it won't be offered Stateside. That's a shame, too. In our opinion, this baby Bowtie certainly makes more sense than the frumpy Buick Encore that doesn't really seem to fit with its brand. We suspect that Chevy dealers won't get this vehicle in part because GM wants to protect the Buick's positioning and price when it heads to U.S. dealers later this year.

The Trax will make its official debut at the Paris Motor Show in late September. For now, click the image above for a high-resolution version and scroll down to read GM's official release.

Continue reading Chevrolet Trax crossover headed to Paris, not bound for U.S.