Prada's Inspiration from 1950s American Cars
Sometimes I am missing really impressive news on media! Actually, I felt guilty for missing this amazing and interesting news from Prada!
Prada revealed this season’s shoes collection. Actually, there is nothing wrong with this and I am not supposed to mention this on a car blog. However, Prada is inspired by American cars from 1950s! Huge, covered with lots of chrome, extreme soft suspension with no handling at all, petrol consumption more than a jumbo jet and etc. Don’t worry, these high heels do not consume any petrol but they may need parking sensor while walking, thanks to sharp edges and long wings! On the other hand, these heels may offer very pleasant journey, sorry walking, as they are inspired by 1950s American cars.
From design perspective, they made an amazing job while transforming the design elements from cars to shoes. I salute them! However, I don’t understand why they ignored or skipped the European cars during 1950s! Jaguar, Aston Martin, Mercedes, Bentley, Maserati, Ferrari, Fiat and many others. They have amazing designs, they look perfect from every angle and nothing is exaggerated like American cars at those times. Especially, the Italian brands were amazing! And Prada is an Italian brand, I really don’t know why they ignored the European cars and jump into American cars.
I hope they won’t reveal a collection that is inspired by 1980s Jeep Cherokee :)
Still, amazing job! Well done Prada.
For more photos: Cars & Life Facebook Page
Ferrari 166
Aston Martin DB2
Jaguar XK120
Pictures' Copyrights
Prada, NetCarShow, ItalianCars.net, JustaJaguar
Jennifer Lopez Fiat 500 Ads
I noticed that Fiat did a respectful investment to Fiat 500 model through placing Jennifer Lopez on advertisements. We used to see this type of advertisements mostly in fashion industry and less in automotive industry. Land Rover did it with Beckham but she never played on advertisements.
However, Fiat changed the rule of the game and released advertisements with Jennifer Lopez. I think it will help to increase the awareness of 500 in many different markets, but also it may create women targeted product as well, and some men increase their attention to 500 by Jennifer Lopez. Actually, I don't think that Jennifer Lopez will boost the sales of 500 for men consumers. But, I am sure that awareness of 500 will boost!
And the Jennifer Lopez's Papi video clip features the Fiat 500 and also a new Volvo S60, an old Volvo, and old BMW 5 Series, and old Mercedes E-Class. I do understand the old cars in the clip but they shouldn't be placing the brand new Volvo S60!
Lastly, in UK advertisement the Fiat 500 is an European spec version. Usually, some agencies miss this minor detail and the advertisements sometimes look funny, but they didn't make any mistakes here ;) Moreover, the targeted message for the US market is Sport and for the European market is Economy. You may see this through the buttons pressed by Lopez! US: Sport, Europe: Economy! For US market 500 is a Sporty car and for European market it is an economical car.
Here are the videos of Jennifer Lopez and Fiat 500, plus her song played on advertisement Papi!
Pictures' and Videos' Copyrights
Fiat
Noble: How to Use A Boot Properly?
As I part of my social service, I would like to answer the most important question for a sports car! Can you use the boot of a sports car? And my answer is yes!
During the Autosport International 2012 Show in Birmingham, I was in Noble stand. While I was taking the photos, I noticed that people from Noble were using boot very efficiently! It was not something, I use to see with sports car that often, especially something like Noble.
These boots are not supposed to be efficient or handle anything inside, however they managed to do it. What you can see from the photos, I can clearly say this: If you know how to put things inside a boot properly, even a sports car has a descent boot ;)
For more photos: Cars & Life Facebook Gallery
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For more photos: Cars & Life Facebook Gallery
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BMW M Models: X5 M50d, X6 M50d and M550d xDrive
Recently a new chapter opened for BMW M, diesel. For many years diesel was associated with black smoke, annoying knocking noise. Then, new technologies started to make diesel more entertaining, in 2002 Mercedes introduced C30 CDi SportCoupe AMG model to offer a diesel for the high performance segment. However, it was too early for the diesel to race with petrol powered performance cars.
Years passed, petrol priced jumped to unbelievable levels. People started to like diesel more, even the models like Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7 Series increased its diesel sales. Later on, Porsche offered diesel with Cayenne and then with Panamera. Diesel; now became synonym with performance and economy.
After all, BMW released the gossip of diesel M Models. It was very fragile, hard to believe. The iconic M brand will be offering diesel models. Later on, the footage was released and everyone started to believe that we will see diesel M Model.
And yesterday, they released the footage with BMW X6 M50d, X5 M50d, M550d Sedan and Estate with rear biased xDrive models. BMW created a new type of branding for M Diesel models; for SUVs they are using two numbers 50 to small d letter. For sedan models, M letter placed in front of the 550d. This is a totally new way of branding the diesel engines for BMW. And most importantly, this new engine is only available with four-wheel drive! What we should understand from this? This engine is very powerful and four-wheel drive enables to control it more easily due to high torque level.
In addition, the Audi RS and S models are not alone any more on market. They were offering the Quattro four-wheel drive technology on high performance models and competitors were offering only rear wheel drive models. Now, the equation has changed! Audi is not alone with Quattro!
In addition, the Audi RS and S models are not alone any more on market. They were offering the Quattro four-wheel drive technology on high performance models and competitors were offering only rear wheel drive models. Now, the equation has changed! Audi is not alone with Quattro!
However, this diesel engine is not 5-lt. It is a 3-lt engine with three turbo chargers, producing 381 PS with 740 nm of torque. If you don’t know what it torque, 740 is a really big number! You will not feel any hesitation to accelerate with this new diesel engine.
For more photos: Cars & Life Facebook Page
For more photos: Cars & Life Facebook Page
BMW M Performance models: performance figures, fuel consumption, CO2 emissions:
BMW M550d xDrive Sedan:
Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h (62 mph)]: 4.7 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), average fuel consumption: 6.3 litres/100 kilometres (44.8 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 165 g/km, exhaust standard: EU6.
BMW M550d xDrive Touring:
Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h (62 mph)]: 4.9 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), average fuel consumption: 6.4 litres/100 kilometres (44.1 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 169 g/km, exhaust standard: EU6. BMW X5 M50d: Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h (62 mph)]: 5.4 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), average fuel consumption: 7.5 litres/100 kilometres (37.7 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 199 g/km, exhaust standard: EU5.
BMW X6 M50d:
Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h (62 mph)]: 5.3 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), average fuel consumption: 7.7 litres/100 kilometres (36.7 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 204 g/km, exhaust standard: EU5.
Pictures' Copyrights
BMW
More Photos from Autosport International 2012
In second day of the show, I was with Charles. He is a professional photography with years of experience and lives in Birmingham. While I was taking photos, he was also taking photos as well ;) But with better angles and quality :)
He recently sent me some of this work from the show and I would like to share them with you. Keep in my mind, he has years of experience and very SLR body with lens!
You can find more on Professional Photography
Interview with Frank Stephenson
My trip to McLaren Technology HQ and interview Frank Stephenson (Design Director of McLaren).
Firstly I would like to start with Frank. He is the design director of McLaren and worked in Ford, BMW, Mini, Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and McLaren. You can find more information on interview. I had a great time with Frank in McLaren; he toured me around the building and showed every single place. The McLaren is really huge and I cannot define how it looks wonderful! After today, I can clearly say, Frank is a great designer and also a very nice person; and passionate with this work. When you listen to him, you understand the meaning of being a designer. And explain the designing a car with very simple words. I cannot ignore his passion to motorcycle. Honestly, after I had chat with him my perception towards motorcycle are changed. I never approach to them from the perspective Frank described me. You can find more about him in interview where you can find below.
Let's go back to McLaren headquarters in Woking, UK. Woking is a very nice, small city, silent, relaxing and lots of green. Inside the green, there is the McLaren HQ. The structure of the building totally part of the nature, there is an artificial lake, precisely placed tree. While I was there, the view from the window was like a canvas. The building and nature so well integrated with each other and you would never think that McLaren is producing cars here, but they do.
I want to talk about the building a little bit more. It is a total perfection, everything is perfectly designed, measurement are precise. The air is in same temperature in each room, there is no thermal shock here. You don't feel the cold weather from outside. And they achieved to isolate the smell in the food court from the rest of the building. By maintaining different air pressures.
The front part of the building is covered with glass and there are some curves. When it was first made, the wind was vibrating the glass. And McLaren F1 engineers designed a metal structure to eliminate this vibration through F1 technology.
And the corridors, when you first get inside you have the feeling that, I am in a James bond movie. Everywhere is perfect white, no dust or dirt at all. You go from tunnels, take lift with circular glass doors. There is nothing can annoy you with the building. Don't think that, it is just limited with the management part.
I visited the manufacturing site of MP4-12C, where they produce the car. Manufacturing plant is usually involves with dirt, oil, bad odour. However, it looks cleaner than hospitals. I am extremely serious! The manufacturing site is so clean, and you started to question your personal cleanliness.
The paint shop? It is supposed to be dirty but it is cleaner than my five start hotels! Each car is painted by hand with people who are expert on their job. Perfection does not finish here, McLaren does not paint the parts of the cars separately. In order to sustain the same level of paint, all parts are painted together.
Later on, the rain test. I was expecting to see some water but no! They test each car with rain test and no single drop at all. And last, the high speed test inside a glass room. It is also supposed to smell exhaust gas but again there is no smell at all.
I saw manufacturing plants but I have never seen something like this on earth. And possibly cannot see in future as well. Even the manufacturing team wear Hugo Boss dresses from head to toe! They don't have that ugly dresses like in other companies.
The MP4-12C, I witness to each stage of this car manufacturing. From naked chassis to ready for delivery. The manufacturing is so perfect, there is nothing wrong with the car. It is built like a luxury sedan. Parts are matching with no gap, the door is opened by sliding your fingers. The rear air brake works with hydraulic and acts as a proper air brake like in an airplane. One other example, navigation screen placed vertical to keep the car narrow!
The best part is the front head lights, at night you see the McLaren’s logo illuminated with LEDs and fins of sharks below it.
Lastly, McLaren is going to reveal more models! I don't want to give more details. But I assure that, Veyron will not be alone anymore.
From what I see today, if you are planning to buy an exclusive sports cars. There is only one choice, McLaren MP4-12C. From design studio to customer delivery preparation, everything is perfect!
Is that all from McLaren, of course not ;) I want to keep some secret...
For more photo: Facebook Gallery
And here is my interview with Frank Stephenson
Firstly I would like to start with Frank. He is the design director of McLaren and worked in Ford, BMW, Mini, Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and McLaren. You can find more information on interview. I had a great time with Frank in McLaren; he toured me around the building and showed every single place. The McLaren is really huge and I cannot define how it looks wonderful! After today, I can clearly say, Frank is a great designer and also a very nice person; and passionate with this work. When you listen to him, you understand the meaning of being a designer. And explain the designing a car with very simple words. I cannot ignore his passion to motorcycle. Honestly, after I had chat with him my perception towards motorcycle are changed. I never approach to them from the perspective Frank described me. You can find more about him in interview where you can find below.
Let's go back to McLaren headquarters in Woking, UK. Woking is a very nice, small city, silent, relaxing and lots of green. Inside the green, there is the McLaren HQ. The structure of the building totally part of the nature, there is an artificial lake, precisely placed tree. While I was there, the view from the window was like a canvas. The building and nature so well integrated with each other and you would never think that McLaren is producing cars here, but they do.
I want to talk about the building a little bit more. It is a total perfection, everything is perfectly designed, measurement are precise. The air is in same temperature in each room, there is no thermal shock here. You don't feel the cold weather from outside. And they achieved to isolate the smell in the food court from the rest of the building. By maintaining different air pressures.
The front part of the building is covered with glass and there are some curves. When it was first made, the wind was vibrating the glass. And McLaren F1 engineers designed a metal structure to eliminate this vibration through F1 technology.
And the corridors, when you first get inside you have the feeling that, I am in a James bond movie. Everywhere is perfect white, no dust or dirt at all. You go from tunnels, take lift with circular glass doors. There is nothing can annoy you with the building. Don't think that, it is just limited with the management part.
I visited the manufacturing site of MP4-12C, where they produce the car. Manufacturing plant is usually involves with dirt, oil, bad odour. However, it looks cleaner than hospitals. I am extremely serious! The manufacturing site is so clean, and you started to question your personal cleanliness.
The paint shop? It is supposed to be dirty but it is cleaner than my five start hotels! Each car is painted by hand with people who are expert on their job. Perfection does not finish here, McLaren does not paint the parts of the cars separately. In order to sustain the same level of paint, all parts are painted together.
Later on, the rain test. I was expecting to see some water but no! They test each car with rain test and no single drop at all. And last, the high speed test inside a glass room. It is also supposed to smell exhaust gas but again there is no smell at all.
I saw manufacturing plants but I have never seen something like this on earth. And possibly cannot see in future as well. Even the manufacturing team wear Hugo Boss dresses from head to toe! They don't have that ugly dresses like in other companies.
The MP4-12C, I witness to each stage of this car manufacturing. From naked chassis to ready for delivery. The manufacturing is so perfect, there is nothing wrong with the car. It is built like a luxury sedan. Parts are matching with no gap, the door is opened by sliding your fingers. The rear air brake works with hydraulic and acts as a proper air brake like in an airplane. One other example, navigation screen placed vertical to keep the car narrow!
The best part is the front head lights, at night you see the McLaren’s logo illuminated with LEDs and fins of sharks below it.
Lastly, McLaren is going to reveal more models! I don't want to give more details. But I assure that, Veyron will not be alone anymore.
From what I see today, if you are planning to buy an exclusive sports cars. There is only one choice, McLaren MP4-12C. From design studio to customer delivery preparation, everything is perfect!
Is that all from McLaren, of course not ;) I want to keep some secret...
For more photo: Facebook Gallery
And here is my interview with Frank Stephenson
Safety Car Needs Some Safety :)
I just found a video on YouTube. 2010 Korean GP and Mercedes SLS AMG Safety Car couldn't take the corner. You can see the very hard braking and smoke coming out from the tyres and the air brake was on full, but it was still too fast for the corner.
Autosport International 2012 Full Coverage
I have been blogging since the Autosport International 2012 started on Thursday and I realised that, I need to have a post for each article I posted during the show. Here they are!
And last video Caterham Live Action Arena
And last video Caterham Live Action Arena
BMW M3 Chrome, BMW M5, BMW New 3 Series
New Porsche 911, Porsche 918 RSR, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche Cayman R
Ginetta
Aston Martin DBR9
Mini Countryman and WRC version, Original Mini
Subaru Impreza
Ferrari 458, Ferrari 250 GTO
Lexus LFA
Jaguar XJR-S
Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Defender
Audi R8 GT
McLaren MP4-12C
Nissan GTR
Lamborghini Gallardo
Classic F1 Race Car, present F1 cars
Porsche 550 Spyder and LeMans racer
Drayson Electric Racing Car
KTM
Ariel Atom
Bugatti Veyron's brake disk
Nobel
Ford Focus and Fiesta WRC
David Coulthard
Fiat 500 Van
Pop Bang Colour
First day photos
A Fashion Statement by Ginetta
Second day photos with Tiff Needell
Models from the show
Porsche Stand
Third and Fourth Days
Autosport International 2012 Days 3 and 4
This is the last album from the show! There are similar photos with previous albums but from different angle and some more interesting things ;) Ferrari 458, BMW M3 Chrome, David Coulthard, Mini Countryman, Electric powered racer, Classic Formula 1 racer, Ginetta cars, Porsche 550 Spyder (Let me know if I am wrong), replica Lancia Stratos, Nobel and Live Action Arena!
I had lots of rubber on my face while taking those photos :)
And I cannot skip Ian Cook (Pop Bang Colour). He paints his work only using by remote cars and tyres!
