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Automotive Industry

Throwing off sparks

Automotive Design & Production, Jan, 2003 by Gary S. Vasilash

Let's face it: The auto industry is Full oF interesting products. Same oF the most interesting are those vehicles that are Full-blown Figments oF clever designers' imaginations. These, oF course, are the so-called "concept" cars. Obviously, there are a whole lot more ideas that are thrown off like sparks than there are cars that can be put into production. Sometimes these sparks Fade away, to become items in museums or in basements oF design studios. Sometimes these sparks catch on and are transFormed into purchasable vehicles. Clearly, the designer has to walk the tightrope between innovation and production when developing his or her themes: It is a matter oF going From a sketch to a model that can be ogled at one oF the multitudinous car shows.

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For most oF us, it is quite simply unfeasible-or, more to the point, impossible--to attend all of the major car shows and to see all of the concepts that the vehicle manuFacturers and leading studios have to ofFer. What's more, there is a proliferation oF production vehicles in the world to the extent that many may go unnoticed by any but the most rabid autophiles. For example, does the Fiat Lllysse ring any bells?

Stephen Newbury, who is a design consultant with Tom Wakinshaw Racing, has addressed this situation with The Car Design Yearbook 1: The Definitive Guide to New Concept and Production Cars Worldwide [Merrell Publishers: London; 288 pp.; $39.95]. This is a coFfee-table sized tome [11.26 x 9.74-in.] on rich paper stock that allows the multitude of vehicles that are shown in brilliant color (photos and sketches] to shine. Newbury provides inFormatian about the vehicle, from the designer to many of the specs, as well as a brieF write-up For each of the vehicles. Regrettably, most oF the commentary is on the bland side. Sometimes, however, biting analysis comes out as in the description of the Daewoo Kalos: "The Kalos is certainly diFferent From other Daewoos. Unfortunately, From a design perspective, it is not an improvement" Considering what has became of Daewoo, the importance of good design cannot be underestimated.

For anyone who has more than a passing interest in new vehicle designs, The Car Design Yearbook 1 (which, undoubtedly, will be followed by 2, 3...) is worth the time and money.

Automotive Industry

Throwing off sparks

Automotive Design & Production, Jan, 2003 by Gary S. Vasilash

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