All articles by Guy Bird – Page 9

  • Article

    Interview: Nobuki Ebisawa, managing director of R&D and general manager, styling design development division, Honda

    2015-05-09T11:55:28Z

    Historically, access to Honda designers has been tricky to gain. So it was a rare pleasure to catch up with design boss Nobuki Ebisawa at Honda's Automobile R&D center in Wako on the outskirts of Tokyo. Apparently, the occasion marked only the second time the normally secret location had opened ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Mercedes-Benz B-Class

    2015-05-09T11:55:08Z

    A strong part of the brief for the new platform called MFA (Mercedes Front-wheel drive Architecture) was to appeal more strongly to a youthful clientele. It will provide the base for around five new small cars. The B-Class - on sale March 2012 - starts the onslaught followed by a ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Mercedes-Benz B-Class

    2015-05-09T11:55:00Z

    “You have to have some lines on the side view to make the proportion a little bit lower,” Bauer continues. “If you have one or two long lines on the side it’s easier to add emotion for the eyes, it’s necessary. For the SLS you don’t need such lines. You could build a car like the B-Class without lines, but maybe it would be a little bit simple.”

  • Article

    Smart Forspeed concept signals new design direction

    2015-05-09T11:50:58Z

    Smart will unveil a new concept at the forthcoming Geneva motor show that signals a new design direction, hints at future product and confirms parent company Daimler's renewed commitment to the brand.

  • Article

    Design Development: Suzuki Q concept

    2015-05-09T11:50:10Z

    On the surface, the Suzuki Q is a perfect example of why many in the industry love the Tokyo motor show. Its steady stream of quirky and colorful concepts over the years has provided a tantalising glimpse of what the future could look like through creative Japanese eyes - with ...

  • Article

    Design Review: Toyota FT-CH concept

    2015-05-09T11:48:10Z

    The interior of the FT-CH was initially more difficult to evaluate as only one official photo of the cabin was available and the Detroit show car's doors were locked while the concept itself was perched up on a hard-to-access pedestal, limiting views inside. Interior designer Urwin did concede that this ...

  • Article

    Design Review: Toyota FT-CH concept

    2015-05-09T11:48:01Z

    Having succeeded in establishing the Prius as the undoubted ‘poster boy' of the righteous eco driver movement, Toyota is now embarking on reinforcing its green credentials by expanding its petrol/electric hybrid range to cater to other types of driver. Crucially, many of these new vehicles are set to define a ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Aston Martin Rapide

    2015-05-09T11:45:40Z

    The biggest exterior difference on the production Rapide compared to the concept is the bold new crease that extends from the signature side air intake behind the front wheelarch across the front door and just into the rear door panel (this is just below the shoulder line that extends from ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Aston Martin Rapide

    2015-05-09T11:45:33Z

    The design development of the forthcoming four-door, four-seater Aston Martin Rapide was heavily affected and intertwined with the recent transition of the brand itself: from Ford Group ‘jewel in the crown' to independent player, and from super car niche manufacturer to its now GT-expanded range and scope. Car Design News ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Honda Civic

    2015-05-09T11:43:36Z

    Indeed, one of the key sketches that influenced the final production version - from Daisuke Toriyama's ‘Proposal A' - features a distinctly protruding spoiler clad in a red plastic reflector connecting the two rear lights while still fulfilling an aerodynamic purpose. The spoiler in the production version is lower to ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Honda Civic

    2015-05-09T11:43:28Z

    Topping the radically futuristic previous-generation European Honda Civic hatchback was always going to be a tough ask. Car Design News talks exclusively to the man with that task, overall exterior design leader for the project, Daisuke Sawai.

  • Article

    Design Development: Changan Chana E301 concept

    2015-05-09T11:41:54Z

    Given the complexity of the project in terms of movable functions and parts, close engineering support was necessary throughout, including the engineers at Turin-based Vercarmodel that built the prototype. The E301's project leader was Fabio Miniati. Cosimo Amadei was the exterior designer and their Chinese colleagues Zheng Haihao (design) and ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Changan Chana E301 concept

    2015-05-09T11:41:47Z

    If you're looking for evidence of increasing confidence and content in concept cars from Chinese carmakers, you'll find it in the Chana E301. One of the surprise hits of the 2009 Shanghai auto show, the boldly asymmetric concept was commissioned by Changan Automobile, a manufacturer that recently gained Chinese Central ...

  • Article

    First Sight: Ford Transit Connect

    2015-05-09T11:40:25Z

    Among all the cars unveiled by Ford prior to the Paris Motorshow at last week's ‘Go Further' product extravaganza in Amsterdam you may have missed its all-new global van range, most of which will launch inside the next 18 months, and which includes a new version of many a designer's ...

  • Article

    Design Development: Jeep Grand Cherokee

    2015-05-09T11:39:44Z

    The interior is arguably the bigger story on the Jeep Grand Cherokee. When the project started back in June 2007 Klaus Busse was head of truck interiors. He is now director of Interior design and strategy. His co-project interior leader was James Mantua, and Chris Welch led the interior design.

  • Article

    Design Development: Jeep Grand Cherokee

    2015-05-09T11:39:39Z

    Over the last eight months Car Design News' sister publication Interior Motives has been allowed behind the curtains at Chrysler design to follow the development of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. As the wraps come off this crucial next-generation SUV in New York in just a few hours' time, we'll also ...

  • Article

    Interview: Michael Mauer, Head of Style, Porsche

    2015-05-09T11:24:52Z

    Is it a poison chalice to be a designer in an engineering-led firm?"It was to me very obvious from the beginning that if you have cars that can go well over 300km/h you definitely have different requirements to many other brands. It's a completely different world above 250-280km/h so you ...

  • Article

    Interview: Michael Mauer, Head of Style, Porsche

    2015-05-09T11:24:48Z

    After seven years as Head of Style Porsche, Michael Mauer is now firmly established at the brand, having been responsible for ‘most of' the controversial Panamera, the gentrification of the second-generation Cayenne plus the new 911 and 918 Spyder. And with bold range expansion plans afoot he arguably now has ...

  • Article

    MG Design Centre opens in UK

    2015-05-09T11:19:41Z

    The opening of MG's new design center this week at the historic production site of Longbridge, Birmingham, England was both an incredible and credible occasion.

  • Article

    Design Review: Honda EV-N concept

    2015-05-09T11:06:15Z

    The car is only 2860mm long, that's shorter than the already tiny 2985mm Toyota iQ, but the EV-N's also quite a bit narrower at 1475mm (the iQ is wide for its class at 1680mm) and slightly taller (1515mm vs. 1500mm). These proportions give the interior of the EV-N - designed ...