Car Design News looks at some of the design stories that may have gone under the radar over the past week. Read on for the latest news in brief
Welcome to this week’s round-up of car design short stories. Away from the hoodoo surrounding Nilu27 there is plenty of news from Monterey Car Week, as well as some interesting paint experiments. First up, some Porsche stories.
Mauer celebrates 20 years at Porsche
To mark his two-decade stint as design boss, Michael Mauer has shared some insight into his role and how the brand approaches design evolution. “Companies with a long history tend to think long-term; they don’t jump on every bandwagon,” he says. “That is also reflected in Porsche’s values and the evolutionary design culture – and ultimately fosters strong, timeless design.”
Full release here.
Sacrilege! ™️
If there was one thing the car industry did not need, but absolutely will not be upset by, it is another independent Porsche customiser. This one is a little different, though, and the company is clearly self-aware enough to name itself appropriately: Sacrilege Motors. Founded in 2020, it turns classic 911s fully electric with ”concours-grade quality” finishing. A new model based on the 964 widebody coupe will debut this month.
Full release here.
They call it mellow yellow
The Spectre Semaphore, is a one-of-one commission that will be on display at The Quail this month. There are shades of the Cadillac Sollei concept revealed recently, another high-end custard-coloured luxury barge. The name originates from the paint colour, Semaphore Yellow, which is accented by a ‘paint spill’ effect elsewhere on the exterior.
Full release here.
Maserati teases new model
Among the many other cars making their debut at The Quail (more on that to come) is a new ‘super sports car’ based on the MC20. It will be joined by the MC20 Tributo Modenese, a one-off created to pay homage to Maserati’s hometown of Modena.
Full release here.
Nissan keeps it cool
In one of the better play on words from recent press releases, Nissan has shared how it is experimenting with a special type of paint that helps the car to stay cooler in the sun. The work is being carried out in partnership with a company called Radi-Cool, which we would otherwise have assumed was a local central heating contractor.
Full release here.
Marketing: burden or boon?
And finally, a trumpeting of our own work, this time exploring how marketing – or indeed input from the market – influences the design of a vehicle. There are some fairly strong sentiments here, but also some diplomatic responses from top design leaders. We will dig into the subject further…
Full story here.
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