24-karat Gold Ferrari 250 GTO Sculpture

Swiss artist Dante will unveil his 24-Karat Ferrari 250 GTO sculpture at next month’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2011 in California.

Based artist Dante Rubli is a veteran sculptor who has wowed the world with awe-inspiring pieces. His sculptures include scale models of iconic sports cars which are crafted in luxury finishes, like gold, white gold, and silver.

The sculpture will be displayed alongside a tribute to the Ferrari 250 GTO featuring several rare units of the model.




Press Release

Swiss Artist Dante to Bring Iconic Sports Car Series of Sculptures to United States

"24-Karat Ferrari 250 GTO to be Unveiled during World Famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Weekend"

BERN, Switzerland, July 25, 2011 - Award winning artist Dante has announced that the United States debut of his newest sculpture will take place next month in Pebble Beach, California. "I am delighted to have the chance to come to Pebble Beach to experience the finest Concours event in the world and exhibit my sculptures," said the artist. The highly anticipated third piece in Dante's Iconic Sports Car series will be unveiled during the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance weekend which gathers significant collectors and the finest examples of automobiles from around the globe.

"The iconic car sculptures are my tribute to the men who made the original cars: they were artists," said Dante. As a Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance sponsor, a Design by Dante tent will be in position Thursday, August 18 through Sunday, August 21 on Peter Haye Hill adjacent to the Concours site in RetroAuto Plaza, amidst fellow Concours sponsors such as The Wall Street Journal, Porsche and Infinity to name a few. Dante will personally be on hand to meet with media and special guests.

Dante will reveal his newest sculpture, a Ferrari 250 GTO, coinciding with a special display of rare Ferrari 250 GTO cars which the Concours has assembled from all over the world. "One of the most important reasons for my coming to Pebble Beach is the celebration of the Ferrari 250 GTO and the number of original cars being shown. It is my favorite car of all time," said Dante.

About Dante

Dante Rubli is an artist based in Bern, Switzerland. He has been producing works of art for twenty-five years. Working with a variety of textiles ranging from wood and steel to gold and platinum, Dante has created custom furniture, sculptures and even automobiles for celebrities and collectors the world over. The Iconic Sports Car series delivers his most recent works in three scales, each of which can be supplied in traditional gold, white gold, silver and a selection of other luxury finishes. Each design in the series is limited to ten exceptional pieces. To date, the series includes the Aston-Martin DB5, Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing and Ferrari 250 GTO. More

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Fiat Rounds Out the Year of Art Cars at Exhibitalia

The Fiat became the canvas as renowned Italian artists used the new 500 as both inspiration and the canvas itself.
December 03, 2010

Exhibitalia is a 15,000-square-feet exhibit featuring a selection of Italian art, design, fashion and culture. Curated by renowed art critic and director of Italy's Lu C.C.A. Center of Contemporary Arts Maurizio Vanni, the pavilion showcases more than 200 artworks, 40 artists and 150 yards of mobile walls, a platform for video art and a bar lounge.

The exhibit is made possible due to the support from FIAT North America, Ducati Miami and SEA Milano Airports.

The Fiat 500 is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in early 2011.




Press Release

The Fiat 500 Inspires Artists at Exhibitalia in Miami

December 3, 2010 , Miami - The new Fiat 500 serves as inspiration for artists participating in Exhibitalia, a four day live exhibition that features a selection of Italian art, design, fashion and culture and that takes place at the Art Basel in Miami. Renowned artists, as well as two student art teams from the University of Miami, use the new Fiat 500 as both inspiration and canvas. Christian Balzano takes his design inspiration to the entire body of the Fiat 500.

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Cadillac Aera Concept wins LA Auto Show Design Challenge

The Cadillac Aera concept vehicle won the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, tying with Smart and besting entries from seven other automakers including Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Maybach. GM Advanced Design has now won the honor more times than any other design team; this is its third victory since 2005.

Like other concepts of this year’s challenge, the Aera focus on weight. The concept is a an efficient four-passenger vehicle that maintained comfort, safety, driving performance and style while not exceeding the “1,000 lb. car” weight limit.

Aera's body utilizes a 3D lattice, mono-formed frame that was designed to be similar to configurations found consistently in nature. The structure is formed from unique, alloy-utilizing, semi-solid freeform manufacturing, creating a naturally strong, extremely lightweight frame. All major body parts, including interior components, are essentially "grown" into a single part lattice structure.

The interior is crafted with an ultra-light recyclable polymer that allows for HVAC channels, fully adjustable seating, storage and comfort features all in one mono-form structure. Generous storage space accommodates luggage for two people.

The concept was conceived in GM's North Hollywood Advanced Design Studio by Frank Saucedo, director; Phil Tanioka, vehicle designer; Brent Wickham, concept strategist; Shawn Moghadam, layout designer, and Timonen, the project manager. Earlier this week, GM commemorated 10 years of advanced design at the L.A. area studio.




Press Release

LOS ANGELES : November 20, 2010 – The Cadillac Aera concept vehicle won the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, tying with Smart and besting entries from seven other automakers including Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Maybach. GM Advanced Design has now won the honor more times than any other design team; this is its third victory since 2005.

This is the seventh year for the contest, and this year designers were asked to envision the “1,000 lb. car” and tasked to imagine an efficient four-passenger vehicle that maintained comfort, safety, driving performance and style while not exceeding the weight requirement.

"The Cadillac Aera concept was designed to continue the forward-thinking imagination of Cadillac’s ‘art and science’ philosophy,” explains Jussi Timonen, lead designer for the project. “It's designed as a small city urban vehicle, but we approached this 2+2 touring coupe very much from the brand's luxury perspective. Every detail of the Aera was conceived to minimize the vehicle’s environmental impact without sacrificing the style, comfort and attention to detail that are hallmarks of the Cadillac brand.”

The Aera is powered by compressed air via a highly efficient Pneumatic Drive System that has a 10,000-psi composite air storage tank with capacity for a 1,000-mile range. Flexible, pressurized air cells in the exterior skin, similar to material developed for the NASA Mars Rover airbags, enhance passive safety and interior comfort. The flexible polymer skin optimizes aerodynamics and functions as an ultra-lightweight alternative to conventional body panels and glass.

Aera’s body utilizes a 3D lattice, mono-formed frame that was designed to be similar to configurations found consistently in nature. The structure is formed from unique, alloy-utilizing, semi-solid freeform manufacturing, creating a naturally strong, extremely lightweight frame. All major body parts, including interior components, are essentially “grown” into a single part lattice structure.

The interior is crafted with an ultra-light recyclable polymer that allows for HVAC channels, fully adjustable seating, storage and comfort features all in one mono-form structure. Generous storage space accommodates luggage for two people.

Additional technologies include an all-in-one wheel system that combines rotary actuator propulsion, steering and suspension functions. A drive-by-wire system decreases the mass of electrical components, while vehicle-to-vehicle communication promotes active safety.

The concept was conceived in GM’s North Hollywood Advanced Design Studio by Frank Saucedo, director; Phil Tanioka, vehicle designer; Brent Wickham, concept strategist; Shawn Moghadam, layout designer and Timonen, the project manager. Earlier this week, GM commemorated 10 years of advanced design at the L.A. area studio.

“This year’s design challenge was extremely difficult to judge because of the quality of all of the entries, but I believe that the executions that won exemplified everything that we were trying to achieve with this competition,” said Stewart Reed, chair, Transportation Design, Art Center College of Design. “The concepts that won were really spot on for their brands, which was one of many reasons for the victory.”

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference and has evolved into an integral element of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Design Los Angeles connects those working in the design industry with well-known automotive design industry leaders. Los Angeles is home to the world’s largest concentration of manufacturer design studios, representing automakers from North America, Europe and Asia. It is also the home of Art Center College of Design, one of the world’s foremost transportation design institutions where many of today’s leading automotive designers began their careers.

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2011 Bentley Continental GTC Speed 80-11 Edition

Bentley unveiled at the 60th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance its new limited-edition Continental GTC and GTC Speed 80-11 models, designed exclusively for the North American market.

These are basically trim packages, adding things like 20-inch, 14-spoke polished wheels, and red calipers on the Speed, but they at least look tasteful. While the 80-11 Editions will be available in any Bentley color, they've introduced a new color – Midnight – that will be exclusive to these models.

For the interior, Bentley’s styling team has created two unique interiors for these exclusive convertibles. The main leather hide choice for both vehicles is Beluga, and the contrast stitching, piping and Bentley emblems are white on the GTC and Pillar Box Red on the GTC Speed. Sporty drilled alloy foot pedals are standard on both vehicles and to further differentiate the special editions, the vehicles’ treadplates and a badge on the console are branded with the “80-11 Edition” signature.

And for those who still don’t know, the vehicles will carry the same a twin-turbo 6-liter W12 engine delivering 552hp and 479 lb-ft of torque in the GTC model and 600hp and 553 lb-ft of torque in the GTC Speed model. The GTC can hit 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds and has a top speed of 195mph (190mph with the top down) while the GTC Speed model sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds while the top speed is limited to 200mph (195mph with top down). The 80-11 Edition GTCs and the 80-11 Edition GTC Speeds arrive at Bentley dealers in fall of 2010 as model-year 2011 vehicles.




Press Release

BENTLEY MOTORS ANNOUNCES DEBUT OF TWO LIMITED-EDITION DROPHEADS AT PEBBLE BEACH

Continental GTC and GTC Speed 80-11 Editions Unveiled

(Pebble Beach, CA) Bentley Motors is displaying the company's new limited-edition Continental GTC and GTC Speed 80-11 models, designed exclusively for the North American market, on the Concept Lawn at the 60th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Both of these new cars combine the legendary performance, luxury and craftsmanship for which the 91-year old Bentley marque is renowned, as well as the added exclusivity of being commissioned for a single market. The 80-11 designation underlines just how limited these luxury British convertibles will be with Bentley building only 80 examples of each drophead in 2011.

Unique and Distinctive Exterior Styling

The GTC and GTC Speed 80-11 models deliver the same outstanding performance as their 'standard' Bentley counterparts but with their own strong and original styling stories.

The luxurious GTC 80-11 features new 20-inch, 14-spoke alloy diamond wheels, polished with unique black center caps featuring Bentley's distinctive 'B' emblem. The more performance-oriented GTC Speed 80-11offers the muscular Supersports' 20-inch wheels, now finished with an eye-catching dark tint, and displaying sporty red brake calipers underneath.

Both cars give a nod to Bentley's British heritage and incomparable craftsmanship, with Union Jack brightware badges featured on the front fenders.

Bentley's extensive choice of colors is available for both GTC 80-11 models but for those seeking even more exclusivity, a new and unique color - Midnight - has been commissioned for these high-performance convertibles. The 80-11 GTC and GTC convertibles offer the Dark Grey Metallic soft top and the Mulliner fuel-filler cap as standard.

A Unique Interpretation of Bentley Craftsmanship and Refinement

Bentley's styling team has created two unique interiors for these exclusive convertibles. The main leather hide choice for both vehicles is Beluga, and the contrast stitching, piping and Bentley emblems are white on the GTC and Pillar Box Red on the GTC Speed. The result is a strong, dark main hide color, accented by the contrasting hand-stitching and piping.

To complement the Piano Black veneers on both 80-11 Editions, the engine-turned aluminum dash has a bright finish in the GTC and a sportier dark finish for the GTC Speed. Race-inspired drilled alloy sport foot pedals are standard on both vehicles and to further differentiate the special editions, the vehicles' treadplates and a badge on the console are branded with the "80-11 Edition" signature.

The 80-11 Edition GTCs and the 80-11 Edition GTC Speeds arrive at Bentley dealers in fall of 2010 as model-year 2011 vehicles.

Exhilarating Bentley Performance and FlexFuel Technology

Since its launch in 2006 the Continental GTC has enjoyed sales success in over 50 countries around the world and drawing younger buyers to the Bentley marque. Customers are attracted to its combination of sleek design, interior craftsmanship, dramatic performance and refined but agile handling. The GTC boasts a twin-turbo 6-liter W12 engine, producing 552hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. The GTC's top speed is 195mph (190mph with the top down) and its 0-60mph sprint time is just 4.8 seconds.

Responding to customer demand for an even more potent and driver-focused convertible, the GTC Speed debuted in summer of 2009. The Speed also uses the twin-turbo 6-liter W12 powertain but Bentley's engineers have further optimized its performance to create 600hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 200mph (195mph with top down) the Speed was the world's fastest four-seat production convertible, before the recent arrival of its Bentley stablemate the Supersports Convertible, with a 0-60mph time of only 4.5 seconds.

For model-year 2011, the GTC and GTC Speed, along with all Bentley Continentals, features FlexFuel technology, which enables the vehicle to run on gasoline, E85 biofuel or any mix of the two without any compromise in performance. As part of its environmental strategy, Bentley has pledged to reduce CO2 by 15% by offering FlexFuel powertrains across its entire vehicle lineup by the end of 2012, and it has pledged to introduce a new powertrain that reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 40%.

About Bentley Motors, Inc

Bentley Motors, Inc. is the Sales, Marketing, distribution and Aftersales channel for the Bentley brand in The Americas. Nearly one in every three Bentley products sold worldwide is delivered to a customer in the Americas, making the region the single largest for the company. Headquartered in Boston, MA, Bentley Motors, Inc. has approximately 35 employees and 48 retail locations throughout the region. The wide majority of the region's sales and retailers are located in the United States, with the southern California, New York and southern Florida metro markets being the three largest.

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2010 Paris Auto Show: Chevrolet Spark Woody

The British division of Chevrolet has just released a one-off special version of its Spark supermini, an art car that will make its public debut at the upcoming Boardmasters surf, skate and music festival. Creative? Chevrolet! arts competition in Paris.

The Chevrolet Spark Woody was created using a three-quarter vinyl body wrap that creates the wood effect and also features retro style white rims and tires plus a surfboard on its roof.

The Spark Woody is one of a series of Art Sparks created by Chevrolet Europe in the past year. The first, a unique interpretation of the car by German fashion designer Smeilinener, made its debut at the final of the Young? Creative? Chevrolet Art Competition in Berlin last October, while other Art Sparks include a one-off WTCC leading car by Portuguese art student Jose Rocha, a YCC winner, and a Spark DJ Car – the world’s largest record turntable, created by Chevrolet UK this year.





Press Release

• Chevrolet unveils Spark Woody Wagon art car
• One-off created to coincide with Boardmasters festival
• Continues European ‘Art Spark' theme
• To feature at Paris Motor Show

Surf's up dudes - and here's the proof! Chevrolet, the manufacturer behind the market-leading 5-Year Promise aftercare package, has pulled the wraps off a one-off special version of its top-selling Spark supermini, created to celebrate the brand's American heritage and connection to youth culture.

Spotted driving around Newquay, Cornwall, at the start of the annual Boardmasters surf, skate and music festival, the Spark Woody will go on to star at the grand final of this year's Young? Creative? Chevrolet! arts competition, which takes place in Paris on the eve of the International Motor Show next month.

The car recalls the dawn of the surf movement in the USA, when, in the late Fifties and early Sixties, surfers bought ‘Woodies'. These were traditionally large estate cars based on mainstream models, but with timber framed bodywork, as they were both cheap and spacious enough to carry their boards and equipment.

Woody Wagons were immortalised in song, chiefly in The Beach Boys' Surfin Safari and Jan and Dean's Surf City, both widely regarded as two of the most famous surfing tunes ever.

Yet even when car makers stopped using wooden frames, an expensive and difficult production process, the Woody had become so much a part of American culture that its essence continued, with Chevrolet one of many US manufacturers who used Di-Noc woodgrained vinyl panelling to maintain the woody effect.

The Spark Woody was created in the UK for Chevrolet using a three-quarter vinyl body wrap provided by Pyramid Visuals of Weybridge, whose speciality is normally in vans and shop frontages. Its roof is adorned with an Escape Mini-Mal surfboard, made in Cornwall, as its wood-effect panelling was in keeping with the car's retro styling.

Chevrolet chose Newquay to show off the car for the first time, as the Cornish resort is famous across the world for its surfing culture - the Atlantic Ocean meets the British Isles at one of its narrowest peninsulas, which gives naturally excellent conditions for surfing.

The Spark Woody is one of a series of Art Sparks created by Chevrolet Europe in the past year. The first, a unique interpretation of the car by German fashion designer Smeilinener, made its debut at the final of the Young? Creative? Chevrolet Art Competition in Berlin last October, while other Art Sparks include a one-off WTCC leading car by Portuguese art student Jose Rocha, a YCC winner, and a Spark DJ Car - the world's largest record turntable, created by Chevrolet UK this year.

A further Art Spark, created by 27-year old British artist Ian Cook, will appear later this month at Silverstone Circuit to coincide with the British Touring Car Championship meeting there, while the Spark Woody will make its next public appearance this coming weekend at Snetterton, again tied in to the BTCC.

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Porsche Cayenne Diesel by Lumma Design

The tuners at Lumma Design have just introduced their latest project, involving a 2011 Porsche Cayenne Diesel, which includes modifications brought both in terms of design and performance. The Lumma 2011 Porsche Cayenne Diesel power pack, called the D-Box, takes the output of the German SUV from 240 hp to 276 hp (203 kW) and the torque from 550 Nm to 630 Nm.

On the styling front, the company offers headlight masks and Mono alloy wheels (22- or 23-inches). Inside, the cabin can be outfitted with matt aluminum sill plates, aluminum / rubber pedals, and floor mats with leather edging.

The exterior of the 2011 Cayenne Diesel gets minimal adjustments as only headlight covers and light allow wheels are added. The wheels come in a choice of the Mono 10x22” sport with a silver surface or the two-tone Mono 11x23” wheels

The interior is also lightly garnished with matt aluminum door sill panels featuring the machined LUMMA logo, aluminum pedals and a special boot floor mat with foldable boot sill protector. Upon request they can make your mats out of genuine animal skin. I want mine made out of a grizzly bea

Furthermore, the pedal covers are said to combine style with safety. While the machined aluminium highlights the pedals’ sporty nature, the built-in rubber nubs ensure that the driver’s feet don’t slip off the pedals. The foot rests are also made from the same combination of materials .





Press Release

LUMMA Design combines style and elegance in its comprehensive range of accessories for the new Porsche Cayenne

• D-Box improves the performance of the diesel engine from 240 to 276 hp

• Mono alloy wheels available in both 22-inch and 23-inch versions underscore the car's sporty character

• Aluminium and leather give the interior a touch of class

LUMMA Design proves that style and functionality do not have to be mutually exclusive. With its comprehensive range of accessories for the Porsche Cayenne, the car customiser from Winterlingen in Germany not only enhances the appearance of the Zuffenhausen-made SUV but also equips it for everyday use.

The D-Box for the Cayenne Diesel brings both reason and driving pleasure to the table in equal measure. This plug-and-play solution increases the diesel engine's performance from 240 to an impressive 276 hp (203 kW) and raises the vehicle's maximum torque from 550 to 630 Newton metres. This increased torque allows noticeable savings in fuel consumption to be made because it is precisely at low engine speeds that greater efficiency can be achieved. If required, the D-Box can be completely retrofitted.

In order to also enhance the engine bay's aesthetic qualities, LUMMA Design offers an optics engine package consisting of red-coated covers and a crest logo made of metal, with the top-quality materials emphasising the increased power of the diesel engine. In addition, thanks to its headlight covers, the big Porsche now looks determinedly ahead.

The new light alloy wheels from the Winterlingen-based customiser appear similarly sporty - whether it's the Mono 10x22-inch sports wheels with silver surface or the two-tone Mono 11x23-inch wheels with powerfully moulded spokes. Not only does the complete wheel set look really racy, it also ensures excellent road holding.

The twin exhaust pipe deflectors made from burnished and chrome-plated stainless steel give the Cayenne Diesel an individual touch while the two 90 millimetre pipes give the vehicle an especially sporty finish.

With that bit of extra agility, the SUV's refined interior awaits the driver. Even as you open the doors, the matt aluminium door sill panels featuring the machined LUMMA logo showcase the classic character of the revised Cayenne.

The vehicle's best example of the combination of style and functionality is the boot floor mat, with the LUMMA Design crest logo enhancing its appearance and the boot sill protector preventing unattractive scratches. For those who find all this to be a bit too much in the way of functionality, some of the Cayenne models come with the boot floor mat minus the foldable boot sill protector. Recesses for the lashing eyes are provided too, even for the version with the real leather edging.

The set of four LUMMA car floor mats for the interior are also edged with genuine animal skin. The mats' black finish incorporating the crest logo helps keep the vehicle clean and gives the interior a personal touch. Alternatively, the mats are available with a nubuck edging.

The pedal covers from LUMMA Design manage to combine style with safety. While the machined aluminium highlights the pedals' sporty nature, the built-in rubber nubs ensure that the driver's feet don't slip off the pedals. The foot rests made from the same combination of materials serve this purpose, too.

With its comprehensive range of accessories for the Porsche Cayenne, LUMMA Design allows car owners to add the perfect personal touch to their SUV and, in the process, manages to achieve a harmonious combination of functionality and style.

LUMMA Design will of course supply all these accessories with a TÜV certificate to enable the vehicle owner to easily include the parts with the rest of the car's documentation. The parts can be fitted at any specialised service centre or at LUMMA Design's headquarters in Winterlingen.

For further information on LUMMA Design's entire customisation range, please visit www.lumma-design.com

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