What will the world look like in 2019? io9 posts a video interview with visual futurist (a title I’d kill for), Syd Mead, that aims to answer this question.
2019: A Future Imagined from Flat-12 on Vimeo.
I think what I enjoyed most was Syd’s advice for doing good work – being the creator, the technician and the observer. This is kind of the core of my job and has been since I started at 19, so it’s good to hear it from such a visionary. Thanks, Syd!
From the designer’s mind to the web, Autoblog gives us a run down on this traffic light concept from Thanva Tivawong. With at least twelve of the bastards between me and my parking lot – just 2.6 miles away – I’m now on constant lookout for ways to maximize green-time and win at the white line.
While I think of cars with pretty staggering regularity, I very rarely pay much attention to those from South Korea (which have always seemed like half-baked knock-offs of Japanese cars.) Recently, though, I’ve noticed my eyes drifting towards Kia’s offerings as they roll past and I had to ask myself: what the hell is going on here?
The Kia C’eed, Top Gear’s reasonably priced car from last season.
Well, the answer turns out to be something I already knew but had completely forgotten: Peter Schreyer is the chief of design for Kia. And his former job? Lead designer for Audi and VW.
I knew those crisp, clean lines looked familiar!
The reason I love cars is because, to me, they are like rolling sculpture. Automotive design has always been captivating: as a kid, I could spend hours drawing cars and could identify them just by the appearance of the headlights or curve of the windshield when out on the road with my parents. I learned to recognize manufacturer logos very early on and always wondered where they came from and how they might evolve. Jalopnik‘s feature on these shiny ornaments was a delightful Sunday find indeed!
Someone in Arizona is a hero to me today. This eccentric soul seems to have taken it upon himself to import a 30 year old Audi 50, perhaps making it the only one in the states. While the Jalopnik “Nice Price or Crack Pipe” vote is skewing hard towards the latter, I think I might be tempted if I had an extra $9500 just lying around. I mean, just look at how adorable she is:
It’s like my Simone’s adorable little grandmother and not all that different from the 1982 Honda Civic that hauled my mom to the hospital when I was born – or that Sookie Stackhouse scoots around in every week on True Blood. What can I say: I have a programmed affinity for hatches.
VW of America has named Jonathan Browning as their new chief executive of US operations. For a bit of backstory, Browning had been part of GM Europe between 1981 and 1997 and then head manager of Jaguar in the UK between 1997 and 2001 before returning to GM Europe in 2001. I don’t doubt that Mr. Browning is a fantastic executive and has probably earned his appointment but I’m very skeptical of GM management as a rule, especially when it comes to producing vehicles that American buyers are actually interested in. Hopefully his British and continental experience will keep VW of America on track with importing German cars instead of designing them all to a price for sale exclusively in the US.
This doesn’t bode well, though.
A keen-eyed Jalopnik reader caught this flatbed full of forbidden Alfa-Romeo Giuliettas barreling down a Michigan freeway! After being told that the US shan’t have the little Alfa hatch (until at least after 2012), I declare this truck to be the most sought after vehicle on the road. Find it! I must have it!
Jalopnik has posted up a very handy (and I suspect anger-fueled) guide to the geography of the automobile. As a pretty big car design lover I was surprised by how many terms I didn’t know. Gotta keep your strakes, tumblehomes and cowls straight, you know.
The BMW 328i that Kate is using as a loaner car right now seems to be exactly what was necessary to get her interested in cars. Before it, I couldn’t get her to even check out my new A3 when it arrived. After, though, she wanted to take not one but two drives just for fun AND suggested we get up early to go driving before work!
You take away 700 lbs compared to a girl’s X3…