carstar

interesting, it has a one rectangle reverse light, just like the first gen intrepid

Hopefully it will cost less than a gallon of gas.

[post="http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/cce?Category=GALLERY&DateRange=20061101-20071201&Range=1&objectclass=1&Module=1&Class=11&photofoldermultisearch=2007_frankfurt,mercedes,f700&photofoldermultisearchand=1&Execute=1&Count=1"]source: autoweek[/post] Mercedes-Benz F700 Dubbed the F700, the large luxury sedan plots a direct path to the next-generation S-Class due in 2012, with state-of-the-art engine and suspension technology, as well as an advanced avatar-based controller system and radical new styling developed by the German automaker’s U.S.-based design studio in California.WTF is with the front doors!?

Once criticized for blurring the lines between its brands, General Motors Corp. has been busily trying to differentiate the vehicles it sells -- which range from distinctively American Hummers and Chevrolets to European-flavored Saabs -- by focusing on design. ED WELBURN GM • 1972 Joins General Motors design full-time • 1989 Chief Designer, Oldsmobile Studio • 1998 Director, GM Advanced Design Studio • 2002 Executive Director of Design, Body-on-Frame Architectures • 2005 Vice President, Global DesignSince 2003, Ed Welburn, the company's vice president for global design, has been charged with developing concept and production cars to do just that. Design-driven turnarounds at Cadillac and Saturn have boosted sales and earned GM coveted trophies like the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. The Wall Street Journal Online's Matt Vella recently spoke with Mr. Welburn in New York. Wall Street Journal: You were involved with designing the Hummer and Cadillac Escalade SUVs, vehicles that struck psychological gold with American consumers in the 1990s. How do you tap into a mood or trend on a level like that — and how much is luck? Edward Welburn, Jr.: You really do need to have an understanding of your customer, of the community, of the culture in general. Certainly there's some early market research as well as more inspirational research that helps our designers get an understanding of our customers -- not asking them what shape they want the grill or tail lamp, but getting an understanding of what they're looking for and a bit about their lifestyle. I think having design centers that are close to the community is another real advantage. We have 11 of these studios around the world. To understand what customers want and what offends them is just as important. WSJ: In what ways are American consumers' design tastes different from those of foreign markets, which you also oversee? Mr. Welburn: American tastes are a bit different. Traditional American design has more appeal here but it also has some in other locations around the world. The world really does like the best of American design. There is a lot of American design that they don't like. But, the best of it really connects. Corvette is loved. I mean today, probably more than at any other time, that vehicle is loved around the world. The very best of American design -- that has a kind of purity, that is uninhibited, and moves to the next frontier -- is appreciated around the world. The car companies from Japan and Korea are essentially doing their execution of European design and aesthetic. WSJ: Can you give me an example of Americanized European styling? Are we just talking about chrome? Mr. Welburn: The whole chrome thing really began here, adding more bright work to the vehicle. But, it spread. The most recent Paris auto show, the most recent Frankfurt show, we saw a lot more chrome. It was handled a bit different. Look at the latest offerings from Audi and VW. There's a lot more chrome on the front of the car. That was a trend that really began in the States. WSJ: Your colleague, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, recently explained why GM most likely won't produce the Cadillac Sixteen and Buick Velite, two concepts that generated a lot of enthusiasm in the industry in 2003 and 2004, respectively, thanks to elegant looks. What's it like to see such potentially popular vehicles red-lighted? Mr. Welburn: For the Velite, I said early on, this car may never go in production. But, it will have a very healthy influence on future Buicks. And, it has. Look at the Buick Enclave. Every bit of that design was influenced by the Velite. The front end, the grill shape, the headlamp shape, the body-side surfacing, even a hint of a boat tail. It all comes from the Velite. The whole mood was established with the Velite. And for other Buicks under development, the Velite is the vehicle we turn to. Sixteen is the same thing. WSJ: When you took over in 2003, one of the key elements of your design philosophy was that each brand needed to be well defined and identifiable. Where do you think that has worked? And what still needs work? Mr. Welburn: You know, the market is very impatient. You can't do one at a time. You have to do them all. Looking back, developing a family of vehicles for Saturn, we were on a real mission there. The work done on Cadillac has become the model for developing a very identified brand. Going forward, Chevrolet is something I get very excited about. We've been selling Chevys for years. In some markets they may have been Buicks with a Chevy bow tie on them. In other locations, they were Opels. And, in some cases the bow tie was a bit different. They took the Opel circle and put a bow tie on top. Now we've had a real initiative to develop a common face, a common look and feel for Chevrolet, globally. The benefit is that you can move these vehicles around the planet much easier. And, it's not bland, it's not just that we've dumbed it down to a common denominator. It's still very strong. WSJ: You've had design teams compete with one another to develop certain high-profile projects like the Cadillac CTS and Chevrolet Camaro. What's the role of competition within GM design? And how does this affect the creative process? Mr. Welburn: Competition just raises the bar of execution. I'll start with CTS. Although the home-base was in Warren, Michigan, I also gave it to the design team in California as well as the advanced design team we have in Europe. Out of that, five themes evolved. Each one was somewhat different, but they were all under the umbrella of what we believe a Cadillac should look like. With the Camaro, it was purely a concept, not production at first. We had an advance team working on it and it looked good, it looked quite good. But, it didn't have that spark I was looking for. It wasn't as fresh as I was looking for. So I told them I was establishing a second team. Same brief, same baseline. Instantly, the first team's design got better. I probably could have just told them there was a second team and that would have done the trick. The competition is really healthy. It works, it brings diverse ideas and opinions to the assignment. It works because the overall team is one that shares information, that can learn from each other. We all realize that the enemy is not other GM design teams. It's other car companies. WSJ: Earlier this spring, you expressed interest in possibly opening a New York design studio. What would be the benefits of doing that? And what's the likelihood? Mr. Welburn: There's so much that happens in New York that I think we could learn from. The fashion industry. Interior design. Product design. Culture. Art. Music. There's just a lot that we could learn from. If we establish something here, there probably won't be some big announcement, some ribbon cutting. You'll just look up and well have had that here for three or four years. Source:[post="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118478339116070577.html?mod=yahoo_hs&ru=yahoo"]http://online.wsj.com/article......[/post] that's so when it a production version of the 2003 Buick Centieme concept.

Come to think of it, the pic of the instrument cluster could be the 2009 camaro instrument cluster w/o the stitched leather, wood, & chrome.

how can the third pic be a Malibu/Aura MCE Center Stack when there's a 'tow' and a 'rear windshield wiper activation' button? Also it's almost the same from the Lambda MCE Center Stack with the exception of the top row of buttons and a silver finish.

buying a civic, cobalt, focus, corolla, or 3 doesn’t determine how smart you are.

wait, so that's what these vp of design do all day???

Ferrari “Dino” Caught On Dyno Filed Under: Coupes, Super Cars, Ferrari, Maserati, Spy Shots/Renderings, Future Vehicles July 11th, 2007 2:59 PM WINDING ROAD was among the first to bring you news of a “Dino” revival at Ferrari with a cover-story discussion on the mooted mini Maranelloan. Predictably, officials have denied the existence of a “cheap Ferrari” plan, but doing so was probably a smokescreen of sorts, as anything with a Prancing Horse affixed to the hood is uncomfortable being labeled as “inexpensive,” let alone “cheap.” In any case, a prototype of this future Ferrari appears to have been caught undergoing dyno pulls. The mule seen above employs Maserati Gran Turismo bodywork, and the Dino (or whatever it is to be called) will likely employ many with parts with the coupe. According to Autoblog.it, the entry-level exotic will likely be powered by a forced-induction variant of the 4.7-liter V8 set to power Alfa Romeo’s gorgeous 8C. (Click on the link below for more images of this baby Ferrari mule) + Autoblog.it: Ferrari F149: ancora spy (via Autoblog) Source: Winding Road

how come there's no rear spoiler? dosent that decrease the cd.?

Yes this is for real. In the recent issue of motor trend there's a small article about this. From what i recall, the production is scheduled near the end of this decade and they are currently testing the chassis. and i don't think that this: http://www.dimoramotorcar.com/_uploaded_fi...oster-large.jpg is a ripoff of the cad sixteen. Chineese automakers can do a better job of ripping off car designs. Also this car has more advance tech. than the sixteen since they have a suggestion box for ideas and the founder:

DiMora Motorcar is creating the world's first hand-built, $2 million, sixteen-cylinder production automobile: the Natalia SLS 2 sport luxury sedan. The world's most luxurious, expensive, and technologically-advanced creation. The development and unveiling of the Natalia is designed to be a premier Internet, televised, educational, and media event of unprecedented proportions. Millions of viewers from around the world will be able to watch our renowned craftsmen creating the Natalia via multiple live Web cams transmitting from our production site. Overview The Natalia SLS 2 sport luxury sedan, the world's first $2 million production automobile, will be completely distinctive from bumper to bumper. It will be the world's fastest, most technologically-advanced, and finest four-door sport luxury sedan in transportation history. The Natalia promises to feature dozens of innovations never seen before in any production automobile. Here are just a few of the planned, advanced features. DiMora Motorcar V16 Volcano Engine At the heart of every great motorcar is a great engine. The DiMora Volcano V16 engine will produce 1200 horsepower, yet will offer excellent gas mileage by using variable-cylinder tech­nology and an unusually lightweight engine block. The design, casting, and materials will set it apart from all prior engine technology. Fuel System The fuel system will use cutting-edge technology that we anticipate will yield a dramatic increase in gas mileage, while boosting performance and decreasing emissions to the point that a catalytic converter should not be needed. Aerospace Body Construction The chassis and body will use advanced aerospace materials and construction tech­niques to give superior strength at a weight easily 1,500 pounds less than luxury vehi­cles its same size. This weight advantage will further improve gas mileage and per­formance. The strength will add to the driver's and passengers' safety. More than 60 Onboard Computer Systems The Natalia technology will be driven by the most sophisticated computer systems ever used in an automobile. They will be tightly integrated to control the vehicle's perform­ance, safety, comfort, communications, and entertainment. Four-wheel Drive and Four-wheel Steering The drive train and steering systems will afford superior maneuverability, handling, and safety. Variable Suspension The unique suspension system will provide a smoother ride than in any luxury sedan with the performance characteristics of the finest sports cars. Paint The Natalia will use revolutionary paint technology. One optional feature of the paint will be to allow the automobile to change from black or blue when it's cool outside to white when it's hot. Bumpers The Natalia will be the first production automobile to use a patented new design and mate­rial technology for its bumpers. Low speed impacts will result in minimal damage beyond a paint scratch. At higher speeds, the bumper will perform its most important function: minimizing harm to the passengers. Vision Enhancement The Natalia will incorporate night vision into the head-up windshield display. Additionally, external cameras throughout the automobile will feed the head-up display to eliminate all blind spots. Headlights The headlights will house small video screens and a video projector. These will display any Natalia video stream: movies from the automobile's DVD player, satellite TV broadcasts, live video coming from any of the automobile's cameras, or a professional video about the automobile and our sponsors. Thus, the automobile will be able to tell the viewer about Natalia and our sponsors while parked. Next-generation Lighting Systems The Natalia will make use of sophisticated LED and fiber-optic lighting inside and out to give effects normally reserved for Hollywood productions. Among its many uses, light­ing will be adjusted through the biofeedback system to help keep the driver alert. Handicapped-assisting Front Passenger Seat The front passenger seat will glide forward, rotate 90 degrees, and transport the passenger to the sidewalk or a wheelchair. No other production automobile offers this as a standard feature. NASA Foam Technology The interior will feature NASA foam technology combined with a newly-created gel lin­ing and newly-created leather. This will provide unparalleled interior comfort. 115v or 230v AC Outlets Since we all carry many electronic devices, how nice it will be to have normal electric outlets to plug them into. This is the kind of attention to detail that helps make the Natalia unique. Wireless Personal Computer There will be a full-function, hand-held Windows personal computer that is 4.9" x 3.4" x 0.9" and weighs 14 ounces. It will have one gigabyte of memory, a 100 gigabyte hard drive, its own keyboard, and a full complement of ports. It will wirelessly connect to an external monitor, full-size keyboard, the Internet, and a portable printer, while in or out of the automobile. Retractable TV Screens and Bar The back-seat passengers will enjoy remote-controlled, retractable TV screens and bar. The large-screen TVs will use directed-sound technology so each person can watch different programming without the sound disturbing others without the use of headphones. Thermally-controlled Cup Holders Enhanced design blends the cup holders with the luxurious interior while keeping your drinks hot or cold at the touch of a switch. A fiber-optic ring will glow dimly, either red or blue, as it heats or cools the drink. A Woman's Touch We will create an elegantly-stated, limited-production purse, a $12,000 value that will be included with each Natalia SLS 2. Additional Luxury Items State-of-the-art computerized rear seat massage is guaranteed to relax you. Italian walnut, hand-inlaid burlwood will give the dash and bar a lustrous feel. English wool carpeting and lamb's wool mats will enhance the interior. Lighted Waterford crystal ashtrays will beautify the interior. Only a demonstration of a Natalia wine bottle can do justice to its amazing, pat­ented, self-uncorking system. Suffice it to say, this is the world's only wine bot­tle with the corkscrew built in. Source: [post="http://www.dimoramotorcar.com/"]DiMora Motorcar[/post] This 2 million dollar car can't park by itself?! Back to the drawing board! The design overall looks a bit weird with it's plain 'stoplight' tail lamps, a exaust pipe for every cilinder in the rear bumper prone to easly damage the trunk lid, Bangle's front fender w/ fender vents, and a late 90's buick grill that's been pulled sideways

mabe # 1 and #2 from the first post

why on earth are they using that old chopped photo when the pics of the 08 T&C are already out???????

18 cars, wow, that's alot! It could be any of these: Chevy: -next cobalt -'nomad', we've been talking about - production camaro - Nox replacement - next Impala Cadillac: -BRX -next DTS -CTS read-coupe & wagon Buick: Next Lax Lucern replacement Enclave 'Super' Pontiac: GTO next G6 Torrent replacement GMC: Torrent/Nox suv Arcida Denali Sabb: 9-4X next 9-5 Hummer: H3T H4 Acura/Vectra