photo: Autoweek.com
For car enthusiasts who are combing through the Geneva Motor files it would appear that the looks of the product models are at the top of the list for reveals at the Geneva Motor Show. Both Jalopnik and AutoWeek have devoted considerable pixels to the floor fly girls in their coverage.
Perhaps these car writers should consider a double career as fashionistos, where they could drool over the sexy cuts on the runway, and skip over to Milan, without having to feign interest in the sheet metal. It’s worth noting that what these women share with the auto show aesthetics is an emphasis on styling. And, as usual, they are killing it. But that’s the appeal of Europe — where everything just looks hotter.
But onto the real goods to emerge from Geneva — lots of news about cars we should have in the US, but won’t. Ahh well, like we said, Europe is always ahead when it comes to style. Consider the Aston Martin Cygnet, a considerable departure that’s taken compartmental chic to a new level of refinement..
Here’s a good aerial look at the Audi A1, with a cool interpretation of hatchback curves. Pleased to learn that driver Katheine Legge will rep in the Audi A4 DTM for Glamour Magazine. We met Katherine when she was an up and coming star on the Champ car circuit, with Paul Newman watching trackside.
We’re definitely itching to get a closer look at the Audi RS5, too.
And there’s the Alfa Romeo’s sculpted Giuletta.
Perhaps next year, in a progressive move at the Geneva Motor Show, male product experts will appear donning sports uniforms and beautifully sculpted Tom Ford style suits to appeal to the women/gay males sense of sex appeal, who are also a part of the press corps. However, for all Europe’s progress, some traditional elements will remain firmly in place.
“Art is more real when it consists of objects from the real world. — Robert Rauschenberg, quoted by AUDI Chairman of the Board Rupert Stadler in the Audi A8 Reveal.
“Vorsprung Durch Technik” — Audi communications.
Yesterday at the “The Art of Progress” exhibit collector brunch three top Audi executives took time to speak the press. The prominent Audi leaders shared their incentive for attaching the brand to Art Basel and explained why a starchitecht won’t be designing a limited edition Audi anytime soon.
Chairman of the Board of Management Rupert Stadler, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG Peter Schwarzenbauer and AUDI Design Chief Stefan Sielaff chatted with writers about all things Audi, A8, and Design Miami/Art Basel.
Writers from Dwell magazine, Complex, Paper Magazine, Intersection and several UK publications were included in the conversation. Essentially, a cluster of design writers chatted with movers and shakers in the luxury car world for a cross-convergence of cars and culture, appreciated by Gotryke.
Here’s the gist of the discussion.
On how Audi benefits internally from Art Basel:
“You need to have creative persons in an exchange,” Sielaf explained, citing the benefit his designers take away from checking out the art world happening in Miami.
On an end to a means:
“You have to allow the high level of creative and then trim down to meet the goals,” Stadler explained.
Audi, might like design, but this is a pragmatic car company — not an abstract expressionist.
On the Audi buyer:
“We know from market research our customers collect art. 5,000 – 6,000 art collectors will come through to buy art.” Schwarzenbauer said. When these lucky buyer stop by the Art of Progress they will discover they are in the market to afford an Audi A8 in their collections.
Audi trumped the LA Auto Show with impeccable timing, unveiling the 2011 Audi A8 at the Art of Progress, an event held on the opposite coast inaugurating Design Miami and Miami Art Basel.
Audi is an established part of Art Basel as title sponsor of Art Basel for the past four years, but this is the first car they’ve revealed outside of a traditional auto show setting. It makes perfect sense to use an event that is essentially Audi branded to woo design and art devotees, while adding emphasis to the aesthetic of the redesigned car.
The Audi A8 is the German automaker’s flagship sedan, a lustrous powerful full-bodied creature, completely redesigned from the engineering DNA to the exterior skin. The outside is sculpted to refined proportions that join together in a distinctive grille, using a linear format to juxtapose the bulbous contours.
The interior is made up lush materials that position new technologies in an unobtrusive way, balancing classic leathers and woods with the buttons and whistles of the multi-media interface and a refined option for Bang & Oluffson stereo system with 19 speakers.
Audi’s biggest story with the A8 is what isn’t seen — the massive fuel economy improvements for a car that operates in the US with a big 4.2-liter FSI V8 engine. There’s more power here (372 horses) and an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox that still manages to cut fuel economy, with reductions ranging from 13 to 22 percent. Lightweight materials like the aluminum Audi Space Frame (ASF), weighing about 40 percent less than a comparable steel structure, are partially accountable for this engineering coup. The A8 is leaner and meaner car that has the language of Audi’s latest slinkier reveals.
By creating the exhibition space deemed The Art of Progress, Audi reached beyond the confine for a generally traditional corporation — a point that will go unnoticed by car journalists in search of nuts and bolts. Over 900 international media were brought in for the unveiling — most of them are auto inclined. (I did meet a few German art critics.)
What Audi achieved was an event that had real artistry and design nuances. Famed art collectors, the Rubells, curated the exhibition that matched Audi design speak with art world luminaries. The Rubells are a savvy couple that have devoted their lives to acquiring one of the world’s most coveted art collections. The best part is that in their travels far and wide there known to fly coach in pursuit of their next great piece. The Miami-based Rubell Family Collection is a testament to their painstaking efforts. Audi invests in their show that opens Thursday Beg, Borrow and Steal.
Kehinde Wiley
More than a tag-along to an existing marketing partnership, the event had depth to it that went beyond branded materials. Kehinde Wiley’s piece was the first glance patrons have when they arrive in the space.
Celebrities were escorted in the premised, but remained low key including the likes of Twilight’s Kellan Lutz, Chris Noth, Pharrell and Christina Ricci. Host Lucy Liu moderated a round table with Audi Design Chief Stefan Sielaff, Design Miami Director Craig Robins and designer Tom Dixon that at times seemed choreographed. The conversation touched on few interesting points by the panel about the importance of design and taking the unusual paths to build something innovative.
Audi Chairman of the Board Rupert Stadler introduced the redesigned A8 with car speak that sounded more like auto show territory again. But Tom Dixon’s dramatic light installation was a sight to see as the car descended from the ceiling — and alas cars, art and design converge.
The Art of Progress Pavillion
Audi Pavilion
46th & Collins Avenue
Miami Beach
December 2 through 5, 2009
Open daily from 12-8 pm
We’ll be bringing more on Audi’s Art Basel connections and the 2011 Audi A8 soon enough.
Audi on Gotryke:
Audi S4
Car & Driver was there.
Jalopnik was there.
Coolhunting was there.
AutoBlog was there.
Try saying this three times fast: 2010 Audi S4 quattro Auto S-Tronic Sedan. Too late — the sportier version of the A4 sedan was here and gone already. That’s how I feel at the moment — a bit awestruck with the sleeper car that sneaked into the driveway and disappeared all too soon. If the Audi S4 were a person, it would be an art collector — it arrives early, it’s unassuming, and it will have you talking more about it once it’s left the premises.
The S4 came my way one week ago. It was a busy bustling week in New York, where sometimes, it takes planning to schedule driving time, when walking is a leaner, hassle-free option. (Yes, this is counter-intuitive to a car journalist lifestyle, but it is what it is. Call me a new-age car journalist.) Days were passing, and I was clamoring for seat time in the S4. At last, I took my first spin on a bright blue morning on open roads, and was to coin an old phrase, Audi 5000.
In the cabin, the S4 interior feels architecturally German, ala Walter Gropius, particularly with sport seats and the wrapped leather steering wheel. There might be other options, but I see black as the only recourse here. The glass sunroof creates a panoramic sense that opens up the space, as is the same case on the respectable A4 everyday driver, which was sculpted into a sportier shape and applied new headlights that make for a wider stance. And there was enough room to get the baby seat snugly in and out of the backseat.
With ants in my pants, I finally had the opportunity to really sashay in the S4 on the a wide-open stretch of pavement along the East River, fancy, fast and fresh… did I say fast? The addition of Sports Rear Differential (quattroSport) kept under steer out of the game, and I co-sign on claims of great agility due to torque split between the rear wheels. The new 3.0 TFSI V6 supercharged is faster too than the hulky previous V8, reaching 0-60 in 4.9 seconds, but with less horsepower and torque at 333 hp / 325 lb-ft.
S4 is the upgraded model of the A4 2.0T, replacing the 3.2 V6 that is out of the lineup, according to my Audi sources. The S4 sedan S tronic makes good on speed bucks at $47,300 (7% less than 2008 S4 V8 $ $49,710 that also included a $1300 gas guzzler tax), while the manual saves a bit more S4 sedan manual is priced at $45,900, which also is 9% less than 2008 S4 V8 $48,610, and was slapped with $1700 gas guzzler tax.
Fuel economy 2010 S4 S tronic: is markedly improved with this engine change reaching 18/28 verses the 2008 guilty model at 14/21. S4 battles against the BMW 335i and Mercedes-Benz C350. And it’s not the vehicle for everyone — which is what I like about it best. Like the art collector, the S4 has it’s own distinct persona with A4 practicality, and S-style sense of adventure. I’ve decided the S4 stands for something, as in S to the fourth power, or sophisticated, speedy, savvy and suave — here are pure S-tronics at work. My only regret about the S4 is that I didn’t get the opportunity to log more miles. We’ll be waiting for the next opening.
More Audi on Gotryke:
Audi Q7 TDI: get diesel!
Audi Forum Fashion with Jillian Lewis
I feel good behind the wheel of the Audi Q7 TDI — good being a general state of mind that carries over on many levels. Good because I’m cooly confident behind the wheel of a properly engineered vehicle that takes cues from the R7 Le Man-winner. Good, because I’m in clean diesel vehicles that rely on high compression ratios creating additional power and torque (225 hp / 406 lb-ft), while keeping fuel economy sweet and low. ( 17/25 city/highway, 20 mpg combined.) Good because I know can go long and wide — over 600 miles without fueling up. That’s enough to drive from Detroit to New York City without refueling.
Doe the Audi Q7 TDI take down the competition? (The BMW X5, the Mercedes GL320 BlueTEC, GL450, and the GL550.) I would be a fool to straight diss any of these vehicles out and out — each has it’s merits – preference comes down to detail and I like the smoothed-out aluminum tailgate and interior refined touches like the bonanza of 14 cup holders. This segment is interesting — it establishes benchmark for the clean SUV circuit that will be instrumental at all price points.
Next up, we’re really looking forward to the svelte 2010 Audi A3 TDI: Hello 42 MPG!
More Gotryke on Audi:
The Q7 story at the NY Auto Show
Audi at Sebring
The diesel debate on Kicking Tires.
Fall is in the air, which means spring is already here, at least it is in fashion speak as the Mercedes-Benz Spring 2010 Fashion Week hoopla gets underway.
Fashion Week in New York is underway, and where there are designers and parties, cars are never far from the runway. Mercedes-Benz remains the title sponsor for the event, and we’ll bring you a glimpse of the action later in the week, but in the mean time, check out Sicka Than Average’s descriptive coverage of Project Runway Season 4 graduate Jillian Lewis’s collection at the Audi Forum:
VIA SICKA THAN AVERAGE:
Project Runway Season 4 alumni Jillian Lewis showcased her Spring/Summer 2010 collection at the Audi Forum yesterday, where models were staggered on blocks within a circular platform that spun around at a slow pace, rotating a full 360 degrees. The collection consisted of separates and dresses in muted colors like lavender, winter pink, lilac, black, silver, gray, gold, coral pink, champagne and khaki, all boasting form-flattering silhouettes that oozed femininity while also evoking a sense of strength. Belted leather jackets, for example, featured side zipper closures, strong shoulders and cascading pleats along the sleeves for an armor-esque effect.
Lewis’s designs cleverly tread the line between naughty and nice. Broad shoulders were paired with delicate, embroidered details and sexy, see-through mesh fabrics (just look at the white dress pictured above, with its bustier-like top and the sheer, beaded overlay covering the entire design and adding a demure and almost bridal, veil-like effect). Tough components like hoods, zippers and cinched waists were given a feminine touch with soft, curved, petal-like cuts (such as those along the front panels of the lightweight, sleeveless hooded jacket pictured at top). And knee-length trench coats in slick, satin-like fabrics were given tulip-like cuts and ruffled details along the sleeves’ cuffs and the hemline.
The emphasis on broad shoulders, oversize lapels, leather accents, see-through mesh, and skin-tight leggings, along with the crimped and teased hair sported by the models, suggested a nod to ’80s fashions — but with a much more refined and sophisticated approach.
See also:
Spring 2009 Fashion Week Coverage
Feeling EcoChic
Fall 2009 Fashion Week Coverage
William Rast Struts Biker Chic
Driving Fashion: Acne
Project Runway and Saturn
Project Runway
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