VW Cuts Back On EV Production, Citing Poor Sales

[Auto Styling News]

Volkswagen is temporarily cutting back production of e-cars at its Emden plant in the German seaport town of Lower Saxony, citing flagging sales, according to the works council. In the next two weeks until the plant vacations, the late shift in the production of the ID.4 compact SUV and the first models of the new ID.7 electric sedan will be canceled, works council head Manfred Wulff said in response to a question, confirming a report in the "Nordwest-Zeitung" newspaper. 

A VW spokeswoman in Emden told the paper, "We are confident that capacity utilization at the plant will increase again with the market launch of the ID.7 at the end of the year."

The workforce was informed of the move on Monday, the works council said. According to the statement, while production of combustion models, such as the Passat, will continue unchanged, the three-week plant vacation for employees in the E-segment is also to be extended by one week. In addition, around 300 of the 1,500 temporary workers currently employed in Emden are not to be kept on from August.

For the past decade, The German automaker has been promising an electric version of its wildly popular VW Van. But its success was pinned to the nostalgia of Baby Boomers (1946-1964) who remembered the original. The oldest cohort of the group is in their 70s now, and are unlikely to be buying "family vans."

In February, VW booted it's design chief, who was a proponent of "retro" designs.
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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

VW Designer Out, Replaced By Bentley Exec

[Auto Styling News]

The Volkswagen brand is replacing its design chief, Jozef Kaban, famous for his retro designs, with Bentley's design boss, Andreas Mindt, according to company sources.

Mindt will take up the post at VW brand on Feb. 1, the sources told European magazine Automobilwoche.

Mindt's successor at Bentley will be Tobias Suehlmann, who currently heads exterior design at the VW Group's ultraluxury brand, people familiar with the matter said. Suehlmann joined Bentley in October 2021, having previously worked at Bugatti, Aston Martin, McLaren and VW brand.

Kaban, who took charge of VW brand design in 2020, will be given a new post within VW Group.

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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

Mercedes Launches Luxury EV For 2023

[Auto Styling News]

Mercedes-Benz is betting big on its full conversion to electric vehicles.

The company's ongoing dedication to performance is translated well in the 2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE350+It's a mouthful to say, but a beautiful vehicle to behold.

The exterior design features one-bow lines and a cab-forward design. The black panel grille with chrome vertical struts and AMG lettering characterize the front view, while the side panels, rear bumper and spoiler give it a distinctly aerodynamic effect.

Mercedes-AMG vehicles have always thrilled with performance, and the all-electric EQE is no different. AMG-specific electric motors at the front and rear axles provide higher engine speeds and even more power, resulting in up to 677 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque (with the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS package). Variable all-wheel drive, rear axle steering, and AMG RIDE CONTROL+ with adaptive adjustable damping all help to translate that power to the pavement, maximizing agility and maneuverability. And to maintain the sensory experience of driving a Mercedes-AMG. 

The car is likely to price close to 100K in the US when it goes on sale later this year. But that hits both the EV market and Mercedes upscale AMG market quite nicely, pricewise.

Let's hope that sometime in the future the company has an entry level EV that looks similar to this and runs in the $35,000 range.

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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

Audi's New E-Tron GT Looks Gorgeous [Auto Styling News]

[Auto Styling News]

Audi just unveiled its latest production vehicle, and it looks pretty stunning. 

The Audi e-tron GT is a battery-powered, all-electric sports car, with—in top-performing $140,000 RS guise—motors on the front and rear axles capable of producing 637 horsepower. 

This provides the sporty four-door with the ability to accelerate from zero to 60 m.p.h. in about three seconds. If you’re not quite so aggressive with the go pedal, it should also be able to eke out well over 200 miles of range on a charge.

Expansion of its electric vehicle (EV) lineup—which currently consists of the pedestrian-looking e-tron SUV—is a top priority for Audi, which for years has staked out a position as a forward-thinking luxury brand, quick to embrace new forms and tech. 

“Fifty years ago, Audi was nothing compared to our main competitors Mercedes and BMW,” says Marc Lichte, the brand’s global design director. “And the reason why Audi became successful was that Audi made some really bold and progressive decisions.” 

For Lichte, these include universal implementation of the marque’s Quattro four-wheel-drive system, its use of lightweight aluminum in the underpinnings of its cars, and its abidance of advanced aerodynamics, as in the radical Audi 5000 of the 1980s.

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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

#Mercedes Delays Work On Self-Driving Cars To Focus On Electric [Auto Styling News]

Mercedes has delayed the introduction of self-driving cars to focus on electric vehicles and autonomous trucks.

Speaking with journalists in the wake of the cancelled Geneva motor show, Daimler chair and head of Mercedes cars, Ola Kallenius, said the German luxury giant shifted its approach to self-driving vehicles.

They will, however, continue to focus on semi-autonomous trucks.

Three questions surrounding autonomous cars include whether they are technically feasible, whether regulators will allow them on the road, and whether consumers will pay a premium for the technology.

[Source]

#BMW iNEXT Revealed; Points To New Design Direction [Auto Styling News]

Citing "human-centered design" and a radical new front end, the 2019 iteration of the electric BMW Vision iNEXT debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show this year.

And you're either going to love or hate the styling, from the first time you lay eyes on it.

BMW says the Vision iNEXT "provides an insight into the future of personal mobility." And it sure looks "futuristic." If produced as-is (which is of course highly unlikely) it would be extremely distinctive on the road. And yes, it's almost all about that front end.

The BMW's traditional "kidney" shaped grille remains in place, sort of, in a grossly elongated form. Taking its cue, perhaps, from modern Lexus design, this grille has metastasized to cover a full third of the front of this crossover. 

The car otherwise is angular, and frankly impressive. BMW calls it the "i design" language, and its meant to signal how all its vehicles will look in upcoming years. Large front-end scoops, which, like large grilles, are a popular trend, find their place here, as do the thin, super-bright headlamps. The traditional BMW red, white and black badge seems too small for this design, however, smothered by the humongous grille.

There's a lot "new" to this car, especially technologically. Autonomous driving, Connectivity, Electrification and Services (ACES) – have been incorporated into a single vehicle. Some elements, like cameras standing in for the absent side mirrors, clearly won't make it to production.

The concept car's color - the stunning Liquid Greyrose Copper paint finish, which is said to gradually change in shade from warm copper to dark rose - hopefully finds its way onto production cars, and becomes a trend.

The side view is praiseworthy, in that it doesn't look like every other car on the road. More wagon-like than SUV in stance, this car would be recognizable if it comes to America in this form. The "suicide" doors won't make it to production, but the "floating" roof gimmick likely will, and that would be one regret.

The exterior features powerfully sculpted surfaces curved like muscles onto the flanks, meant to project unbridled dynamism and give the exterior greater impact.

At the front, the windscreen merges seamlessly into a large panoramic roof. At the rear, the horizontal lines and surfaces create a wide and dynamic stance, and the slim rear lights cut deep into the car’s tail.

The air flows along the roof of the BMW Vision iNEXT all the way to its trailing edge, and this combines with a diffuser – illuminated for extra effect – said to enhance the car's aerodynamics.

Aside from the "floating roof" concept below it, the diffuser is an attractive styling element and a highly functional one, too: besides its positive influence over the car's aerodynamics, it meant to also increase electric range.

And make no mistake - this car is coming, in some form or another. BMW says the iNEXT's first production model will roll off the assembly line at Plant Dingolfing starting in 2021.

#BMW Leaks Photos Of 2019 #Z4 Ahead Of #PebbleBeach Reveal [Auto Styling News]

It has a long hood, short overhangs, a low center of gravity, and soft top. It's the soon-to-be revealed BMW Z4, and BMW has just "leaked" photos of the iconic car before its debut at Pebble Beach later this month. The photos of this 2019 model were leaked on Instagram.

It's face looks aggressive, with a large, aggressive front fascia, featuring an enormous interpretation of the traditional "kidney-shaped" grille openings, and a large scoop underneath, with more openings at the sides.

These are topped by large, fierce-looking headlights, all of which make the BMW hood badge look tiny by comparison. But of course perhaps that the point.

Commentators note that the front is more aggressive and larger than a previous concept vehicle, as are the lamps and mirrors.

The side features a scoop behind the front wheel wells and some sexy sculpted work on the lower door panels that avoid being compared to the "Bangle" days but still evoke that curvaceous era.

The tail is just as smart, featuring wrap-around tail lamps and a built-in spoiler that's not too large for the vehicle. The rear bumper looks like it's melting away, swooping around the licence tag area and dipping down into rear scoops that continue the aggressive, manly look of the front fascia. Dual exhausts round out the look nicely.

2019 #Audi #Q8 Luxury Mini-Ute Features Coupe-Like Elegance, SUV Seating [Auto Styling News]

Sharing a name (Q8) with a Middle Eastern nation probably appeals to a wealthy market there, if that was the thinking behind the name of the 2019 Audi Q8, which shares a platform with the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Porsche Cayenne, and aspires to the same luxury lineage.

Combining the elegance of a coupe with the functionality of an SUV, the Audi Q8 debuted in June at the Audi Brand Summit in Shenzhen, China. It will hit US showrooms at the end of 2018.

Inside, the five-passenger SUV offers advanced connectivity, infotainment and driver assistance systems, combined with capable driving dynamics, to set a new standard as the top SUV model from the Audi brand.

The Q8 introduces the brand’s new SUV design language. And it is at once stunning and aggressive. The large, single frame grille with its octagonal shape, combined with massive, highly contoured air inlets, give the vehicle a commanding presence on the road. The LED headlamp fixtures are blessedly angular, as is the entire vehicle, forever putting to bed the "upside-down bathtub" look of the mid-to-late 2000s.

The sloping roofline ends in gently inclined D-pillars and the pronounced wheel arches pay homage to the vehicle’s Quattro DNA, and hint at a couple-like shape, though not as much as, say, the Mercedes CLA. Along with the standard color palate of whites, grays and of course, black, the Q8 will be offered in a stunning "Dragon Orange" (shown here) or a brilliant "Navarre Blue."

A rather handsomely wrought light strip connects the tail lights at the rear of the vehicle, and in an homage to the original Audi Quattro, a black surface underlines and connects this strip. The indenture of the strip is mimicked in the light fixtures, themselves.

As is becoming common on all five-doors and SUVs, a sun-shielding overhang protrudes over the top of the rear window, which will both keep rain and sun from the glass. Rear visibility seems like it will be slightly hindered by the small rear window and somewhat large-looking C-pillars, as is the case with many other 5-door mini-utes.

But the vehicle overall has a gorgeous look to it - more car-like than SUV - which leads one to call this a Mini-Ute, or a full-on Ute. The available 22-inch wheels will definitely give it that appearance, despite the long-ish hood, which takes it solidly into the "car" realm.

#Mercedes Unveils Stunning #Electric Vision Mercedes-Maybach Concept In China [Auto Styling News]

At "Auto China 2018" in Beijing this year, Mercedes-Benz rolled out the stunning Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept. The design of the crossover, based on an exclusive high-end sedan and an SUV, follows the philosophy of Sensual Purity.

The show car was designed to combine the comfort and typical strengths of both body styles. It does it pretty well. It certainly has the raised seating position and athletic looks of an SUV.

The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury is conceived of as an electric vehicle with four compact permanent-magnet synchronous motors and fully variable all-wheel drive.

Smooth, extravagant surfaces with no beads or sharp edges create an image of sporty elegance: the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury has a majestic look. With its balanced proportions, the vehicle has tremendous presence.

The front end is accentuated by the distinctive chrome-plated radiator grille with its fine vertical bars in the style of a pinstripe suit.

The new grille design celebrated its world premiere in the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, the exclusive coupé concept car that delighted aficionados and fans of the brand in 2016. It also inspired the latest reinterpretation for the Mercedes-Maybach S‑Class.

In combination with the low-profile front headlamps with three lamp units, the grille dominates the front view of the vehicle while emphasizing its brand affiliation.

Large air inlets along with the horizontal air inlet with integral chrome blades stress the sportiness of the SUV sedan while lending it a dynamic look. The air inlets are crossed by the brand's typical honeycomb pattern. A continuous trim strip extends from the split hood across the roof through to the rear end.

Unlike a conventional sedan, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury offers a significantly higher, SUV-typical seating position and therefore a better driving experience. This addresses the desire of many customers for a feeling of protection and security – even though this was said to have been a challenge for the designers.

Ultimately, the task was to harmoniously transfer the familiar three-box design – hood, passenger compartment and trunk – into an SUV-like architecture. This produces an interesting tension between the poles of sportiness and Mercedes-Maybach luxury, and gives the car a very distinctive look that will set it apart from others on the road.

The upright C-pillar, long, gently forward-sloping hood and compact notchback dominate the sporty-but-elegant side view. The muscular volume of the flank is accentuated by a long wheelbase and short rear overhangs. The overall appearance is rounded off by 24‑inch turbine-look wheels.

Truncated running boards in machined aluminium are integrated in the lower door area. They are illuminated in white and bear the Maybach logo. The overall vehicle is accentuated by subtle chrome trim above the running boards as well as in the lower area of the front and rear ends. The electrically extending door handles are flush with the sides.

At the rear end, the three-part tail lights mirror the design of the front headlamps.

Above them is the vertically split rear window - a stunning feature that hearkens back to earlier Mercedes designs of the 1930s (and one, sadly, that has featured on several concepts of the past, which never seem to make it to production.)

Another striking feature is the modelled underride guard with diffuser look. It, too, is permeated by the Maybach pattern from the front end.

The car was almost obviously designed with the Chinese market in mind. Far more than Western countries, Chinese Elites love to be driven, and this car certainly lends itself to that proclivity.

The interior features a beautiful ebony wood surrounding the entire cabin, which is either extremely beautiful and comforting, or makes it feel as if one is riding inside a piano. The soft leather seats, especially in the rear compartment, are supple and extravagant.

One hopes that this vehicle makes it to the roads in both China and the West in the same basic format. If it does Mercedes will have and it's large and varied lineup one of the most striking vehicles ever produced.

Gorgeous #BMW Concept #M8GranCoupe: Designed To "Polarize" [Auto Styling News]

"Polarizing" is not usually the word car designers or auto manufacturers themselves embrace for their products, but that's exactly what the VP of design for BMW's M and i models is saying about the newly unveiled concept M8 Gran Coupe.

"The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is designed to stir things up, to polarize – it should move you emotionally,” admits Domagoj Dukec. "With this car we want to reach people who are looking for something special and who want to stand out from the crowd. Here, BMW M is unmistakably taking luxury out of its comfort zone."

Like the BMW Concept 8 Series before it, the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe supposedly shows off BMW’s new design language, featuring expressive surfacing that accentuates the car's dynamic pretensions more vividly than current models. And the concept is more evolutionary than revolutionary, except for a couple of elements that, as we'll describe below, may very well be left on the designer's drawing board.

Low to the road and broad in stance, the eye-catching front end of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is designed to set hearts racing. But it is the one thing that also may ACTUALLY polarize BMW enthusiasts.

The face is wearing a copper grin, as the familiar kidney shaped grille is outlined in copper, and the look is mimicked in the gold headlamps, which are a hexagonal interpretation of BMW's four-eyed front end. The contours of the radiator grille kidneys broaden as they descend towards the road, designed to highlight the car’s low center of gravity. The headlamps are positioned slightly higher than the kidneys and give them the impression of sitting lower, which further emphasizes the car’s closeness to the road.

The rear of the car also carries with it the possibility of major polarization. A large "lip" rises up from the hood to form an aerodynamic wing, and massive "scoops" are carved out of the rear bumper. It is  very hard to believe these gaps will
make it to production in the US, what with all the safety regulations, which have traditionally required a large 5-MPH-impact bumpers, as silly as some may think they are. The quad exhaust pipes also feature the copper colored theme that works its way into almost all metal on the concept M8 Gran Coupe.

The sides feature strong lines that cut into the form of the car and give it an undeniably muscular appearance. The windows in this computer model seem gold tinged, which follows nicely from the front end styling, and the "Hofmeister kink" remains, as part of a large rear window of the coupe that looks elegant and upscale.

The greenhouse looks too small in the concept drawing, but in the actual art (clearly this car hasn't been built) it's better proportioned, in fact, it's very nicely proportioned, and easily helps peg this as a BMW. And finally, one must call out the rather large BMW badge on the rear, which is a trend and not at all a bad one (yet.)

So, there are possibilities here that the M8 Gran Coupe concept will indeed polarize. But there's also a lot here to love. The style is undeniably BMW-flavored, and it is undeniably a well-designed concept. But whether some of the more "boy racer" elements remain - including the huge rear scoops and the more mild and mainstream front end ones - is up for debate. It's easy to see the rear become more restrained and the rest of the design remain as-is. Which will work for most BMW enthusiasts just fine.

(Photos: BMW Group)

#Porsche Stuns With "Road Ready" Luxury Electric #MissionECrossTurismo At Geneva [Auto Styling News]

Porsche has stunned the automotive world and upended the luxury electric car markets with the introduction of its Mission E Cross Turismo at the Geneva Motor Show.

The four-seater, with its low-cut hood and heavily curved wings happens to go from zero to sixty MPH in 3.5 seconds, matching the speed of the Tesla Model X P100D.

It can also be charged by induction, at a charging station or using the Porsche home energy storage system. The road-ready Mission E Cross Turismo (yes, you read that right: ROAD READY!) builds on the Mission E study Porsche presented at the 2015 International Motor Show and uses elements that are close to series production.


Its look is designed to spark emotional memories of the iconic Porsche 911, says the company. Vertical air inlets in the front, known as air curtains, are a distinctive design feature.

Another stylistic highlight are the matrix LED headlights. The brand’s typical four-point daytime running lights have evolved into narrow, three-dimensional glass elements. Embedded in four sweeping wings, these also contain an innovative four-point indicator light.

At the same time, the vehicle has high-performance full beams with Porsche X-Sight technology. The off-road design elements include robust wheel arch protection and door sills, a striking front spoiler and lower rear and increased ground clearance.

The silhouette is defined by a sporty roofline that slopes off to the rear, which Porsche designers refer to as a "flyline." This is reminiscent of the rear of the Panamera Sport Turismo.

Equally distinctive for the brand is the dynamic shape of the side windows. The broad wings and three-dimensional side panels with air outlets behind the front wheels reinforce the sporty crossover character of the concept car, which is 6 feet 6 inches wide.

Photos: Porsche.com

#VW's ID CROZZ #Concept Is An Autonomous Electric Slated For 2026 [Auto Styling News]

Volkswagen's I.D. CROZZ concept offers a fashionable sneak peek of the future, and that future is electric, autonomously driven crossover. And it may be in driveways by early 2026.

The concept's sleek, four-door coupe shape has a similar footprint to the new 2018 Tiguan, with dramatic doors that open 90 degrees in the front and slide back in the rear to reveal a cavernous interior. On the outside, the I.D. CROZZ greets passengers with a light show, with lighted VW logos and daytime running lights that “awaken” like eyes.

Personally, I'm not even a fan of the many, many vehicles already on the road that "blink" by turning out the headlamp when the turn signal is engaged. But I'm sure this silliness will either be long gone by 2026, or will be so ubiquitous that we don't even notice anymore.

The exterior is quite handsome, and is a bit of a step up from today's rather bland VWs. The sliding rear doors are just plain silly, and likely won't make it to production, but are less silly than ones seen on many other concepts, or current minivans. Not sure they want to emulate minivans, but it's entirely possible they show up on the final version.

The I.D. CROZZ resembles, especially from a side view, the Toyota Prius Prime, which isn't a bad vehicle design to emulate.

The production car, says VW, will feature the company's I.D. Pilot self-driving system concept. That means that in self-driving mode, the steering wheel of the I.D. CROZZ will (rather horrifyingly) retract into the dash, and the interior lights will change color. Drivers can summon the I.D. Pilot by simple voice controls, and the concept system is designed to rely on four laser scanners that pop up from the roof of the I.D. CROZZ, as well as ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, side area view cameras and a front camera.

VW estimates that the car's battery pack will be able to be recharged up to 80 percent in 30 minutes when using a 150-kWh fast charger. The company's EV plans are among the most ambitious in the industry, and call for launching next-generation electric vehicles on three continents - Europe, Asia and North America - anticipated to begin in 2020.

#BMW Collab. Promises Driverless Cars By 2021 [Auto Styling News]

BMW, Intel, and Mobileye are teaming up to make self-driving autonomous vehicles a reality by 2021. The collaboration could be a very positive sign that even driverless cars could be headed to our driveways within a decade.

Announced at a July 1 press conference in Munich, Germany, leaders from the three companies - leaders in the automotive, technology and computer vision and machine learning industries - announced their collaboration.

BMW believes the path to get to a fully autonomous world is complex and will require end-to-end solutions that integrate intelligence across the network, from door locks to the data center. Transportation providers of the future, they said, must harness rapidly evolving technologies, collaborate with totally new partners, and prepare for disruptive opportunities.

The BMW iNEXT model will be the foundation for BMW Group’s autonomous driving strategy and set the basis for fleets of fully autonomous vehicles.

The goal of the collaboration is to develop future-proofed solutions that enable the drivers to not only take their hands off the steering wheel, but reach the so called “eyes off” (level 3) and ultimately the "mind off" (level 4) level transforming the driver’s in-car time into leisure or work time. This level of autonomy would enable the vehicle, on a technical level, to achieve the final stage of traveling "driver off" (level 5) without a human driver inside.

BMW believes this technology lays the foundation for entirely new business models in a connected, mobile world. If it comes about, this could clearly revolutionize the way we view vehicles, and could disrupt driving as much as Uber and Lyft have disrupted the taxi industry, or cellular disrupted the old "tethered" telephones our parents grew up with in the 20th Century.

Dangers for the project are not more clearly highlighted by the first fatal accident involving a self-driving Tesla S in May, which raised serious questions about the viability of the autopilot technology at this stage. Mobileye supplied some of the tech behind Tesla's automated driving car. It was founded in 1999 and was a pioneer in developing advanced collision avoidance systems.

BMW is wise to reach out to tech leaders to collaborate in this way. Hopefully the technology really will be ready to deliver what's being advertised by 2021.

Mercedes' "Vision Tokyo" is Designed Appeal to Millennials When They Hit 40 [Auto Styling News]

Mercedes Benz is hoping that by the mid-2020s, Millennials in their 40s will have paid off enough student loan debt to be able to afford their new self-driven, tech-heavy "Vision Tokyo" minivan. But the concept and its technology seems to raise the question, "Why," rather than answer any existing problems or needs of drivers.

The concept, based on the earlier design study F015 Luxury In Motion concept, was unveiled recently at the Tokyo Motor Show, and it certainly looks like it would appeal to Millenials - as well as their GenX older siblings.

Mercedes describes the vehicle as a "lounge" vehicle and, "a chill-out zone in the midst of megacity traffic mayhem." And its exterior design advertises these facts in every possible way.

From the Bass-shaped mouth to its massive 26-inch tires, it's rakish windshield and curvaceous hindquarters, the Vision Tokyo isn't subtle. With healthy doses of neon accent lights (perhaps not so healthy) from the grille to the tires to the tail, this car WOULD be noticed on any street in any city. Perhaps it's too much for the suburbs but make no mistake -  this is a party wagon. 

The grille on the concept acts like a light show, with LEDs designed to pulsate to the vibrations of the music being played inside, though why exterior viewers who can't hear the music will respond to the pulsating neon lights would need to see this is a bit of a mystery. And pulsating LEDs pulling up behind your car at night would probably appear more like a police traffic stop than anything else.

How this would be street-legal, or even well-advised, remains to be seen. (And no, these will not ever, ever, ever make it to the production model.)

The tech, of course, is why this exists. This is designed to be a zero-emissions, plug-in hydrogen-fuel cell vehicle, with holographic multi-media technology inside its generous interior which is meant to entertain while it drives itself around town. One wonders if  the technology will understand that most users will simply want to be driven in circles, while the party continues inside.

Mercedes estimates that it will have 600 miles of total range, 120 of which would be battery-derived. So, it will allow for a lot of cruising on  those megacity streets. 

So we're left with an awesome shape, and a lot of bells and whistles. When we take away all the non-street-legal and ill-advised neon and LEDs, and add a proper gas or diesel engine, this concept may very well see the streets around the year 2025.

More: https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/mercedes-benz/innovation/autonomous-driving/

#Mercedes Teases "Luxury In Motion" Autonomous Driving Concept

Mercedes Benz has released it's "Luxury In Motion" autonomous driving concept car and it truly looks like it would be a spectacular vehicle.

Mercedes says:

"The Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion research vehicle makes the future tangible with the revolutionary concept of autonomous driving. A luxury sedan with total connectivity between vehicle, passengers, and the outside world, it's a preview of how the self-driving car of the future could evolve into a platform for communication and interaction."

The shape is predictably futuristic, bringing to mind the 2056-era vehicles of "Minority Report." Clearly, with autonomous driving, the interior is expanded, and the windshield is positively rakish, almost 40 degrees, since the idea is to make the most of the interior space.

A video of the vehicle - which no one is under any illusion will be coming to a showroom anytime soon, or in this configuration - portrays autonomous driving as a peaceful and serene event, with video screens embedded in the doors, and an automatic table expanding from between the seats with the slightest touch of a hand.

Of course it seems to take a minute and a half to expand upwards, reminding one of the futuristic-looking "electronic curtains" that closed in a mere seven minutes with the touch of a remote, portrayed in 1950s films showing how wonderful the future would be.

The four occupants (including, apparently, the "driver") are shown casually speaking with one another as the front row is turned backwards to face the rear occupants. This would seem to be the dawn of a new age of personal interaction in vehicles, until one realizes that the car would definitely be Wi-Fi enabled (since Chevy Impalas in 2015 already are) and the four would be heads-down in their smartphones, or Google Goggles, or whatever is big in 2025.

This kind of fanciful vision is par for the course for such speculative concepts, and we have to bear with them. Still, if the Mercedes of 2025 looks anything like this, we're in for some beautiful vehicles. Not that all but a few would be able to afford such a beast.

Does New Blood at BMW Styling Houses Signal New Styling Approaches?

Since August 1, BMW has cleaned house a bit and has hired some new talent in its design houses. It's obviously too early to tell if this signals a MAJOR shift in design focus for the brand - which (with Bangle) saw major shifts in the past intended to shake up BMW's styling (again, with varying success, one can argue.)

But these relatively young designers seem to have the right background - and perhaps the "right stuff" - to send the brand at least a jolt and perhaps bring some really beautiful cars to market.

Auto Styling News wishes them the best of luck!

The new talent includes:

Adrian van Hooydonk, who runs BMW Group Design, which embraces all the Group’s brands, and is thus responsible for design at BMW, BMW i, BMW Motorrad and MINI, as well as Rolls-Royce. The various design studios, Advanced Design, design research, design strategy and DesignworksUSA all fall within his jurisdiction.

BMW Design
In the BMW Design Team led by Karim Habib, Domagoj Dukec has taken over as head of Exterior Design, Oliver Heilmer as head of Interior Design and Martina Starke as head of Colour and Material Design.

Domagoj Dukec, 38, the new head of Exterior Design, was born in Frankfurt and has worked in the Exterior Design BMW Automobiles team since 2010. He was responsible for designing the Concept Active Tourer.

Oliver Heilmer, 39, replaces Marc Girard as head of Interior Design. The Munich native has been part of the Interior Design BMW Automobiles team since 2000 and was responsible for the design of the BMW 5 Series, among other assignments. Marc Girard, 43, will assume management of Automobile Design at DesignworksUSA, a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group.

Martina Starke, 42, is head of Colour and Material Design. The qualified textile designer joined the BMW Group in 2001 and her responsibilities have included Colour and Material Design for the larger series cars as well as for BMW Individual.
 
MINI Design
The MINI Design team led by Anders Warming welcomed Christopher Weil, 38, as its new head of Exterior Design. A Bavarian by birth, he has worked as a designer for the BMW Group since 2000, most recently for Automotive Design at BMW Group DesignworksUSA. Marcus Syring, 49, leaves his post as head of Exterior Design to join Rolls-Royce. Oliver Sieghart remains responsible for Interior Design and Annette Baumeister for Colour and Material Design.

“As head of BMW Group Design I’m very proud of the wealth of talent in my team.  I am convinced that through this restructuring we have given a significant boost to design in the individual brand studios and will continue to shape the future of BMW Group Design with success,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design.

BMW and Pininfarina Create the Beautiful The Gran Lusso Coupé Concept

BMW has teamed up with Pininfarina, the legendary Italian design house, to produce the gorgeous BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept, which may or not preview styling cues for the new BMW 8 Series.

The two time-honored companies unveiled the outcome of their first collaboration at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2013 earlier this week. Hopefully, it will be the start of a long collaboration.

“The appeal of this collaboration with Pininfarina is that you get another, very different and special angle on facets like luxury and exclusivity,” says Karim Habib, Head of BMW Design. “The Italian company, after all, has always been a byword for these criteria in particular, demonstrating time and again its keen sensitivity and exceptional finesse in these areas. In Pininfarina we have found the ideal partner to lend shape to this vehicle concept.”

“The result of this cooperative venture is far greater than the sum of its parts,” says Fabio Filippini, Head of Design at Pininfarina. “When two such tradition-rich and experienced brands join forces to turn a vision into reality, something utterly new and exciting emerges. From start to finish, this project was defined by a mutual respect for the identity of the other company.”

EXTERIOR REVIEW:

As swoopy and slippery as an Italian supermodel, this gorgeous vehicle has several readily apparent and highly distinctive features, starting with an over-sized BMW-standard kidney-shaped grille. On some cars this would be controversial (think of the latest Lexus models or every recent Audi) but this has a certain elegance and it's balanced by the large hood and the wide stance of the vehicle.

Next are the headlamps, which look razor sharp, thin and aggressive as hell. The lower bumpers and flat air-intake tend to give it a grimacing and fierce look, as they wrap into a KIA-like bow-tie, though like everything on this car, they are overlarge, so the comparison is perhaps unfair, and is only a passing resemblance.

The side is described by the companies as "a powerfully present silhouette" on which the convex taperings on the side, "add a dynamic elegance and give the body a tautly athletic shape." One cannot argue with this description.

The side mirrors look as though they are being held by the outstretched arms of a metallic being, or aluminum mailboxes, if one wishes to be unkind, but we don't, because they are entirely consistent with the design, and add to the elegance.

The "matt-sheen embellishment" behind the wheels feature the Pininfarina name, and the V12 labeling behind the trademark Hoffmeister Kink towards the rear of the vehicle shows that the car does, in fact, have an awesome engine (or one is planned, at any rate. Again, we'll see if this sees production.)

The rear tail lamps sweep across the trunk like a snake, the head of which curves downward like it's about to strike the rear wheel, or curl up in the wheel well, at least. They are entirely consistent with current design, but taken to the next level, and given the Italian panache one would expect.

Overall, this design study is worthy of both companies, and is consistent with historical BMW styling - enough so that it, if it is influential enough within the company, should lead designers towards something quite beautiful if it does indeed presage the new 8-Series when it finally bows sometime in the next 2-5 years. Let's hope we don't have to wait too long to see something like this on the road.

Photos: BMW Group