You are certainly familiar with an Italian designer named Giovanni Michelotti, who works more as an independent designer and has designed many famous vehicles from various world-renowned automaker brands.
1968 DAF 55 Siluro designed by Giovanni Michelotti made its first debut at the 1968 Geneva Motorshow. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/39myrJQ)
One of the concept vehicles ever designed by him is the DAF 55 Siluro (the name derived from an Italian word which roughly means 'Torpedo'), due to the car has a unique design with long sloping silhouette lines that runs on both sides of the exterior and hood.
1968 DAF 55 Siluro has a unique design with long sloping silhouette lines that runs on both sides of the exterior and hood. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Iukr53)
The DAF 55 Siluro made its first debut at the 1968 Geneva Motorshow and has not seen in public since then until the last appearance at the 2005 AutoRAI held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Yes, after being sat silently for almost 37 years, The car was later re-appeared as memorabilia for Giovanni Michelotti, who was known to have died suddenly in 1980.
The steering wheel and dashboard view of 1968 DAF 55 Siluro. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Iukr53)
Before starting to design this Siluro, Michelotti had worked as a consultant for the Dutch automotive company, DAF. During his work, he is known to have designed cars made by Dutch manufacturers such as DAF 44 and 55.
1968 DAF 55 Siluro is used 1,108 cc inline four-cylinder engine coupled with DAF's unique Variomatic Transmission system. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Iukr53)
One of the most remarkable features embedded in the figure of this tiny sedan is an automatic transmission system called Variomatic Transmission, which allows the car to run at the same speed in forward or reverse conditions.
The DAF Siluro is built based on the DAF 55 Coupe platform with a capacity of four passengers, used a 1,108 cc inline four-cylinder engine, capable of producing power of 50 bhp at 5,000 rpm. This engine is combined with DAF's unique Variomatic Transmission system.
DAF manufacturing production has stopped a few years ago. When it was rediscovered, Siluro was in poor condition and needed a lot of repairs. Because many of the Siluro parts were made by Michelotti, restoring this prototype car became a pretty heavy task. However, thanks to generous sponsors, DAF Siluro was finally returned to its original condition.
At present, DAF Siluro's unique car is stored and displayed permanently at the DAF Museum, which is located at Tongelresestraat 27, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SUPERCARS.NET | UNIQUE CARS AND PARTS]
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You may have heard or known about the Nash Metropolitan. The car was a unique two-door American classic car that is one of the works of designer William J. Flajole. And also know that the car was produced in the period 1953 to 1961 by Nash Motors which was later merged and changed to American Motor Company in 1954. Here's the car that was modified to an automotive work called Nashole.
1955 Flajole Forerunner prototype is built based on Nash Metropolitan by William J. Flajole. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2VGhmGI)
After his success with Nash Metropolitan, the automotive designer Bill Flajole then began to design his private-owned car, which then built the Flajole Forerunner prototype in 1955. From its appearance, it can be seen that the design of the Flajole Forerunner is heavily influenced by the Jaguar XK120, but it has a high fender design plus its fastback body shape decreasing at the rear and is equipped with a retractable cabin roof.
Interior view of the 1955 Flajole Forerunner prototype. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2TATMsf)
Besides having a dramatic long hood profile, the Flajole Forerunner car also has a Plexiglass glass roof that can be opened automatically. In addition, the rear also has a sharp downhill design with a hole that functions as the place where its spare tire stored right above the rear bumper.
The steering wheel and dashboard view of the 1955 Flajole Forerunner prototype. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2VGhmGI)
The beauty of the Flajole Forerunner car more shines when the entire exterior is covered with a bright beige paint mixed contrasting with dark purple and combined with pearl white in the niches around the front and rear wheels.
Left side view of 1955 Flajole Forerunner prototype. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2VGhmGI)
The appearance of the Flajole Forerunner also marks the first appearance of the design of the body niche around the wheel, before Chevrolet then applied it to the Corvette model in 1956. In addition to the innovative small niche design and automatic retractable roof panel, the Flajole Forerunner also features commercial airplane-style seats that have head restraints on the top.
The 1955 Flajole Forerunner prototype is used dual overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine coupled with the four-speed transmission system. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2TATMsf)
Besides being able to add comfort while driving, this head restraint is also an innovation that is fairly advanced at the time, because it has not been thought of by other automotive designers for the safety factor held by car seats in minimizing injury in the car accident.
Left-rear side view of 1955 Flajole Forerunner prototype.(Picture from: http://bit.ly/2VGhmGI)
Once completed, Bill Flajole then used this Forerunner car as a means of personal transportation until the early 1970s and attracted many people's attention wherever he was. Then he donated the Flajole Forerunner to the Blackhawk Automotive Museum and then sold it to Sidney Craig through an auction in 1998.
Eleven years later, Bonhams auctioned off the Flajole Forerunner prototype at their 'Exceptional Motorcars and Automobilia' event at Quail Lodge Resort in 2009, the car is valued at the US $188,500. Then in 2012, the car was auctioned once again and this time auctioned by Barrett-Jackson and is worth the US $200,000 or around Rp.2.6 billion. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BONHAMS | BARRET-JACKSON | SILODROME]
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In the early 1950s, when the streamlined fighter jet shaped became part of public awareness and permeated almost every line of American society in the time, as did two fellow automotive enthusiasts, they decided to make and build a unique American-style sports car-inspired to that streamlined style.
The Elegante coupe concept was built based on the 1953 Cadillac chassis and featured at the 1955 New York International Auto Show. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/32jkLfM)
Harry Birdsall, an artist, and Joe Mascari, a famous contractor in New York, both of them then collaborated to design a futuristic-themed luxury coupe named the Cadillac Elegante, the car was built based on the 1953 Cadillac chassis.
The Elegante coupe concept was designed by the legendary automotive designer Albrecht Goertz. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Pi1xSz)
Those two friends then recruited the legendary automotive designer named Albrecht Goertz, whose aim was to provide elegance and luxurious touches in order to reach the smart customers of the high-end market segment. Goertz, who later also designed the BMW 507 and Datsun 240Z, in the time began designing the vehicle images with a sophisticated luxury touch.
Through its luxurious gold aura then made the Elegante coupe concept could grab the People's Choice Award at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Pi1xSz)
Shortly then the car's chassis and images were sent to Carrozzeria Rocco Motto in Turin, Italy to bring the car into a reality. And the Italian automotive coachbuilder needs the time of 30 months to build the body, made all specific hardware, and installed all of those on a 126-inches wheelbase of the car's chassis.
That luxurious gold aura of the Elegante coupe concept then combined with dark red wine colored Italian genuine-leather interior. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Pi1xSz)
As we look today, the car was featured a unique two-folded convertible hard roof. Interestingly, that the futuristic and unique retractable hard roof, turn out was made by using the remnants of the burned-Cadillac Series 62 convertible roof at the Cadillac's dealer of White Plains.
The Elegante coupe concept used a 331-cubic-inch Cadillac V8 engine coupled with a GM four-speed Hydra-Matic transmission system. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Pi1xSz)
The luxurious gold aura is immediately apparent in this Cadillac Elegante design. Ranging from its four-headlights house, windshield frame, door handles, convertible roof, and trunk trim, up to the hidden license plate frames are all made of bronze and then coated with 24-carat of gold. And the aluminum trim and car's hubcaps are not to forget also given a gold-gilded touche.
The luxurious gold aura is immediately apparent of this Elegante coupe concept, ranging from its four-headlights house, windshield frame, door handles, convertible roof, and trunk trim, up to the hidden license plate frames are all made of bronze and then coated with 24-carat of gold. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2wET9pH)
The Elegante body is then painted pearl white and combined with dark red wine colored Italian genuine-leather interior. The results are truly amazing; so amazing it even made a young woman cry out in public: "Why it's so beautiful it's indecent!"
It's known, that the Cadillac Elegante has been changed ownership several times after Harry Birdsall died in 1960. In 1997, Dick and his brother Bob Birdsall found back the car was in severely damaged condition after hurricane Andrew passed. Then those two Birdsall brothers spent over 16 years recovering this iconic concept car into as seen today condition, so no wonder if finally the car winning the People's Choice Award at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE OLD MOTOR]
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In the world's automotive, there are many famous iconic works that embrace various design elements from around the world. For example, in the 1950s there's a man named Jay Everett was able to create a custom vehicle that combined European elegance and American style in one single vehicle that made the car enthusiasts in the time were amazed by his special talent.
1955 Astra Coupe was designed and built by Jay Everett. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2T6ZNN3)
His car creation was later called the Astra Coupe, and it began under construction in 1952, while he lived in California and was taking classes at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, a place where many famous car designers emerged from the school.
In addition, California is also known as the heart of hot rod culture in the United States. He has a small garage behind his house where he can work to build the car and that's where his Astra Coupe was born, in the midst of the California custom creation hectics in the mid-1950s.
The vehicle was built almost entirely from scratch to adjust the car with the builder's tastes and desires. So the Astra Coupe has its own exclusive chassis, built by Paul Koonz. Its chassis is a triangular frame built from 2,375 inches long steel tube. On top of the chassis, he uses a smaller diameter tube to determine the car's shape and provides the frames where the vehicle body will be placed.
The Astra Coupe body itself is made of aluminum which has been shaped in such a way as to suit Everett's design and is done by Jack Sutton and Dennis Powers. The car's appearance itself is indeed too radical to be upgraded to a production car.
The steering wheel and dashboard view of 1955 Astra Coupe. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2T6ZNN3)
The car's unique exterior appearance with front pontoon fenders and rear tailfins forms a continuous, relatively horizontal and flat line that sweeps along the car when viewed from the side. However, the fastback roofline is clear and the nose is low, providing a truly unique visual contrast.
Simple white-black trim seaters in the interior of 1955 Astra Coupe. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2T6ZNN3)
When this Jay Everett's creation car first appeared at the Petersen Motorama 1953, it had a distinctive front and rear grille made of tubes. Then the radiator is placed in front of the rear grille, which is an innovative touch at the time.
1955 Astra Coupe was used a V8 'Rocket' Oldsmobile 303 cubic-inch capacity of 4,965 cc. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2T6ZNN3)
However, the figure of the car on display at the 1953 event turned out to be only a design study at the time, and there was still no engine installed under its hood. And Jay Everett had really completed this car in 1955, since then the name of Astra Coupe was first officially applied and making it a fully functional and driveable car with better interior and exterior designs.
Where the interior is reworked in a clean and modern style, with a hand-made banjo-style steering wheel placed in front of the gauge whose shape and material mimic the work details around the car's headlights. Then the seats are made in the style of racing bucket seats to replace the original one, as well as six gauges that are artistically arranged on the dashboard emphasizing that this car is finally transformed into a really functional vehicle and able to be driven like a normal vehicle.
As for the performance, the Astra Coupe is equipped with a V8 'Rocket' Oldsmobile 303 cubic-inch capacity of 4,965 cc. The engine is integrated into the rear-wheel drive, with Lincoln automatic transmission with overdrive. Become a unique and extraordinary vehicle creation, no wonder if the Astra Coupe had emerged to be the center of attention in the cover story in several famous American automotive magazines including Motortrend, Hot Rod, up to Rod & Custom, etc. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ]
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One of the Italian automotive manufacturers, Maserati announced the name of their latest supercar 'MC20,' which is planned to be launched in May 2020 in Modena, and according to some sources, it will use an electric power train.
The newest Maserati EV might be using the name of MC20 may be launched in May 2020. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/38QqfkJ)
As reported by the company's official website, the name of this latest supercar can be described as follows where the MC stands for Maserati Corse. While the number 20 is a supercar production code made in 2020.
In November, Maserati started testing the powertrain for the car on public roads in a test mule. The Italian firm released a series of shots of a camouflaged machine leaving its Modena factory at night
The Maserati MC20 is an evolution of the MC12, and also marks the return of Maserati to the world of race cars that have been in a vacuum since 2004. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/38QqfkJ)
It was also mentioned that the MC20 is an evolution of the MC12, and also marks the return of Maserati to the world of race cars that have been in a vacuum since 2004. It says the machine was being used to house a “new powertrain entirely developed and built by Maserati”, that is the first in a new family of engines it is developing
The Maserati MC20 was developed at the Maserati Innovation Lab and will be built at the Viale Ciro Menotti plant. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/38QqfkJ)
Maserati emphasized the presence of MC20 as the company's transition to a new era. But they did not spell out whether the direction of change was towards the era of electric sports cars or not. They also have not revealed the appearance of the new car.
The Maserati MC20 wasmade with innovative technology and a low environmental impact. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/38QqfkJ)
Furthermore, the MC20 was developed at the Maserati Innovation Lab and will be built at the Viale Ciro Menotti plant. The company claims the car was made with innovative technology and low environmental impact.
Nevertheless, the Italian automotive company gave a leak that the main production line was carried out at their factory in Modena, Italy, which also accommodated the electric powertrain assembly. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOCAR]
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Italy has long been known as a suitable and pleasant country for the birth of the world's most beautiful and exotic motorized vehicles produced by many talented genius figures and renowned automotive companies over there.
The 1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe is also known as the first series of B.A.T. (Berlina Aerodinamica Technica) which features a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder inline engine, which can produce 75 horsepower. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/38RIOoH)
Well, on this occasion we will discuss about one of these beautiful and exotic vehicles, the Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe which was built in 1952. As we all know, Abarth is a Turin-based auto company and known as one of of Fiat Group subsidiaries founded by Carlo Abarth on April 15, 1949 that has speciality of produces a variety of racing cars.
Front view of 1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2uYRKtS)
The Abarth 1500 Biposto is an experimental coupe designed by Franco Scaglione, who at that time worked for the Bertone design house. And when the Abarth 1500 Biposto was shown at the Turin Motor Show 1952, it stole a lot of public attention due to its unusual appearance looks.
Right side view of 1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2uYWzmX)
The front of this car is an unforgettable sight, with triple headlights protruding forward with dynamic air intakes situated in-between. At first glance, it similar to the Tucker 48 or Torpedo concept car, along with thin rear fins.
Its large rear window is a two-part design, separated by a thin center pillar, and melds gracefully into the rear section. The rear wings sport accented vertical tail fins that would become an extremely popular design feature in American cars in later years.
Right side view of 1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2uYWzmX)
The car is also known as the first series of B.A.T. (Berlina Aerodinamica Technica) which features a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder inline engine, which can produce 75 horsepower, with an overhead valve and a double Weber carburetor. This engine is combined with a four-speed gearbox and drum brakes.
And the Biposto design is believed to have inspired the B.A.T. series made by another Italian auto company, Alfa Romeo later on and off course in collaboration with Bertone.
Rear-right view of 1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/32iq8Ml)
After its succesfull performing at the Turin Motor Show, the Abarth 1500 Biposto prototype was then bought by an American auto company, Packard Motor Car Company and shipped to their headquarters in Detroit, where this unique design car was used to inspire their designs.
In mid-1953, the Abarth 1500 Biposto was given to automotive journalist Dick Smith as a gift for his idea for Packard's new advertising slogan. Smith rarely drove this gift car for two decades, before finally being neatly stored in his car storage garage.
Final achievement of the Abarth 1500 Biposto we've knew, ie was grab the Gran Turismo Trophy prestigious award at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance, and featured in the famous Gran Turismo 6 racing game series. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FANDOM | CARFURITY | CLIFF REUTER]
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One of the concept vehicles ever designed by him is the DAF 55 Siluro (the name derived from an Italian word which roughly means 'Torpedo'), due to the car has a unique design with long sloping silhouette lines that runs on both sides of the exterior and hood.
