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Automotive slide 1

New Class The New Class (German: Neue Klasse) was a line of compact sedans and coupes starting with the 1962 1500 and continuing through the last 2002s in 1977.

Automotive slide 2

Finally, Speed Matches Style By Nate Martinez In the decade or so it's been on the market, the Audi TT has become world renowned for its avant garde style, but it's never ranked high as a true sports car.

Automotive slide 3

Silverline Chevrolet Cruze will be factory backed in the 2010 BTCC. This year, the BTCC is going to be hotting up, with the Chevrolet Cruze coming in as a manufacturer backed team!

Automotive slide 4

Mazda Engine SpecificationsE5 TURBO Type 1490cc EFI OHC 8-valve 4-cyl Power 86kW @ 5800rpm Torque 162Nm @ 3500rpm Gearboxes FWD 5sp Source 83-84 Familia XGR turbo (fits earlier Laser and 323) B6 Type 1597cc EFI DOHC 16-valve 4-cycle

Automotive slide 5

The ‘Ice Speed Record’ model doesn’t fail to impress with its interior features as well: a carbon fiber with red weave high-gloss finishing and the most exquisite leather and Alcantara cabin components. The Supersports Continental Convertible ISR, which comes in three colors, has an estimated priced of £189,300 ($ 309,022 USD) and available at authorized Bentley automobile dealerships.

Sabtu, 24 Desember 2011

Lincoln MKB Hybrid—Just In Time for Christmas

Lincoln MKB Hybrid Hatchback—Just in time to unwrap for Christmas morning, this would be Lincoln's premium "B" segment offering, the MKB. Although I based this car on an image of the newest Audi A1 Sportback 5-door, I'd envision this little Lincoln as one of the largest/heaviest of the B class, almost full compact size. Besides offering state-of-the-art economy, safety and technology equipment, Lincolns would always be positioned as the largest and roomiest vehicles in their classes.

From everyone here at casey/artandcolour, um, well that's me, lol, I hope everyone has a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas!

Front Page—NSX for Automotive News

Front Page! My commissioned rendering of Acura's upcoming NSX sportscar was featured on the front page of Detroit's Automotive News last week. Due to be shown at the Detroit International Auto Show in a couple of weeks, I worked with an editor at the newspaper to render this V6, hybrid, mid-engined sportscar from his recollection of a press briefing. It was a great experience. I first wrote about it all, here. I'm especially amused by the rainbow-colored advertisement below my illustration!

Closeup of the illustration and my bold faced photo credit!
  • My work is also featured this week in the Autoextremist's Year End Review, a great honor, as always! Along with my work for Automobile magazine earlier this year, it's been a fun year, and the first year in which my car renderings have been seen in print.

Minggu, 18 Desember 2011

2013 Chevrolet Impala sedan. Maybe.

2013 Impala—The next large Chevy sedan will be based on the same architecture as the new Cadillac XTS. I've created a Chevy version of that car, and I'm guessing it's pretty close to the real deal. I've used classic Impala logos and wheels, as well as very 1961-like Chevy lettering on the hood. Compared with the XTS, I've simplified the bodysides and given it a late-model Impala greenhouse, as well as smoothing out the trunk shape.

Update: This chop is now more than a year old. The new Impala is out and I'm happy to say it looks much better than this! I was surprised to see the "twin grille" finally tossed, but happy about it.

Jumat, 16 Desember 2011

Jeepster Reborn as Fiat/Jeep Off Roading SUV

2013 Jeepster heavy duty off roading SUV—OK, this one will probably be controversial as it hits the web, lol. Now that Fiat owns Chrysler, which owns Jeep, rumors have been swirling for months about Fiat-based Jeeps. I've seen countless renderings of the little Fiat Panda with bigger tires and a slapped on Jeep grille touting the new cars. 

I've taken a slightly different tack with mine. I've kept the historic and rugged chassis of the current Jeep Wrangler. Seriously, it's just about the best off roader for consumers built today, so why not use it? I added a modified/stretched Fiat Panda body on top of the Wrangler chassis, utilizing the best part of that Fiat architecture—the modern cabin with all the built-in safety structures and features expected today. I've used many Jeep components—door handles, body clips, thick rubberized cladding, swing out spare tire, etc, to give this newly enclosed little SUV all the tried-and-true ruggedness expected of a vehicle with the name Jeep on it. Entrance/Departure angles remain the same as the Wrangler.

Rabu, 14 Desember 2011

More Wood! Audi A4 Allroad Black Forest Edition

Audi A4 Allroad Black Forest Walnut edition—Finishing a retro-inspired woody triumvirate with my recent Jeep Wrangler Woodsman and Buick Apollo Estate chops, I've micro-veneered the sides and tailgate of this all-wheel drive German luxury compact wagon with genuine walnut from the Black Forest of southern Germany. I've also gracefully changed the greenhouse and lowered the bodysides a bit for a more sporting profile. High fashion, high quality, sporting luxury woody wagon... what more could the well-to-do successful graphic artist ask for, lol?

The background of this image includes a vignette of sailboats in a harbor photographed by none other than Woody, of Woody's Car Site, a very loyal reader!

Selasa, 13 Desember 2011

Wrangler 4-Door Woodsman Edition

Jeep Wrangler Woodsman—A new trim series for the venerated Jeep Wrangler, here in recent 4-door form, the Woodsman edition features 3-D American Walnut microveneer side panels. Door hinges are polished aluminum as is the full-sized roof-mounted luggage rack and bright mesh grille-slat inserts. Interior would feature heavy duty leather seating with wood accents on the instrument panel and removable doors. Snap-in Sisal carpeted mats are removable for cleaning. Body color fenders and rear roof section coupled with the full-length wooden paneling combine for a look reminiscent of the now-classic 1984-era Cherokee SUV.
  • Image updated from original post. I  had left a badge saying "Call of Duty" on the Jeep's side and was told at the Motor Trend forum that it was a video game. I thought Call of Duty was a Jeep trim level, lol. I deleted the badge for this photo, and was happy to do so, It really cleaned up that front panel! (I've never played a video game in my life, so I really have no idea about these things!)

Rabu, 07 Desember 2011

New Small Buick Crossover: Apollo Reborn as MPV

Buick Apollo MPV—Since the new Buick Regal and the even newer Buick Verano are based on GM's European Opel division, I looked through their porfolio to see what else might be in the pipeline. Opel markets a very cool "mini people mover" or MPV, called the Zafira. It's a versatile, compact tall wagon, with family features so many Europeans have become enamored with since the first Renault Scenic hit the streets fifteen years ago. I created a Buick version of the Zafira, and reached back into the Buick archives for the Apollo nameplate. The first Buick Apollo, 1973-75, was a hurriedly put together compact based on the Nova platform, and gave Buick a small car to sell after that first gas crisis in 1973. Besides the Buick grille and cues, I gave the D pillar a bit more width for a more cohesive, and American, appearance.

Bonus Chop:
It wouldn't be an "artandcolour" wagon if it didn't come with a Woody package! Optional on my Apollo MPV would be this Estate Wagon option, with walnut microveneers adhered to the four doors and layered under the paint's clearcoats for a maintenance free gloss finish.

Minggu, 04 Desember 2011

Taurus SHO Coupe: 1960s-Era Galaxie XL Reborn?

For this 2013 Taurus SHO coupe, I gave it the slim, flowing C pillars that Ford's 1960s cars were famous for. First shown on the '63 1/2 Galaxie "slantback" coupe, my mother's bright red 1966 Fairlane 500/XL had a gorgeous roofline, too. While not really needing to modify the roof itself from the production Taurus sedan, I thinned out the C pillar and gave the greenhouse more glass area. Extending the body contour line just below the door handles, all the way to the taillights instead of breaking it for the rear wheelwell, also gives the Taurus a more flowing appearance. Conventional wisdom is that a Taurus coupe would cannibalize sales from the Mustang, but I really don't see why. The Mustang is a performance rear-wheel drive coupe, even in V6 form these days, and the Taurus is a luxury car with front- or all-wheel drive. I really think the two could co-exist in a Ford showroom. 

Sabtu, 03 Desember 2011

A closer look to theTokyo Motor Show

 Passenger Car Test Ride Program by Professionals' Driving

With the assistance of Japan Motorsport Promotion Organization, this test ride program by journalists from the Automotive Journalist Association of Japan (AJAJ) and professional instructors will be held on a closed course within the venue (Outdoor Exhibition Space) in order to enable participants to experience the true performance of the vehicles, and so that this experience is available to as many people as possible.
Reception for this event is offered on the day of the event itself. The event is expected to offer approximately 40 vehicles from 20 brands for test rides.

Outline of program

Dates Friday, December 2 through Tuesday, December 6
Time 10:00 – 16:30
Venue Outdoor Exhibition Space
Test-Ride Ticket Handled by reception on day of event and chosen by lottery
Participating brands 36 vehicles from 20 brands
Suzuki, Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Lexus, Audi, AMG, Citroën, Jaguar, BMW, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Porsche, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Renault, Lotus
Eligibility General Public
Number of participants Approx. 1,200 pairs/day

Vehicle list

Brand Participating vehicle
Suzuki Swift Sport Swift Sport
Toyota Prius α vitz RS "Gs"
Nissan Nissan LEAF Nissan LEAF
Subaru New Impreza SPORT 1.6i-L (2WD) New Impreza G4 2.0i EyeSight (AWD)
Honda Fit Shuttle Hybrid Fit Shuttle Hybrid
Mitsubishi i-MiEV i-MiEV
Lexus ISF CT200h "F SPORT"
Audi Audi A1 Audi A6
AMG C63 AMG SLS AMG
Citroën Citroën C3 Citroën DS3
Jaguar Jaguar XF  
BMW BMW ActiveHybrid X6  
Volkswagen Golf GTI Golf Cabriolet
Peugeot Peugeot 508 Peugeot RCZ
Porsche Porsche Boxter Porsche 911 Turbo
MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS COUPE  
Mercedes-Benz SLK350 BlueEFFICIENCY CLS350 BlueEFFICIENCY
Land Rover Land Rover Freelander 2  
Renault Megane Renault Sport Renault Wind
Lotus Evora IPS Elise

Breitling Bentley ISR Chronograph


breitling bentley isr chronograph picture

Breitling and Bentley have teamed up once again to create a limited edition chronograph that marks Bentley’ recent world-record breaking exploits on the ice. This watch joins the current Supersports "Ice Speed Record" convertible edition that will be limited to only 100 units.
The Breitling Bentley ISR has borrowed many of its design cues from the special edition Bentley Supersports Ice Speed Record Convertible. It gets a carbon fiber fascia with dashboard-style dial, a classically knurled finish on the control buttons, distinctive red dialing, and a carbon fiber presentation box.
Wolfgang Duerheimer, Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, said: "Juha Kankkunen’s drive was a remarkable achievement and worthy of a very special car. The Continental Supersports "Ice Speed Record" is a true driver’s car that captures that unique Bentley spirit. It offers extreme performance, agility and an extrovert personality, while retaining the refinement, handcrafted luxury and comfort our customers expect."

2012 Lotus Evora GTE by Swizz Beatz


lotus evora gte by swizz beatz picture

The evolution of the Lotus Evora GTE, most extreme Lotus vehicle ever, went by rather quickly. After debuting a concept version at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August, Lotus then went on to put out the production Evora GTE in September at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. This quick turnover has now been followed up by a special edition GTE courtesy of Swizz Beatz.
Swizz Beatz is an American record producer, DJ, rapper, and painter, although some may only know him as the husband of R&B superstar, Alicia Keys. He, along with
Lotus Design, came together to create a special Evora GTE unveiled at Alvin Ailey’s Opening Night Gala in New York. This special edition is noted as such because it is finished in a chrome ruby red paint. Everything else is strictly standard GTE. It features the typical rear brake cooling ducts, modified rear wing, enlarged intake vents behind the B pillar, and intense use of carbon fiber for the roof, sill detailing, and other carbon accessories. These elements help reduce the Evora’s total weight by about 231 lbs.
Being since this was a creative collaboration, no changes were made to the power source of the Evora GTE. It is still working with a race-tuned 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers a total of 444 HP, which still makes it the most powerful Lotus Evora road car ever built.
No details were given on the car’s prices just yet, but prospective buyers will surely have to dish out more than the $180,000 price tag of the standard Evora GTE.

2012 Range Rover Evoque HFI-R by Marangoni

Filed under: Landrover | crossover | luxury cars | car tuning | Bologna Motor Show | Range Rover Evoque
range rover evoque hfi-r by marangoni picture

Italian tire manufacturer, Marangoni, has been down the tuning road before, having performed some previous projects on vehicles like the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
Today, Marangoni is back with another program, this time for the Range Rover Evoque. As comprehensive projects go, this one’s definitely right up there and the unmistakable work done on the Evoque speaks volumes about the talent of these guys.
For the exterior’s styling, Marangoni collaborated with TRC Italia in dressing up the Evoque with a special fine grain Titanium Fluid Metal paint finish. The front grill, hood vents, and door handles were then painted in gloss black to provide a contrasting look to the body of the Evoque. Other panels that were modified include the front bumper fascia, door lower moldings, and rear bumper fascia, which were also given a carbon diffuser. Speaking of carbon, Marangoni also gave the Evoque plenty of that, particularly to the wheel arches, fender vents, and mirror covers. Rounding out the exterior changes on the crossover are a set of 20" Oz Racing Dakar wheels wrapped in Marangoni’s exclusive ruby red M-Power EvoRed tires.
For the interior dress-up, Marangoni enlisted the help of Italian fashion house, Conte of Florence, who came out with the genius idea of dressing up the interior with a special golf inspired quilted upholstery with a large embroidered Tour Line emblem on the seats.
Under its hood, the Evoque was fitted with an "HFI" Hybrid Fuel Injection dual-fuel system, an upgraded turbocharger, a carbon fiber air box, and a larger stainless steel exhaust, all of which gave the crossover’s existing 2.0-liter turbo engine a spike in output. With the modifications in place, the Evoque’s output shot up from the standard 240 horsepower all the way up to 300 horsepower.

Jumat, 02 Desember 2011

2012 Range Rover Evoque by Kahn Design

Posted on 12.2.2011 15:00 by Erik
Filed under: Landrover Project Kahn | crossover | luxury cars | car tuning | Range Rover Evoque
range rover evoque by kahn design picture

There’s no question that Azfal Kahn and his peeps over at Kahn Design have a soft spot for the Range Rover, so much so that they seem to come out with a new program for the luxury SUV about as often as any car we’ve seen in recent history.
Apparently, their fascination for Range Rovers is now expanding, courtesy of their very first program for the new Range Rover Evoque. True to their reputation as one of the premier tuners for the British luxury SUV, Kahn Design went to work on the Evoque with one clear picture in mind: offer it with a whole new breadth of excitement and take it to a whole new dimension.
The A. Kahn Design Evoque is an unmistakable piece of work, decked with a variety of external modifications that serve to provide better looks and coax greater performance from the car.
Kahn Design’s styling package for the Evoque is a testament to their creativity, providing a slew of new elements consisting of a lowered suspension (35mm), yellow calipers, aluminum pedals, an orange roof, full body color coding/detailing, privacy glass, and adaptive front headlamps. Inside, Kahn Design deftly worked their bespoke magic on the Evoque, providing it with luxurious character that expresses a customer’s individuality. As with most of their projects, the interior can be customized depending on the whims and preferences of the customer.
And then there’s the final piece of the Kahn Design puzzle: the wheels. With an inventory of some of the most impressive wheels on the market, Kahn Design went and used their unique RS600 wheels that are available in a variety of sizes - 20", 21", 22" - creating even more opportunity to imprint his tastes on the luxury Range Rover crossover.

Audi eTT ron: Lean, Mean and Green Sporting Machine

eTTron Coupe—Based on their recent eTron Roadster, this is my idea of what a third generation TT coupe should look like. The first TT from the late 1990s, was an iconic design, still a "looker" today. The second generation was a very cautious evolution of the first design, not bad, just not as strong a design as the first. For a third generation, I propose not only a groundbreaking new platform, Audi's eTron drivetrain, but an entirely new body architecture. I think this car could be just as iconic for the early 21st century, as the original was for the late 20th century.

Kamis, 01 Desember 2011

2012 BMW B6 Biturbo Coupe by Alpina

Filed under: Alpina | coupe | | | sports cars | |
bmw b6 biturbo coupe by alpina picture

While many are sitting back, patiently waiting for the arrival of the BMW M6, German tuner Alpina has been hard at work on a project that will shed some light on the future model. Their new B6 Biturbo Coupe may not be as impressive as the upcoming M6, which is rumored to deliver about 600 HP, but it’s here now. Plus, we’re sure Alpina left enough room for a new tuning package for the M6.
But back to their Alpina B6 Biturbo Coupe. The B6 is an evolution of the old 507 HP B6 cabrio, but uses an aluminum twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8, equipped with MAHLE pistons and a high-performance cooling system. This setup is give for a total output of 540 HP and 516 lb-ft of torque. With the extra power, the B6 Biturbo will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and will hit a top speed of 198 mph. Alpina has also opted for a Akrapovic titanium exhaust system that will make the car sound better than ever and, of course, a new set of 20" Alpina Classic rims fitted with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
For the aerodynamic updates, the B6 BiTurbo Coupe has been fitted with a front spoiler, an integrated carbon fiber front splitter, and a rear spoiler with an optional rear wing. The interior was also revamped with a sport steering wheel, hand-stitched in LAVALINA leather, blue illuminated entry sills, a navigation system with preparation for Bluetooth mobile phone, USB audio interface, Xenon lights, and LED fog lights.

Return to its RWD Roots: Corolla SR7 Coupe

With this small 4-passenger coupe, the Corolla SR7, Toyota returns to the rear-wheel-drive small car arena. Or what used to be the rear-wheel-drive small car arena; only the BMW 1-series currently uses that design in a compact car these days. This time around, with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, the model name is SR7, but evokes the classic SR5s of the late '70s. From a massaged front end with a longer hood and longer steering wheel-to-front wheel length, to house a longitudinal inline engine, to a reproportioned rear bumper, this Corolla nicely evokes its roots at the same time it's clearly at home in the 21st century.

2012 Audi A1 Samurai Blue

Posted on 11.30.2011 18:00 by Kirby
Filed under: | hatchback | Audi A1 | Tokyo Motor Show | special editions
audi a1 samurai blue picture

In the middle of all the concept debuts and race prototypes being unveiled at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, one car that’s neither of those things is fetching some serious attention.
The car is a special one-off Audi A1 that’s inspired by the Japanese National Soccer Team. Affectionately called the A1 Samurai Blue, the one-off car has been dressed in the official colors - blue and white - of the Samurai Blue, the nickname given to the country’s soccer team. Complimenting the two-color exterior paint finish is a red color - the same hue as that of the Japanese flag - that was used on the rear spoiler and the set of 18" wheels provided. The exterior also sports the logo of the Blue Samurais on both sides of the car, as well as on the roof.
The interior equipment of the A1 Samurai Blue has been dressed in black with contrasting blue stitching. Colorful accents are also found on various parts of the interior, including the air vent nozzle, the inlays, the center console, and the floor mats.
Under its hood, no performance enhancements were done on the car so the A1 Samurai Blue is powered by a standard 1.4-liter TFSI engine that produces 122 horsepower. No surprise there.
The whole purpose of the A1 Samurai Blue is for Audi to sell the one-off model and have part of the profit donated to charity. So if you happen to have a heart of gold and fancy a one-off Audi A1 like this, you might need to get to stepping and be the lucky one to go home with this ultra exclusive piece of A1 eye candy.