(Jalopnik.com)
Monday, March 26, 2018
There's No Direct Competition, But There Is Inspiration
Calty Design’s Kevin Hunter On Toyota & Lexus’ Living Legacy
TG: What could Lexus learn from a brand like Porsche?
KH: You know, they’re such
different brands. I don’t know from my point of view that there’s a lot
of learning, because Lexus is a really new luxury brand. We don’t have a
racing history, and all the iconic vehicles that Porsche has. It’s just
a totally different ballgame I think.
TG: You are building a racing history though right?
KH: We’re starting to, yeah. It’s
beginning. It will take a while, and I really see Lexus as a company
that is searching for a new innovative direction, not dwelling too much
on the past, but trying to forge a new path and a new way through the
future. I really find that exciting, I think that aspect is very
interesting, and it’s very different from what Porsche does in a lot of
ways.
TG: It’s funny actually, many many
car designers that we speak to appreciate Porsche in the same way, they
appreciate the heritage much like you do. It’s very interesting to hear
that from different people. It speaks to a designer on a core level I
think, and it’s cool to hear that you appreciate that as well.
KH: Yeah, I mean just as a
designer, as a person who enjoys driving, I really love the functional
aspect of the 911. To me it’s a perfect blend of form and function, and I
really respect that. I think it’s hard to do that, and being in the
design business, it’s incredibly difficult to pull that off in such a
fluid manner in combining something that from my point of view still
looks artistic, but also is rooted in functionality. I think it’s
something that’s very difficult to pull off, but I’m excited by what
cars like the LF-LC mean for us in a similar arena.
Friday, March 23, 2018
No, Please No
Will Dr. Z Help Build a New Z? Nissan/Mercedes-Benz Rumor Points To a New Nissan Sports Car
When reached for comment, Dan Bedore, director of Nissan’s North American communications, responded, “The Nissan Z is an iconic nameplate. We appreciate the excitement and interest in its future among Z fans and other automotive enthusiasts. We have not announced any plans beyond the 2018 model year Nissan 370Z and, as a matter of policy, do not engage in speculation about future product plans.”
However, response.jp notes that Nissan executives have watched the partnership between Toyota and BMW blossom into the new Supra concept with envy. The existing partnership between Nissan and Mercedes-Benz could yield similar results from another Japanese/German tieup.
Possible powerplants for the new Z include Mercedes-Benz’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo found in the QX30 and Q50, as well as the 400 hp twin-turbo V6 found in the Q60 Red Sport. That long hood, however, hints at another option — the inline six found in the new Mercedes-AMG 53 models (and possibly in a new Aston Martin).
After all, the original 240Z used an inline-six, the L24 — itself a development of a Mercedes-Benz design licensed by Prince Motors for the original Skyline.
(TheTruthAboutCars.com)
When reached for comment, Dan Bedore, director of Nissan’s North American communications, responded, “The Nissan Z is an iconic nameplate. We appreciate the excitement and interest in its future among Z fans and other automotive enthusiasts. We have not announced any plans beyond the 2018 model year Nissan 370Z and, as a matter of policy, do not engage in speculation about future product plans.”
However, response.jp notes that Nissan executives have watched the partnership between Toyota and BMW blossom into the new Supra concept with envy. The existing partnership between Nissan and Mercedes-Benz could yield similar results from another Japanese/German tieup.
Possible powerplants for the new Z include Mercedes-Benz’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo found in the QX30 and Q50, as well as the 400 hp twin-turbo V6 found in the Q60 Red Sport. That long hood, however, hints at another option — the inline six found in the new Mercedes-AMG 53 models (and possibly in a new Aston Martin).
After all, the original 240Z used an inline-six, the L24 — itself a development of a Mercedes-Benz design licensed by Prince Motors for the original Skyline.
(TheTruthAboutCars.com)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)