The "Casey Cut." New Bangle Butt?

My Lamborghini GT350E Introduces 
Functional Bodyside Slashes

"artandcolour's" newest design feature, the Casey Cut, consists of bodyside slashes in the aluminum body, as if the simple body shapes have been highlighted with a black Sharpie. Perforated carbonfiber mesh inserts function as vents for the electronically controlled active suspension and underbody air management system. These slashes also incorporate LEDs for a unique nighttime signature, as well as sideview cameras and sensors for the active proximity systems. Unique rear stabilizing features, OK, FINS, on each rear fender, help manage airflow for a class-leading coefficient of drag. Small rocker-panel mounted venting assists in cooling the ceramic brakes.

1961 Cadillac 4-window with Calais Package

As much as I love the 1959-60 wraparound rear window of GM's 4-window hardtop sedans, but the '61 Caddy was a bit more awkward. Besides my beloved wood paneling, I subtly changed the C-pillar. I widened the painted portion, and lowered the greenhouse a bit. The rear window is now a Mercury/Lincoln-like 3-piece affair, with a central section that lowers a few inches. I did this imagining that the 3-piece window became a fin-like fad after Lincoln's '58s, and by '61 Caddy would have fielded one.

A "Must Read" for All of Us!

 

Look what just arrived at Pink Gardens! Longtime and very loyal reader, Katie, had this wonderful book sent me the other day. Her friend, the author David Dickinson inscribed it for me and sent it from his home in Seattle. It's an anthology of short stories about old cars and the "old car nuts" that love them, lol. I can't wait to delve into it!

From the back cover:

Millions of Americans are obsessed with old cars of one variety or another and feel that the newer cars have no soul. There are no memories in a car that just rolled off the showroom floor last week or last year. The fondness for old cars is about the memories of days past and fun adventures with friends.

The Old Car Nut Book provides a place for people to tell those old stories that often don't get shared outside of a garage or with a couple of buddies at the back fender of a special ride during a car show.

Within these pages, you will hear directly from the individuals that make this whole experience of living in the world of Old Cars more than just about the steel, glass, and rubber. You'll laugh and you'll cry. You'll step right into the past with each story told.

Here's the link to its entry at Amazon which has a nifty "Look Inside" feature.

David is planning on future volumes of this book and is looking for more stories. Go to www.OldCarNutBook.com and click on "How to Submit" in the menu for details! Let's hear about those old cars we love!

Thank you so much Katie for thinking of me, and to David for writing the book a lot of us have thought about. And of course, thank you for sending it to me!

Daily Driver: 1961 Cadillac Brougham by Pininfarina

Sometimes my pixel pushing just doesn't quite come in line with my visions. I like this mythical Pininfarina-bodied '61 Caddy Brougham, following on from their '59s and '60s. Besides deleting the fins, something all manufacturers were beginning to do by '61, I widened the greenhouse, the glass and roof structure. I did that to lessen the shoulder width, to give it more of an Exner-like early fuselage look, like the '60 Valiant and '62 B-bodies. The finless and sloping trunk now look a lot like the beautiful '61 Oldsmobile, but I'm pretty sure Caddy would never have gone with it. On the other hand, it has the look of the '57-'58 Eldorado without the fins.

I think that's where I got this chop wrong. I extended the wheelbase from the donor Series 62, and the straight-edged upper window line looks wrong. It should be more of a graceful arch. I'm pretty sure Caddy would have insisted on the straight upper though. I created a bit of chrome trim near the taillights, pretty much leaving all "jewelry" associated with the rocket exhaust taillights , bumper, and lower skegs.The center-opening door handles line up with a '60 Eldorado-like chrome-edged and paint-filled full length molding. A gold Cadillac crest adorns the roof's sail panel.

Daily driver, so I didn't clean the whitewalls, lol.

• Bobf, this was done a few days before I read your last commetn out doing an Eldorado with a modified rear end. Great minds and all that, lol. I'm going to do a coupe or convertible though, a true Eldo next, per your suggestion.

Lamborghini LMPV-003 for 2015

artandcolour's 2006 Delivery Van Replaced

Reprising the original Muira's "eyelashes" over the headlights, my 2015 Lamborghini minivan, the LMPV-003, takes over for my original Lambo minivan I created way back in 2006. This new rendering is basically drawn in with flat shapes and then airbrushed into a rendering. I like the rawness of it. The roof would be carbonfiber opening accordion style. Closed it would riff on the the classic Lambo engine venting. Drivetrain would be premium VW/Audi with a triple-turbo V6 up front and 9 speed automatic transaxle in the rear.

 Original LMPV-002 I Photoshopped in 2006.

• My vintage scale model Muira, here,

1963 Cadillac Series Sixty One Coupe

Another stab at creating an entry level Cadillac for the 1960s, this time a 1963 coupe. Cadillac was soaring high in the '60s and in no way needed a reprise of its 1940s and '50s Series 61 line, but I like to think of what they may have looked like. "61s" were the least expensive and a bit more "youthful" perhaps, with a slightly sprier look than its more expensive siblings, replacing the LaSalle after 1940.

Above, the coupe. For this year I've spelled out "Series Sixty One" on the bodysides and trunklid, and given this example optional two-toning. The rear fascia has been simplified, deleting the expensive to produce chromed upper bumper "grille" trim and adding a simple sheet metal extension to the trunk lid. The look works perfectly with the already simple and elegant side trim.

• The '68 version from a few years ago.

Good Bye E Class. Say Hello to the 280SE

(updated image)

2016 280 Series—Ushering in an entirely new design language as well as a new naming scheme and brand new engines, drivetrains, and platforms, this new "280 Class" is as new as new can be. Above, the SE sedan, available with gas, diesel, extended range hybrids, and plug-in electric modes. The 280 Class replaces the current E Class. The S Class will be renamed the 450 Class, with the C Class the new 190 Series. Bringing the "Bookends" into the fold, the compact A Class is now the 90 Class with the Maybach luxury liner becoming the 600 Class.

Style-wise, Mercedes blunt new front end is refined and leads to much smoother bodysides with simplified window graphics. Gone are the radical wedges, severe swages, and tortured light shapes and details. This 280SE features lower bodyside corrugations evocative of the 1970s "Scientific" Mercedes models and assist in the aero ratings of this smooth new language.

Keen eyes will notice a thin body seam halfway up the bodysides. This hints at the new body construction. The lower "tub" is now completely fabricated from carbon fiber. The upper body is high-strength aluminum which is also used for the front- and rear-subframes and suspension. Overall weight will be reduced by more than a thousand pounds per model enabling much smaller and efficient powertrains. Overal fuel efficiency should be raised by more than 10mpg per model, too, with this mid-size 280 Class boasting the highest efficiency rating in its class by a wide margin.

• "SE" will be the designation for all sedans
• "C" will be the coupe designator
• "h," "e," or "d," will be added to signify hybrid, electric, or diesel drivetrains
• "SW" "T" will be reserved for station wagons, and thanks to PaulNYC for reminding me about their original alpha for wagons!
• "X" will denote all crossovers, tall wagons, and SUVs, with 4-Matic still added for the awd versions.

Lincoln Continental Starts Off the New Year Right!

My latest Lincoln chop utilizes a 1950s Lincoln tagline, the "Living Garage" concept. The car itself is a low and wide luxury sport sedan. The aero rear deck is accentuated to imply the famous Continental "hump" and doors are center opening in the traditional manner. High-powered gas and plug-in electric drivetrains would be available, as well as electronic all-wheel drive. Click on the image to enlarge and you'll notice the rear window is divided like the classic Continentals of the late '50s (and the Breezeway sedans from Mercury in the 1960s). The center section would retract slightly to enhance airflow, just as the originals did.

Fifties Mercury "Sportscar" Unearthed-Needs Work

The late 1950s was a tumultuous time for Ford Motor Company. They were gung-ho on matching General Motors almost car-for-car, leading to the introduction of the Edsel, larger 4-seat Thunderbird, and the largest unit-bodied car built at that point, the glorious and gargantuan '58 Lincoln lineup. Following up on that would be the upsized and upmarketed Mercury lineup. Perhaps in the heady days of fall '57 when it became apparent Edsel was doomed and the bigger Tbird had yet to begin its meteoric sales climb over the '57 2-seaters, perhaps Mercury designers were called on to do a quick "sportscar" based on the new-for-'59 Mercury chassis. Cut down to about a 115" wheelbase, it still would have had the prestige of the Mercury nameplate. It would have had 2 small fold down rear seats and the Tbird's front bucket seats for true 2+2 seating. Using as many production components as possible, this Marquis coupe could have gone on sale in the first quarter if '59 if necessary, if the 4-seat Tbird had bombed.

Yeah, all this is fake, but I have fun reimagining the past! I really like the way this one turned out. It has a bit of late Loewy 2-seater designs in the greenhouse and the rocket motif works well on a sports coupe. I think it could have been the drivers' car of the day.

If I don't get back before then, I hope everyone has a great new year! I, for one, am very glad 2013 is coming to a close and I hope it doesn't kick me in the ass one more time before it's history, lol.

Merry Christmas!

At first I thought making the new Mustang into a notchback would be easy. I had done that several times to the previous Mustang. But I ended up having to change almost every body panel. I shortened the rear overhang by about six inches—probably not doable in the real car but it just helps the proportions so much! I also added a strake to the center of the car. I don't think the Mustang's long-lived styling cue of the side scallop with "vent" trim is really strong enough on the new model. By adding a simple horizontal door rub strip, I've evoked that cue without changing any sheetmetal at all. The angle of the C-pillar is important, too. I did several versions before settling on this one, which I think works with the shortened, lower body really well.

I'd like to thank each and every reader of casey/artandcolour this year and wish you all happy holidays, a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year. I may have a New Year's "card" that day, too, lol. Peace and love, everyone!

Bring Back the Big Lincoln! 2015 MkTC

Using today's Lincoln design language, why aren't they fielding a large, rear-wheel drive luxury sedan? All of their cues work quite well in a larger, more elegant manner. The roof could be a large powered sunroof like the smaller MKZ, but perhaps ending in a 1950s overhang instead of lying flat over the backlight. The backlight could also be programmed to lower for ventilation, bringing back memories of the late Fifties Marks and the Sixties Breezeways. Slim C pillar opera windows are beautifully sculptured with 24kt gold Lincoln Star logos embedded in them. This rear-wheel drive based platform offers electronically controlled all-wheel drive, too.

1961 Cadillac Eldorado Calais V12 Sport Coupe

Meant to evoke a vintage PR/Marketing post card, the altered proportions of my 1961 Eldorado Calais V12 Sport Coupe really show off the new-for-'61's tailored sheetmetal and gorgeous lower skeg fins perfectly balancing the upper tail fins. I added a bit of unique front fender trim meant to celebrate the first postwar V12 developed by a domestic automaker.

 

Quickie 2-hour project tonight . . . 

1961 Cadillac Eldorado Calais V12 Sport Coupe—What if Caddy had entered the personal luxury coupe/Thunderbird market segment a generation earlier than it did? What if Pininfarina's beautiful "Jacqueline" coupe had been a ruse to throw off any actual "coupe rumors" from leaking out of Cadillac?

I propose the '61 Eldorado could have been reborn as a super-exclusive and super-expensive V12 2+2 coupe replacing the previous Pininfarina Brougham sedan as the pinnacle of Cadillac's showroom. A full two-feet shorter than the standard Series 62-based Eldos of recent years, the V12 coupe would have seating for two. The rear compartment could be outfitted with occasional rear seats or  fitted luggage for a truly European Grand Touring experience. 

Although the front clip is extended to house the domestic industry's first postwar V12, at 115" the wheelbase is a full 15 inches shorter than the standard convertible. A shorter rear deck contributes to its overall 24 inch length reduction to approximately 200 inches.The roof is brushed stainless steel and the slightly broader, equilateral rear pillars hint at the new rooflines coming from Cadillac across the board for '62.

2014 Delgiata Avarante—Plug-in Sport Sedan

 My 2014 Delgiata Avarante plug-in hybrid is a capable sports sedan as well as an efficient electric vehicle with room for four passengers and their luggage, accessible by a remote rear hatch. 

This is the newest member of the Deligata car company—my mythical manufacturer's entry in the burgeoning luxury electric 4-seat compact 5-door segment.

The "face" of Delgiata will consist of a mailslot upper grille with a brushed aluminum" pencil mustache" above with D-E-L-G-I-A-T-A letterspaced in chrome attached to it, teardrop headlights, and ample underbumper air intakes for the regenerative brakes and aero management. 

Delgiata is the first to retro the '80s with this simplistic and efficient aero-front end design, today rendered in carbon fiber. The monocoque is a mixture of carbon fiber, aluminum, and tailored high-strength steel for lightness.The brushed aluminum side cowl trim houses the access hatch for the plug-in charging outlet, proximity sensors for the side radar accident avoidance software and retracts at speed in conjunction with the aero- and HVAC-systems for ventilation. Simple clean-sided styling with careful cutline management, electronic rear coach doors, and full length panoramic glass roof are other Delgiata hallmarks. 

• Rear wheel drive-based platforms include electronic all wheel drive.
• Avarante is derived from "avant" and "variant." 
• Delgiate was "founded" ca 1967. I was ten years old.
• The company logo is a stylized spider. One of the earliest cars I drew in the beginning was the Delgiate Spider, a sports car. The logo is rendered in brushed aluminum with bright red carbonfiber inlays
• Chop began as a current generation Mercedes C Class sedan to get the proper rear wheel drive proportions to begin with.

Focus-sized Lincoln Convertible–the Capri is Back!

I probably should have waited to post this, spread them out a bit since I so rarely have time to work on "my cars" these days, but I finished this just after the Buick Regal Electra Touring, below, so here it is: the 2015 Lincoln MKE Capri convertible.

This would be a Focus-sized Lincoln, below the MKZ, but would include a convertible and coupe in addition to a sedan and crossover. I illustrated this one in the optional Pewter-and-Navy Luxury group, a nod to the fabulous Designer Editions of the past. The two tone paint would be separated on the side by a full-length chrome spear just below the window line, and both colors would have a silver-and-gold metallic flecked clearcoat to tie them together.

The interior would feature four bucket seats in all models, and would include optional fine fabrics in addition to leather, with one having button-tufted seats evocative of the '61 Lincoln's, themselves evocative of the fabulous Eames chairs of the Fifties.. There would be several choices of interior colors including mono- and duo-tones. Advertising would feature these fabrics and interior colors. Perhaps it would finally jolt the industry into offering something more than gray and beige leather.

"Electra" Becomes Buick's Plug-in Series Moniker

2015 Regal Electra Touring

Just as GS is Buick's performance line, "Electra" becomes the division's nameplate for plug-in electric vehicles. There would be Verano, Regal, and LaCrosse Electra models eventually. Above, the Regal Electra Touring, the new wagon version of the Regal sedan. Also shown above is the topline "Diamond Blue Luxury Group," which includes exclusive silver-blue alloy and trim. Also included is Buick's new "Wicker Canework" embossed carbon fiber for accent. Doors are accessed via electronic keyfob and touchpads on the B- and C-pillar. The blanked-off aero grille insert has subtle embossing to catch the light evoking Buick's trademark vertical grille bars. Two bonus points for anyone recognixing the 1967 Wildcat's rocker panel mounted "Ventiports," which now house the radar units for the 360° proximity sensors used in conjunction with other accident avoidance systems.

The Caprice is Back

Beginning with Chevrolet's new SS sedan, I've changed GM's latest Australian import into the new American Caprice. I really think it's a great name, one that can be used as a top-line sedan again, even this performance-based sport sedan.

At first, I just wanted to change the dated looking SS front end with a new Impala-inspired grille, but then I saw other things I wanted to change. The C pillar now has an extended window graphic behind the rear doors, similar to the Cruz (and the fabulous historic Vauxhall Carlton). There's now a small pseudo 3rd window behind the doors creating a larger appearing glass area and a straight beltline instead of the faux BMW "Hoffmeister Kink" on the production model. I finished it off with a 21st century color-shifting pearlescent version of Chevy's classic Evening Orchid and the interior would come in a variety of 1960s Blaine Jenkins-inspired fabrics and leathers and upholstery styles on the 4 standard Recaro buckets. Blaine is a retired GM car designer with a long career in interior designs for both concept cars and production vehicles. He is a Facebook Friend introduced to me online by the Palm Springs Automobilist. The first '65 Caprice sedan interior, Cadillac level fabrics and design, was Blaine's work.

I illustrated this newest Caprice with the Smoked Amethyst wheels, rocker panels, and trim of the optional two-tone Classic package. Several other period-inspired two-tones would be available, all in this color-shifting pearlescent paint technology.

Happy Veterans Day 2013! New MKZ Continental

2015 Lincoln MKZ Continental Touring Sedan, Pucci Edition

What started out as a quick chop to add more glass to the MKZ's cool fastback roofline, ended up being a second generation dual hatchback with electrically-assisted "clap-hand" doors. To manage the rear trunk cutline better, I made this glass-roofed sedan a hatchback. moving the cutline up into the roof pillar matching the existing rear door's cutline. Using an existing division on the edge of the trunk, I've made it a cutline as well. Picking up an idea from a Lincoln concept car of several years ago, instead of opening the entire hatch, a small "drawer" at the edge of the trunk would slide open with a fob button, revealing a beautifully finished luggage drawer complete with secondary top. Once the packages were stored, the top would lower ensuring all would fit nicely as it all glides back into the trunk. I sectioned the body a few inches, an old hot rod trick, making the body sides lower and less massive, and added that flowing third window.

This Pucci edition recalls the great Marks of the '70s and '80s. It comes in a very subtle two-toned Aubergine and Smoke Pearlescent with micro-thin areas of gold dust embedded into the paint at the color breaks. The effect of the pearl and gold clear-coat layers is a magnificent color shifting of all panels making the transitions even more subtle. A 24k gold Lincoln "Star" is embedded in the rear side glass, not only evoking those classic opera window logos, but is also taxed as a piece of jewelry recalling the early 1960s Imperial Crown gold crests. It is this American/European mix of function and style that lead me to name this hatchback MKZ, the Continental Touring Sedan. It signals the rebirth of the Continental nameplate. In addition there would be a flagship sedan, The Continental Town Car, as well as a new Continental Mark coupe.

I dedicate my newest Lincoln chop to America's veterans. I chose The American Luxury Car, and a European designer to celebrate Veterans' Day. We saved Europe and have gone through Hell and high water with them. I think this union of American luxury and European fashion celebrates what our veterans fought for. My dad served for almost 23 years and I know the cost of that service. Today my heart goes out to all, as always.

2015 Camaro Type LT—The Hatchback Returns

I would like to see the Camaro be repackaged. I'd like to see it slightly smaller, much lighter, feature better visibility, and offer more room inside and in the trunk. I've given it a sleek hatchback as well. My Type LT, an old Camaro model name, now stands for "Luggage & Touring" and would offer optional fitted luggage as well as several different luggage area treatments/hardware for various sports activities. The Camaro was a hatchback for decades, so it shouldn't be too much of a stretch for today's buyers! I've placed it along the shoreline of my town, lol.

Some Not so Oldies but Pretty Goodies

 

This 2012 Charger coupe is my most viewed chop on the 'Net. Many of "my cars" have found a life outside of casey/artandcolour-cars, but this particular one has been uploaded to more than 100 websites and has more than 7,000 views on my site alone. And unlike many of my more polarizing redesigns, has met with almost universal "likes."

Taking the rather mundane but very competent new Malibu, I added a coupe greenhouse much like the 1970s Chevy Monza subcompact, itself a nod to an early '70s Ferrari coupe by, I believe, Pininfarina.

Yes. Hard as it is to believe, I designed a new 4-door Lincoln without suicide doors! This is my idea for a new MKS sport sedan. It would be based on the Mustang platform, rear wheel drive with optional performance all wheel drive, and I think it would go a long way in reestablishing Lincoln as an aspirational brand.

 

Another Mopar coupe, this time a flagship Chrysler Nassau V10 with pillarless styling. It was my idea to use the Viper's powertrain but wrap it in velvet instead of velcro. I still hope the powers-that-be at that company do something like this eventually. It could be sold in Italy, like many new Chryslers, as an imported  highspeed luxury coupe with American flair.

This little Chevy Cruz Z/11 hatchback was based on the Europe-only hatch. I correctly predicted Chevy's abandonment of its longstanding dual grille, only they introduced it on the new Impala and Traverse, not the Cruz.

 

A funky little longroof Hyundai "Shooting Break." Hyundai and its sister brand, Kia, are making leaps and bounds in styling and engineering and they're taking chances with new cars. I could see them coming out with something like this in the not-so-far future.

 

With Cadillac just announcing that its Volt cousin, the extremely gorgeous ELR coupe, is going to be priced from $75,000 and up, perhaps my idea for a Chevrolet Volt coupe isn't a bad one. The Volt lists for closer to $40,000 and with a similarly priced coupe, might just find a decent audience. Perhaps selling more of the coupe platform as a Chevy might help lower the Cadillac's pricepoint a bit. I was shocked at the "75 large" asking price and I don't shock that easily anymore!

2014 Lincoln MK-9E coupe. Plug-in Sports Luxury

Click on image to enlarge, as always, here at casey/artandcolour.

Lincoln MK-9E—This is my attempt at adapting Lincoln's current design language to the proportions of the late, and lamented, Marks VII and VIII. RWD and AWD would be available, as well as a Twin-turbo V8 or Plug-in hybrid with range extending EcoBoost 3 liter V6. Power Panoramic roof is standard, as are highly detailed wheels with body-color anodized as well as polished- and brushed-alloy wheels. The Eighties and Nineties are retro-ed in various ways, it's not too early, lol! The unique door handles resemble those on "suicide" door sedans, but in this case, the chromed portion mounted on the body next to the door is the receiver for the Smart Key and is touch-sensitive, descending quickly into the body revealing a clean, and, chromed, fingergrip for the door. The doors are power soft-opening-and-closing like the finest über German luxury cars.

I created this new Mark 9E, and made it this color, because of a cool Lincoln Mark VIII I used to see almost daily at my local grocery store. It belonged to a young man that works there, inherited from his late Dad. I took quite a few pics of his car, which while not perfect was quite a nice example. I thought I'd post those photos along with this chop when I finished, but of course, "the best laid plans of mice and men..." I've combed my eFolders going back a year and I can't find ANY of the photos I shot of his car. I have no idea where they may be. Since I can't find any of them, I'm thinking I must have put them all in a separate folder with some arcane name that made sense at the time, but which I can't recall right now. I only have about 35,000 photos to go through, so I'm not sure I'll ever find them, lol. Since I shot them, the car has died and was too expensive to repair. Let this Photoshopped Mark 9E be an homage to that once and beautiful automobile!

I've created a couple of other Mark 9s, or more correctly, Mark IXs:
Mark IX BiTurbo V12
Mark IX Luxury Coupe
Mark GT/V12 Sports Coupe

And of course, check out the "Labels" on the side for more Lincolns or to see if I've designed any other cars you'd like!

My Concept for Pebble Beach this Weekend!

The famed Pebble Beach Concours is this weekend in the Monterey, California area. It's often the site of new car launches. I've created a flagship station wagon, a full-sized plug-in hybrid, the 2014 Buick  Electra Estate Wagon. In addition to the trademark brushed aluminum-and-chrome Sweepspear and microveneer wraparound woodgraining, each front fender carries a platinum metallic circular access hatch highlighting the new TriColor Buick shield logo. Their design is a nod to the dual sidemounted tires so popular in the prewar period. The driver side panel opens to the plug-in circuitry. The passenger side opens to reveal four custom carbon-fiber cloth umbrellas, one for each well-cossetted interior passenger. Center opening side doors are powered as is the rear hatch and tailgate, the former's opening comprising fully 1/3 of the roof before it slides forward along roof rails.

This year at Pebble, I have a friend showing his '56 Mark II convertible in the Continental display, and another friend is there sheparding a pristing '65 Cadillac Coupe DeVille in the Cadillac display.

Audi A7C—Pillarless Two-door Coupe

My Audi A7C, an actual pillarless coupe version of Audi's 5-door A7 Sportback. The hatchback would be replaced by innovative slide-and-open tailgate opening design. I've simplified and refined Audi's corporate "face." The intertwined rings logo is smaller and moved to the header of the chrome grille frame. A central LED "light bar" has been added to the grille to unify the LED headlight graphic. There is a very subtle raised panel leading from this new higher-placed logo which fades into the rise of the aluminum hood. The taillights would also consist of a similar central panel LED bar tying their outer graphics together body-wide. A very American use of the Audi rings is their placement on the C-pillar, but, hey, that's me. I really think the new front end could be an effective refinement of their current design. Audi should have a competitor for the E-Class coupe.

2014 Cadillac CTS coupe—Artandcolour Elegance

Using the just-released photos of the 2014 CTS sedan, a more sedate and mature design than the current generation of Art & Science styling, "my" CTS coupe follows Cadillac's own strategy. Instead of the awesomely crazy and dramatic pyramidal Coupe now in showrooms, I created a pillarless coupe to compete with the Mercedes Benz E Series coupe. The profile is more flowing notchback than fastback and I've enlarged the already large grille just a little bit for a more formal look. Rather than use Caddy's now de rigeur slash door "handles" for this coupe, I used more elegant chrome handles. The "drama" in this coupe comes from the pillarless styling, ultra-luxe interior for four, a "faster" windshield angle and a 2 -inch lower roofline compared with the sedan. Aero wheels from the new electric coupe, the ELR, add to the quietness of this luxury coupe at speed.

2014 Delgiata Lineup Revealed: Eagle & Villager Hybrids

The first model in the 2014 lineup of my mythical car company, Delgiata: The Villager. Villagers are Executive class sedans with a dual-purpose hatchback. The electronic hatch may be opened remotely in one piece, lifting and sliding forward a bit on the roof for maximum opening, or in two pieces, with the glass lifting and sliding and the bottom part folding down and out to form a tailgate and longer loadfloor. Carbon fiber and micro-veneer construction is ultra lightweight and strong, and the plug-in electric motor is combined with a range-extending 1.5 liter horizontally opposed "flat" 6. Equipment levels are generous, with options limited to colors and owner-packages, including "Rear Office," "Entertainment," and full-boat, sybaritic, "Complete," packages.

The Villager joins the smaller, ultra-high mileage Eagle, below:


The second model introduced this year is the Eagle, the "entry-level" Delgiata that is anything but. Small exterior size belies the roomy 4-passenger interior, with every modern convenience. Construction follows its larger Executive brother's, the Village, in carbon-fiber and microveneer. In the Eagle, the plug-in hybrid drivetrain includes a range-extending .9 liter inline 3 cylinder. Combined they move the Eagle from 0-60 in 8 seconds while giving combined mileage ratings in the "150 MPG/e" range.

Both new Deligiatas feature electronic all-wheel drive.

These two new models in the Delgiata lineup join the 4-cylinder hybrid "Delivery Van" I created in the mid 2000s., here.

What if. . . Mark II Slantback?

The 1956-57 Mark II coupe is a tours-de-force. It is elegance personified with its formal roof and clean lines. It is one of the cleanest cars of the Fifties decade.

With this chop, I'm exploring what the car may have looked like without the severely formal and close-coupled roof.  I gave it a faster roofline and backlight. I straightened out the classic body contour kickup in the rear quarters and, obviously, gave it rear fender skirts and chromed rockerpanel trim.  Smaller details include moving the exhaust outlets down from below the taillights to below the bumper, thus extending the "tubular" rocker panel trim. I filled in the former exhaust pods and glassed-over the license plate recess. 

I'm not in any way "improving" the Mark II with these changes, that would be impossible! But I think this look could have been developed into a stunning car by the Mark's stylists had they gone in this direction!