Fiat has a long history of making hot little coupes based on its smallest platforms. My Abarth-tuned 750 Scorpion, based on the newly-introduced in the USA Fiat 500, fits that objective perfectly. An upscale touch would be the wheel-mounted Scorpion logos, counter-balanced to always stay vertical and "readable,"a la the Rolls Royce Phantom.
Hyundai is making great worldwide inroads with its new cars, especially its upscale Genesis models. Here is my pillarless luxury coupe based on the Genesis sedan, which would supplement, not replace, the slightly smaller and much sportier Genesis coupe that is out right now.
My "kinder, gentler supercar" is based on Mercedes Benz's new gullwing-doored SLS. I shortened the hood by about 10-12 inches, and dropped in a high-tech hybrid powerplant. I also lightened up the interior with proper C panel windows evocative of the original mid Fifties Mercedes 300SL gullwing coupe.
C H O P S — Several of my chops from the past year appear in Peter De Lorenzo's Autoextremist site this week, in his On The Table column, so I thought I'd post a few more here this morning. It's always a thrill for me to have my work shown on his site, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart. It's hard to believe 2010 is almost over, and that my blog will be a year old in mid-February. It's been quite a fun and eventful year for me, with ups, downs and all-arounds, lol.
For any "newbies" checking in to my site for the first time, all of the images I post in my blog—my chops, my art, or any other subject matter—are clickable thumbnails and open up to full screen for a better look at the details.
It was great as always to see some of your chops on Peter's site. I LOVE the Buick -- of course, for my taste it would skew more towards "luxury" than "sport" but I sure can appreciate what you've done.
ReplyDeletePaul, NYC
thanks, Paul! on my "list" of future chops, would be a a revived Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe, very similar to the Buick GN, but skewed towards the luxury end. In the mid '70s Olds was selling more than 1/2 million of them a year. So hard to believe they lost that mojo in the next 20 years.
ReplyDeleteThe Cutlass Supreme was the best selling car in the US in some of those years. I always thought they were quite attractive -- especially the last of the real mid-size ones -- 73-77. The front bumper on the 73 worked better than on any of the other GM mid-size cars for those years.
ReplyDeleteIf you're taking suggestions (:-)
I'd love to see what you could do with the Audi A8 to make a real competitor to the Merceds-Benz CL coupes.
Paul, NYC
Congratulations on the Autoextremist Article, Casey . The Artandcolour Towncar is the car that should- MUST - be built!
ReplyDeleteI had an unbelievable car moment today: as I drove, I noticed my first Chevy Volt right in front of me.Wow!
It was silver/gray and very handsome.
As I admired it's lines, a 1967 Chevy Malibu SS in silver and gray raced up behind and passed me. The light turned red and there, side by side, the 1967 Malibu rumbled next to the silent Volt ! Both cars silver/gray ! A wonderful portrait of two different eras 33 years apart.
What were the chances!?
The light changed and 67 Malibu was off . The Volt turned right and the moment was gone.
And of course I had no camera.
I thought of you all here .
AP
Malibu
what a great moment. that's a commercial right there! You have to laugh, but I find the BEST moments in life are virtually never caught by a camera, or even seen by another person at that exact moment we can share it with. I bet that might be one of the reasons our species developed language all those millennia ago...
ReplyDeletemy local Chevy dealer was closed after almost 50 years last year with GM's reorganization. I'd love to see one in person.
That is a very funny concept about language. I am sure it's true. I am glad you could appreciate the sight. You are right-It would have made for a fine commercial.
ReplyDeleteThe Volt had Michigan plates,oddly enough . A good looking car.I like the 'eye shadow" on the belt line. It reminds me of the moldings on cars from the teens, twenties and thirties .
I am sorry about the Chevy dealer . Those closings just say so much about so many things ,don't they?
AP
how interesting that you found that the black beltline paint worked in person. In the photos, it's the one part that shouts out to me "fake" like they should have lowered the glass if that's the look they wanted. I never thought that in person, it just might look like a cool detail. Now I'm REALLY interested in seeing on the street.
ReplyDeleteyes, it's hard to believe that a dealership that sold '55 Bel Airs originally, couldn't have been saved by GM, but they did what they had to do I guess. At first, the dealership was going to sell used cars only, but that didn't work out. Then they opened it as an "antiques emporium" but it was more of an overpriced flea market and has closed already. now it's just a big 10-15 acre lot with vacant buildings.
You will have to see the Volt for yourself and tell us what you think . I understand your criticism about the windows. However, I have always been fond of those belt moldings , so I have a bit of a bias !
ReplyDeleteI wonder what you think of the slimming black line on the Volt's rocker panels and their odd configuration?
The proliferation of GM Dealerships was, sadly . one of the big problems . It's a shame (and unfair) that some of the old dealerships like yours had to pay the price.
AP
HI AP. I WISH YOU GUYS COULD GET INVITED TO JAY LENOS' GARAGE TO SEE ALL HIS CARS.OF COURSE,ME IN YOUR BACK POCKET, ALTHOUGH I WOULDN'T FIT. GUT TO BIG SO MAYBE I COULD JUST COME ALONG AS YOUR CHAUFFEUR.YOU SEEM TO KNOW ALOT ABOUT CAR AS THE REST OF THE GUYS. FOR ME,I LOOK AT THE BEAUTY AND IF IT'S CLASSY. AT MY AGE YOU WANT TO LOOK GOOD RIDING IN A CONVERTIBLE. THEIR MY FAVORITES. LIKE CASEY, CARS WERE MY GRAMPS HOBBY ALL HIS LIFE. WHEN WE WERE FIRST MARRIED HE AND HIS BEST FRIEND WOULD BUY WRECKS, TEAR THEM APART AND REBUILD THEM. THEN THEY WOULD SELL THE CARS. OUR VERY FIRST CAR HE REBUILT BROUGHT US $700.00 PROFIT. BACK THEN THAT WAS ALOT OF MONEY.WE HAD OVER FIFTY CARS AND FOUR MOTORHOMES IN 53 YEARS.THAT HAS SLOW DOWN FOR NOW BUT I NEVER SAY NEVER. IF HE SAW A BARGAIN AND WANTED THE CAR HE WOULD DEAL. I USED TO YELL ABOUT IT BUT MY MOM PUT ME IN MY PLACE ONE DAY. SHE SAID, HE COULD BE HANGING ON A BAR STOOL OR RUNNING WITH WOMEN SO SHUT YOUR MOUTH. I DID AND NEVER SAID ANOTHER WORD TO HIM. WE NEVER LOST A CENT ON ANY OF HIS CAR DEALS BUYING OR SELLING. HE MORE LIKELY MADE A BUCK. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY
i spent more than 25 years in bars, but never sat on a barstool. I always stood up! : )
ReplyDeleteHi Granny,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the nice note.
Thats a very clear and funny recollection about Gramps. I wish I had his know-how with machines and dealing !
Thank you, too , for the compliment. However, my knowledge of cars is nowhere near detailed and precise as what I find here. If your car breaks down , I can't fix it, but I probably could tell you who designed it and what cultural aspiration it reflects as we push it to the mechanic . lol .
AP
Malibu
The 500 would look nice with a little space in the back, don't ya think?
ReplyDeleteyou mean the real 500 or my little 750 sports coupe? I think i added some overhang in the back, but then squashed the roof so it would only seat 2 reclined people!
ReplyDelete