Concept Cars


Book Description

Concept Cars is an illustrated guide to 70 of the most creative products of car design. From the science fiction inspired concept cars of the 1950s to the remarkably innovative designs of the present day, here are the cars that push the boundaries of automotive design to the limit. Featured are designs that opened the doors to future innovations, as well as the cars that actually made it to production, such as the new VW Beetle and the Porsche Boxster. Key car designers such as Norman Bel Geddes, the "father of streamlining," and Peter Schreyer, the man responsible for the Audi TT, are covered as well. 190 color photographs and illustrations are included in this discovery of the fantastic, the extraordinary, and just plain outlandish creations of the automotive industry.




Corvette Concept Cars


Book Description

For more than a half century, the Corvette has been celebrated as “America’s sports car” by owners and enthusiasts. Since the first model rolled off the assembly line on June 29, 1953, it has been transformed time and again from a well-intentioned-but-underpowered boulevard cruiser into one of the most iconic sports cars of all time! How did Harley Earl’s original vision for a two-seat sports car progress through eight distinct generations to become the car that we know and love today? Who were the visionaries responsible for advancing its form and function over the last 70 years? Also, why has the Corvette continued to find commercial success in an ever-changing marketplace when so many other automobiles have come and gone since its creation? Corvette Concept Cars: Developing America's Favorite Sports Car answers these questions by delving into the origins of the Chevrolet Corvette and of the countless designers, engineers, drivers, and dreamers responsible for its creation. It explores the personal histories of Corvette’s greatest visionaries (Harley Earl, Zora Arkus-Duntov, and Bill Mitchell) and tells how each of their fates were indelibly intertwined with the rich (and sometimes volatile) history of Chevrolet’s flagship sports car. This book is an exploration of the Corvette concept cars from the earliest turnstile dream cars and purpose-built racers to the many unique mid-engined concept and research vehicles that preceded the creation of the current production model: the eighth-generation mid-engine Stingray. Painstakingly researched and written by Corvette historian Scott Kolecki and packed with more than 400 incredible photographs, Corvette Concept Cars: Developing America’s Favorite Sports Car is the quintessential history of the evolution of the Chevrolet Corvette!




Concept Cars


Book Description

No auto show is complete without them. They're crowd pulling and invariably extravagant, zany, way-out, and created with no apparent consideration for cost. And, in the eyes of some, taste. But for all the entertainment value of the visually striking concept car, it does, nevertheless, have a serious role to play.For the car manufacturer it provides an invaluable opportunity to gauge the public's reaction to radical design initiatives before putting them into production. With environmental considerations moving increasingly to the fore, the newest generation of aerodynamically honed concepts is also of particular significance for featuring creative alternatives to the long-running internal combustion engine. This usually takes the form of emissions-free electric power which is either used in isolation or in hybrid form, when it works in harmony with miserly fueled gas or diesel units.The concept car is now well over 50 years old, and author Jonathan Wood charts its evolution from General Motors' landmark Y-Job of 1939, through the dream cars of the 1950s, and so to the present day.This highly illustrated book will fascinate car enthusiasts of all ages and provide a pointer to the sort of vehicles that will be on our roads well into the 21st century and beyond.







Concept Cars


Book Description

The concept car was born in 1939 with General Motors' invention of the Buick Y-job. This was not a car designed for general consumption, but one created by the styling department as an "ideas" car, a sleek, chrome-adorned sculpture contrived to inflate passions and inspire imaginations. This is the ultimate guide to concept cars, featuring major design houses from Ogle to Pininfarina as well as mass manufacturers. It includes over 300 stunning color images, each highlighting a significant and creative twentieth-century car.




Chrysler Concept Cars 1940-1970


Book Description

Chrysler Concept Cars 1940-1970 follows the design, development, and creation of almost 50 Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth concept cars during the automotive industrys golden postwar years, when Chrysler set the Detroit Style. Readers get an inside look not only at the styling of the cars, but also of the performance developments and engineers unique ideas. The book features interviews, profiles, and references to the work of famous Chrysler automotive designers and engineers including Virgil Exner, Chuck Mashigan, Dana Waterman, Elwood P. Engel, John Herlitz, and Jack Charipar.




Concept Cars


Book Description

Presents the history of concept cars, shows today's latest innovations, and describes how car designers use drawings, computers, and clay to design concept cars.




Concept Car Design


Book Description

Showing where car designers look for inspiration when envisioning cars of the future, and how they respond to the demands of the market, this title dissects the process of designing these imaginary flights of fancy from idea to realization.




Porsche Unseen


Book Description

Unbekannte Preziosen Wenn Autofirmen Studien und Prototypen zeigen, erlauben sie damit einen Blick hinter den Vorhang, eine Vision von dem, was kommt oder kommen könnte. Neben dem, was bei offiziellen Terminen und auf Messen gezeigt wird, gibt es aber eine überwältigende Menge von Entwürfen und Modellen, die der Öffentlichkeit aus verschiedensten Gründen verborgen bleiben. In diesem Buch wird das unmögliche möglich: ein Blick auf noch nie gesehene Porsche - Porsche Unseen. Stefan Bogner durfte exklusiv im Allerheiligsten des Porsche Designs fotografieren und beschert uns absolute Aha-Momente. Die Porsche-DNA ist in jedem der gezeigten Modelle erkennbar, die Ausführung aber so neu und zum Teil so unerwartet, dass man meint, in einem Paralleluniversum gelandet zu sein. Ein 1-Liter-Auto von Porsche? Ein coupéhafter 4-Sitzer mit 911-Zügen? Einsitzige Roadster mit dem Geist der 50er-Jahre? Das alles hat Stefan Bogner im Modell oder sogar fahrfertig vor der Linse gehabt. Die erhellenden Hintergründe hat Jan Baedeker im persönlichen Gespräch mit Designchef Michael Mauer notiert. Folgen Sie uns auf eine unvergleichliche Entdeckungsreise durch die Welt des Porsche Designs! Zweisprachig: Deutsch/Englisch Unknown valuables When car companies present studies and prototypes, they allow a glimpse behind the scenes, a vision of what will come or might come. Apart from what is shown on official events and at fairs, there is an overwhelming number of drafts and models, that remain hidden from the public for various reasons. This book achieves the impossible: a look at Porsche cars the public never laid eyes on - Porsche Unseen. Stefan Bogner was exclusively allowed to take pictures in the Porsche Design sanctum, aha-experiences guaranteed. The Porsche DNA is recognisable in any of the models shown, but the design is so new and unexpected that it suggests the existence of a parallel universe. A 1-litre Porsche? A coupé-like four seater with 911-looks? Single-seated roadsters with 50's flair? Stefan Bogner took photos of all of them - either as models or ready to drive. Jan Baedeker talked with Michael Mauer, Head of Design, and took down the enlightening background information. Join our extraordinary expedition of discovery through the world of Porsche Design!




Concept Cars


Book Description

Concept cars are made to introduce new ideas and designs. They are first shown to the public at car shows. Young readers will learn about the history of concept cars, how concept cars are designed, and how they are displayed at car shows.