Official: Alfa Romeo 4C

[GoingTooFast]

Italian flag... 'La Bella Italia'

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by GoingTooFast

Italian flag... 'La Bella Italia'

I am not a pro-sticker kind of guy at all but these last photos of the LE 4C with Italian flag colored stickers may just be the best looking 4C I have seen. I think this car needs a careful choice of exterior color (must avoid colors like silver for instance) and maybe some extras like stickers...or just the opposite route: black on black, a Darth Vader look, with red stiched interior.

[GoingTooFast]

Originally Posted by ozinaldo

I am not a pro-sticker kind of guy at all but these last photos of the LE 4C with Italian flag colored stickers may just be the best looking 4C I have seen. I think this car needs a careful choice of exterior color (must avoid colors like silver for instance) and maybe some extras like stickers...or just the opposite route: black on black, a Darth Vader look, with red stiched interior.

It just shows that 'race cars' and stickers always go hand to hand.



PS: Having been next to a silver Alfa Romeo 4C like the one appearing in most pictures (with the yellow brakes) I can confidently say I wouldn't mind to own one because I really like it very much except that to me an Alfa Romeo must be red.

[IMG]

Looks great

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by GoingTooFast

As I said, give him a proper car.

PS: Massa was driving for Sauber before he went to Ferrari. That's precisely what I'm hopping it will happen to Kobayashi.

Here is Kobayashi in a proper car. FAIL!!!!


http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/21/k...-crash-moscow/

[GoingTooFast]

Kamui Kobayashi is always spectacular no matter where he goes... that's what draws the public to watch him.

The racer, known for his exuberant crowd-pleasing style, drove a 2009 Ferrari F60 in Sunday's Moscow City Racing event against a backdrop of the Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral.

However, there was plenty of spectacle, perhaps a bit too much in the case of Kamui Kobayashi. The Japanese driver got one of the warmest welcomes from the crowd that lined the 3800 metre track, but he was caught out during his last run of laps by a track made particularly slippery as the rain came down hard at that moment and he ended up in the barriers.

The F60 was badly damaged, much to the ironic delight of the F1 Clienti department mechanics, but they set about their tasks with gusto and in around 20 minutes, they had readied a second car, thus ensuring that Kamui and the Scuderia were able to produce the best possible finale, as the Japanese driver did one final lap of honour against the backdrop of the walls of the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral.

“It was great to be able to represent Scuderia Ferrari at such an important event,” said Kamui to www.ferrari.com, when the day was over. “For this I would once again like to thank the team and its sponsor Kaspersky Lab. It is important to be able to bring Formula 1 close to the public with promotional events like this: a shame about the rain as otherwise the crowd might have been even bigger. The crash? The track was very slippery and there was a marked bump at that point, which is why I hit the barrier. A shame, but I am pleased the team let me out again after a few minutes.”

Of the five Formula 1 teams present in Moscow, only the Scuderia had brought two cars ready to use. When you drive an F1 car on city streets like here in Moscow, with the barriers very close and escape roads reduced to a minimum, the risks of a crash are definitely higher than at a permanent circuit: you need to have a good number of spare parts and even a second car, so as not to deprive the spectators who maybe never have a chance to see at first hand, the spectacle of the highest level of motor sport. This time, the Scuderia’s choice was very definitely the right one.

Moscow, 21 July –Kamui Kobayashi’s first public appearance as a driver working for Scuderia Ferrari was an opportunity for the Japanese driver to sum up his race season so far. “It’s been an unusual year for me,” Kamui told www.ferrari.com. “I chose to tackle a new adventure with Ferrari, racing a 458 GT, rather than not drive. In the FIA WEC, we have some ground to make up on the best, but there are still five races to go and if we improve the car, we still have a chance of bringing home the title. Personally, I believe that I have made a good impression, given this is my first season in closed cars and with a team-mate, Toni Vilander, who is very strong and has been taking part in these races for a decade.”

However Formula 1 is still Kamui’s main aim for next season. “At the moment, there are many teams who prefer to choose their drivers based on how much money they can bring, rather than on their ability on track: I hope this trend will change, because my aim is to be back there as soon as possible and I am working hard to succeed. Meanwhile, all I can do is give my all to Ferrari in the GT races and be available to the team for whatever they want me to do, such as events like this, or when they ask me to help with the development of the car by working on the simulator.”

Speaking of his experience in Russia, Kamui had this to say: “I was very impressed by the city: you know, I come from a big place like Tokyo, but you don’t feel the weight of history there as you do in Moscow. Also, it was nice to see so much enthusiasm for Formula 1: you can tell there is a lot of passion and a desire to see real racing cars. I really hope that next year, Russia can stage its first ever Grand Prix!”

[Jadar]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Sorry BRZ and Cayman, I think I just found my next car.

I'd have to see a real photo or the car in real life to judge the looks. Not something that came out of the cartoon Cars. But that over the new Cayman S? Eh no thanks! The new 981 is a seriously sweet machine and they made it drop dead gorgeous.

[GoingTooFast]

Originally Posted by dd1981

I'd have to see a real photo or the car in real life to judge the looks. Not something that came out of the cartoon Cars. But that over the new Cayman S? Eh no thanks! The new 981 is a seriously sweet machine and they made it drop dead gorgeous.

After have seen the 981 in person my opinion about the way it looks not only was confirmed but reinforced...

I wish that Walter de Silva could have designed it. You can clearly see his influence in the 2012 Panamera Sport Turismo concept design... Can you tell the difference of a great Porsche design?!

By: Luca Ciferri, Automotive News on 10/11/2010


Volkswagen Group design director Walter de'Silva hopes to add "something positive" to the design of Porsche's new models, beginning with the Cajun SUV.

Porsche AG is set to become Volkswagen AG's 10th brand and Porsche design director Michael Mauer now reports to de'Silva, along with the heads of the styling centers of the other VW group brands such as Skoda, Seat, Bentley and Lamborghini.

De'Silva said he has just started working with Mauer and their relationship is off to a good start.

"I really hope to be able to add something positive to Porsche's new models, which will remain coherent with the great tradition of Porsche,” de'Silva said in an interview at the Paris auto show.

De'Silva said the designs of the successors to the current Porsche Boxster and 911 sports cars are already completed, so "the Cajun will be the first new Porsche created under my influence.”

The Cajun SUV, which is due in 2014, is part of Porsche's plans to expand its four-model lineup to double unit sales in the medium term to 150,000.


2-door Cajun

The SUV will be a platform sibling to the Audi Q5 and a rival to premium SUVs such as the BMW X3. It will have a shorter wheelbase and lower roofline than the Q5 and will cost between 5 and 10 percent more, according to German magazine AutoBild.

To prevent the Cajun stealing sales from the Q5 and the larger Porsche Cayenne, the smaller SUV will be sold initially as a two-door, like a potential rival, the Range Rover Evoque, AutoBild said.

Besides the Cajun, Porsche is also working on a "baby" Boxster car that is expected to go on sale in 2013 and will be based on one of De'Silva's pet projects, the VW BlueSport, which was shown as a concept at the 2009 Detroit auto show.

VW is planning three BlueSport-inspired vehicles based on a new mid-engine platform for Audi, VW and Porsche.

De'Silva did not elaborate on how he will influence Porsche design. The styling of the Porsche Cayenne and new Panamera sedan has met with criticism in some quarters.

No more 'vulgar' Porsches?

Paolo Tuminelli, CEO of Goodbrands GmbH, a brand and marketing consultancy based in Cologne, Germany, said the styling of the recently introduced second-generation Cayenne and Panamera "confused and vulgarized" Porsche's image.

He believes de'Silva will immediately abandon such designs and return the brand to "classic elements reinterpreted in a much cleaner way, as he successfully did with the 2006 Lamborghini Miura concept.”

Tuminelli said de'Silva's taste for balanced proportions, simplicity and fine detail execution will be a plus for Porsche.

De'Silva, 59, has been VW group design director since February 2007. In a 38-year automotive career, the Italian native has designed classic cars such as the Alfa Romeo 156 sedan, the 147 hatchback and GTV coupe.

VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech personally recruited de'Silva from Alfa Romeo to VW's Seat unit in 1999 when Piech was VW CEO. De'Silva created a new sporty design for Seat, then did the same at Audi where he devised the premium brand's signature large single frame grille unveiled on the A6 in 2004.

[Red Bread]

Test drive a Cayman with and without an LSD, it's not nearly as big of a difference as a front engine car.

[GoingTooFast]

Yet another view from the Kobayashi's Ferrari onboard camera...spectacular as always!

[GoingTooFast]

[Jadar]

Originally Posted by GoingTooFast

After have seen the 981 in person my opinion about the way it looks not only was confirmed but reinforced...

I wish that Walter de Silva could have designed it. You can clearly see his influence in the 2012 Panamera Sport Turismo concept design... Can you tell the difference of a great Porsche design?!

Not everyone is going to like the new 981, it is what it is. But compared to the old 1st and 2nd generation! Yes I can tell a great Porsche design and the new 981 blows the previous gen away. You're honestly the 1st person I've heard not like the new cayman hey to each his own though .

The Panamara concept is definitely drop dead gorgeous, that back end is amazing. But im just not into 4 Door porsches That's my only complaint about the cayman, could have used better tail lamps. Ones closer resembling a 991.

But comparing a 981 to the 4c again that 4c looks like a toy and ugly from almost every angle.. And I'm not hating on Alfa I own one, nothing special but nonetheless.

[Red Bread]

Funny how styling effects people. I too think the 981 is leagues better than the 987 of both generations. I prefer the 981 tail lamps to the 991, where they seem too small and pinched for such a (relatively) large car. The 993 remains perfect and the 997.2 had nicely proportioned tails too, unless were those awful clear LED ones.

Let's be honest, anything is better than the Panamera that we got. The de Silva one is great and hopefully it heads that way, but it's still a car that does nothing for me.

[Moegviralles]

Got my 4C Launch Edition scale model from Alfa today..

It's stunning!!

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Moegviralles

Got my 4C Launch Edition scale model from Alfa today..

It's stunning!!

Do you need us to pitch in for a camera?

[Moegviralles]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Do you need us to pitch in for a camera?

Lol!!

Will post a pic or two tomorrow.. On my iPad now and not sure how to upload pics via the iPad

And after what we paid as a deposit on the car I might need some help.. Haha

[GoingTooFast]

Originally Posted by dd1981

Not everyone is going to like the new 981, it is what it is. But compared to the old 1st and 2nd generation! Yes I can tell a great Porsche design and the new 981 blows the previous gen away. You're honestly the 1st person I've heard not like the new cayman hey to each his own though .

The Panamara concept is definitely drop dead gorgeous, that back end is amazing. But im just not into 4 Door porsches That's my only complaint about the cayman, could have used better tail lamps. Ones closer resembling a 991.

To me it's a very simple case... either one likes the 991 design or the 981's. I can't possibly see how someone would like both except if he/she is looking exclusively at the badge. They don't even remotely speak the same 'visual language'. I belong to the 991 styling side, so...

If we had a Walter de Silva designed Cayman/Boxster this would appear completely obvious to everyone... maybe we'll have it!

Originally Posted by dd1981

But comparing a 981 to the 4c again that 4c looks like a toy and ugly from almost every angle.. And I'm not hating on Alfa I own one, nothing special but nonetheless.

All I feel like after reading this is smiling...

[GoingTooFast]

[Jadar]

Originally Posted by GoingTooFast

To me it's a very simple case... either one likes the 991 design or the 981's. I can't possibly see how someone would like both except if he/she is looking exclusively at the badge. They don't even remotely speak the same 'visual language'. I belong to the 991 styling side, so...

If we had a Walter de Silva designed Cayman/Boxster this would appear completely obvious to everyone... maybe we'll have it!




All I feel like after reading this is smiling...

I'd take the 991 carreara s in a heart beat...but the comparison was to a cayman and the 4c. To me the 981 is still more visually appealing makes no difference being who designed it. I mean de Silva designed some of the most stunning cars R8, S5...I'm a big fan. But at the end if the day I still choose the cayman over the 4c respectively given those were my choices.

Maybe one day ill have a cayman s and you'll have the 4c and we can meet up and screw around on a track :-D

[buildbright]

Originally Posted by dd1981

I'd take the 991 carreara s in a heart beat...but the comparison was to a cayman and the 4c. To me the 981 is still more visually appealing makes no difference being who designed it. I mean de Silva designed some of the most stunning cars R8, S5...I'm a big fan. But at the end if the day I still choose the cayman over the 4c respectively given those were my choices.

Maybe one day ill have a cayman s and you'll have the 4c and we can meet up and screw around on a track :-D

Could not have said it better myself.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by GoingTooFast

That is an ugly pic.

[GoingTooFast]

Originally Posted by dd1981

Yes I can tell a great Porsche design and the new 981 blows the previous gen away.
(...)

The Panamara concept is definitely drop dead gorgeous, that back end is amazing.

Originally Posted by dd1981

I'd take the 991 carreara s in a heart beat...but the comparison was to a cayman and the 4c. To me the 981 is still more visually appealing makes no difference being who designed it.

That's what I'm talking about here... you say you can tell a great Porsche design and you have acknowledged that the Panamera Sport Turismo concept, which has a lot of visual clues from the 991 mainly in the rear, is "definitely drop dead gorgeous", your own words and then you say you find the 981 visually appealing... that's what I honestly can't understand, let alone when compared to the Alfa 4C.

Originally Posted by dd1981

I mean de Silva designed some of the most stunning cars R8, S5...I'm a big fan. But at the end if the day I still choose the cayman over the 4c respectively given those were my choices.

Walter de Silva is a car design genius!

Originally Posted by dd1981

Maybe one day ill have a cayman s and you'll have the 4c and we can meet up and screw around on a track :-D

Oh, that would be definitely good news (in my case, I mean )... and maybe then you could teach me something!

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