The 21st Century Recreational Vehicle: A Mean, Lean Green Machine

I came across this picture while checking my Facebook page. The picture popped up in my news feed! I first fell in love with the aggressive look going on at the front. I like the grumpy appearance. It adds a look of ulra-macho truck-ness to a van-type aesthetic. Furthermore, the immediate thing that I  recognized about the grumpy look was that it resembled a bulldog. As much as I tremble when I pass a bulldog, I always love the constipated, irritated look that they carry on their faces. It really makes me laugh. There's many times when I've wanted to just stand by the fence where a bulldog was and just laughy my ass off at it. Hahahaha! 

But anyway, observe the design critique below. 

This concept RV, is also more than just an eye-catching front end design. It is a lean green machine. A wonderfully sustainable design for the staycation type. First off, to improve fuel efficiency - in this age of sky-high gas prices, the vehicle body has been slimmed down - this does wonders for aerodynamics too. 

Now on to the more exciting aspects of this RV concept, is its innovative "sustainability at rest" concept. It goes beyond fuel efficiency with the introduction of solar panels in the awning and roof, and hydrogen fuel as an alternative power source. It also houses an electric charging station for Vectrix motorcycles (I don't know what that is) and segways ,as well as a high-tech concept called an AquaVentus device, which enables fresh, portable water to be pulled out of thin air by use of condensation capture technology. Wow! This is an RV indeed! It's a Revolutionary Vehicle! Checkout the link at the company website: http://www.robrady.com/design-project/robrady-design-sustainability-rest-rv-concept

- Gebre Mesquitta

Car Music! A UK Composer Creates a Single Using Car Sounds

       We all have heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, Mark Marrington created an audio track of cars sounds and they are worth a thousand videos! You can very easily imagine the different scenes in the videos as you hear the different sounds of the vehicles. For example, you can see the fustrated driver blasting her horn, or the sound of a car engine starting after the driver has just got into the vehicle. It’s like a video-painting. This is artistic audio!  My favorite part is the beeping sounds from a truck backing up and the sound of a car whizzing by. It feels like I’m right there! The sounds are thrilling and anticipating. What I also love about this “musical” competition, is the meticulous track arrangement that enables it to be not just a collection of automobile noises but a collection of noises that has transformed into music. This is also accomplished by applying different tones to similar sounds - making for what the producer, Mark Marrington calls "a concentrated listening experience."Kudos to Mark for capturing the daily life of being a car (lol) You can listen to Mark Marrington's composition here: (http://www.reverbnation.com/markmarrington)

- Gebre Mesquitta

Luxury and Sport collide.... Lexus GS 350

With the dramatic changes of the American economy, rising gas prices, and cars looking (pretty much) the same, Lexus offers us something that shows that change may be a good thing.
Lexus offers its newest version of the GS series, which has gone on to become one of the more popular series throughout the years. This specific series alone has built a reputation besides the flagship LS and sporty IS series as the ultimate between both sporty and luxury worlds. Lexus looks to place some heat and add a higher level of competition with a radical new approach to its design and development. Being known for it's innovative ways of thinking, and there famous punchline "the pursuit of perfection". What do you think about the new design philosphy from Lexus? Please provide some feedback, let us know your feelings toward the new redesign of the Lexus GS 350. You can post in the comments box at the end of the posting.




Lets take a look at the face. Do you notice anything different? Yesss! The whole front fascia has been redesigned, a new grille, and look, guess what! No more signature double headlights! Lexus has decided to go ahead and change its formula and is also influencing the other models in its line up with this all new signature trapezoidal type grille. Also included, are these angular agressive headlamps which are decorated with a line of daytime LEDs positioned on the lower part of the light cluster. This look to me resembles a more highly aggressive IS. This is where the sporty side of the design comes into play.

When viewing the side profile you can't help but notice the aerodynamic elements that form together to create a sort of beautiful sculptured artwork. As we look at the green house from the A pillar to the C pillar, your eyes can just follow the fluid-like lines that flow all the way down to the bottom of the doors and back up to the A pillar. Before you know it your back on the journey again. The sweeping character line accents the rising beltline and runs into a beautiful well sculted rear lip. The short front overhangs truly enhance the vehicles sense of motion, thus hinting at the sporty side of this work of art.

Ahhhh yes, the rear! Do you notice anything different here? Thats right! gone are the signature rear tail lamps of the previous GS. The new angular shaped tail lamps are more innovative, notice the L-shape LED cluster within the tail lamps, another Lexus trademark. Our eyes follow the agressive lines that draw us down to the unique exhaust and diffuser cluster. This combination continues with the sporty DNA of the IS. The rear bumper though, is designed specifically for assistance with the creation of downforce, and we can see that with the bumper's integrated sculpted rear as it flows into the body. Overall, this car is a tremendous work of art and truly a beauty at stand still. 

Lets take a look at the luxury side of the vehicle: The interior. (Ooooh la-la-la-la-la!...licks lips and wags tongue lol)

 

With leather and well accented panels, a large deep inset screen which resembles an executive office. The driver steps in and assumes the role of CEO.

The rear is soooo luxurious. The passengers are also involved in the executive decision making, as members of the board.



We will truly miss the previous GS that formed the DNA for the future lineup.



                                                                          -Jamal McClean

WTF! New Luxury Sedan! From Kia?

       OMG! Look at the majesty and visual splendor of this vehicle! All I can say is wow! Kia, you have really come a long way. A really damn long way. Almost a decade ago you were like an auto manufacturer that existed on the fringes of the automotive industry. I totally looked down on your vehicles. They were like "nobody" vehicles, something for a college kid or someone really broke to drive. To put it plainly, your cars looked like a poor man's ride, and I had a personal vow to never ever buy one. (Hahaha)Well you know, let me be honest, I don't think I actually thought I would never drive one, because I am no predictor of my future, and Mama alwyas told me "never say never". But let me say this, I knew that I would avoid it if I could. I remember when I would chuckle to myself when I'd see the Kia Optima and the Kia Amanti out in the streets. I was like, "Man, yall are so plain Jane and butt ugly.  

       But times have changed! And Kia is now fast becoming a design powerhouse on the automotive scene. To you all I say congratulations on all of your successes as you climb the ladder to gain your rightful seat amongst the big boys of the automotive world. I am thoroughly enjoying your injection of high quality, exciting, and enthusiastic design language into the automotive industry.

       Now, let me give you my critique of this majestic luxury Kia sedan.The first thing that pops out about this car is the grille, you can immediately see BMW. You can also see some Buick in the grille too. But there's two reasons why you don't see the buick's grille similarity first. First, it is because in your mind BMW is a substantially higher caliber automotive product than a Buick and you'll want to see that similarity first. Second, is because of the design of the grille; it transitions from wide to narrow to wide again. This enables the near visualization of the two piece trade mark BMW grille to be "seen". Almost in the same vein are the headlamps. They are reminiscent of the headlamps on the BMW M6. But aside from that, the headlamps totally hold their own. What my eyes immediately gravitate too are the inner bulb housings! They are square! This a total contrast from the usual circular design seen in all cars on the road. It has an extraordinarily unique effect and is a grandoise change from the norm. Here I give a sharp military salute to such revolutionary design ingenuity. Infact, let me hear 21 guns go off for this. (Put's hand to hear in an "I'm listening" mode). "Wham!" Thankyou!

- Gebre Mesquitta