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Curbside Classics Archives
Design Archive
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![Doesn’t that lovely line of Volvo 140 butts make you want to say “Man, I remember when cars came in so many different colors!”? That’s been my comment on that […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC_0129.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Curbside Musings: Bringing Color Back – There’s Actually A Lot Out There, Curbside and Otherwise")
Curbside Musings: Bringing Color Back – There’s Actually A Lot Out There, Curbside and Otherwise
Posted on November 14, 2024 | 71 CommentsDoesn’t that lovely line of Volvo 140 butts make you want to say “Man, I remember when cars came in so many different colors!”? That’s been my comment on that […] -
![(first posted 2/15/2011) The fact that Russia did some major automotive cribbing back in the day is old hat. But here’s one that managed to escape me […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Zis-112-concept-car5.jpg-Courtesy-Kustomrama.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Design Capsule: ZIS 112 Cyclops – Does This Russian Car Look A Bit Too Familiar?")
Design Capsule: ZIS 112 Cyclops – Does This Russian Car Look A Bit Too Familiar?
Posted on November 3, 2024 | 43 Comments(first posted 2/15/2011) The fact that Russia did some major automotive cribbing back in the day is old hat. But here’s one that managed to escape me […] -
![Since I wrote my bio of Paul Bracq in 2018, a lot more BMW material has come to light. Olivier Guin over at Car Design Archive has been constantly feeding […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/michcover.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "CC Design: How E12 Spelled The End For Michelotti And Bertone At BMW")
CC Design: How E12 Spelled The End For Michelotti And Bertone At BMW
Posted on July 18, 2024 | 26 CommentsSince I wrote my bio of Paul Bracq in 2018, a lot more BMW material has come to light. Olivier Guin over at Car Design Archive has been constantly feeding […] -
![By 1957, the merits of GM’s body-sharing strategy had long been plain for all to see. For example, at the upper end of the market, Buick and Cadillac shared the […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/0-1957-Chrysler-Mock-Up-Side.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History And Design: 1957 Chrysler New Yorker Early Proposal – Imperial Intentions")
Automotive History And Design: 1957 Chrysler New Yorker Early Proposal – Imperial Intentions
Posted on June 3, 2024 | 18 CommentsBy 1957, the merits of GM’s body-sharing strategy had long been plain for all to see. For example, at the upper end of the market, Buick and Cadillac shared the […] -
![Last week’s post described a fifth-semester Art Center design assignment involving a domestic automaker investigating the use of a “not invented here” powertrain for use in several of their vehicle […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Captura-de-pantalla-2024-02-15-16.33.58.png?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Auto-Biography: The Art Center Years – Have You Designed a Ford Lately?")
Auto-Biography: The Art Center Years – Have You Designed a Ford Lately?
Posted on February 18, 2024 | 23 CommentsLast week’s post described a fifth-semester Art Center design assignment involving a domestic automaker investigating the use of a “not invented here” powertrain for use in several of their vehicle […] -
![Strangely enough, two of the transportation design projects during my Art Center years involved assignments to develop a vehicle powered by an engine supplied by a different automaker. Remember, this […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Captura-de-pantalla-2024-02-08-16.31.40.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Auto-Biography: The Art Center Years – Wouldn’t You Really Rather Airbrush a Buick?")
Auto-Biography: The Art Center Years – Wouldn’t You Really Rather Airbrush a Buick?
Posted on February 11, 2024 | 13 CommentsStrangely enough, two of the transportation design projects during my Art Center years involved assignments to develop a vehicle powered by an engine supplied by a different automaker. Remember, this […] -
![Which car replaced the trusty Comet? I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you in suspense for another week. You see, the Caliente convertible’s last trip from Art Center back to […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/VESC-2.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "COAL #14: More Volvo Imprinting – A Trip to Transpo 72")
COAL #14: More Volvo Imprinting – A Trip to Transpo 72
Posted on January 28, 2024 | 18 CommentsWhich car replaced the trusty Comet? I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you in suspense for another week. You see, the Caliente convertible’s last trip from Art Center back to […] -
Design Analysis: 1974 AMC Matador Coupe and X – Please Go All the Way
Posted on December 11, 2023 | 50 CommentsIt was July, 1972 when the Raspberries released their hit song about a girl asking her guy to, well… you know. -
![(first posted 12/2/2017) Italy, Summer 1981. My father is hustling his brother’s black Mercedes-Benz 220 S heckflosse along the autostrada at speed. Inside the car it’s three children […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/orangecrash.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive & Design History: Mercedes-Benz W110/111/112 Fintails – Béla Barényi And The Elusive Pluckenheckflosse")
Automotive & Design History: Mercedes-Benz W110/111/112 Fintails – Béla Barényi And The Elusive Pluckenheckflosse
Posted on December 2, 2023 | 102 Comments(first posted 12/2/2017) Italy, Summer 1981. My father is hustling his brother’s black Mercedes-Benz 220 S heckflosse along the autostrada at speed. Inside the car it’s three children […] -
![(first posted 11/22/2017) A short while ago, in a recent CC post the thought was raised that we are now living in a time of boring […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/RDKS-150044-FERR2-004-HR.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "William “Bill” L. Mitchell, GM’s Second VP of Styling – An Automobile Quarterly Profile by Strother MacMinn")
William “Bill” L. Mitchell, GM’s Second VP of Styling – An Automobile Quarterly Profile by Strother MacMinn
Posted on November 22, 2023 | 45 Comments(first posted 11/22/2017) A short while ago, in a recent CC post the thought was raised that we are now living in a time of boring […] -
![(first posted 10/11/2017) Although it’s a bit fussy, I’ve always had a soft spot for the 1961 Cadillac and its “skegs”. But until I stumbled into this […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Cadillac-1961-concept.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Concept Outtake: How the 1961 Cadillac Skegs Were Originally Conceived, And The Whipsawing of GM Design By Chrysler and Ford")
Concept Outtake: How the 1961 Cadillac Skegs Were Originally Conceived, And The Whipsawing of GM Design By Chrysler and Ford
Posted on October 11, 2023 | 78 Comments(first posted 10/11/2017) Although it’s a bit fussy, I’ve always had a soft spot for the 1961 Cadillac and its “skegs”. But until I stumbled into this […] -
![(first posted 6/8/2017) We humans see faces in all sorts of things, we’re wired that way. We especially see faces in the fronts of our cars. Two […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/squareback73.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Automotive History: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream – Cars Without Grilles")
Automotive History: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream – Cars Without Grilles
Posted on June 8, 2023 | 167 Comments(first posted 6/8/2017) We humans see faces in all sorts of things, we’re wired that way. We especially see faces in the fronts of our cars. Two […] -
![‘Influences,’ ‘References,’ ‘Inspiration;’ all professional terms for what we at CC commonly refer to as cribbing. As time puts distance from a product’s release, a designer will occasionally admit what’s […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/influences-1a.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Commentary: Influences – Chuck Jordan On The Art Of Cribbing")
Vintage Commentary: Influences – Chuck Jordan On The Art Of Cribbing
Posted on March 16, 2023 | 18 Comments‘Influences,’ ‘References,’ ‘Inspiration;’ all professional terms for what we at CC commonly refer to as cribbing. As time puts distance from a product’s release, a designer will occasionally admit what’s […] -
![(first posted 3/1/2017) Yesterday’s Part 1 of this two part series focused on the period of time before the “palace revolt” that led to a rethinking of the Earl-led concepts […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/SIA-GMsFarOut59s_01_1500.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage SIA Design History: “GM’s Far Out ’59s – When Imagination Ran Rampant”, Part 2")
Vintage SIA Design History: “GM’s Far Out ’59s – When Imagination Ran Rampant”, Part 2
Posted on February 28, 2023 | 15 Comments(first posted 3/1/2017) Yesterday’s Part 1 of this two part series focused on the period of time before the “palace revolt” that led to a rethinking of the Earl-led concepts […] -
![(first posted 10/5/2012) By 1969, flower power went mainstream…right up the Detroit River, even. Hoping to cash in on the latest fad, Chrysler unveiled one of the era’s more colorful […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/plymouth-barracuda_mod-top_ad-1_69.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "The Mod Top: Introducing The Car You Wear")
The Mod Top: Introducing The Car You Wear
Posted on February 4, 2023 | 84 Comments(first posted 10/5/2012) By 1969, flower power went mainstream…right up the Detroit River, even. Hoping to cash in on the latest fad, Chrysler unveiled one of the era’s more colorful […]
