Interview Date: July 31, 2012

Professional Profile: Sergio Solero

Notes: Interview by Pietro Montagna

Among its many commitments, in Italy and abroad, we were able to reach Dr. Sergio Solero, Sales Director of BMW and Mini cars in Italy.
The replies received worth the long wait, thanks to the right perception of the spirit of our blog by Dr. Solero. Starting from this premise we wish you a good reading and, above all, good reflections.

Will the distribution change? And if so, how? Read more »

As well as fishing in Italy is miserably in bankruptcy due to a wrong management of the sea – which allowed exploitation of resources beyond the limit – so now someone would like to follow the same exploitation of the “vast automotive’s sea” by continuing to preserve entire species of fishermen thanks to artifices such as bonus, contributions and Government incentives. Read more »

Date of interview: April 24, 2012

Professional Profile: Roland Schell

Notes: Interview by Pietro Montagna

I had the opportunity to interview Roland Schell and I did not let slip the opportunity, trying to bring the discussion on the future of our industry, because speaking about the present would have been disheartening.

The Italian market continues to fall, while the world continues to grow. In 2011, the Italian market for light passengers (cars + light commercial) weighed 2.5% of the world (it was 3.7% in 2008). What is happening and what is the answer of your company? Read more »

The world of HCV and Trucks changes much faster than the one of the automobile!

The truck dealers – who are still snubbed as ‘truckers’ with spicy calendars by those who work in the chain of Passenger Vehicles - they are ahead of the “obedient car dealers”.

A forced change: the cataclysm feared by the Italian dealers federation is already a reality from some years among the dealers of trucks! Read more »

The difference between the second generation Prius (on the left) and the present one (on the right).

The main difference between the second generation Prius and the present one (third generation), is shown in the picture above. Toyota managed to eliminate the chain that led motion from planetary gear, positioned between the two electric motors, to the differential one. Japanese engineers have adopted a single pair of helical gears, considerably reducing transmission losses. The results of these changes are mostly evident in middle and high speeds, where fuel consumption of Prius II was not comparable to modern Diesel cars. Read more »

Third and final part of the interview with Mike Robinson, Brand Manager and Chief Designer by Bertone. The first part will find it here as this is the second.

Recently you also assumed the responsibility of the transportation design department? Do you think this area can improve, change substantially in the near future? What are the your suggestions? Read more »

Here there is the first part of the interview with Mike Robinson, Brand Manager and Chief Designer in Bertone.

You always create futuristic designs and as a source of inspiration you have the historical Bertone masterpieces. How do you think the design world will evolve in the next 10 years?  Will the car remain the same object that we know today? Read more »

Date of interview: March 3, 2012

Professional Profile: Mike Robinson

Notes: Interview by Artemisa Bega

While thinking about the automotive world in general, and more specifically about the car design world, including communication and the fascinating star system in the industry, I remembered a very special, unique personality that I had the pleasure of interviewing, which produced an unusual and powerful point of view.
The big guy in question is Mike Robinson: a six foot five “Italianized” American designer, today Brand Manager and Design Director at Bertone.

Read more »

Even if we do not know – at home – we ALL have a piece of the vehicle that has won numerous awards during the Rotterdam Shell-Eco Marathon, travelling along 5,000 kilometers with 1kWh of energy (the equivalent of a liter of gasoline).

The engine of this 100% Italian vehicle – built by the school “ITIS Rossi” in Vicenza – is the motor of a… washing machine! Manufactured by Askoll, the supplier of the world’s leading manufacturers of household appliances in over 20 countries. Read more »

The car market trend is positive in the World: in 2012 the enrollment grew by 5.7%.

Not in Italy, where dealers falls in the middle ages and develop the numbers of 1979, when there were the Fiat 127, the Alfetta and the VW Golf’s first series, inflation was 24% and “Car and Driver” was at 1,25 US $! Read more »