Design Books: Ultimate Collector Cars by Taschen

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Nargess

‘Ultimate Collector Cars‘ is a lavish double-volume book by Charlotte and Peter Fiell documenting history’s one-hundred most collectable cars. It features the landmark 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 40-horsepower, the evocative 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC, iconic Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa of 1957, Bertone’s supremely glorious 1973 Lamborghini Countach and the present-day McLaren Speedtail and Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercars. Expertly researched and beautifully illustrated with archive and studio photography, Taschen’s latest book is a timely ode to the motor car as we enter the new age of the automobile. Read my interview with the authors who discuss their two-year research into this project here.

Images © ‘Ultimate Collector Cars’ by Taschen

Exploring the allure of sparkling wine with an English twist

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Nargess

English wineries have been building somewhat of a reputation for a crisp, dry sparkling wine with a blended cool-climate grape variety, and made to the classic méthode champenoise. Are they disrupting Champagne, the pinnacle of sparkling wine? We set out on a road trip to meet the makers and see the vineyards. Read the full story in Forbes here

All images © Robert Leigh Banks

Bentley explores the future of sustainable luxury travel with EXP 100 GT

Posted on July 12, 2019 by Nargess

This is the EXP 100 GT by Bentley Motors which explores luxury in the context of clean autonomous travel in an imaginary world of 2035.

As traditional carmakers study what their place will be in the next chapter of the automobile, this EXP 100 GT by Bentley Motors sets out to explore luxury in the context of clean autonomous travel in an imaginary world of 2035.

The form may follow a classic motor car design theme, yet it is conceptually and materially where the EPX 100 really makes a distinctive statement.

Here’s a little teaser as to what to expect from the marque

Best car designs of 2018: Luxury, clean, autonomous

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Nargess

It has been an interesting year for the motor car as the auto world navigates the post-petrol age. Whereas sustainable driving used to mean compromising on style and performance – think the awkward-looking G-Wiz – it appears we need not lose much, if anything, from the golden age of the motor car. As it happens, electric cars are an awful lot of fun to drive and the new mechanics allow for a great deal of creative imagination. Here are my top car designs of 2018.

Bentley design director introduces new Continental GT

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Nargess

‘I had to ask myself if we should make something completely different, or do an evolution of the existing design codes,’ says Bentley Motors director of design Stefan Sielaff as we settle down in London to discuss his creative approach to the marque’s latest product, the new Continental GT, ahead of its formal reveal at the Frankfurt Motor Show. He continues, ‘I felt it would be a shame to behave too harshly with a brand like this. It is not about us designers doing something wild, making a one-off statement to provoke a firework. It is about our customers and the product must stay fresh for at least the next seven years.’

Sielaff is right to be cautious, for the Continental GT is a hugely important product for Bentley since the original model shook the traditional luxury world when it was first introduced in 2003. This was a brave and provocative grand tourer with voluptuous, bold surfaces. It appealed to younger customers, opening the brand to a more global audience, and it was a huge success.

This third-generation Continental sets out to explore this narrative further, yet crucially in the digital age. This means refining the design as well as introducing advanced technology.

Read my full interview for an insight into the car here.