California Car Design: Local Style, Global Influence

At a time when the world's automakers are frantically trying to survive an economic downturn while simultaneously inventing new technologies to make the world a cleaner, safer place to live, good design becomes extremely critical. Because automobiles are often as much of an emotional purchase as they are a practical one, the success of the product can be directly related to its curb appeal.

From the Packard Darrin to the Mazda Miata, cars designed in Southern California have ranked among the most highly regarded throughout automotive history. California Car Design: Local Style, Global Influence will tell the story of these and other locally designed automobiles and explains how progressive local designers like Harley Earl and Dutch Darrin brought a fresh approach to a conservative profession. Even after virtually all Los Angeles based vehicle manufacturers and coachbuilders closed shop following World War II, Southern California continued to shape automotive design on a large scale because of local customizers like Coachcraft and the Barris brothers whose work could be seen in dozens of enthusiast publications, on television, and in motion pictures.
Today the Southland remains at the forefront of innovation thanks to the area's large number of corporate design studios, influential educational institutions, and ongoing willingness of southland motorists to embrace new ideas.

Vehicles on display will include a 1919 Pierce Arrow with a Don Lee body designed by renowned GM designer Harley Earl, America's first post -WWII sports car: the 1947 Kurtis Omohundro, the 1950 Oldsmobile Polynesian built by Valley Custom, production vehicles designed in California, a never before seen full scale clay model from Chrysler, the 2009 Honda FC Sport concept car that debuted at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, and many more.

California Car Design Exhibition al Museo Petersen di Los Angeles

Molto spesso si è sentito parlare di “Scuola Californiana” di design, facendo riferimento ad elaboratori, designers e centri stile operanti nei dintorni di Los Angeles. Proprio in questa città, nel Museo Petersen, è in corso una mostra, inaugurata lo scorso 27 giugno e che proseguirà fino al 7 febbraio 2010, intitolata “California Car Design: local style, global influence”. Sono esposte numerose vetture disegnate nell’area della California del sud, a partire dal 1919…

Una delle vetture in mostra è, infatti, una Pierce Arrow del 1919, dal colore viola, carrozzata Don Lee e disegnata dal noto designer GM Harley Earl; tra i pezzi rari, troviamo anche la prima vettura statunitense sportiva del secondo dopoguerra (laKurtis Omohundro Comet del 1947, disegnata da Frank Kurtis), una Oldsmobile Polynesian del 1950 elaborata da Valley Custom, un inedito modello in clay proveniente da Chrysler, la Honda concept FC Sport esposta al Salone di Los Angeles del 2008, disegnata in American Honda Motor Co.; in più, sono presenti varie vetture di serie “create” in California.

Scopo della mostra è di illustrare il percorso delle vetture disegnate nella California del sud, dalle origini ai giorni nostri, sottolineandone le caratteristiche generale di stile e il legame con il territorio, ricordando anche alcuni nomi noti di designers locali, come Harley Earl e Dutch Darrin, che affrontarono il proprio ruolo con fantasia e modernità, superando i convenzionalismi.