Here he started dating a bookkeeper named Louise Kaes. Later on he married her. They had two children, Ferdinand, nicknamed Ferry, and Louisa. Ferry inherited his father’s passion for cars and joined the business when he reached adulthood.

During the course of his employment at Egger, Porsche was promoted to the testing and experimental department. However, in 1898, young Porsche left Egger and went to work for Lohner, a company that manufactured electric cars.

Here, at age 23, he designed the Lohner Porsche. Then, the L’Exposition Universelle De Paris was the most prestigious car exhibition of the time and Porsche was fortunate enough to have his car exhibited there in 1900.

Porsche then won the opportunity to design another prototype, a 4-wheel drive with an electric motor in each wheel. In 1902, with Porsche driving, it won its class at a hill climb in Exelber, Austria.

During the same year, Porsche was drafted into the Imperial Reserve. There he was employed as a staff driver for top ranking officers of the Austro-Hungarian Army and at one time chauffeured Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

During the next 25 years, Porsche worked for many different companies. He designed a road train that was used in World War I and rated as one of his most important achievements.

In 1923 Porsche joined Daimler, Germany and then in 1926 Daimler merged with Benz. This enabled Porsche to work on the Mercedes S and SSK. He also designed a popular automobile and a diesel powered truck.

In 1930 Porsche decided to open his own engineering office in Stuttgart. Porsche had always dreamed of creating a small affordable car for the European mass market as Henry Ford had done for the American market.

He saw an opportunity to realize this dream in 1934 when he received an order from Adolph Hitler to design and build the first ‘people’s car.’ The result was the VW Beetle. Porsche also designed several military vehicles for the Nazis’ use during World War II.

Following World War II, the French government charged Porsche with collaboration with the Nazis and imprisoned him for 20 months in Dijon. His son was also incarcerated. However, his son was able to take control of the business and raise sufficient funds to post a bond and secure his father’s release.

The University of Stuttgart awarded Porsche an honorary doctorate degree for the most prolific auto designer of the first half of the 20th century.

Porsche is quoted as saying; “I couldn’t find the car of my dreams so I built it myself.” However, in pursuing his dream, he must have encountered some obstacles as he also said, “If one does not fail at times than one has not challenged oneself.”

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Victoria Beckham has become famous in the late 1990s with the girl pop group Spice Girls. She then pursued a solo music career but international success came with her modeling and fashion designer career. She was recently named the World’s Most Glamorous Celebrity by the make-up brand Max Factor. She is married to soccer star David Beckham and they are currently living in Los Angeles.

Victoria has always been glamorous starting with her music career with Spice Girls and as a style icon she hopes to help boost the image of Range Rover. The new Range Rover Evoque will be on sale in a year and will be the cheapest, lightest and greenest Range Rover ever. This compact Range Rover will be $15,000 cheaper than Range Rover Sport, and similar in price with Land Rover Discovery.

First produced in 1970 initiated a new trend in all wheel drive vehicles. The design concept was aimed at offering excellent performance on pavement in addition to superlative performance off road. The acceleration and speed surpassed many conventional cars. The Classic Rover was replaced by a completely new model in 1994. Features such as improved air suspension, stronger chassis, improved dust sealing, more ground clearance or manual control of low range ratios made the new model become king off-road.

A more dramatic redesign took place in 2002, when a stronger monocoque body and chassis with independent suspension came with Range Rover III. All the ulterior updates tried to secure their position as the world’s most capable vehicle. Combining luxury with off-road abilities, Range Rover is as suitable for driving to the most exclusive club or on the roughest country terrain.

The recent addition to the line, the Sport puts an emphasis on sporty performance while maintaining off road abilities. It was designed as a more sporty luxury SUV trying to equal the on road performance of Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes ML, or VW Touareg. It also had a more stylish bodywork. The body shape was more compact and aerodynamic.

The vehicles have always been innovative in suspension design. This was probably the most important factor that distinguished it from its competitors. But this was not the only feature they has mastered over the years. The solid construction of underbody parts made it sustain very severe off road treatment. Such features have always distinguished Range Rovers from other SUVs that were mainly designed for looks. Will this change with Victoria Beckham as part of the creative team? Will Victoria help them make their vehicles as successful for their looks as they are for their performance?

Dennis runs Car Dealer Check a site that provides user generated Car Dealer Reviews and information on California Car Dealer.

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1. Mercedes-Benz Count Trossi SSK

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz has named this “Count Trossi” SSK after the “aristocratic” Italian race-car driver Count Carlo Felice Trossi. This car actually has a very stylish set of wheels, despite having ‘weird car design’. This car had been extremely successful in the Le Mans, Monaco, and the Mille Miglia.

There are only four original models of the Count Trossi SSK in the world and each is a ‘holy grail’ among car collectors. Recently one model from 1929 sold for US$7.4 million!

2. Peugeot Honey-B

The Peugeot Honey-B like its namesake looks pretty much like a big honey bee on wheels! It seems like a Peugeot car designer must have got stung by a honeybee one day and he decided to immortalize his ‘honeybee experience’ and came up with this strange car.

Like bees, it is aerodynamic, but unlike bees, it is a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) powered by hydrogen fuel cells. This Honey-B boasts of seats with techno-cool hydraulic arms that help various preset adjustments which means they retract automatically to your preferred position once you’re seated!

3. Hondo Puyo

The Honda Puyo can be termed as the “Weird-great Puyo”. The little information we found on this ‘weirdo’ car tells us that this is a concept car which runs on hydrogen fuel. Unlike the fuel-cell powered Honda FCX, the Puyo prides on “no sharp edges” and is covered in soft silicone so that it can absorb light collisions. If you are planning to ride this, you have to use a joystick instead of a steering wheel.

4. Nissan Moon Buggy

Fueled by imagination, designer Robert Hoffmann drew up this Nissan Moon Buggy concept for an auto magazine. This weird car is very unlikely to go into production. This strange Nissan Moon Buggy has been inspired by the Lunar Modules.

The car has oversize rear wheels that are supposed to provide more efficiency in maneuverability. Not only that, when it reaches high speeds, Ailerons are deployed for increased aerodynamics, Ailerons are commonly found on fixed-wing aircraft!

To be honest, the car looks like a cross between an alien and an iPod.

5. Nissan Pivo 2

Who says no car designers design cars for gals? The Nissan Pivo 2 is just not a ‘girlie-girlie’ car concept but a very urbane one in that! It is powered by advanced compact lithium-ion batteries and features a unique rotating cabin, which means no reverse gear is required! The four wheels are powered by electric engine and can turn through 90 degrees to allow the Pivo 2 to drive sideways as well as forward. The Pivo 2 looks as if it has come from the Pixar Studio!

To read more interesting car articles, visit Carazoo.com.

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In addition, the Mercedes design philosophy can be summed up in three points.

Mercedes Design Philosophy:

1. A Mercedes must be a recognizable member of a united family

2. A Mercedes should reflect the overall values of the company while delivering top quality performance

3. The design should be a combination of tradition and innovation

This progressive mindset was instrumental in developing the classic car brand. Looking back to the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Mercedes embarked on a bold new design that relied on aerodynamic principles and a modern streamlined design. What resulted was the S-Class and C 111-3. While these models were considered groundbreaking at the time, neither series sacrificed style for class.

Soon, other manufacturers were looking to Mercedes as trend setters and an influential force in the automobile industry. The Mercedes design philosophy became something to imitate.
Certainly, new designs will produce unusual and memorable elements. For example, when the E-Class was born, it was known by the uniquely shaped and sized elliptical headlights.

There is no sign that Mercedes Benz is slowing down. The company is constantly thinking up new concepts and designs. In this way they are sure to remain a leader and secure their legendary status. But coming up with new ideas isn’t enough to earn the “classic” grade. It’s essential for each Mercedes to continually express all the values associated with this pioneering company.

Looking for a new or used Mercedes-Benz? Check out http://www.mercedes-benz.gb.com for articles and specs on Mercedes line of vehicles.

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The recruited car designers from Taiwan will be allowed to design new car models for its Sweden designer center. Volvo has made this plan specifically for the Great China Car Market. New car designs will be made by these Taiwanese designers for the distinctive and oriental taste of the targeted consumers.

500,000 to 700,000 Volvo cars are expected to be sold out internationally this year. This includes around 50,000 units for the Asian market which includes Taiwan, Japan, mainland China and other Southeast Asian nations. Since the demand for luxury cars are rapidly rising, car makers from the Volvo Car Corporation are aiming to sell 50,000 to 80,000 units of Volvo cars in Asia in 2007.

Apart from that, Volvo is continuously deploying its manufacturing, product design and parts procurements including its Volvo C70 auto parts in Asia. Also, as a component of Ford’s global part procurement system, they have the responsibility of lowering the production cost.

According to Volvo Car Taiwan officials, Volvo is number three among the country’s imported car brands. Still, Mercedes–Benz and BMW tops the chart. However, they are adding more efforts to meet the consumer’s taste in Great China. This is one of the reasons why Volvo is employing talented car designers from Taiwan to develop new car models for the specific market.

Steve Harper has been visiting Taiwan several times. According to the officials, Harper was extremely impressed with the designing performances of Taiwan’s local designers. These designers are from Ford Lio Ho of Motor Co.’s design center. Volvo have appropriated NT$10 million or US$305,810, to continuously hold a series of car designing seminars with the Taiwan Design Center. This is a proof that Asian talents are becoming more globally competitive in terms of car designing.

Soon, these designs will be made available in the market. Finally, Volvo car designs will be more preferable for Asians.

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Kenneth McKinley is a 35-year old marketing specialist of voparts.com, a leading Volvo parts dealer in the country today. Working in the car parts industry for a long time now and being a car enthusiast himself gives him a wealth of knowledge on anything automotive.

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That is why car designers have always played a key role in the auto industry. In connection with this, car makers are always on the lookout for promising students. Lately, the industry has found a new spot where talented car design students thrive: South Korea.

While the country has only a short time of car making history compared to Japanese and Western countries, students from the country are touted to be one of the best in the world. Koreans have been employed by car manufacturers like Nissan and Mercedes-Benz. Some attributes that these South Korean designers have that impressed chief designers from the aforementioned car makers are their technical skills, work ethic, and creativity.

Shiro Nakamura, the chief Creative Officer and Head of Design for Nissan, said that: “When I first saw the sketches that Korean students were drawing, I was utterly shocked. Their design is very emotional and powerful. I hate to say it, but they are miles ahead of Japanese students, both in terms of design sense and technique. There’s no comparison”. He further said that Nissan will probably hire more Korean designers this year than Japanese ones.

The most known school where South Korean designers come from is the Hongik University which is located in the country’s capital. The university is the country’s top fine arts school. The Seoul-based school only offered the transportation design course in 1990, last year the number of students accommodated is doubled to 120.

Aside from homegrown talents, South Korea also produced some of the best young designers in the world. On of them is Jae Chung. He did not study in South Korea but out in the West. He graduated from the Art Center in California. Today he is now working for Dodge and the interesting fact is that he penned the Dodge Demon sports coupe currently on display at the 77th Geneva International Auto Show.

Ralph Gilles, the Vice President of Design for Chrysler, has this to say about Chung: “He was born in Korea and went to school in Pasadena. And it’s just like anything -you get exposed to the school, you get exposed to Chrysler and Dodge and out comes this new aesthetic.”

Another Korean, and also an alumnus of the Art Center, Han Seung Lee landed a job at Honda. Lee, in turn, penned the Sports 4 Concept shown to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. This shows that Koreans have what it takes to take on the world of car designing as sure as a Mercedes H&K air filters are efficient when it comes to doing their job.

Another chief designer which expressed admiration toward Korean design students is Koichi Hayashi, Deputy General Manager of Design for Mazda. He said that: “There’s a real passion among Korean designers to advance and succeed that exceeds what you see in Japanese students.” Currently, he has four Korean designers working for him at their Hiroshima headquarters.

The emergence of South Korea as a source of talented car designers is a good news for Japanese car makers. Due to the similarities in language structure and working culture of Japan and South Korea, Korean designers have an edge over their Western counterparts when applying for a job in any Japanese car company. Furthermore, Koreans are more willing than Westerners to work for relatively low starting salaries offered by Japanese car companies.

According to Nakamura, “all the pieces are in place, right now, young Korean designers are most sought after by Japanese carmakers but they can make it in the West anytime.” But Korean students should not rest on their laurels since in the near future – other countries in the world will also be producing design students at par with them. Countries like China, Russia, and India have all invested in training their car design students to be competitive in the auto industry.

Mike Bartley, 49, is a professional automotive journalist domiciled in Irvine, CA. He travels from one state to another to cover the hottest auto shows, racing events and automotive revelations. His penned compositions cover press releases, reviews, and suggestions. Where the auto action is, that’s exactly where you can find Mike. You can visit Mercedes H&K air filters for more information.

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Car design teams such as the one in Mercedes-Benz often look for new designs for next-generation appeal. This time around, it is all about fuel efficiency- and new sci-fi looks. Mercedes-Benz took its inspiration from something a little odd this time around- the tropical box fish.

The car is rather small, and has the sci-fi feel to it. The four cylinder gas-saving machine will return an amazing 84 miles per gallon at the constant speed of 54 miles per hour. This could be revolutionary as far as gas efficiency goes in new cars- a milestone in the industry. It can achieve the speed of 62 miles per hour in around 8 seconds- not bad at all.

The code-named ‘Bionic’ won’t be coming to a dealership near you, but it will heavily influence the design of future cars to come. The concept car was mainly for show, and to demonstrate new complicated fuel cell designs that save you money at the gas station.

No on is for sure when we will see changes such as this, but coming from Mercedes-Benz, it isn’t going to be cheap. Even at four cylinders- this car itself would cost much more than the average car. Expect 5 years at the latest to enjoy the gas-saving technology.

Let’s see if other manufacturers will follow suit.

Eric Hartwell oversees “The World’s Best Homepage” intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on weight loss and obesity and visit his associated site articles for free.

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Mercedes Benz is the oldest and arguably the most famous car brand in the entire world. Each car is built to reflect a specific design and performance philosophy although every car is recognizable as part of the Mercedes family. In this way, customers can trust that their vehicle will have the power, comfort, and handling that is synonymous with the Mercedes name.

Mercedes relies on target groups to maintain their admirable brand identity. Never veering from their original three-point philosophy, designers are continually dreaming up new models that represent the changing times and the prospect of a high tech future. As a result, Mercedes manages to bridge the gap between the past and the present, the traditional and the contemporary.

The latest Mercedes model is a stellar example of this modern mindset. The SLR McLaren is a wondrous achievement that has been called “the Greatest Car in the World” by Esquire Magazine. With a frame made from carbon fiber instead of the usual steel and a modern, stunning exterior design, this car heralds the next wave of automobiles and establishes that Mercedes Benz will lead us to the classic cars of the future.

The front seat is designed like a cockpit for a reason. When you drive an SLR McLaren, you are not just the driver – you’re the pilot. Mercedes has built you a road-craft for you to fly across the open air highway. With ample, leather seats and dual zone CFC-free automatic climate control, it’s better than your own private jet. Take it home. Take it anywhere. Wherever you go, Mercedes will send you in style.

Looking for a new or used Mercedes-Benz? Find reviews, car information and prices for Mercedes-Benz cars at http://www.Mercedes-Benz.gb.com

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