14.12.2008 STUDIOTORINO CELEBRATES TURIN'S DESIGN CAPITAL STATUS WITH COUPÉ PROJECT

COUPETORINO
COUPETORINO
COUPETORINO
COUPETORINO

To celebrate the city of Turin's current status as World Design Capital 2008, Studiotorino has presented a styling study for a one-off car which reinterprets the Mercedes SL theme, turning the German luxury car into a distinct coupé.

To celebrate the city of Turin's current status as World Design Capital 2008, Studiotorino has presented a styling study for a one-off car which reinterprets the Mercedes SL theme, turning the German luxury car into a distinct coupé. The bold project, dubbed Coupetorino, has been directed by Studiotorino, the Turinese design company headed by famous automotive craftsman Alfredo Stola, working in collaboration with the reputable l’Istituto di Arte Applicata e Design (IAAD), also located in Turin, and with further support from Peter Pfeiffer of Centro Stile Mercedes, in Como.

The project called for an initiative to search for 'bespoke coachwork, while the new, unique, custom-built car proposal has been christened Coupetorino. It is an off-shoot of the Mercedes SL, a historical and very well known sports car that in this application has been transformed into a coupé. As part of World Design Capital 2008, a model of the car, in 1:4 scale, will be presented as an expression of the sculptural aspect of the surfaces. An exhibition, which gets underway this weekend at the Turin Gallery (Via Maria Vittoria 6) will illustrate all the research that led to the development of the project and the phases of its realisation.

Studiotorino has carried out a string of automotive projects since being set up by Alfredo Stola, most recently in September it unveiled a limited-edition Fiat 500 devised by Maria Paola Stola and called Diabolika, that sought to recreate the famous comic strips by applying eye-catching decals, other artistic effects and a bespoke interior to the Car of the Year 2008 award winner. The studio has also created styling upgrades for Porsche models.

The new project is part of the many initiatives to promote Turin's status as the global focus of design this year. This started back on September 30, 2005, when the ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design) officially named the city as the first World Design Capital in recognition of the crucial role Turin and the Piemonte region play on an international level. The area is perfectly characterised by numerous excellences in the field of design.

Today, this elevated status, along with the hosting of the XX Winter Olympic Games just under three years ago, is helping to change Turin’s perceived image from that of an industrial city to one of a European city, in which development is based on a combination of innovation and creativity, starting with a solid tradition of entrepreneurship and planning. In accepting this challenge, the city is a “beta-tester” of the World Design Capital project, which is promoted by the International Design Alliance (IDA) and conducted by ICSID. This unprecedented title is thus welcomed as an important opportunity to design new ways to develop the territory.
 

© 2008 Interfuture Media/Italiaspeed