DS Automobiles builds a specific display structure to demonstrate its new range of cars.

Building on 60 years of heritage in avant-garde design, the distinctive style of DS Automobiles draws upon expertise far removed from that of the automotive industry, including haute-couture fashion, leather-making and jewellery.

These diverse sources of inspiration are reflected at the DS Automobiles display in Westfield London, Shepherd’s Bush.

DS Automobiles is displaying its latest models and offering shoppers an opportunity to explore the lifestyle of the Parisian-born brand at one of the world’s premium shopping destinations.

From the finely chiselled jewel-like monogramme inside the headlights of DS 3, to the watchstrap upholstery design of New DS 5, every DS model reflects a sophisticated design cue. The avant-garde spirit of design, present in each DS model is now available to experience in a display at Westfield London, Shepherd’s Bush.

Positioned at the entrance to The Village - Westfield’s luxury shopping hub which has more than 30 premium and luxury global brands - the DS Automobiles display at Westfield aligns itself with some of the world’s most luxurious names in fashion, including Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Burberry, as well as up-and-coming new designers such as Anya Hindmarch.

The DS Automobiles display will give shoppers the opportunity to get up-close to New DS 5, the flagship of the DS brand, as well as the latest DS 3 Dark Light Limited Edition. A team of DS Automobiles staff will be on hand to answer any questions and an interactive touch-screen display will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the world of DS. Inspired by the brand’s flagship dealership and showcase centre, DS World Paris, there will also be a range of exclusive DS merchandise available to purchase.

Mark Blundell, UK Marketing Director of the DS Brand commented; “Westfield is one of the world’s premier shopping destinations, making it the perfect backdrop for DS. Visitors to Westfield London will have an exclusive opportunity to explore the world of DS Automobiles in a relaxing environment, surrounded by the very best in premium retailing.”

DS Automobiles will be on display at Westfield London, Shepherd’s Bush for the next 6 months. Taking in the festive season, Westfield anticipates that an estimated 12 million visitors will pass through the shopping centre during the period.  

Skoda to showcase three rare cars at Schloss Bensberg Classics

ŠKODA will be presenting three exclusive automotive gems at this year’s ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ (18 to 20 July). The streamlined ŠKODA Rapid OHV, ŠKODA Popular Sport Coupé ‘Little Entente’, and ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo Coupé will be taking part at the annual meeting for collectors and fans of top-class vintage automobiles. The ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ in Bergisch Gladbach near the city of Cologne will be held for the sixth time this coming weekend.

​ŠKODA has been a part of this outstanding classic car event since the first year. Three ŠKODA classic cars will be presented this year. “Our selection of vehicles is in keeping with the motto of the ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’: ‘Very important cars only’. We will be presenting absolute highlights from our collection,” says Dr. Frank Welsch, ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development. All three ŠKODA vintage cars will be taking part in the ‘Rallye Historique’, the ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo will additionally be scrutinised by the distinguished jury of the ‘Concours d'Elegance'. 

The ŠKODA Rapid OHV is an extremely rarely seen streamliner dating back to 1940. The Rapid OHV presented at the ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ was painstakingly restored over 30 years by its owner Miroslav Strouhal, and is currently on loan to the  ŠKODA collection in Mladá Boleslav. Only 110 of the Rapid OHV were ever built between 1938 and 1941. The vehicle is powered by a 46 hp four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1558 cc. OHV stands for the ‘overhead valves’ in the engine. 

The ŠKODA Popular Sport Coupé ‘Little Entente’ is also a real rarity. Its other name ‘Little Entente’ refers to the specific purpose of the rally car dating back to 1937. In that year, the vehicle took part in a rally through the countries of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Romania, which at that time were members of the ‘Little Entente’ alliance. After the race, the car went into private ownership and changed hands a number of times. The coupé has been the property of the ŠKODA Museum since 1968. Under the bonnet there is an inline four-cylinder with a displacement of 995 cc OHV and an output of 27 hp.

ŠKODA’s appearance at Schloss Bensberg is rounded off with a professionally restored ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo Coupé from 1937. Only 72 ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlos – as convertibles and coupés – were built between 1936 and 1938. This is a special edition of the ŠKODA Popular. The reason for the special production was ŠKODA’s success at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1936. The vehicle is powered by a four-cylinder, four-stroke engine with 1386 cc displacement and 30 hp, and reaches a top speed of 110km/h. In addition to the ‘Rallye Historique’ the elegant coupe will also be participating in the ‘Concours d'Elegance’.

2014 marks the sixth year that the ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ will be taking place. Schloss Bensberg and the picturesque Bergische Land near Cologne provide the magnificent setting for one of the most prestigious events for classic cars, where the focus is on exclusivity and high quality. Unusual and exceptionally rare vehicles are presented under the motto of ‘very important cars only’. The main program points include the star-studded ‘Rallye Historique’ and a FIVA-A ‘Concours d'Elegance’ with some of the most beautiful and rare classic automobiles in the world. The ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ is included in the circle of the ‘Louis Vuitton Classic Concours Award’ and is thus on par with renowned competitions such as the Pebble Beach/California and Villa d’Este/Italy.

BMW and Louis Vuitton collaborate on bespoke luggage for new i8 super-car.

Louis Vuitton creates tailor-made luggage for the BMW i8. Forward-looking travel bags for progressive driving made from carbon fibre.

Exceptional luggage for an exceptional automobile. Louis Vuitton, the pioneer of the art of travel, has created a tailor-made set of luggage for the most progressive sports car – the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid.

The innovative collection of luggage comprises two travel bags, a business case and a garment bag. To ensure optimal use of space, the luggage items have been tailor-made to fit perfectly into the interior of the revolutionary BMW i8.

“BMW and Louis Vuitton share both a profound appreciation of tradition and a commitment to constant further development,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The use of CFRP in the revolutionary BMW i8 sports car is indicative of an intelligent lightweight construction philosophy. And Louis Vuitton has demonstrated a similar belief in innovation, aesthetics and lightweight design in creating an exclusive luggage collection tailored perfectly to the new BMW i8.”

Distinguished and elegant – the design.

The understated carbon-black of this luggage range matches the colours of the BMW i8. Its sophisticated look comes courtesy of the unmistakable chequered Damier pattern – a Louis Vuitton hallmark – and a laser-etched Louis Vuitton signature. Black and electric blue used in the microfibre lining take their cue from the trademark brand colours of the BMW i8 and bag handles are made from dyed natural leather, a sign of Louis Vuitton quality. All items in the collection come with leather name tags and the iconic Louis Vuitton padlock with the exception of the garment bag.

Patrick-Louis Vuitton, Head of Special Orders at Louis Vuitton and great grandson of the House’s founder, says, “This collaboration with BMW epitomises our shared values of creativity, technological innovation and style. Our craftsmen at Louis Vuitton have enjoyed the challenge of this very special project, using their ingenuity and attention to detail to create a truly made to measure set of luxury luggage. This is a pure expression of the art of travel.”

A strong future – the material.

Inspired by the visionary design of the BMW i8, the bags and cases – like the sports car’s innovative passenger cell – are made entirely from carbon fibre. This particularly lightweight yet extremely sturdy high-tech material has been used by Louis Vuitton to create a special textile. It provides great robustness and strength, and as such is made for the rigours of travel – no matter how long and arduous the drive.

Tailored to the BMW i8 – the luggage.

The exclusive luggage pieces created by Louis Vuitton fit snugly into the BMW i8. The Weekender GM i8, with both hand and shoulder carry straps, is custom-designed to go into the boot, while the Garment Bag i8is a perfect fit for the rear shelf of the BMW i8. The sturdy hardshell Business Case i8 which is also ideal for carrying laptops, matches the shape of the rear seats; while the small Weekender PM i8 is designed to rest on its surface.

The Louis Vuitton luggage series will be available upon request in a selection of Louis Vuitton stores worldwide (Munich, Milan, London, Paris, Moscow, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles) starting April 1st 2014.

Revolution in sports cars – the BMW i8.

The BMW i8 is the  most progressive sports car and is the BMW Group’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle and the second model from the BMW i brand. It is a 2+2-seater boasting visionary design and intelligent lightweight engineering. As a plug-in hybrid,  the BMW i8 unites the advantages of innovative electric drive and the latest combustion-engine technology. The upshot is an extraordinary driving experience that delivers the dynamics of a sports car (0 – 100 km/h / 62 mph in 4.4 seconds) along with fuel economy and emissions figures of a small city car  (2,1 l/100km / 49 g CO₂/km). This means not just purely electric emission-free driving around town but also sporty performance on inter-urban routes. The athletic personality of this revolutionary sports car is patently manifest in its design: classical sports car proportions, spectacular gullwing doors, clean, minimalist lines and a low-slung silhouette all imbue it with its powerful, dynamic shape. The sporty character of the BMW i8 exterior makes a seamless transition into the interior’s future-focused design.

Peugeot wins award from Louis Vuitton, have they made a handbag ?

• Peugeot Onyx Concept is an award-winning Concept supercar
• A tour-de-force of great style and design that also harnesses a V8 diesel with 600bhp
• Uniquely embraces new technology combining original materials innovatively

During the ceremony of this year’s Louis Vuitton Classic Awards, held in Paris yesterday (5th February), the Peugeot Onyx Concept supercar received yet another accolade, this time the Louis Vuitton Classic Concept ‘Best Prototype of the Year’ award.

Since 2005, just two awards are given each year at the Louis Vuitton Classic Awards by a jury of automotive professionals: the Louis Vuitton Classic Concours Award and the Louis Vuitton Classic Concept Award. The jury award on this occasion was for vehicles and concepts that were inspired by the challenges of innovation and expertise.

Gilles Vidal, Director of Peugeot Design, said: “The Onyx Concept is a supercar that explores future Peugeot design cues.  We combined a premium design with radical, noble materials that included copper, carbon fibre, felt and compressed newspapers, which is an innovative development.  This automobile sculpture hides a 600bhp V8 diesel-electric hybrid powertrain which salutes the brilliance of the Peugeot brand with these engines.”

The Peugeot Onyx Concept supercar, unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012, has already been voted ‘Favourite Concept Car’ in the World by readers of Auto Plus and listeners of RTL and also seduced the jury of the International Festival and Enthusiasts Automotive Design, winning the prize for the ‘Best Concept Car of the Year’ and last week, the International Automobile Festival (IAF) ‘Best Concept Car Design’.