Regarded by many as the template from which all great sports cars were born, the 1947 Cisitalia 202 is undoubtedly one of the most important automobiles in history. Designed by Battista "Pinin" Farina, it was honored by New York's Museum of Modern Art in 1951.
To create a modern day successor to such a famous vehicle is a gargantuan task, but it's one the students of the Master of Arts in Transportation Design at the Istituto Europeo di Design of Turin (IED) are willing to undertake.
The student will present a modern reinterpretation of the car named the Cisitalia 202 E, where "E" stands for ""evolution", at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March.
"The concept faithfully reflects the design of the historic vehicle, with dimensions and power aligned with modern times," said IED in a statement.
Further information will be released closer to the Geneva Salon.
Story References: IED via Autoblog.it
4 Comments:
The original Cisitalia 202, is the only automobile to be displayed permanently as art at MoMA/Museum of Modern Art_ New York city. And the very first automobile to be acquired by any museum for its permanent collection.
Batista displayed a flash of genius when he rendered the '202' design.The design is pure with out any affectation. The design architecture had a profound impact on post war, modern automobile design that still echoes through design studios and art schools, today.
I was surprised one day when I walked into the Black Hawk automotive museum and a '202' was on display in the entryway. I had never seen one live before, one of my fondest automotive memories.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisitalia
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=3498
http://www.blackhawkmuseum.org/exhibit_auto.html
I think it's fine to do such exercises because they're fun as long as you don't take yourself or the outcome too seriously. However to do really recreate it or reinterpret it for the present, it would also need to translate well in a number of ways -- not least of which is on its impact, and then not only at an esthetic level, but at a design, engineering, social and others as well.
The original marked or brought about a turning point in how cars looked and were built, and ahead of its time -- ending up regarded as the first modern car. AND beautiful enough to be, as the previous commentator so eloquently mentioned, to be on display at the MoMAR.
So, if this one can make it into the museum as a permanent piece, let's then talk about a reinterpretation.
--JORGE
Well said, Jorge.
That is the challenge... how do you move the automobile design envelope forward in a game changing way as the Cistalia '202' did?
'Cab forward' stretched it a bit, and Chrysler's Mini Vans did it for utility people haulers, but the only truly innovative design since the '202' was Meyers, Manx, and it is a limited vehicle( RV) with out the total envelope.
The best the students will most likely do, is create a new '202' design that plays homage to the original.
How could I forget Dick Teaque's AMC 'Pacer'. A nearly revolutionary design that was before it's time.
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