I like the mass-customization process that Urban Outfitters put together with Republic Bikes. I picked out my colorway up top. I cannot vouch for the quality of the components, but $400 bucks is still a fair amount of money, so it’s no beater. Unfortunately, you can’t customize every little nut and bolt, but the options are enough to get you going on your way to customizing a bike and perhaps a primer for becoming some sort of gearhead. I am sure bike snobs out there are turning up their noses, but everyone has to start somewhere.

I think it’s a great idea and I would get one if it weren’t for the problem of finding space in our shoebox of a nyc apartment to store a pair of them.

via Nylon.

Inspired by this post on Jalopnik, about an upcoming gullwing Mercedes coupe, I thought I would look up its predecessor. The original Mercedes-Benz 300SL was manufactured, in its various forms, from ’52-’63. But the gullwing version only for two of those years. The structural members of the car’s frame necessitated the peculiar door operation and you can see where the doors don’t reach quite to the underside of the body. It is a thoroughly gorgeous machine. I love how light and trim it looks. Nothing is overbuilt, unlike the cars of today. We aren’t super car people, but I think we know something good when we see it.

Perhaps old news, but it’s the first I’ve seen of it. The Ape Calessino from Piaggio is a special leisure-style version of the Ape. The Ape is Italian for “bee” and to see a city full of these little guys buzzing around carrying their cargo from A to B is to imagine a hive of determined worker bees. Not flashy, not sexy, just doing their job. It’s nice to see that once in a while the Ape can be spruced up with the ragtop, whitewalls and woody panels.

These are stills from a very cool short video from Red Bull detailing the new vehicle design rules for the 2009 season of Formula 1 racing. The design changes are intended to increase mechanical grip and decrease aerodynamic grip/downforce, placing more emphasis on driving technique than body design. This should make racing more about driving than about technology, and make it more exciting at the same time. The animation is nicely done and explains these changes very clearly. Makes me want to watch F1, if only they had it in 3d…

I was watching a show about restoring an old International Harvester Scout on tv and I figured I’d look up what else they make. Turns out they make some pretty badass equipment. One example is the Steiger + Quadtrac tractor that features four independent tracks instead of tires. Tracks offer increased traction and flotation over soil, even though they look like they would do far more damage than tires. Not everything we feature here is as purpose-built as this tractor, but I think it is just as beautiful as all the other things we feature.

Aston Martin sent over a preview of the new One-77, the name stemming from CEO Ulrich Bez’s belief in the lucky number 7. Designed by Marek Reichman, the Director of Design at Aston Martin, the One-77 is an example of artistry in automotive design, with beautiful proportions and sleek lines. With only 77 cars in production and with a $2 million price tag (!!), the limited production allowed Aston Martin to go all out with the details – from the hand beaten, aluminum body to the high-tech carbon fiber chassis. The One-77 is faster than any current Aston Martin, with the ability to go from 0-62 mph in four seconds flat, and with a top speed of over 200 mph.

Some images of the design process:

Because only 77 cars are in production, Aston Martin promises that the cars will be bespoke – with the clientele being involved in each stage of the car’s development, tailoring aspects of the car to their tastes. Aston chairman David Richards said: “It’s a very special car for customers who want to take the bespoke experience to a higher level. Every car will be entirely individual.” The only fixed element to the One-77 are the mechanics of the car. According to Aston Martin, “See the rear three-quarter light in the C-pillar? Looks like there’s space for two small seats? Well that’s your choice – you could have some extra luggage space instead, or a mix of the two. The ultra-premium One-77 will land in the hands of a few very fortunate customers. Only six in the U.S. to be exact, with just five destined to stay in the UK out of the total production run of 77. That leaves 66 for the rest of the world, and just where they’ll all end up is open to speculation, but expect a fair few to be destined for emerging luxury markets in Asia.”

The ad campaign for the One-77 has been interesting, with limited information and a veil of secrecy around the car itself – Aston Martin even went as far as only exposing a portion of the car at a presentation of the One-77 in Paris. The result of the campaign leaves you wanting more, and has obviously been a success, with the One-77 already having sold out. 100 buyers world wide have put down deposits of £200,000 to purchase the One-77, without having seen more than a partially uncovered photo of the car.

Some of the pretty details:

Check out the video below and for any UK readers, don’t forget to head over to Notcot to apply to visit the Aston Martin Gaydon Factory on behalf of Notcot (today’s the last chance to apply)!

Volkswagen recently introduced the CC – their new entry luxury car, set to compete with BMW, Mercedes, Acura, Lexus, Saab, etc.

The Volkswagen CC:
We picked up our cars outside the Hotel Sax’s front door and had a little time to review the exterior and interior styling before heading out on the first leg of our drive. The exterior strikes a distinct contrast from pretty much any VW I have seen before. The low stance and elongated form separate it from the older, boxier, rotund shapes of the Beetle and Passat. The car looks smooth and refined as opposed to muscle-y or flamboyant. Design moves we liked included the frameless doors, wraparound rear light arrays, the mini-spoiler, the spoke-like narrow rims, and the long, sweeping shadowline across the side panels.

The interior details pick up on the thoughtfulness of the engineers and designers. Before getting into the car, the windows automatically retract about a 1/4″ to clear the seals in order to allow the frameless doors to open. Once inside, the bucket seats are firm and adjustable in every imaginable way. Contrast stitching on our model was a nice touch as well. The wheel, transmission and dash integrate nicely. I was not a huge fan of the directional chrome panels – a more monochromatic experience would distract less. The key is a fob to be inserted in the ignition, a press starts the engine. The touch-screen navigation and media player were pretty easy to use. The nav had a bit of a learning curve, but worked well once figured out. The sunroof above is huge. It extends from the windshield to behind the front seats.

Being first to arrive downstairs, we had our pick of the litter. I didn’t know that there were different models for the drive so we just picked one randomly. It was the 2.0T. Looking back, I would have chosen the 3.6L for the bigger engine, but the 2.0T was still fun to drive. I drove the first leg out and Anna drove the second leg back. My thoughts on the car were pretty positive. The suspension and seals were great so the ride was quiet and smooth. It was easy to speed because the sensation of speed was not very apparent when driving. It looked like everyone else had the same idea, because we all moved quickly on the highway. The dash is easy to read while driving, and the next turn/street name from the nav system into the HUD between the speedometer and tachometer was a helpful detail. The steering is power-assisted, making it light and responsive. I am not a big fan of the power-assist steering, believing it to be too far removed from experiencing the handling of the car. I drove most of my leg with the Tiptronic shifter, which is fun as a videogame-ish type of driving. I wish the throw of the Tiptronic were longer, like the older Passats, which made that shifting feel a little heavier. The interface of the car was pretty intuitive. I was not searching for any information or dials while driving, adding to the safety of the car.

All in all, I really liked the VW CC. The 2.0T gets ~30mpg on the highway, placing it at the higher end of fuel efficient cars. As a design object, the thought and detail given to its form and interaction with the body is impressive. As a machine, it is a lot of fun to drive, as you would expect from a luxury car of its class. It is fast and comfortable with refined styling and appointments. The CC strikes a balance between luxury and performance. Now if only it came with orange or green leather interiors…

Our photos on flickr
Official VW photos

We’re back in New York after a great trip to Chicago. Volkswagen brought us out to Chi-town to review the new 2009 CC (review to come later today). We also had a few free afternoons to wander around Chicago at our leisure – if it weren’t for the crappy winters, I would move there in a heartbeat! It’s a great city – the downtown is really beautiful and well-planned. We stayed at the Hotel Sax, right next to Bertrand Goldberg’s gorgeous Marina City towers.

We’ll be writing throughout the week about the side trips we took – a private tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio in Oak Park and dinner at Moto, known for molecular-gastronomy.