2005: Germany.
Illustrations on Display at Michelin Challenge Design™
Biography:
Diego La Magia was born in Uruguay in 1948 but is a citizen of Sweden. He currently works for a telecom company and was self-taught in almost everything. His passion is the pursuit of design.
Description:
“Pure and simple” – As the antithesis to all-wheel-drive, forced induction school of many modern sports cars, these minimalist designs coincide with the rising tide of enthusiasm for simpler machinery. They have a feline, sanguine, physical, muscular, purposeful, sculptural, mechanical presence and milk the same visceral impulse that fuels a raging mania for full blooded sports cars. Attractive, alluring, so desirable you crave to drive them. Beyond the provocative shapes and dazzling detailing, you get the impression that these are machines whose whole raison d’etre is utmost, unabashed performance. They are on the go while standing still. The roots of their design can be traced to the pre-World-War II Silver Arrows, with both front and rear engine solutions represented. Now as then, a German hallmark, design is a subordinate of engineering and function, away from design overkill. Their shape is a natural extension and an accentuation of their engineering exuberance.
The open wheeler has the mechanical presence of a Mercedes racer of the time. It associates with the old, classic and revered roadster, as many of us see it, minimalist and almost sensual, embodying the heart and soul of the true open-air motor sport. The feeling of total involvement with the countryside, you smell the change of season while the sun shines on you. Step-over the side and ease yourself into the driver’s seat, not far from the ground, with a smart instrument array set naturally at eyes level. Fasten your helmet, confirm the perfect visibility, play with a slick, short throw gear change that snaps, turn the ignition key and listen to the symphony of a well tuned, high performance engine, test the immediacy of all controls and spontaneous throttle response while in command of the ultimate mechanical jewel.
The idea of a retro design, a romantic blast from the past, honors traditional values. At the same time, tradition embodies high-tech materials and know-how, pointing the way to the future. Where needed, modern solutions have been introduced, enhancing its identity without detracting from its original elegance. Materials should be chosen in an intelligent and honest way, for their superior performance, when so required, and not as a marketing gimmick.
The basic design is very straight forward, no roof and no doors, but immensely attractive and begging for action. It is its simplicity, down to the bare essentials, that justify the use of exotic materials and permits taking full advantage of stiffness and robustness, while maintaining low weight and high output to weight ratio. The GT is a more sophisticated development of the basic design, but still true to the design philosophy.
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