Renault Gordini and Gibson in tune with a special show car and guitar at the Rock En Seine Festival

There will be plenty to please the ears and eyes of Parisian festival goers this weekend thanks to a display comprising the one-off Wind 'Gordini by Gibson' show car plus five striking Gibson SG '61 guitars in Gordini colours. The early 1960s saw Gordini and Gibson both revolutionise their respective worlds with the introduction of a sporting version of the Renault 8 for the former and the release of the SG electric guitar in the case of Gibson. The two brands have long been reputed for the accent they place on innovation and their open-minded approach to the future is founded on the same sense of freedom. The fact that Gibson and Gordini have joined forces for this project could but inspire Renault's designers…



"We had tremendous fun designing the Wind-based 'Gordini by Gibson' show car and carrying Gordini's visual identity over to the Gibson SG '61 guitar," says Julia Macfarlane, colours and materials designer at Renault. "I hope that we succeed in conveying the passion that fired us throughout the project and that visitors to the Rock en Seine festival will like the result."

Renault Wind Gordini

Guitar strings for the Wind 'Gordini by Gibson' show car's leather seats

Wind 'Gordini by Gibson' is a two-part harmony based on the two brands' respective styling cues. Unsurprisingly, Wind 'Gordini by Gibson' features a blue livery with two white stripes, yet the colours and materials it employs also explore one or two other ideas. In addition to the two hallmark white stripes which extend over the bonnet and blue roof, hints of gloss black feature across the bodywork, while Gibson logos are visible on the doors. An original attraction of the show car's blue and white leather upholstery is the incorporation of genuine guitar strings which have been hand-sewn into the leather seats. Meanwhile, embroidered Gibson logos feature on the seat backs and blue leather-trimmed dashboard, while the seat belt straps are white and chrome has been used for the air vents and door handles. Last but not least, the guitar potentiometer knob used for the audio system's volume control adds a 'fun' touch to the intrinsically switched-on and off-beat Wind 'Gordini by Gibson' show car.





Gordini treatment for the SG ’61 electric guitar

The guitar selected by Gibson to fly Gordini's colours is a reissue of the original 1961 SG, a radical electric guitar in its day which went on to make its own contribution to the Gibson legend. The striking graphics formed by the Gordini blue and two white stripes lend themselves perfectly to a variety of schemes, as illustrated by the special Gordini SG '61's blue solid body and two white stripes, plus a Gordini logo on the headstock which tops its ebony neck. As they play this magnificent object, those festival goers who take part in the Gordini guitar solo competition will get a chance to sample the model's timeless looks, playability and technical strengths. Contestants also stand a chance to win one these fine guitars as a function of the number of votes they receive on the web for their playing.



| Renault | Images gallery

Clarion creates in-car nirvana

Clarion’s latest blockbusting in-car multimedia source units fuse performance, features and functionality, combining the latest in modern technology with unprecedented convenience, all within a single, superb-sounding product, available for either standard or double sized dashboard apertures.



The ‘standard’ single-DIN sized NZ501E unit featuring a 6.2” motorised flip-out screen, and its sister, the double-DIN sized NX501E receiver with integral 7” screen, support AM/FM radio, CD, DVD, MP3, AAC and WMA playback. TeleAtlas based SatNav is also provided, as well as connectivity for your iPod or iPhone and Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming via Parrot technology.







Notwithstanding a vast array of features, the products’ real appeal to a technology savvy consumer is its ease of use and ability to take mobile entertainment sources on the road, which is reflected in Clarion’s commitment to develop its comprehensive interactive GUI (Graphical User Interface).



Large animated icons work in harness with an intuitive rotary control on the NX501E while the NZ501E shares the same bold on-screen icons alongside key function buttons on the unit’s fascia.



In both systems, Flick Operation – common place in mobile phone and online magazine technology – allows the user to scroll through menus easily and effectively, while icons can be highlighted and dragged to alternative positions for a more customised appearance and set-up.



Also putting the GUI to good use is a comprehensive navigation package, populated by a TeleAtlas map database covering 44 countries, all stored on a mighty 8GB microSD card. In addition to the pre-installed data, new maps and content such as POI can be downloaded from Clarion’s dedicated portal site – navi extras – while there is a Latest Map Guarantee to provide a download of the most up-to-date data free of charge, upon registration of the product.



For the first time, Clarion has incorporated a Parrot Bluetooth module within its multimedia showcase, offering the widest level of compatibility with a variety of mobile phones and PDA’s, to facilitate hands-free communication via a built-in or optional stand-alone microphone, as well as wireless A2DP audio streaming via supported devices.



The pinpoint detail provided by the high-resolution WVGA LCD makes viewing of screen content clear and crisp…essential when you consider that both units can be hooked up to a rear vision camera in order to aide parking.



Both models also sound crystal clear, thanks to the powerful internal 4 x 50W amplifier, knocking out audio without missing a beat to deliver superb clarity amidst an authentic and realistic musical performance.



With enhanced opportunities to fine-tune the audio, via a pre-set three-band EQ that can be customised, and Magna Bass EX which boosts the lowest octaves for deeper bass, Clarion’s NZ501E and NX501 deliver high-tech in-car multimedia in a convenient and easy-to-operate package that does not compromise on quality.



| Clarion

BMW Group DesignworksUSA designs Sennheiser’s S1 Digital pilot’s headset for best sound

A pilot’s headset needs to combine high functionality with a well-thought-out design, as it is a key contributor to the safety of the pilot and passengers. Audio specialist Sennheiser therefore collaborated with DesignworksUSA, a design consultancy and subsidiary of the BMW Group to develop their new S1 Digital general aviation headset which will launch at AirVenture 2011 in Oshkosh on July 25th. “Safety, excellent speech intelligibility and comfort for fatigue-free listening were our top priorities,” explains Jörg Buchberger, Sennheiser Business Segment Manager Aviation. “We had a lot of completely new ideas for the headset which we wanted to implement together with an experienced partner. We found the perfect one in BMW Group DesignworksUSA.”

DesignworksUSA specializes in providing strategic design solutions and creative consulting services to partners across diverse industries ranging from consumer electronics, medical devices and transportation to sustainability consulting. The company´s projects in the aviation industry span from commercial airlines to business jets. “We are designing entire cabin solutions as well as cockpits and equipment which provide an excellent backdrop of knowledge and expertise that also translated into the functional and aesthetic expressions of the S1 Digital headset,” said Laurenz Schaffer, President BMW Group DesignworksUSA. The knowledge transfer between multiple industries and disciplines allows DesignworksUSA to bring in fresh perspectives and create surprising results. In the case of developing the S1 Digital aviation headset the creative consultancy leveraged more specifically on its experience in consulting for premium products in various transportation and mobility sectors.



Ergonomic fit and comfort for relaxed and safe flying
The design of the S1 Digital ensures an optimum fit and a high level of comfort. The pilot can regulate the contact pressure of the ear cushions via a small sliding control on the headband to find the optimum balance between comfort and a “tight” fit. Another new feature is the glasses zone on the ear pads: the cushions are particularly soft around the area of the temple arms of sunglasses. “That is not only a comfort feature,” explained Jörg Buchberger. “This zone enables the headset to keep ambient noise out even better. Noise attenuation is excellent.” There are also two soft pads for the headband that avoid contact for the more sensitive central part of the head.

The headband itself has an inner metal band made of spring steel that ensures a tailored fit on different head shapes and works with a lower contact pressure than many other headsets. The special ear cup shape and the inclined axis of the headset further improve passive noise attenuation. Compelling aesthetics was maintained alongside all of the functionality and performance the headsets deliver. The ear cups are reminiscent of the sweep of a wing, while the shapes and materials underline the sturdiness and technical quality of the headset. “We have created a powerful, dynamic design that emphasizes performance, reliability and technical innovation of this headset”, said Magnus Aspegren, Director, Singapore Studio at BMW Group DesignworksUSA.


Everything under control
DesignworksUSA paid particular attention to the headset’s control unit. The ergonomic control module with a contoured grip was redesigned for greater ease of use. Its streamlined interface with high-contrast icons on main controls and LED graphics make it ideally equipped for night flights. Highlighted features include separate volumes for each ear: NoiseGard active noise cancellation system on/off, mono/stereo operation, muting on/off and all Bluetooth transmission functions. The Bluetooth-equipped phone or music player can simply be left in a pocket. The unit offers wireless connection to mobile phones and an audio source. It also has two AA batteries to power the electronics of the fully adaptive NoiseGard™ / digital noise cancellation system, which can also alternatively be powered by the on-board power network.


Business Factor Design
The partnership between the creative consultancy and audio specialist started in 2008 with the development of a range of consumer earphones that garnered recognition for its powerful designs including the International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards Honoree title for the CX 680 and Singapore President’s Design Award Design of the Year among others. “DesignworksUSA’s in-depth understanding of our partners’ businesses enable tailored solutions, robust results and creative leadership consulting over time,” said Laurenz Schaffer.

| BMW