Goodie Hoodie

Posted on by Medina Davide

In the United States, the hoodie is more than just clothing for teenagers; it serves as a universal “uniform” that offers both physical comfort and a sense of psychological security. During the social pressures of high school, the oversized silhouette provides a “portable safe space” and a way to signal identity or group affiliation. Whether it’s a high-end streetwear piece or a simple school sweatshirt, the hoodie represents a blend of privacy and self-expression that has become an essential part of American youth culture.

Honda Z600

Posted on by Medina Davide

This is my design for a new model of the stylish Honda Z600. The Z600 was a micro car manufactured between 1970 and 1974, celebrated for its quirky “sporty” design and compact dimensions. Often nicknamed the “water goggles” or “TV-set” due to the thick black plastic bezel surrounding its rear glass hatch, it was powered by a high-revving 598cc air-cooled, two-cylinder engine derived from Honda’s motorcycle expertise. Despite its diminutive size, measuring just 123 inches long and weighing approximately 1,300 pounds, it could reach top speeds of roughly 75-80 mph and achieved an impressive 40-50 mpg. Marketed as a fun, efficient city car, the Z600 played a pivotal in establishing Honda’s automotive presence in the U.S. and Europe.

Gilera Saturno 2.0

Posted on by Medina Davide

Un’idea progettuale per una nuova Gilera 500 Saturno Bialbero. L’originale è  nata sul finire del 1987 e commercializzata dal 1988, rappresenta un affascinante esempio di “neo-classic” ante-litteram, progettata principalmente per soddisfare la passione del mercato giapponese per le monocilindriche sportive italiane. Sviluppata ad Arcore sotto la guida dell’ingegner Sandro Colombo, questa moto rievoca nel nome la gloriosa progenitrice degli anni ’40, ma adotta una meccanica moderna: il motore è il “Bi4”, un monocilindrico bialbero a 4 tempi raffreddato a liquido, derivato dall’enduro Dakota, capace di circa 45 CV a 7000 giri/min. Caratterizzata da una linea “asciutta” e filante, con sella monoposto e una ciclistica raffinata (telaio a traliccio in acciaio, forcelle Marzocchi da 40 mm), la Saturno 500 offriva una guida precisa e leggera, distinguendosi per l’assenza di vibrazioni grazie al contralbero. Nonostante le sue qualità, la produzione fu limitata a meno di 2.000 esemplari totali, rendendola oggi una moto molto ambita dai collezionisti.

The Trabant saga

Posted on by Medina Davide

Joke of the day: if we add the third volume (third box) to a Mini, we almost get a modern version of the Trabant 601. Vertical tail lights with chrome frames, horizontal well defined shoulder line, rear window almost touching side windows, smooth sides with no moldings.

Human friendly cars

Posted on by Medina Davide

A more livable car interior

Cars are getting bigger and bulkier on the outside but darker and more claustrophobic on the inside. Smaller windows, gloomy grayish shades. Safety during crashes played a role in this transformation and, of course, there are structural constraints to consider while designing the passenger compartment. Still we can make the atmosphere more convivial, remember the 1984 Renault Espace? That was great.

Fiat 600 Multipla Taxi

Posted on by Medina Davide

Chissà se un giorno vedremo nelle strade di Roma, Firenze o Milano passare dei taxi Fiat Multipla elettrici a guida autonoma, possibilmente con il tetto in cristallo per ammirare le bellezze della nostra architettura. Piccole, a misura di centro storico, non servirebbero per i trasferimenti extraurbani verso gli aeroporti ma solo per portare i turisti nei centri cittadini, magari attraversando le ZTL. Stellantis ci pensi sopra.

A 4-wheel Yamaha Niken?

Posted on by Medina Davide

A 4-wheel Yamaha Niken 900

To be honest I truly like the Yamaha Niken 900, the GT with side bags and a proper windshield makes even more sense, since the bike is definitely not a supersport or a race replica. Now image an off-road version of it and make it like a quad, with four wheels. Isn’t it cool? It’s basically a Niken ATV.

My beloved Matra Rancho

Posted on by Medina Davide

As a kid, one of my favorite toys was a 1:24 scale Matra Rancho. It was so far ahead of the boring sedans everyone was driving in early 1980s. What if Stellantis builds a New Matra Rancho on the Citroën Berlingo/ Peugeot Partner platform? Something in between a SUV and a fourgonnette? Because, let’s face it, the Berlingo is very very practical but not very alluring. A big boxy body coupled with small wheels is not attractive, it lacks the ‘Indiana Jones’ effect that we want to show while stuck in traffic halfway through our daily commute.

What’s a Caprese?

Posted on by Medina Davide

My interpretation of an exclusive caprese taxi.

You might know the Caprese salad or the Capri Sun Juice (that’s not juice) or Ford Capri. No, I’m referring to a niche in the niche, a ‘caprese taxi’ is a custom built convertible taxi that only exists in Capri, Italy. It’s not just a cabriolet, otherwise it would simply be called an ‘open top taxi’. It must have 4 doors, two or three comfortable rows of seats and when the top is open passengers can watch the panorama from a 360 degrees POV. A convertible cab is already cool, a Caprese is top. The base to build a Caprese taxi is always a sedan or a minivan with room for people and luggage of course. To be fairly honest, their design is not exactly the apex of Italian design but the main character in Capri is the view from the car, not the car.