Virgil M. Exner Jr. is an internationally known designer of automobiles and powerboats. He was at least concept designer of the Studebaker Lark, Volvo P1800 S, Renault Caravelle, Renault R4, Ghia Selene II, Fiat 2300S, Fiat 1500S, Karmann Ghia 1500, Ford Maverick, Ford Pinto, various Ford Thunderbirds, the first Ford Fiesta, and the Ford Crown Victoria--as well as Buehler Turbo Craft, Brunswick, and Riva Boats. Exner also designed the Motor Trend Car of the Year trophy.
Exner's mother and father, the Automotive Hall of Fame designer Virgil Exner Sr., brought him up to love automobiles and race cars of all types, as well as people who share share the enthusiasm for beautiful, sensible, transportation design. It's pure Car Lust fun!
on December 08, 2011
Lately, my design blood has been really bubbling. I guess I'm just anxious to forget playing on my computer and getting back to modeling and twisting a wrench. Here's my latest idea: a "Turtle Deck" roadster which emulates a little more antique version of the 1932 Studebaker two man Indianapolis racer my father once owned.
Continue reading "Project Terrapin: a Design for a "Turtle Deck" Roadster" »
on September 01, 2011
(Car Lust contributor Virgil Exner, Jr. celebrated Studebaker Week by designing a few Studebakers of his own and sending us some high-resolution renderings. Click the pictures to enlarge them and read Mr. Exner's commentary. -- Ed.)
Continue reading "Studebaker Week: Studebakers for the 21st Century" »
on April 01, 2009
(Note from Chris: We're very proud to welcome Virgil Exner Jr. as an official Car Lust contributor. Mr. Exner is of course the son of famous designer Virgil Exner of Forward Look fame, and a distinguished automotive designer in his own right. He previously contributed a rebuttal to Cookie the Dog's Owner's original Stutz Blackhawk piece.)
Hello Car Lust readers, I'm very happy to be aboard as a contributor to the blog and hope you will enjoy my input.
My wife and I recently returned from a short vacation in St. Martin in the Caribbean, and I had an opportunity to rent a virtually new India-produced
Hyundai i-10 four-door hatchback. It had all of the accessories as our 2008 two-door Ford Focus, and both of us thought it was really great. It got 27 mpg for more than 200 miles around that hilly and traffic-jammed island and drove and handled just as well as the Focus. Our Focus gets 19 mpg in more favorable traffic and on flatter roads. I thought the Hyundai would make the Focus feel heavy when we returned to our car, and it did.
Continue reading "Revolutionary Efficiency" »
