James Kraus
1964 Mercury Montclair Marauder in Bittersweet with White vinyl top at Duffield Lincoln-Mercury, Long Beach, CA.
The Pantone Color Institute has just announced that Living Coral is the 2019 Color Of The Year. In honor of this vibrant hue, I though it appropriate to look back to the era when coral roamed the streets. Continue reading
Gahan Wilson, 1967.
Ed Ruscha, Standard Station, Amarillo, Texas. Oil on canvas, 1963.
James Kraus
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, Morgan Kane, 1960. Image © IPD. Note latch detail on open door.
Illustration as an art form somewhat fell from favour after the 1960s, increasingly being replaced by photography. This was apparent even in automotive print advertising, with Pontiac abandoning their decade-plus relationship with illustration masters Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman. Continue reading
1960 Ford Galaxie Town Victoria in front of an equally alluring mosaic tile edged porte-cochère.
James Kraus
BMW 3200 CS.
Two new BMWs debuted at the Frankfurt Motor show in September of 1961, the 3200 CS by Bertone and the Neue Klasse 1500 sedan, styled in-house by a team led by Wilhelm Hofmeister with the assistance of Giovanni Michelotti. Continue reading
James Kraus
Ma Voiture, 1963. Oil on canvas. Simca 1300.
Since Auto Universum focuses on the 1960s, it is little wonder that we harbour a fondness for Pop Art, the leading movement of the decade. One Pop proponent was Swiss artist Peter Stämpfli who early in his career found inspiration in the automobile. Continue reading
Photo shoot with Mercedes-Benz W111 220 SE Heckflosse (Fintail)
James Kraus
38th Geneva Motor Show poster, 1968.
The calendar still said 1960s but by 1968, it seemed like a different decade. The world was a very dissimilar place than it was in say, 1966. Changes and undercurrents that had been brewing since mid-decade exploded. The U.S. suffered through a second year of mass racial unrest, two political figures were assassinated, rioting broke out at the Democratic National Convention, and college campuses sustained over forty arson attacks and bombing incidents. France suffered through the Mai 68 civil unrest and general strikes that brought the country to a virtual standstill, and Germany saw the first attack by what was to become known as the Baader-Meinhof Gang. Continue reading
James Kraus
1960 Chevrolet Corvair Deluxe 700 Series 4-Door Sedan.
It’s a standard misconception among the general public that Ralph Nader killed the Corvair, but the reality is that Ralph simply kicked a dead horse. Before examining who was actually responsible for the Corvair’s demise, let’s look at it’s gestation. Continue reading
James Kraus
U.S.-spec 718 Boxster. Is the driver braking? Turning? Who knows? Who cares? Porsche doesn’t; but you should.
Everywhere outside of North America, rear turn indicators are required to be amber in colour. This is due to extensive research going back decades demonstrating amber conclusively outperforming red in terms of recognition time. The latest studies by the NHTSA in 2008 and 2009 show a significant reduction in collisions when vehicles are equipped with amber rear indicators (assuming of course that drivers actually use them.) Continue reading
Abetone, Italy; 1965
