E-Bay Sample Sale: September

I have several garments that were produced for color-test and design purposes, but never went into factory production for one reason or another. There is one print that I especially adored (as did my sales rep, who thought it would be a best seller), and when I found out it was discontinued I literally curled up into the fetal position. The one poncho that was made from it is the only one in the world!



Although I would love to archive every single one of them (for the Car Seat Poncho Museum someday, or perhaps the coffee table book), I don't need them ALL, so they will go up on E-Bay some time next month.



Blog subscribers will get an exclusive look at the colors and one-of-a-kind patterns.

2011 Porsche Boxster Spied on Nurburgring

Although it is just ten months since the debut of the current Boxster Facelift, the Stuttgart-based automaker looks like it is well into development of the new vehicle.

Spied on the 'Ring, the Boxster is still showing off a cloth roof, and we get another look at the rear LED light clusters. Beyond that, it looks evident that the front end is bulging and somewhat elongated, but not massively. All around the car, it is more of the same: same spoiler, same third brake light, same sidesills, same vents, etc. Instead, we expect there to be some solid differences to the mechanics, and possibly weight reductions, instead of a radical new design. After all, the old design just came out.

Nonetheless, look for the 2011 Porsche Boxster to have a refined front and rear fascia as well as a new rear light cluster. Something beyond mechanics will be needed to entice potential customers. Hopefully, Porsche will finish with the mule, and begin testing the production prototype. We'll bring you any new shots as soon as they appear.

Sewing in America (Part 5) - RIP NYC Fashion Capital?

There is an incredibly relevant article in today's New York Times, regarding the decline of the garment industry in NYC.


New York’s garment center, once the heart of an industry that employed hundreds of thousands of workers and produced most of the clothing in the United States, is in danger of extinction.


For decades, cheaper foreign competitors and rising rents forced many of the sewing and cutting rooms and the button and zipper shops that once thrived on the side streets south of Times Square to close, shrink or move as mass production shifted to China, India and Latin America.


Owners say they are caught in a vise between declining retail sales and landlords eager to find better-paying tenants.



Some city officials and industry leaders worry that if manufacturing is wiped out, many of the designers who bring so much luster to New York will leave, along with the city’s claim to be a fashion capital rivaling Paris and Milan. The damage would be undeniable, given that the industry’s two big annual events — Fashion Week in September and February — attract enormous numbers of visitors and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity.



“If you don’t have production in the garment center, there would be no reason for designers and suppliers to cluster in the district,” said Barbara Blair Randall, executive director of the Fashion Center Business Improvement District. “We’re down to 9,000 jobs.”



But city officials say the industry has shrunk to a point where it could be reasonably consolidated in a few buildings, rather than several blocks. “It’s not mass production,” Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey said of the garment center. “Clearly, what’s occurring is much smaller and more high-end compared with the actual production that used to exist..."



It's a Catch-22: the factories are smaller, so the output capacity is smaller, so the orders are smaller. The work in these Garment District shops tends to be more high-end, intricate upscale designer clothing requiring finer craftsmanship. It's hard to say whether that's a cause or a symptom of the district's decline.



"Orders are more likely to be 3,000 or 4,000 pieces, not the production runs of 100,000 pairs of jeans that are now typically sent to..."



(Want to guess?)


"...China."

2011 BMW 5 Series further details surface - Active Hybrid 5

A very reliable insider from BMW has shared some interesting titbits about the next 5 Series. Slated for a 2010 arrival the 5 will be sold as a 2010 model in countries like the US. With rivals fast catching up and some even overtaking the car, BMW has apparently planned a reply that will silence critics and regain it some lost market share, especially in regions like Germany where the Audi A6 and the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class have made serious sales inroads.

An important aspect of automotive development for the 5 is weight. Several methods were used to reduce the weight which is good for both performance and fuel consumption. Such measures include using lighter body construction materials and producing parts like water pumps, transmission cases and suspension mounts out of lighter substances.

Although quite related to the 5 Series GT, the sedan will only share a minimum number of body panels with its four-seater sibling. Among them are the door handles, the side indicator lights and the side mirrors.

BMW has deliberately designed the car to look more compact than it actually is in order to help it stand out in a segment populated by cars that look quite large. The short overhangs, the low roofline and the wide track will ensure a lot of this happens.

EfficientDynamics systems are now an everyday part of most BMWs sold in Europe so expect to see the next evolution of the fuel-saving measures. Still on fuel, the 2011 5 Series will be fitted with hybrid power for two models. The first will be the same mild ActiveHybrid system used in the 7 Series while the other will be one from the X6 ActiveHybrid. Instead of the V8 petrol though the car will use a 3.0d engine.

Sewing in America (Part 4) - Lindsey T, Patriot

Blogger Lindsey T thinks people who sew are really smart, and might even be better Americans:


"Sewing is excellent brain exercise because you’re constantly solving problems, researching techniques, testing theories and brainstorming design ideas. People who sew can make something out of nothing."



If you couldn't already tell, Lindsey T is an avid sewer. I discovered her blog on a Google search of "percentage of Americans who sew." I also found this article on Salon, which cites increases in sewing machine imports and the growing popularity of sewing studios, salons and schools: "...(T)hose drawn to sewing today aren't just attracted to its utilitarian side. Now it's considered an art form."



Bia Bernum has one such sewing school in upstate NY, Sew You Can. She and I have been emailing back and forth with ideas for blog articles and surveys, and hopefully one day I can interview her.



So while survival sewing skills might be on the wane, creative sewing skills are increasing in various pockets across the country. And while I find this exciting and personally interesting, I realize it has nothing to do with the Car Seat Poncho.



I don't think the increase in creative sewing acumen will get more apparel factories up and running in the US. Hints as to why lie in the "not necessarily" answers to these questions: Can a brilliant cook run a restaurant? Can a worker on an assembly line build a truck from scratch?



Hate to be a tease, but elaboration will come in the next post. Thanks for reading, sorry it's taking so long to make a point (I'd make a terrible journalist).

Mercedes SLS AMG Cabrio Caught during Hot Weather Testing

Looks like Mercedes-Benz is planning a whole range of models for its upcoming SLS AMG supercar. The petrol coupe has been somewhat detailed and a confirmed electric drive version is in the works. Now the convertible has been caught testing in the heat of the California desert.

Spies saw clues of a retractable roof despite the heavy camouflage and doors that look like they are conventional. That means the SLS convertible will lose its "gullwing" status if these remain as they are on the spied prototype. The normal door handles are further pointers to a standard ingress and egress system, as opposed to the coupe's low-mounted ones.

Mercedes-Benz has engineered the SLS to counter its perceived lack of grunt - 420kW/ 571hp which isn't exactly a mind-blowing supercar figure, by minimising weight gains. The coupe is said to accelerate from 0 - 100km/h in 3.8 seconds and top off at 315km/h. Convertibles are normally a little slower than their hard-top counterparts so the same is expected of this one.

The SLS should be making an appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show in just over a month.

Audi RS5 Latest Spy Photos

Audi's 2010 RS5 coupe has once again been spotted undergoing high performance testing on Germany's famous Nürburgring.

While the new photos don't reveal any additional details, the matte black paint scheme is simply out of this world. Up front, the RS5 is distinguished by larger, more aggressive air intakes and a revised mesh grille. Other styling tweaks include 15-spoke alloy wheels, a more pronounced rear spoiler, and a massive dual exhaust system.

As we have previously reported, the RS5 will come equipped with a powerful 4.2-liter V8 engine with at least 450hp (331kW). Boasting quattro AWD and a standard six-speed manual transmission (a seven-speed R Tronic gearbox will be optional), the RS5 is expected to accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than 5 seconds. Audi will likely limit the top speed to 250km/h (155mph), but aftermarket tuners will surely fix that.

Look for the 2010 Audi RS5 to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

2011 Porsche Cayenne most revealing spy photos yet

The Porsche 911 ultimately defined the Porsche look. But these days it seems the Panamera is the one taking this design language forward. Seen here are the latest and clearest spy pictures of the upcoming 2011 Cayenne yet.

The only parts that are fully covered are the front and rear ends but happily the protruding headlights are fully-Panamera compliant. The rear lights are new and so is the third window, taped up as it is. While the Cayenne is still an SUV it looks more compact now perhaps as a response to the general auto industry trend of sizing down.



Porsche has been testing the vehicle over many different parts and surfaces, even going as far as putting it on the Nürburgring. After all, it still is a Porsche and as such is expected to handle a certain way. Plans are to make it lighter and more fuel efficient. The current model features a turbo diesel motor as one of its engines so that idea should carry into the next model. A Cayenne hybrid version is in the cards too.

Production is scheduled to begin in 2010 with the first customer deliveries to take place later in the year. A production version is sure to be exhibited during one of the major international shows, including Los Angeles.

Audi A8 prototype mocks Mitsubishi jet-fighter front grill

Could this be a new Audi A8?

We should not assume anything here (because you know what that does) but it does seem like this is a short-wheelbase A8 under an A6 shell carrying an upside-down Mitsubishi badge and jet-fighter front grill.

This scoop comes to us courtesy of a VW Vortex forum and Autoblog, and the photos show what is definitely not a Mitsubishi driving along the highway in the Southwest of the United States. The road warrior (Autoblog reader Ryan on a cross-country trip) who snapped the pictures believed it to be a new A6 undergoing testing, after having spotted some camouflaged VW Routan's earlier in the trip. But the details (and Audi's product time-line) seem to point to a new A8 iteration.

A next-generation A8 was expected to debut at the Frankfurt motor show this September, although, there seem to be no indications from Audi that that will occur. But the new A8 is expected to make its debut in the market sometime in the latter part of 2010.

Looking at the design features of the model pictured here, the furrowed-brow headlights, linebacker shoulder lines, bonnet ridges and the long, swooping C-pillar all point to a flagship Audi sedan.

By the way, is Audi allowed to use a Mitsubishi badge as a cover for a prototype?

Just asking.

BMW Concept Vision Z Rendered

Hardly a day has gone by since pictures of the BMW EfficientDynamics Vision / Vision Z were released into the Internet. Yet well-regarded automotive artist Jon Sibal has created a full rendering of the car based on the covered images. It is a rushed job as you can probably tell, something the artist fully admits.

Using the trusted Photoshop digital tool Sibal went underneath the car's skin and imagined what details could be hidden there. The front end features an upturned kidney grille, a sharp headlight area, the traditional BMW "Hoffmeister kink" on the C-pillar (but with a new shape surround). The rims did not impress the artist and so he replaced them with something that was better suited to his tastes. As the concept is missing side mirrors, so is the rendering.

Official words from BMW indicate that the concept will redefine the sports car segment with its innovative technologies in many auto spheres. Should we hold our collective breaths?

Spied BMW concept is not the Z Vision Concept car slated for Frankfurt

iMotormag is reporting that this is, in fact, not the Z Vision Concept rumored to be headed to the Frankfurt motor show, as it was previously believed to be. A call put in to BMW had the Bavarian automaker deny that.

BMW claims this is a five year old design study car that is being moved from their design studio in Germany to be put into storage somewhere.

Our colleagues at iMotormag speculate that this concept may be a precursor to a possible, future BMW 3-Series GT. Or maybe not.

BMW will be premiering a new concept car dubbed EfficientDynamics Vision at the Frankfurt show next month alongside its new 5-series GT and the X1 compact SUV. It remains to be seen what that is.

BMW 5 Series: New spy shots from France!

Here are some spy shots of the upcoming BMW 5 Series in France, near St Remy en Provence. It was a convoy of 5 cars, both sedan and wagon. Have a look!

BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible Facelift Spy Photos

Just over a year ago BMW unveiled the facelifted 3 Series sedan. The time will soon come for the Coupe and the Convertible to show their faces in full too. But for now we must satisfy our curiosity with these spy pictures of both models doing final testing before their public debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Modifications include a new front bumper, headlamps, LED rear lights and a new rear bumper. Previous spy pictures showed only the front bumper in disguise but these snapped shots show the true changes. Both models will exhibit these changes when unveiled in September.



Since BMW has a habit of escorting a new product launch or update with a new engine or an upgraded one, our curiosity is running at full speed trying to figure out which new powerplant will accompany these cars. That information might leak out ahead of the show. If not then the wait will be a long one.

Sewing in America -- 2 Major Ideas (Part 3)

It's taken me a while to post again because I realize there are two separate ideas here:



A.) Sewing as a lost art (even mending stymies most people)

B.) Limited apparel manufacturing resources in the US



On the Subject of A (let's call it "Lost Arts"):

This Sunday's New York Times Magazine presented an interesting article about our nation's dwindling cooking abilities, and how women's lib, cooking/food lifestyle shows and the packaged food industry have turned eating into theater, cooking into sport, and diminished the daily activity of food preparation. "Weekday meals are hum drum, a drag to shop and prepare for after a long day, so let's nuke/order something and make a REAL meal on the weekend."



I think the same thing has happened to sewing:



The Women's Lib Effect:

I think for girls growing up in the 70's, sewing was old-fashioned, house-wifey, uncool, unliberated. It was a big deal when our district decided that boys AND girls would take Home Economics AND Wood Shop. Having the boys in Home Ec made the subjects at hand into comedy. The boys would goof around (egg tosses, anyone?) and when we were doing sewing projects, the boys would instigate "races" where they would floor the pedals and rev up the machines. The boys aren't completely to blame, though, because the girls happily joined in -- at least the girls who cared about being cool to the boys (which was most of us). Looking back, I feel so sorry for the Home Ec teachers. What they taught was being stigmatized right before their eyes.



I remember in the 90s, when I worked in an office, and a button popped off my jacket. I asked the other women (mostly in their 20s) if any of them had a needle and thread. They furrowed their brows and said they'd never even used a needle or thread. They'd never even sewed on a button. So what do you do when a button falls off? They told me they put it back in their closet and figure they'll get around to it (then throw it out in a few months), or wear it anyway. I described the idea of a Home Ec class and they giggled. I get the sense that when people profess their ignorance to threading a needle, it's a badge of honor that they are not Suzy Homemaker.



Cheap Clothes, Sold Cheap

Why make when you can buy? Why mend when you can buy? Clothing is cheap and disposable. In fairness, it would be a real drag to have to make every single thing you needed to wear, and to mend the heels of your socks when they wore thin, but if replacements were not so inexpensive easily available, wouldn't we do a LITTLE more? Of course the relative inexpensive price of the goods has a lot to do with Subject B (Limited US apparel manufacturing).



Creative Outlet versus Life Skill

Whereas the elevation of cooking to an art form bows to Julia Child and the Mario Batali, sewing has Project Runway and Etsy. Have you checked out the sewn goods on Etsy? They're amazing. Amazing and intimidating. Etsy and Project Runway celebrate the art of design and the craft of sewing, and elevate them to a point where all we want (or can, for that matter) do is admire.



So where should I go with this? Do I have a point of view on how or why to bring sewing back into the American mainstream? Not really. The Times article quotes Harry Balzer, a food-marketing research expert, who comes off as an amusing, crusty curmudgeon, on why peole need to get off their high horses about the Lost Arts. Just substitute "cooking a chicken" with "making a dress" (and the attendant preparations):



“Do you miss sewing or darning socks? I don’t think so... Here’s an analogy,” Balzer said. “A hundred years ago, chicken for dinner meant going out and catching, killing, plucking and gutting a chicken. Do you know anybody who still does that? It would be considered crazy! Well, that’s exactly how cooking will seem to your grandchildren: something people used to do when they had no other choice. Get over it.”



So yes, we do have more choices now. To sew and create. To mend or replace. And that's great; I like having choices. But I guess I would be less indignant if more people would just sew a button back on once in a while.



What do you think? Do you guys sew? Can you thread a needle and sew on a button? How important a skill is it?