Automania

by Charles Bernard ANDREANI

Glasurit will thrill the calendopubliphiles!

The motorcar is part of our every day life. That is why there are a thousand different manners to speak about it and to show it, as you will notice in the course of the information and the images that follow.

After the Pirelli calendar with its beauty queens, it is apparently that of the Stadium of France and its guys that is now the rage of the male and female calendar collectors. Indeed, the collectors of advertising calendars are called "calendopubliphiles". Finally, in the field of the car industry, Glasurit's 2007 calendar will probably be one of the most
beautiful.

It all began with a European competition, in which a dozen photographers participated, authors of 30 clichés, among whom twelve were selected to see their works materialize during at least one year on glazed paper. Christian Anders, Christian Bedei, Denis Germain, Philippe Maille, Alberto Martinez, Thomas Mensing, Antoine Pascal, Pierre-Elie of Pibrac, Michael Rieser and Emmanuel Vallée worked on the subject of water.

A special mention for the innovation of Glasurit, the first brand of car paint to have adopted the hydro-dissolvable technique with its clean and odourless " Line 90 ". This range was born in 1992 and was awarded a prize at the Equip' Auto show in 1993. While at the time it was a real revolution in the world of car paint, it became a reference for regulations. And at a time when to think and act in favour of sustainable development has become a vital necessity, it is good to recall that Glasurit opened the way to an extremely ecological solution.

A Renault KZ 1926 Grand Torpedo "R-M" at Africa Gasoline …

Here is a second coating of car paint, with R-M, a trademark of the group BASF. It has become one of the sponsors of Jean-Pierre and Martine Risbec, recently married for the best and especially for the pleasure of vintage cars!

This couple from the Var, crazy on old bangers, experienced a rather original and even extraordinary honeymoon by participating in the second edition of the Africa Gasoline Rally-raid. The young turtledoves thus set out to discover Tunisia at the steering wheel of a Renault KZ Grand Torpedo of 1926, which was the oldest of the 140 cars participating in the adventure.

The Risbecs caught the virus of old cars in 1998, after purchasing a Peugeot 403 which they completely restored, like six other legendary vehicles. Seduced by both the romantic and the historic dimensions of the project, the managers of R-M did not hesitate a single second to support this atypical crew, during and after the rally.
An intelligent sponsoring and rally if ever there were, because throughout their trip, the participants distributed school stationery to children in the Tunisian schools.

Let us finally recall that R-M, trademark of the Group BASF, markets a complete range of paint for motorcars, and that it particularly specializes in hydro-dissolvable paint with a high pigment density, two technologies respectful of the environment. Their use enables R-M to be in perfect conformity with the world standards and regulations for the reduction of solvent emissions, while guaranteeing the same qualities of resistance and finish as traditional paint.

International Motor festival:Election of "the most beautiful car of the year"

The International Motor Festival, which is for the automobile what the Cannes film festival is for the cinema, bases its ever increasing success on an inescapable ground stone: the election of the most beautiful car of the year. We are therefore sure that at least one election in 2007 will bring more happiness than promises … because the elegance, the design and the beauty of many motorcars are inescapable values. At a time when accelerating soon becomes a crime, the pleasure of driving is now essential. Whatever their category, the cars not only have to answer the elementary criteria of safety, equipment, robustness and respect of the environment, but also be beautiful and seduce.

Beauty becomes an authentic sales argument and an obligation of result for the constructors. That is why the election of "the most beautiful car of the year", open to the general public on an international scale, proves to be a life-size poll of the trends, the taste and preferences of the consumers - those who make the car industry thrive!

From November 15th till January 20th, vote for your favourite beauty

The candidates: any standard car, (saloon, monospace, shooting break, coupé, cabriolet or SUV) marketed during the year 2006, at a retail price not exceeding 48 000 euros.

The vote: everybody can select the car of his or her choice from November 15th until January 20th, thanks to a voting device conceived by our colleagues TF1, LCI, Eurosport and International Eurosport, Le Point, Classic Motorcars and Europe 1.

In 2005, the election met a frank success with nearly one million voters, and a single prizewinner, Alfa Brera. This year, there are more than 30 competitors, hoping to record their name in gilt lettering on the prize list where since 1987 we find: BMW 735i, Alfa Romeo 164, Citroën XM, Lexus LS 400, BMW 3-series, Renault Safrane, Citroën Xantia, Renault Laguna, Peugeot 406, Mitsubishi Carisma, Peugeot Coupé 406, Peugeot 206, Jaguar S-Type, BMW 3-series Coupé, Mercedes Class C Coupé Sport, Mercedes CLK, Nissan 350Z, Mercedes SLK and Alfa Brera. The constructor of the winning car will receive his Great Prize during the finale evening of the International Motor Festival chaired by Rémi Depoix, on February 1st, 2007.

A reward for the talent of those who make the headlines of the automobile world

Since its creation in 1986, this Festival highlights the talent of the designers, the artists, the men and women who mark the worldwide current events of the motorcar.

In addition to the Grand Prix of "the Most beautiful Car of the Year " there are a dozen trophies awarded by an expert Jury: the most beautiful interior of the year, the most beautiful supercar of the year, the most beautiful concept car of the year, the Grand Prix of Art, the most beautiful photo of the year, the most beautiful book of the year, the most beautiful promotional film of the year, the jury's special Grand Prix and the Golden Palm.

The Jury: president, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, architect; honorary president, Alain Prost, four times F1 World champion; vice-president, Chantal Thomas, fashion creator.

The members: Pierre Arditi, comedian; Hubert Auriol, professional driver and organizer of events; Jean-Claude Dassier, General manager of LCI; Paul Dupuy, Editorial director of Classic Motorcars; Franz-Olivier Giesbert, CEO and Editorial director of Le Point; Philippe Gurdjian, Formula One Executive Consultant, President of the Paul Ricard Circuit; Laurent-Eric Le Lay, general manager of Eurosport, Director of the Sports Acquisitions Group TF1; Michel Leeb, comedian; François Morinière, President of Viacom Outdoor France ; Hervé Poulain, President of the National Council of the Art Market ; Georges Wolinski, humoristic sketches.

Audi TT: meeting at the Paul Ricard circuit

The Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track has just welcomed the first Audi TT meeting. Although Audi had already organized two "TT Rallies", it was the first time that it embellished it with a variety of activities on the Provencal site.
It was an amusing event for the Audi customers, who were rewarded for their allegiance to the German constructor by this memorable day in an idyllic place for cars.

About 150 owners of Audi TT thus had the opportunity to discover the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region under a radiant sun, during a rally organized on the famous Cliff Road ("Route des Crêtes") from Cassis to La Ciotat (and vice versa), with a view plunging on the Mediterranean Sea from the highest cliffs in Europe, before driving on to the first test and communication track in the world.

The "Audistes" thereby discovered the new TT in total security; they were also able to venture on the slippery track of the Ricard Dynamic Driving Centre, and participate in a photo competition with Dingo, one of the most creative photographers of the motorcar world. As for the lucky winners of a tombola, they experienced a maiden flight in a fighter plane from the Castellet International Airport. A successful meeting which will certainly motivate others, particularly since Audi and the Paul Ricard circuit work hand in hand throughout the year at the "Audi Driving Experience" driving initiation centre.