Siclians Send First Cannoli-Naut Into Space

Interesting and symbolic, if not potentially uplifting, effort by a collection of Sicilian scientists.

"Sicilian amateur scientists have launched a model cannolo, a cream-stuffed pastry roll symbolic of the Italian island, into the stratosphere, capturing bizarre images of the dessert flying far above the earth.

The 'Sicilian Space Program', which cost a rough total of 350 euros, had symbolic importance as well as being a scientific feat, the three natives of the island town of Enna behind it told Reuters.

"Sicily has always been a place of negative connotations, mafia and unemployment. We wanted to lift up Sicily in our own way," said filmmaker Fabio Leone, 34, who recorded the project with Antonella Barbera, 38.

Their heavily indebted island, long plagued by organized crime, was forced to impose a strict spending program by Rome in 2012 and has one of the highest unemployment rates in Italy."

Let me close by saying - Leave the parachute. Take the cannoli. 

Read article here.

Eintracht Frankfurt And Alfa Romeo

Watching the Europa League highlights between Eintracht Frankfurt and Porto this past week, I was reminded that Alfa Romeo sponsors the German side having signed a commitment in the summer of 2013.

Unfortunately for Frankfurt (and Alfa Romeo), they did not progress into the round of 16 thanks to a spirited comeback from Porto.




Below is the Alfa Romeo Canguro prototype from 1964.

Military Vehicles: The Jeeppone

Moto Guzzi V7 At Moto Show Montreal

Handsome Moto Guzzi V7 Cafe Classic.

(Moto Guzzi is owned by Piaggio).

Started casually shopping for a motorcycle to buy in a year. Visited the Moto show today here in Montreal and was attracted to the Italian bikes including the V7.

KTM, Honda, Yamaha, Royal Enfield (cool retro bikes), and of course the legendary Harley-Davidson all had bikes that appealed to me. I looked around for Triumph and Norton but they were not present. Ideally, I'd like to purchase a used Italian motorbike but they're hard to find as people tend to not sell them. Anyway, Aprilia, Vespa and Ducati all represented Italy at the show.

A review on the V7 here.

***

Speaking of Ducati, it is now part of the AUDI group since 2012.

Rebuilding The Bugatti 100P

Admittedly, there are a lot of 'whatcouldabeens' surrounding The Bugatti 100P aircraft. by this point, this story should be familiar to Canadians and their own legendary plane The Arrow.

The 100P was the brainchild of legendary designer and engineer Ettore Bugatti known for his work in automobiles.  

However, it wasn't uncommon for Italian designers - free-spirit, free-lancers - to branch out into other fields. Call it the Da Vinci effect. Still, it wasn't that far fetched an idea since Italy had by that time an interesting book of speedy air crafts on their books. 

Bugatti's plan had a lot of ambition especially considering German aircraft engineering was considered ahead of its time. It was hoped the 100p would reach 500 mph thus surpassing the German Messerschmitt which hit 469 mph in 1939.

But it never got off the ground. And now, a group of European engineers - Reve Bleu - are looking to rebuild the 100P. 

"The Bugatti 100P – an art-deco masterpiece – is arguably the most elegant airplane ever designed. It was also the most technologically-advanced airplane of its time. Designed initially to set a world speed record and to compete in the prestigious Coupe Deutsch air race, the plane also met the criteria for a light-weight fighter and might have been the first technology demonstrator. Had it flown in the summer of 1940, it would be seen today as an historically-significant aircraft; elements of the plane’s most notable features, well established by mid-1937, predate the development of the best Allied fighters of World War II."

Interestingly, they're not the only ones looking to do so. Scottish engineer and  John Lawson (as well as Scotty Wilson) also has a Bugatti Project of his own.

As of yet, the plane has not been launched.

Classic Relics Sometimes Experience A Revival

Making sense of Italian automobile and motorcycle manufacturers is a challenge for many reasons. One of those being many of them were simply founded by individuals - freelance serial entrepreneurs - who had a passion and ability to produce their passions for consumption. They weren't always efficient (they probably broke every rule in a business academic book) but no one doubts the brilliance of what was created.

It makes for a confusing landscape to say the least. And when it comes to Italian brands, it's not uncommon for long lost companies to be revived.

For example, Motobi has been brought back by Michael Leeb Trading of Austria.

A little bit of their history here.

"Motobi was established in Pesaro, Italy in 1949, by Giuseppe Benelli, initially trading under the name Moto 'B' Pesaro. This was shortened to Motobi in the 1950s. After a family disagreement in 1948, Giuseppe Benelli, one of the six brothers and an engineer of some talent, decided to go his own way. He stayed in Pesaro, but moved to separate premises. Giuseppe launched the Moto 'B' marque selling small two-stroke motorcycles and scooters. In 1953, Motobi introduced a 200cc horizontal two-stroke twin called the B200 Spring Lasting. Its innovative pressed steel frame and horizontal cylinder layout were to become the trademark for many future Motobi bikes. The B200 motor was a clean, streamlined, very modern appearing unit, which was soon nicknamed the "egg" for its distinctive shape."

MomoDesign And Lancia Hook Up

And produce the real handsome Delta.

Price tag roughly $30 000 US.

Not bad at all.

A little about Lancia is in order. Lancia was founded in 1906 in Turin by Vincenzo Lancia.

"Lancia is famous for many automotive innovations. These include the 1913 Theta, which was the first production car in Europe to feature a complete electrical system as standard equipment. The first car with a monocoque-type body - the Lambda, produced from 1922 to 1931 also featured 'Sliding Pillar' independent front suspension that incorporated the spring and hydraulic damper into a single unit (and featured on most production Lancias until the Appia was replaced in 1963). 1948 saw the first 5 speed gearbox to be fitted to a production car (Series 3 Ardea). Lancia premiered the first full-production V6 engine, in the 1950 Aurelia, after earlier industry-leading experiments with V8 and V12 engine configurations. It was also the first company to produce a V4 engine. Also, Lancia pioneered the use of independent suspension in production cars, in an era where live axles were common practice for both the front and rear axles of a car. They also developed rear transaxles which were fitted to the Aurelia and Flaminia ranges."

Lancia also has a long, rich tradition of rally racing having anchored 10 championships between 1974 and 1992.

Lancia Urban Bike

Above is Lancia's urban bike. 

"The Lancia Urban Bike is a concept bicycle created by Italian automaker Lancia in collaboration with MomoDesign. Its design is unique, and the bicycle has been designed to provide optimal riding performance and comfort while being minimal in weight. The bike has been described as rustproof, due to its parts being made from carbon fiber, aluminum and magnesium. Its frame is designed to absorb bumps, which abates the need for a suspension system."

Also, the 8-speed gearbox is by Shimano as well as fitted with titanium reinforcement.

More here.




"The Lancia MomoDesign Urban Bike, a hypertechnological bicycle, is a product of the rewarding, ongoing, partnership between Lancia and MomoDesign. Constructed in a limited, numbered series, the new two-wheeler stands out for its beautifully refined design, high technology, and attention to detail with everything at the service of the utmost comfort. These are the winning features that have always been part of Lancia cars, as can be seen in the MomoDesign Ypsilon Sport, the new twin soul (dynamic look and innate elegance) version which further enhances the range in the eyes of the younger clientele, always on the lookout for a sports vehicle at an accessible price" 

Pininfarina, for its part, offers its own urban folding bicycle. Folding bikes go back to 1890s when they were used in the French army.

Can A Car Be Art? Yes, When The Italians Make Them

The breathtaking Alfa Romeo 8C.



Top Gear, just to add, is enjoyable.

Okay, it has issues but it is a looker!

It has heart and soul.

Which is interesting because post-modern Italian art had been defined by the concept of function over form. But with the Alfa, the opposite was the focus. 

Contemporary Metal Art

From the works of Fabio Pallanti from Maremma.

These contemporary Italian sculptures are the creation of Fabio Pallanti, a talented Italian jewelry designer and Florentine goldsmith who has turned his hand to sculpturing with the metals he knows so well. - See more at: http://www.maremmaguide.com/contemporary-italian-sculptures.html#sthash.KWpChzJL.dpuf

These contemporary Italian sculptures are the creation of Fabio Pallanti, a talented Italian jewelry designer and Florentine goldsmith who has turned his hand to sculpturing with the metals he knows so well.

 

Having spent over 38 years as first an apprentice an then as a goldsmith in Florence, Fabio now lives and works in Maremma, Italy close to the Mediterranean sea that he loves.
From his silver and goldsmith workshop of STILE DI PALLANTI where he designs and makes unique Italian jewelry, he now also creates incredibly tactile sculptures that are completely hand-made in solid sterling silver, copper and brass.
- See more at: http://www.maremmaguide.com/contemporary-italian-sculptures.html#sthash.KWpChzJL.dpuf

Italic Flavor In Sochi

The diving gear used to carry Olympic Torch in Lake Baikal made by DiveSystem:

"Working very close to several Italian and European Military Special Forces, we are used to create very peculiar products. The fact of making directly in the same place (in Italy) all our equipment, allows us to better combine the maximum quality and the maximum flexibility in manufacturing our products. The dry suit we have created for Sochi Olympic Games has not particular technical characteristics. All our products are made to face the extreme conditions that Olympic dry suits have had to face for several years! The main peculiarity of Olympic products we have created (we have also realised two different kind of fins) is the very characteristic Khokhloma printing. We took advantage of the support of several local manufacturers to apply to neoprene the particular printing as well as the Olympic logo. It has been a very hard work but the final effect is spectacular."

Pisa's Important Role In Education

When I visited Pisa back in 1990, it was explained to me that this 'sleepy' but once important city-state in the Middle-Ages and Renaissance, was a strong university town. 

It's obviously critical to have a strong University system in place in order to ensure a country continues to advance in various disciplines.

Two such highly ranked and reputable schools are The Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa (which has embraced nano-technology studies) along with Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies make up the Pisa University system.

The list of notable alumni (which includes Andrea Bocelli, Enrico Fermi, and Galileo) is impressive.

Water Technology: MOSE To Save Venice

MOSE is a fascinating engineering project charged with preventing the city of Venice from sinking by protecting it from floods.

From watertechnology.net:

"...Venice is under serious threat due to the rise in sea level and sinking of land at an alarming rate. The MOSE project will protect the Venetian Lagoon from being submerged by the Adriatic Sea and protect the famous city of Venice and the neighbouring areas from flooding. It is expected to be operational by 2014

MOSE, the Italian word for Moses, is an acronym for Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico, which means Experimental Electromechanical Module. The name aptly alludes to the story of Moses parting the Red Sea.

The project will prevent flooding through the installation of 78 mobile gates at three inlets, namely Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia, which will separate the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea..."

"A total of 78 mobile gates are being laid at the bottom of the seabed as part of the MOSE project. They are 92ft long, 65ft wide and will weigh 300t. The mobile gates being laid at the bottom of the inlet channel are supported by 125ft long steel and concrete pilings, measuring 500mm in diameter and 20m in length, driven into the lagoon bed.

The floodgates consist of a metal box structure. Compressed air is pumped into the structure when a tide of more than 110m height is expected. The air will rise up the barriers to the surface of the water to block the flow of the tide and prevent water from flowing into the lagoon.

Floodgates are hollowed at the bottom, to allow the blowing of compressed air. They will be filled with water and lowered into the seabed when there is no harm of flooding. The floodgates at each inlet will function independently depending on the force of the tide expected..."

 More at Telegraph.

Lampre: Where Steel, Art And Cycling Meet

Caught a couple of Stages at the Tour Down Under this past week-end while my daughter recovered from a bad cold and fever.

Won by Australia's native son Simon Garrens by a precious second over compatriot Cadel Evans and a mere five over Italian cyclist Diego Ulissi who finished third overall.

A former two-time UCI's Junior World Road Race (a race Italians completely dominate) Ulissi races for the Italian based Lampre-Merida team.

Which led me to look into Lampre.

Lampre specialises in pre-coated steel production.

As is usually the case in Italy, art never strays too far off from industry. From their website in link:

"If we had to think of a concept to be matched to steel, we would hardly think of art. For Lampre, on the other hand, the two worlds are not far away, indeed.

The motto stylish steel has in fact characterized Lampre during the past years, because the aim is to achieve stylish manufactured products by following the latest market trends, working with meticulous attention to details, respecting and achieving the highest standards of quality.
Our contemporary society assigns to aesthetic an almost absolute value, often at the expense of quality. Lampre supports the inseparability of these two aspects, instead, by promoting only materials that enclose the essence of both."

Lampre-Merida is currently ranked 14th in the world.

Ferrari Unveils New F1 Car For 2014

Will this be the design to bring them back to the Constructors pinnacle?

Ferrari is basically the only team in F1 where the car arguably matters more than the drivers. While Alonso and Raikkonen will look to win a title, the Ferrari mystique remains a top priority has it always had throughout its illustrious history.