AR Rewind #10 - Hyundai Genesis Convertible

Rewind: This is the tenth in a series of posts where I dive into detail of the work completed for Edmunds InsideLine engagements.

Creative Brief: Scott Oldham reached out with a request to create a convertible variation for a car would likely never have one: a Hyundai Genesis coupe. The criteria was simple, take the new coupe and turn it into a convertible utilizing elements from the Infiniti G37 convertible. With a few changes in the rear flanks of the car due to the dip in the rear side window, I was able to put together a convincing rendering as both cars had similar shapes and proportions.

Execution Highlights - Front

• Donor pieces for seats, portion of windscreen/a-frame, rearview mirrors, rear deck spoiler, and convertible clamshell all came from a Infinity G37
• Custom brushed the removal of the bottom cutout of rear side window, blending of convertible donor bits into the rear fender, and adjustments to the rear light casing

Execution Highlights - Profile

• Donor pieces for seats, portion of windscreen/a-frame, rearview mirrors, rear deck spoiler, and convertible clamshell all came from a Infinity G37
• Custom brushed the removal of the bottom cutout of rear side window, blending of convertible donor bits into the rear fender, and adjustments to the rear light casing

Final Thoughts: As mentioned in the article, it was a shame Hyundai never considered a convertible version of the coupe. It would have been a stunner and might have been a way to keep sales going for the model. Sales numbers started to slide in 2014 and by the end of 2016, the car was cancelled.

Original Blog Link: Hyundai Says No to Genesis Convertible

AR Rewind #9 - Nissan 370Z Convertible

Rewind: This is the ninth in a series of posts where I dive into detail of the work completed for Edmunds InsideLine engagements.

Creative Brief: Scott Oldham contacted me with a very exciting opportunity to render the then-just revealed Nissan 370Z as a convertible. He needed a quick turunaround and there were not yet many 370Z pictures online. Somehow he pulled some strings and procured a camo-protected prototype of the 370Z so I could get some shots of the car to use. For the convertible elements, I initially decided on a Saturn Sky but it was too easy to see that the details were Saturn. I started over with the last generation 350Z convertible as the main donor. With that element settled, significant clean up work was needed on the body and finally recolor the car blue.

Execution Highlights - Front

• Donor pieces for seats, portion of windscreen/a-frame, convertible clamshell, tunneau cover, safety rollbars, badges, and rims all came from a Nissan 350Z
• Custom brushed the removal of tape, camo, and vinyl coverings
• Changed car color to a dark blue trying to keep as much original reflections in the camo flat black paint/covering

Execution Highlights - Profile

• Donor pieces for seats, portion of windscreen/a-frame, convertible clamshell, tunneau cover, safety rollbars, badges, and rims all came from a Nissan 350Z
• Custom brushed the removal of tape, camo, and vinyl coverings
• Updated white driver's side door to match the rest of the body color and added in proper reflections
• Changed car color to a dark blue trying to keep as much original reflections in the camo flat black paint/covering

Final Thoughts: This was my hardest project to date for InsideLine. I made the publish deadline but wasn't happy with the results. I spent another two nights doing more cleanup and color correction. Scott had his team update the images the next day and I was much happier with the final product. A lot of online conversation was generated from the article so I knew we had done a good job in getting this out quickly.

Original Blog Link: First Photos of the 2010 Nissan 370Z Convertible

AR Rewind #7 - Nissan Murano Convertible

Rewind: This is the seventh in a series of posts where I dive into detail of the work completed for Edmunds InsideLine engagements.

Creative Brief: Scott Oldham contacted me regarding a rumor that Nissan was contemplating a convertible version of the Murano. He was interested in exploring the design possibilities for a two-door variant. After some discussions on the aesthetic and conceptual elements, we agreed to draw inspiration from the hoop and boot design of the PT Cruiser Convertible. Additionally, we were uncertain about Nissan's approach to reinforcing the vehicle's structure after removing the roof so we envisioned Nissan using the Chrysler as a benchmark.

Execution Highlights - Front

• Donor convertible pieces for hoop and boot came from a PT Cruiser Convertible
• 2 doors conversion
• Custom fill in of the background and windshield area where the top was chopped

Final Thoughts: This was a really fun project that received quite a lot of laughs when posted on InsideLine's website. Ultimately, Nissan did produce the convertible in a limited series from 2012 to 2014, naming it the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet.

Original Blog Link: Future Drop Top: 2011 Nissan Murano Convertible

AR Rewind #5 - Audi S5 Convertible

Rewind: This is the fifth in a series of posts where I dive into detail of the work completed for Edmunds InsideLine engagements.

Creative Brief: Keeping on a convertible theme, the next brief was to put together a quick rendering of what an Audi S5 convertible. We agreed to chrome out the a-frame and use a behind the scenes photo of the S5 sitting in their studio or another article.

Execution Highlights - Front

• Donor convertible pieces came Audi A4 Cabriolet
• Converted a-pillars to chrome-look
• Custom brushed trunk/deck lid

Final Thoughts: This was another one that came together quickly within just two evenings. Changing the a-frame was good choice as that definitely made it to production as did the brightwork along the body line.

Original Blog Link: Early Look: 2009 Audi S5 Cabriolet

AR Rewind #4 - Cadillac CTS Convertible

Rewind: This is the fourth in a series of posts where I dive into detail of the work completed for Edmunds InsideLine engagements.

Creative Brief: The Cadillac CTS-V coupe turned out great so the next logical step was a convertible. Even though GM 86'd the idea of a convertible with the new coupe, Scott wanted to run an article about how they should reconsider the move - especially after wasting so much time on the poor selling and mechnically maligned Pontiac G6 hard-top convertible. The brief was simple, bang out a profile shot of what a convertible might look like and get it out to press in just over 48 hours. We agreed to use the beautiful Buick Velite concept car as a starting point.

Execution Highlights - Front

• Donor convertible pieces came from the Buick Velite
• Swapped background color
• Custom brushed trunk/deck lid

Final Thoughts: This was a quick one and came together in just about a day. As with InsideLine's stance on the situation, I fully agreed that Cadillac made a mistake not considering a covertible. I think it would have sold very well and was necessary to compete with the German brands. They should have presented a full suite of models (coupe, convertible, sedan, wagon).

Original Blog Link: Supercharge Me: Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Life following art? Thoughts on the new Nissan Murano CrossCabrolet

Personal File: So I was finally going back through my brochures from our annual Chicago Auto Show trip and came back upon the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. Having done an early look at what it might have looked like for InsideLine, I was very impressed with what Nissan had actually done with the vehicle.

It seemed to be a hit with the ladies at the show, especially the younger female demographic. This got me thinking, since women influence over 3/4 of all vehicle sales, what if this vehicle concoction takes off? Would other manufacturers take note and start to offer SUV convertibles?

As I was pondering that question, I couldn't help but feel I've already seen this done before in the past. After a bit of digging around, I stumbled upon this old chop I did for a monthly design contest on GMInsideNews about 5 years ago. We were asked that month to chop the 2003 Centieme Concept and I went hog wild with a 2-door retractable hardtop convertible.

Funny how things work out ... I can now compare a 5 year old chop to a real life convertible SUV. Life imitates art or something like that ... ha ha ha

What do you think - should other manufacturers hop on the bandwagon? Would you consider buying a convertible SUV from Nissan, Buick, or any other brand if one was offered? Has Nissan just found their own BMW X6 niche? Time will tell :)

All source photos copyright original owners

Murano Convertible Named: 2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

From Edmunds InsideLine: We knew that Nissan would be showing a convertible version of the Nissan Murano at the 2010 LA Auto Show. What we didn't know was confirmed today; The upcoming drop-top crossover will be the 2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. The Murano CrossCabriolet will be the world's first all-wheel-drive crossover convertible and will seat 4.

Click here to view this article.

All source photos copyright original owners.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Scion tC Convertible Will Not See Light of Day

From Edmunds InsideLine: Earlier this year we suggested that the struggling Scion brand might try to get its groove back by expanding the 2011 Scion tC line to include a convertible. The size and shape of the redesigned tC would work well for a compact 2+2 droptop, we thought.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. Article is not available on the Wayback Machine.

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Scion tC Convertible: First Look at the Youth Brand's Future Drop Top

From Edmunds InsideLine: TORRANCE, California — After a product drought that has lasted too long to be considered cool, Scion unveiled a redesigned tC coupe last month at the 2010 New York Auto Show. It's the first time the brand-leading coupe has been revamped since its 2004 launch. Now sources tell Inside Line that the tC lineup could expand to include a convertible model in 2012.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet Is a Go

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California — Recently, Inside Line broke the story that Mercedes will introduce a C-Class coupe in an effort to lure younger buyers and battle both the successful BMW 1 Series and 3 Series. And now we have the first image of the coming C-Class convertible.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Don't Wait Up for the Cadillac CTS Convertible

From Edmunds InsideLine: Given the upheaval at GM, we've doubted at times that we'd ever see a Cadillac CTS coupe, much less a wagon. Now both of those variations exist, and there's only one more CTS to wonder about: a convertible. The lines kind of work, don't they?

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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First Look: Toyota FT-86 Convertible

From Edmunds InsideLine: Since rumors are already flying about the possibility of a Toyota FT-86 convertible, we thought we would give you an idea what such a vehicle might look like. Not bad eh?

Supposedly a Toyota official told someone at a Dutch website that the company would build such a vehicle "if there was sufficient demand." Well, given that the FT-86 was the unofficial star of the 2009 Tokyo auto show, we're guessing that an FT-86 convertible would create more than enough demand to justify its existence.

An FT-86 convertible would also do something that an FT-86 coupe probably would not -- that is, lure non-enthusiast buyers who simply want a stylish two-door that gets decent mileage. Makes for a much better business case, and the way Toyota's fortunes are going it could use a few hits.

Autotelegraaf via Autoblog

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Lexus IS-F Convertible: BMW M3 Killer Lexus Should Build

From Edmunds InsideLine: DETROIT — Lexus has never been shy about mimicking its competition. And its most recent form of flattery is the introduction of its "F" performance sub-brand. The first salvo is the 416-horsepower IS-F sedan, a direct competitor for compact German sport sedans such as the Audi S4/RS4, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Following BMW and Audi's lead, Lexus could produce an F version of its recently unveiled 2010 IS convertible.

True, IS-F sedans aren't exactly flying off of dealer lots; the company has sold 445 from January of this year through June 5. But it has been critically well received and buyers have shown a willingness to pay full price for them. What Lexus is most closely focused on, no doubt, is how direct competitor/inspiration BMW is doing with its M3 convertible.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California —The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is just days away from its official debut at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, and Inside Line now has an early look at the future Mercedes E-Class cabriolet as well.

Since the new E-Class coupe is positioned as the replacement for the current Mercedes CLK coupe and cabrio, the arrival of a convertible shortly thereafter is all but certain. In fact, IL sources claim that the convertible is already headed for production with a soft-top design similar to the current CLK cabrio to keep cost and weight down.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Hyundai Says No to Genesis Convertible

From Edmunds InsideLine: FOUNTAIN VALLEY, California — Rumors of a future convertible built from the new Genesis Coupe have been exaggerated, says Miles Johnson, manager of product public relations at Hyundai Motor America.

"It's never been in the plan," Johnson said. "There was some internal discussion early on, but since we unveiled the coupe in New York, there's been no talk."

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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First Photos of the 2010 Nissan 370Z Convertible

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California — Nissan has yet to officially unveil the all-new 2009 Nissan 370Z coupe, and Inside Line is already providing details on the 2010 Nissan 370Z convertible.

Unlike the Infiniti G37 drop top, which uses a retractable hardtop, the future 370Z convertible will incorporate a power-operated soft top. The fabric top will likely keep the new Z convertible from getting an exorbitant bump in price, and more importantly, will prevent the newly smaller Z from taking on any unnecessary pounds. The new sixth-generation Z cut its wheelbase by approximately 4 inches, so it's necessary for the convertible to keep its weight down.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Future Drop Top: 2011 Nissan Murano Convertible

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California — Nissan is preparing a new addition for its popular Murano crossover lineup, and surprisingly enough, the future SUV will be a convertible.

On the market since 2003, the five-passenger SUV underwent a complete makeover for 2009, and now Nissan is engineering a drop-top version of the latest-generation Murano. Expected to arrive by the spring of 2010, the Murano drop top will be the market's only four-door convertible except for the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, whose rugged four-wheel-drive capability is geared toward a completely different audience.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Early Look: 2009 Audi S5 Cabriolet

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California — Audi already has convertible versions of its A4 and TT coupes, so it's not exactly a stretch to assume a drop-top version of the new Audi A5 coupe will be coming down the pipeline. A natural for going cabriolet, expect to see Audi chopping the top on both the A5 and sporty S5 trims.

Unlike the 2009 Infiniti G37 convertible, the new A5 and S5 cabriolets are expected to use a folding soft top instead of a more complicated and heavier retractable hardtop. Both the current A4 cabriolet and new TT roadster use similar soft-top mechanisms.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Failure To Launch: Cadillac CTS Coupe Convertible

From Edmunds InsideLine: DETROIT — Don't look for the Cadillac CTS coupe convertible to hit showrooms any time soon. Despite the fact that the CTS Coupe Concept was a runaway hit at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, our sources say GM has already done away with plans to produce the sexy new coupe in convertible form.

If Cadillac is serious about the CTS coupe competing with the popular European and Japanese coupes, a drop-top Caddy seems to be a no-brainer. The BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 already offer convertibles, the Lexus IS has a convertible in the works, and top Nissan exec Carlos Ghosn confirmed this week that the G37 convertible is headed for production as well. While the CTS coupe's overall success isn't dependent on the availability of a convertible model, BMW enjoys a 10 percent boost from its 3 Series coupe convertible, and the A4 cabrio accounts for nearly 20 percent of the A4 mix.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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