Welcome to Umberto Palermo’s latest exotic: the Mole Construzione Artigianale.
Quite a mouthful of a name, and one that must be pronounced with Italian flair to feel its impact! Molè (Mo-lay) Cunstruzione (Cahhn-struuu-zzi-oh-nay) Artigianale (aharr-ti-zi-ohh-nah-lay).
How are those for phoenetics! Molè references a local building in Turin, while Construzione Artigianale loosely translates to bespoke creation.
Long intro! But the mood of this new hypercar needs no words. Stunning from all sides. It is a deconstructed and deeply sexy take on the modern high-performance ethos — but adds the joy of creation via details unlike anything else on the road.
A fantastic debut for Parco Valentino Gran Premio this week in Turin, the latest from UP Design is quite a fascinating concept.
Most surprising, perhaps, is the flawless detailing throughout! The sunken rear black windows of the canopy feeding huge scoops are at once elegant and aggressive.
But second shocker? The contrast-silver alloy of latticed metal framework that forms a central A-pillar spine up the center of the canopy shell, the roll cage, and in fact the whole rolling chassis.
It is deliciously refreshing that this one-off concept does not appear to be a (direct) reskin of a Ferrari or Lamborghini — but what is near-whole as a unique creation. There design packs innovative surprise and delight moments from all angles, with even the riveted elements of the perspex glass and bodywork elements adding an authentic charm to the beast.
Umberto Palermo is the man here in his chic suits enjoying Parco Valentino this week. This design genius has a team of more than 20 people working on global OEM automaker projects — and it appears this fantastic showpiece was a reward for more mundane assignments. After all, even hatchbacks and family cars need advanced design vision sometimes. And when they do, boutiques like UP Design are a fantastic resource.
Many of the cars we see on the road are white-label versions of cars out of Italian design houses — but the brand rarely admits outside help.
So will this fantastically unique, innovative exotic supercar make it into a few of the world’s best garages via production?
It is easy to say ‘no’ to a one-off concept, but check out the production quality of this concept. Fabulous. Sale-able.
UP Design is rumored to be taking expressions of interest — with a price estimate of around $300,000.
Be sure to like UP Design over on the Face for the latest in Umberto’s adventures.
https://www.facebook.com/UmbertoPalermoDesign
2015 UP Design Mole Construzione Artigianale
COMPANY
UP Design, by the initials of the Head Design and Chairman Umberto Palermo, is the new center of design excellence and “made in Italy”, starting its debut in Turin in 2010. UP Design collaborates with Italian and international brands such as Fiat, Volkswagen China Faw, Dongfeng Nissan in the automotive field, Thermo Ariston, Indesit, Hotpoint, Scohltes, Beretta Armi and Sabelt in the field of Industrial Design, Cantieri Rodrigez in nautical excellence and Politecnico di Torino.
Using careful and detailed marketing analysis, reinterpreted from an advance design point of view, promoting real style, yet never forgetting the fundamental rule of shape-function, finally getting to the production, through 3D mathematization and the assistance to final construction of physical models.
A working group consisting of 19 people, including external collaborators, building a team that is dedicated to the needs of the clients.
UP Design keeps pursuing passion for automotive design, with the presentation of the showcar Go in Shanghai 2011. Participation at the Qatar Motor Show 2012 of Victoria, first shown at the 2011 Bologna Motor Show, the first concept car of Umberto Palermo in UP Design. Constant attention to industrial design, with national presence at International Frankfurt Motor Show 2011, Frankfurt 2012, Expocomfort 2012, Milan 2012, Milan 2013, and at the Shanghai Expo, with the presentation of a line of products branded Ariston.
Umberto Palermo considers himself a craftsman of design, which draws niche products, but that “produces” objects that he designed stylistically: Bike UP, made of carbon, forwarded to EICA and Gran Fondo 2012; Watch Up, wristwatch with a body made from sintering metal dusts, that as time goes by, rusts. The press conference of these products was carried out from Industrial Union of Turin, the official presentation was on the 1st of June 2012 in the presence of Santo Versace, Elio Fiorucci and the mayor of Turin. On the occasion a partnership with Operation Smile Italy Onlus has been signed.
At Fuori Salone in Milan 2013, UP Design was pleased to confirm its presence at the MAD in partnership with DDN Diffusion, givin a preview of the new “Sofa UP“.
In Shanghai, at the Motor Show 2013 Up Design attends the presentation of a heavy industrial vehicle (truck) produced by Dongfeng-Nissan (Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Company), with an international distribution on the territory of about 150,000 units intended in part to the local market and in part to Brazil. With this project, UP design has opened its doors to International market for the first time.
Our next targets are Brazil and United Arab Emirates, ready with the landing in Dubai.
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.