There was an automotive side of our trip to Miami. First off, the big splashy Audi that was the jewel in the crown of the Design Miami pavillion during the Art Basel week. It was way over the top with the aforementioned amazing lighting, models, huge sparkly silver bags (as a give away), all beautiful and bright in a brilliant white environment in a brilliant white building. A moorish tent to this wonder. Zillions in marketing materials somehow speaking to a lot of the well heeled at this fair. Somehow it seemed odd given the "bail out" and the stupidity the US car industry has so aptly earned in the decades of greed and selfishness, bad design and decisionmaking around the products design out of step with the world. This Audi display was sort of the cherry on top of this sort of thinking. I used to admire Audi as it seemed somehow smart and thoughtful...but this representation shifted my thinking.
However, while the hot glass team was whipping out the wonderful work, R peered over to a dark street corner opposite the automotive palace of greed...and there, quietly parked with a sole person leaning up against the side was a Tesla. This is the jewel. The silent jewel being marketed brilliantly. No printed materials, no flashy lights, no give aways...just there with a smart, Tesla representative ready to talk about his electric car (250 miles on one charge...you charge like a cell phone to keep it charged...only 4 hrs to charge from empty). It was a beautiful car, good design, totally believable.
The funny mirror car was parked by Design Miami too. It was being raffled off for an art foundation.
And, on the street was this great shagilicious greenmobile which A. said upon seeing "how perfect for Miami"!