Entering the CarDesignNews competition-first round of submissions is next week, then i think any that progress are given another month or two to develop their models. This time all the work has to be done in Alias AutoStudio, with no ‘traditional rendering’. I guess that reflects the way the industry is heading, but there’s always room for some biro sketches! Anyway, the briefs are all set in 2028 in various hot-spots of predicted growth around the world; Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, and New Delhi. I chose the Rio brief, as it looks at a light and fuel-efficient car that offers a little bit of racing potential.
Started off with this:
Then these:
To this rough CAD blueprint:
Could have done with more time to develop more of the initial concept ideas (seats that fold up and slide into the central ‘backbone’ of the car, clip-on functional units etc etc.) but hey, it’s all good Alias practice! Here’s some Alias development stuff:
Hopefully I’ll get some work done over the next week and get this submitted in time. Will post up finished renders soon..
Saab 9-x Hybrid concept
This from Saab’s press-release: “Echoing Saab’s roots in aircraft design, the 9-X BioHybrid also explores the potential for using active aerodynamics to reduce drag – and fuel consumption – at cruising speeds. Above 70 kph (43 mph), the upper and lower bodywork is reshaped as the roof spoiler automatically extends to further lengthen the roof line and an underbody diffuser is deployed from the bottom of the rear bumper. “
I’m absolutely sure that active-aero features such as this will be filtering through to production very soon. Saab/GM have patented this mechanism, while BMW currently uses active flaps behind the grill on their Efficient Dynamics cars to only allow air not the engine bay when needed. The next stage, which is why the Saab is interesting, is to explore how the surfaces on a car can be altered and changed using active-aero techniques and advanced materials. It’s a massive subject with most of the cutting-edge research going on in aeronautics and shipping (where frictional drag is much higher than through air). I scratched the surface of it for my thesis back at university and came up with something a little bit less practical than the Saab for my MA degree project, but essentially using the same principle:
Brown-watch. episode 3
As you might know I’ve been quietly championing the return of Brown to the automotive colour palette. Ever since Nissan showed their Bevel concept and Rogue in brown back at the 2007 Detroit show, I’ve been convinced this is the hue of choice for the environmentally-enlightened trend-setter. Then the Lambo Reventon showed that a true supercar could wear brown with no shame. Just seen Fiat’s 500 offered with ‘Punk Grey’ which in their brochures looks distinctly earthy…maybe ‘Punk Brown’ ain’t cool enough.
And now this:
What is it with all the West-Country English emigrating to the US? Some Plymouth connection?!
Finally, The Face announces that he’ll be re-joining the rat-race as of next week as a ‘Design Trend and Innovation Analyst’ at a major car company. Developing concept-car themes and implementing new technologies into them. Can’t wait!
A beautifully proportioned and resolved design from Mr. LeQuement. Renault’s concept’s are invariably exciting, and, until recent years, their production cars have been remarkably close in spirit to their concepts. The recent Twingo and Laguna are evidence of the odd ‘blip’ in the company’s fortune, but this concept suggests their sense of direction has been rediscovered. The complex door arrangement and overall layout remind me a little of the 2002 Talisman concept, again from Renault, but there’s nothing wrong with improving and updating a sexy concept. Very nice renders too.
2002 Renault Talisman
Kia Soul
An upright and cheeky city car, with 3 derivatives aimed at a different demographics. Personalisation options for the interior. An interesting idea (so interesting i could imagine doing a project like this…) but the execution is a little bit bland and conventional. It’s a tricky one as this concept is a barely disguised production car (2009?), so creativity is naturally a little stifled, but even so, it doesn’t excite me.
Audi R8 V12TDi concept/production….I’m not clear what’s going on at Audi these days…the grilles are growing exponentially…this is starting to look like a bad tuning job: Are the cast of ‘Pimp my ride’ working in Audi?
….Audi Q7 Coastline Interior. I love cars painted white…on the outside.
In sharp contrast, the BBC completed its ‘Imagine’ series this week with an in-depth look at the multi-talented Aussie Mark Newson. (you can watch/download here). I wasn’t aware of how wide the guys remit spreads: everything from watches, spacecraft, and restaurant interiors, through to the Ford 021C commissioned by J.Mays for Ford in 1999. He talked a lot of sense about the design of this car, his most interesting point, i thought, was that it’s very rare to see such simplistic vision and coherence in car design - basically because the number of people involved through every component, every packaging requirement, every legal compliance etc etc, means that you end up with a car designed by committee. Anyway, the guy’s an inspiration.
Undoubted star of the show for me was Bertone’s BAT 11 concept. Full circle after the 1955 trio of concepts, this beast is how, as a child, i imagined cars would be in the future. I’m intrigued to see how the front wheels turn, but I’ll forgive it that indulgence.
An SUV described as ‘inspired by sports car design’ is usually an invitation see something hideous. And no, I didn’t mention the Cayenne…
The redesigned Inifiniti FX has broken cover and to be honest, I’m blown away. If this isn’t the best-looking SUV out there I’d like to know what is. The profile of the FX has always been rakish, almost dangerously sleek, but the new car mixes beautiful proportions with sensuous surfacing. This is the version coming to Europe this year. I think Range-Rover and Porsche dealers might be breaking into a sweaty rash sometime soon. “2009 INFINITI FX50 — SUV INSPIRED BY SPORTS CAR DESIGN — All-New, iconic Infiniti FX50 Offers Power, Refinement, Safety and Exhilaration —
Already a strong contender in the United States and other global markets, the Infiniti FX performance luxury crossover SUV takes on Western Europe with an all-new, second-generation design featuring a newly developed 5.0-liter V8, 7-speed automatic transmission, enhanced exterior styling, advanced interior design and innovative technology and safety equipment.”
No apologies for the plentiful pics - I love this car.
‘The Bocanegra previews the hottest version of the new Ibiza, which will most likely wear the Cupra badge.
It’s powered by a 1.4-litre TSI turbo engine, tuned to offer around 200bhp. The concept gets a seven-speed DSG ’box, which should also make it into the production model, making the Ibiza Cupra the only car in its class to offer DSG.
The Bocanegra’s proportions, muscular shoulders, sweeping headlights, sharply flared side panels and panoramic sunroof will all feature on the finished car.
Take away the most overtly aggressive styling touches, particularly the large alloys, and you’re left with the standard Ibiza.
The concept’s black, heavily meshed front grille and bumpers are the most likely candidates to be toned down on the production car.
The word ‘Bocanegra’ literally translated means ‘black mouth’ and harks back to the Seat 1200 Sport of 1975, which picked up the nickname in Spain. Seat says the Bocanegra represents a new design language for all future models.’
The Face says: This looks sharp. Thoroughly walks over the parent company’s Scirocco. The interior in particular with the high-gloss ebony detailing and deep quilted leather is a surprise from Seat. Looks almost mini-Bentley in its inspiration. Externally, some of Luc Donckerwolke’s Lamborghini experience has come across here, with the aggressive surface breaks and taut forms. I’d like one in flat white please.
Just reading some comments about the Scirocco on a few other sites. Seems this car’s grille and light graphics are a bone of contention. According to one poster on a UK car-magazine site, the reason for the drastic concept-production change is:
‘If I may remind you, the ScIROCco concept was shown while Wolfgang Bernhard was still in charge of VW and Murat Günak was the brand’s head of design. When Martin Winterkorn took over from Pischetsrieder and Bernhard he asked Audi head of design Walter de’ Silva to come along; every model that was in the pipeline at that point was reviewed by Winterkorn and de’ Silva, which spared us a hideous Phaeton facelift, but left the gravest traces on the Scirocco, whose design was deemed not ‘classy’ enough by the new management. Therefore we now have a car that’s lacking its main showpiece, namely its gaping front grille (as seen on the concept) and is therefore a clash of two different styles. And I stand by my word that it’s hard to tell what brand the car is from the outside without referring to the badge attached.’
….Probably impossible to prove, but it indeed would be a shame if politics had obscured an interesting concept from evolving into an equally interesting production car..
