Geneva Motor Show 2005 - Highlights

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage, first shown in concept car form at the Detroit Motor Show in 2003, debuts in production form at Geneva little altered. The V8 uses a shortened version of the DB9’s aluminium platform which means that it has two seats as opposed to its larger sibling’s 2+2 seats and also differs in being powered by a V8 (not a V12 like the rest of the Aston Martin range) based on the engine from fellow Ford PAG brand, Jaguar.

The V8 is clearly part of chairmen Ulrich Bez’s strategy to have all models very closely related in design to concentrate brand awareness whilst Aston Martin broadens its proposition. The interior IP is carried over from the DB9, albeit with different colour and trim, but whilst the exterior is thematically very similar to the DB, its execution is distinct: pulling back from the side air outlets is a prominent side feature ridge; the rear has a hatch (not dissimilar to the new Jag’s); the overhangs are far shorter. And most importantly the car is so much more hunkered down on the ground with broad surfaces atop its wings and a more muscular demeanor.

But this attractive and faultlessly executed muscular design does have one failing. By definition of being so appealing to so many, the car lacks the distinction and slightly sinister might that befits this famous brand.


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[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Pininfarina Birdcage 75th concept

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Pininfarina, the company is showing a dream concept based on the Maserati MC12 running gear. First impressions are of a classic piece of Pininfarina 'drama', with access to the interior via a giant canopy that moves forward on a parallelogram action, just like the 1970 Modulo. Combined with that, however, is a wonderful elegance and maturity to this design that is on a different level to that of other Carrozeria at the show. Speaking to CDN, Creative Director Ken Okuyama said “This is a pure flight of fancy. We just want people to look at it and say 'wow'. That's what we do best”

The white pearl body colour is contrasted with dark tinted glass on the delta-shaped canopy, together with bright blue seats. The exposed carbon fibre parts are also tinted blue, with visible tubular framework and a transparent head-up display for instrumentation. This is a fine effort from Ken Okuyama - Pininfarina at their best.

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[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Nissan Zaroot concept

The Zaroot originates from Nissan’s Tokyo-based design centre Creative Box (who were notably responsible for the extreme Nissan Nails from Tokyo 2001). It is a sports-orientated compact SUV, not unlike Nissan’s Geneva show car last year, the Qashqai, from their London studio. But the Zaroot is more SUV in its off-road large wheels and chunky detailing and more sporting with a single gullwing door on each side and low height.

Exterior designer Xi Qiu explained to CDN that he wanted minimal tumblehome and doors that pushed out-ward to maximise the sense of width inside the car. These long but shallow doors (sitting atop sills that fold down to aid ingress egress) have their own surface that visually separates in profile the cabin area of the car from the rear luggage area and front engine, and this is accentuated by a separate DLO and a roof line that breaks at the B-pillar to run straight back.

Not as radical as Nails or as production believable in concept as Qashqai (for which we have to thank Project Chief Designer Ryouichi Kuraoka), but Zaroot has a strong and distinct appeal in its overall concept and innovative design execution.


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[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Honda Civic concept

Out goes the bread van, in comes the rice rocket! This is a concept car that shows the theme if not the sheet metal of the next generation European Civic, and it certainly breaks with its predecessor.

The design is conspicuously cab-forward with a notably shorter rear door than front door, accentuated by an even shorter rear window and a quarter-light ahead of the front door. This combines with a steeply diving body side crease, and an Alfaesque prominent front door handle and hidden rear door handle to give it a very strong sporty appeal.

The full width glazed front and rear lamp graphics, and an unusual bustle backed rear tailgate, are other unusual design features.

Exactly how this concept relates to the soon to be launched production Civic five door is hard to know, but whilst potentially losing some of the current car’s spaciousness might seen counter intuitive, the strongly dynamic flavour of the new design certainly would appeal as well as being a return to previous Civic’s sporting design orientation.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Lexus IS

The new IS range has a big job to do for Lexus. We've heard about the new L-Finesse design identity and seen some lovely concepts these last two years but time to deliver the goods now, guys. And this car needs to sell in big numbers if Lexus is to reach its goal of a really serious premium brand player in Europe.

First impressions are of a scaled-down version of last year's luxury GS-Series, featuring the 'long cabin proportion' and slingshot DLO graphic rather than the compact, sporty concept of the previous IS. Lexus' declared intention of having a 'strong and unique design character' seems to have got a little lost in the translation too. For instance, the front face captures some elements of the LF-A concept but the trapezoid grille seems curiously hollow-cheeked and somewhat generic to really stand out on the Autobahn.

Similarly at the rear, where the previous IS was noted for its jewel-like taillamps, the new lamps appear curiously low rent and dated by comparison. On the plus side, the engine in the new IS changes from an in-line six to a new V6 range and includes an all-important 2.2 litre turbo-diesel engine for first time.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Bertone Villa concept

Cadillac is a brand on the stretch. Already it has successfully stretched its brand from the luxury sedan sector to the SUV sector with the Escalade and SRX, into the sports car sector with the XLR and into the sports compact sector with the CTS. With the Villa, Bertone clearly see potential for it moving into the Minivan / MPV sector.

The dominating feature of the car are its large glass doors running far into the roof that unusually cantilever away from the centre of the car in profile. They open to reveal a rather empty, B-pillarless interior with pink leather seats(!) and a huge centre console screen. Rear lights run up the trailing edges of the rear doors and across the roof at a point that breaks the otherwise monospace silhouette and the rear window glazing extends to cover the name plate and secondary rear lights.

It may be a logical next step for the Cadillac brand to move into the MPV sector, but the Villa does not look like it shows the most promising way to do this.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Skoda Yeti concept

Stemming from the Roomster concept shown in Frankfurt 2003, the Yeti is a concept closer to production feasibility that presents the idea of an 'off-road' orientated car that is just front wheel drive, as well as furthering Skoda’s design palette.

Some of the notable design elements include: long front doors and rear doors with handles in the C-pillar for a more sporting three door look; black A and C-pillar for a DLO that spreads forwards and rearwards from the body colour C-pillar; slightly squared off wheel-arches to give a soft strength and counter the norm; and non-handed door mirrors and handles (except for the embossed 'Yeti' nameplate). The car abounds with innovative design features that consistently fit with its rugged slightly off-road feel and give credence to its core concept.

The Yeti is apparently still not a production certainty. It should be.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Alfa Romeo 159

Opinions seemed split today about the design of the new 159. Some find it too similar to the 156 facelift of a couple of years ago, others seem relieved at the maturity of the theme. The relationship to the new Brera coupé is clear, particularly around the nose, where the surfaces and shutlines echo the Brera almost exactly. The new Alfa face, with its 3-lamp expression, focuses all the lines towards the central Alfa shield and appears to drill through you in a most intense way. Overall, the design is sharper and more masculine than the previous 156, with a sharply-creased shoulder line replacing the fade-in, fade-out swage line of the older model.

Both the Brera and the 159 were developed by ItalDesign as a pair of complimentary models and the somewhat evolutionary design of the 159 at least keeps the best aspects of the acclaimed 156, penned under Walter da'Silva's direction before he moved on to SEAT. Sure it's evolutionary, but given Alfa's precarious past that's no bad thing for now.




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[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Hyundai HED-1

Designed at Hyundai's new European Design center in Russelsheim under the direction of Gregory Guillaume, the HED-1 is said to be a preview of the next Matrix C-MPV model. First impressions are of a flowing exterior theme using intersecting curves and concave surfaces. This basic form language reminds one a little of certain Renault concepts but it's regrettable that the forms become slightly lost within the sombre burgundy paint colour.

The interior, entered via wide-opening barn doors, uses complimentary burgundy leather with raw cowhide on the floor and contrasting white suede on the floating upper IP. The voluptuous theme compliments the exterior by using intersecting curves and subtle concave forms. Primary information for the driver is displayed behind the white steering wheel and navigated by an i-Drive type controller, while the secondary instrumentation is projected on a panel at the base of the screen. The interior is said to be inspired by urban lounge bars and features independent rear seats mounted on a sliding extension to the trunk floor.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Toyota Aygo

The Aygo is Toyota's version of a new small car to be built in the Czech Republic in collaboration with PSA. The Geneva Show sees the other two derivatives of the car launched from Peugeot and Citroen but the Toyota is maybe the most expressive of the three with a unique rear end treatment and a Yaris-like happy face.

The Aygo/107/C1 feature a host of new ideas for a very low cost baby car with an honest simplicity to the design that's most refreshing. Cost-down ideas include minimal body panels, fixed rear windows on 5D versions and large areas of exposed metal in the interior without giving a cheap-feeling impression. All three versions share a common interior with the instrument binnacle mounted directly on the steering column and add-on rev counter pods on sporty versions.

The Toyota booth also featured ten different Aygo 'Create' models from young artists who used the Aygo body as a canvas for their own take on urban current culture and provide a vibrant image for the new car.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Renault Zoé

Three-seater, three-meter cars are the next big thing in Europe and Renault would love to be there first, to continue their reputation of being 'concept pioneers'. The Zoé is just such a concept and may preview a forthcoming small model in future. The car has cute styling incorporating Renault's trademark 'bustle' at the rear, but in such a tightly-packaged car the actual offset is neatly confined to the rear shoulders and is only apparent in three-quarter views. The side view is relieved by the unusual glass treatment, sweeping up into roof, a little like a 60s Lancia Zagato. The roof sections open upwards to assist entry when the door is opened.

The front mask develops theme seen last year on the Fluence coupé concept with a large blank area at centre of the face and with the lamps and intakes grouped at the outboard corners. Note the unusual swirling graphic on the 'nostrils' underneath the headlamps. The concept also includes novel stowage areas beside the offset rear passenger.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Volkswagen Passat

The previous generation Passat rewrote the rules for the upper-medium segment in Europe and USA with its combination of high quality specification, sober styling and a spacious cabin. Things have moved on a bit since and the new Passat changes direction with a more glitzy style than before and extra interior space. There's more exterior surface entertainment going on here too with extensive use of chrome, a body side section using negative 'flips' and LED-type taillamps. Interestingly, top versions have Xenon headlamps comprising a complex series of lenses that give a much more expressive stare than base versions.

The interior design features a floating upper IP, not unlike the previous BMW 3 Series, with a line that sweeps around the screen base into the doors. Nice details include a floating front edge to the drivers door armrest and a mixture of two colours of metallic dash inserts.

Engines are now transverse mounted to allow better packaging with pedestrian safety requirements. Like the new Golf, it doesn't quite feel like the new benchmark in this class but it's a fine car nevertheless.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Audi RS4

Audi is celebrating 25 years of the quattro 4WD system and, to mark this, are launching the new RS4 at Geneva. First used on the RS2 Avant in 1993, the RS badge is the ultimate expression of Audi values and the models have always shown a dedicated (and expensive) approach to design modifications to achieve their goals. The RS4 continues this philosophy with an extensively modified 4.2 litre V8 motor giving a massive 420ps output. Other modifications include using aluminium suspension compo nents, 30mm wider tracks and lovely 18” alloys.

The revised front bumper incorporates a deeper main grille with hexagonal mesh, flanked by RS-trademark deep side intake grilles. The rear uses big bore exhausts as the main visual clue to the changes. As before, those wider tracks mean unique front and rear bumpers and fenders. Very expensive. And where other manufacturers would simply add a trunk spoiler, Audi designers have taken the opportunity of a whole new rear fender pressing to modify the trailing edge of the fender and tool up a matching trunklid with integrated lip spoiler. That's dedication for you.


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[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Fiat Croma

This is Fiat's response to the Renault Vel Satis and Opel Signum, with whom it shares its GM-derived platform. Styling for this large 4.7m car is by Guigiaro but it seems surprisingly mundane compared to their other efforts for Alfa Romeo at this show. First impressions tend to focus on the big front overhang with large bulbous nose and the somewhat plain grille but the interior is much more promising, with its rich ambience of Alcantara and dark red inserts used on facia and doors.

It's hard to understand the strategy behind this car: is this really what the Italian market wants right now? Renault and Opel's experience would suggest Fiat are going to have a hard time convincing customers this is the way forward. And where is the strategy behind Fiat design? Specifically, where's the coherence between the cheeky Panda, the spikey Punto, the wacky Multipla… and this? No wonder Fiat is in trouble.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Mazda MX-5

The new MX5/Miata is both quite similar to its predecessor and yet also rather different.

Because it is based on a shortened version of the RX8 platform, the new car is far broader of track which gives it a significantly more masculine and less lithe feel to the car it replaces. This is accentuated by the larger wheels, more substantial body side section and RX8 style wheel-arch treatment.

But the car is also very similar to the previous MX5, particularly in its rear aspect and a front lamp graphic that stems directly from that of the first generation car, and is very similar to the Ibuki concept car shown in Tokyo in 2003.

A logically conservative new design that looks like its newfound more masculine design identity will broaden its market appeal, if potentially also reduce some of the uniquely lithesome and feminine appeal of its quintessential predecessor.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Alfa Romeo Brera

At Geneva 2002 the Alfa Romeo Brera concept car was shown by Giorgetto Giugiaro; an V8 engine GT in the mould of a Maserati. Now, three years later the production Alfa Romeo Brera, also designed by Giugiaro, makes its debut as a replacement for the Pininfarina-designed GTV.

The production car stems closely from the concept car, although the front wheel drive platform (a slightly shortened, widened 156) forces a big change in the side proportions, and in combination with the car’s 1372mm height and short DLO give the car a slightly stumpy look. The angularly surfaced front of the car is dominated by twin sets of three circular lamps under a frowning bonnet leading edge, and this new lamp graphic is echoed at the rear where the surfacing is far more rounded.

The production Brera has come quite a way from the exotic coupe of the original concept car. Whilst a generally handsome car there are inconsistencies in its aesthetic and a shift in vehicle type that arguably means it will cannibalise sales of its Coupe brother.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Ford SAV concept

The SAV is an interesting MPV crossover concept and is said to signal an emerging new form language for Ford in Europe. Designed in Ford's Cologne studio under the supervision of Geoff Gardiner, the SAV is close to the Galaxy in size but much more sporty in concept. Key words for the design are dynamism and solidity, according to Gardiner, with a slight 70s touch such as orange pinstriping on the tyres, lower mouth and interior details.

The bodyside features a recessed section through the middle providing some sculptural relief, while the inverted trapezoid mouth at the front echoes the theme seen on the Focus ST and provides a very solid look to the front end.

The interior has five seats arranged in a 2-2-1 arrangement. The two middle rear seats can move outboard to allow the single seat in the trunk to motor forwards if required and the grey and orange theme used throughout looks urban and sophisticated. Another neat touch is the five luggage trolleys that form the trunk lining and armrests and can be individually removed.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Citroën C6

A new big Citroen is always an exciting prospect; the C6 that debuts in Geneva has a linage that stems goes back to the pre-war Traction Avant, through DS, CX and XM; all distinctive, innovative designs. And there is a lot about the C6 which is distinctive and innovative.

The long front over hang is accentuated by quite a square plan shape which also perceptually broadens the car, particularly as the Citroen grille is flanked by slim, vertically orientated lamps. These lamps sit atop a powerful side feature line that arcs back through the flanks in echo of the base of the CX derived DLO. CX influences continue at the rear with a concave rear screen, but the mini-buttress rear lamps are not derivative and work with a line that echoes the door shuts to delineate the short rear part of the car.

Inside the Mokunto African wood appliqué is unusual, as is the wholly digital instrumentation, U shaped motif in the centre stack and for the door pocket which is unusually accessed by sliding its front downward.

But some of the innovations from the C4 are notable for their absence and the perceived material quality is still some way short of the German brands that dominate this sector; and that of the Renault Vel Satis.

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

Fenomenon Stratos concept

The Stratos concept from this new design company appeared to be generating a lot of interest from visitors, with many fellow designers dropping by to see the car for themselves and soak up the lounge atmosphere of the stand.

The company, led by designers Chris Hrabalek and Serge Porcher, aims to put the car into production depending on the reaction from enthusiasts at the show. The car was one of a number of models at the show with a strong 70s influence to it, set off by a fresh metallic lime green paint, which appeared to suit it. In the flesh, the result is exciting, although the deep body side and very short wheelbase is possibly a little exaggerated.

Also shown were a couple of 1/4 scale models of variations on the car including a rally version with additional intakes in the hood and sides. Also featured on the stand was the original Bertone Stratos concept, painted in its original fluorescent matte red from the 1970 Geneva Motor Show

 

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

IED X1/99 concept

The X1/99 is a contemporary sports car design that takes inspiration from the original, Bertone designed X1/9 of 1972. Designed by seven students of the post-diploma transportation course at the European Institute of Design in Turin, the X1/9 aims to show what type of 'sporting Fiat' would rejuvenate the brand if produced.

The concept’s core functional innovation is a roof that folds to become a rear seat when the car is open, although only having rear seats when the roof is off might not be such a strong USP. A relatively long wheelbase, a unique design theme and well resolved surfaces make this an attractive and distinct design, if not as expressive as the Stratos – another compact, mid engine, early seventies sports car reincarnation debuting at the show.

But what is particularly unique about this design is that it demonstrates a successful collaboration between educational and business establishments - in this case Fiat and Webasto. In doing so it exposes students’ capabilities in an environment of industry concept and production cars, and generates valuable publicity for the sponsoring companies. Lets hope that we see more of this type of project in the future...