Étiquette : Geneva 2014

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GENEVA 2014 | AUDI TT MK3

Audi has unveiled the third opus of its modern classic TT.  The TT Mk1 is an icon of design. The TT Mk3 is certainly close to being another one, especially with its interior…

In 1998, the design of the TT was a revolution. Geometrical shape, strong design language.
The Audi Design team ‘lost the plot’  to some extent with the Mk2, which was less interesting in terms of design, very common in its shape and image. But the designers have now come back to their roots.
This Mk3 version is very muscular and stands very low to the ground. The large wheel arches amplify that feeling. The flat greenhouse gives the impression of a cockpit. The car is wide and low — very sporty. The six sided grill appears to be more three dimensional. The lower air-intake line (on the normal version) gives the impression of a floating grill. This nice impression is lost on the TTS, but the side intakes compensate for this loss… The addition of slim headlamps gives a little bit of aggressiveness, just enough…

The interior is very simple, designed with the idea that “less is more”… Pure lines are used giving the impression that the dashboard is floating.
There is no central screen anymore. Everything is grouped in front of the driver with a so called “Virtual cockpit” meaning that the cluster is made of a single customizable screen.
You can choose to have the speedometer showing, the Navigation and/or any function of the MMI.
There is no doubt that this design will initiate a new fashion and new possibilities in cluster design. We are used to the smartphone and smart TV, let’s be sure that we will very soon talk about smart IP’s…
Seen from above, the instrument panel resembles the wing of an aircraft. Designers have kept the round air vents, which is a signature of the TT, now with a turbine-like design. Perhaps most importantly, the center of the vents contain all the controls for the air conditioning system. There are less buttons in the centre area of the panel and the centre console, less controls. And everything seems to be very simplified…We can agree that in such a design, less is certainly more…

With the TT Quattro Concept show car that was also shown in Geneva, Audi wanted to demonstrate what technology can do if used in an efficient way.  Audi also wanted to promote the fact that smaller engines can give a lot of power and sensation to the driver.  Which means that they plan to reduce cylinders and engine size in future production cars to improve fuel economy and emissions without giving away the essence of the automobile…what we call driving pleasure…

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GENEVA 2014 | TWINGO III

The new mini-citycar is the star of the Renault stand during press-days. We can see it from every angle and a wide range of color combinations.
Let’s stop the wrong comment right away. While looking at the New Twingo, most people were making reference to the Fiat 500. Let’s say…why not if you are looking at the vinyl “side stripes » arrangement only. But certainly not if you remember the volume and design language of the Renault 5…The shape of the headlights, the pronounced shoulders on the back part and the design of the tailgate are an echo to the R5 Turbo, the most iconic sports version with a rear engine. The design accentuates that feeling, pushing out the tail lamps to the sides.
For the first time the Twingo has four doors…This new vehicle shares its platform with the next generation Smart with an engine placed to the rear. Because of that technical choice, the gar has a very interesting and recognizable silhouette. With only 3.59m width and wheels rejected to the four corners, the wheelbase is 2.49m, allowing a generous interior space for such a small car.
The interior looks dynamic and playful with many customization options. No doubt that the interior will become iconic as the first opus was. The dashboard is very simple and is surrounded by a wide plastic part giving all its character to the IP.
Some optional storage products are possible which makes the interior very customizable…
No doubt that this Twingo III will be a new reference in its category. It is not retro design as the Mini or the Fiat 500 and to us it is much more interesting in term of design…
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GENEVA 2014 | CITROEN C-CACTUS

We left the Cactus concept car in Frankfurt with a lot of hopes and we discover the production car here in Geneva. There is no disappointment and no surprise with the result in the flesh. The Cactus production car remains simple and efficient in term of design and keeps the “courage” to be innovative this category.
The Airbump on the side are still part of the menu. We are sure it is going to be efficient in the everyday use, and we are still curious about how it will go throughout the years…
The interior still uses a “sofa” style seat on the front, even though they are still two seats.
The digital IP reminds us the history of Citroen and can feel a little bit disconcerting for some drivers.
The rear part is a little bit disappointing…rear space is not very comfortable, especially for a family.
The aesthetic of the Cactus is really treated in different way than other cars: maybe more like a product design or architectural piece.
With the Cactus, Citroen is really trying to regain its idiosyncratic image.  But in a highly competitive and rather homogenous ‘world-car’ market, is it possible to reclaim the “Frenchness” and the strong individual brand identity that Citroen once enjoyed with iconic cars like the 2CV and the lovely DS?  Perhaps more importantly will it work outside France?
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GENEVA 2014 | Hyundai INTRADO

Hyundai has unveiled its new concept car, the Intrado, initiating a new design language called Fluidic Sculpture 2.0. It is the first Hyundai designed under the direction of Peter Schreyer (CDO&President of Hyundai Motor Group). The inspiration of the concept takes place in the aviation industry…and that is not a surprise knowing Raphael Bretecher (General Manager) who was in charge of the project. No doubt he has influenced the design team a lot. This cross-over concept is built around a super lightweight structure made of advance materials (see photo), and is powered by hydrogen.
The grill is very three-dimensional and wheel arches look like wings. It looks very impressive in the flesh. The doors open to reveal the absence of a B-Pillar and this gives a very interesting access to the interior.  The flashy orange on the inside is very aggressive and provides a strong counterpoint to the immaculate white of the outside. Seats are floating and even though there are four seats, the impression of space is clear. The central tunnel and its interesting details also remind us of that aviation feeling.
As Raphael Bretecher told us, the Intrado is inspired by the name of the airplane wing “intrados” producing lift to allow a plane to fly. The use of advanced materials is also a “clin d’oeil” (implied reference) to aeronautics. Listening to Peter Shreyer, the Intrado foreshadows the future of the automobile by combining the concepts of efficiency and freedom symbolized by the notion of flying. For him the power of mobility should deliver physical and emotional sensations. How can we disagree with that…? With this concept, Hyundai demonstrates that the future of car can be relevant and exciting…

 

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GENEVA 2014 | JEEP RENEGADE

This “baby Jeep”, made in Italy for sale in a hundred countries, is a tangible result from the new-born American-Italian group Fiat-Chrysler.  Although we are not fans of the overall exterior design, it is a real Jeep with all the necessary off-road genes. This small SUV does look good on the road. The DLO is tall and seems to shine a lot of light on the interior… and we like the interior much more, with its obvious product orientation. Simple and clear, using good quality plastic and colored inserts. The dashboard shows three clearly identified volumes for the driver, the passenger and the infotainment. Design of the HMI also is clear and simple, with strongly focused graphics.