According to Turin and Detroit insiders, the famous Italian coachbuilder Zagato has just completed the new (and rather unusual) Alfa Romeo TZ 3 “Stradale” that was expected to be unveiled in May this year at the Concorso d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este but instead it will be seen in public for the first time at Pebble Beach in August. And that is for a good reason and a good cause, as we shall see in a moment.

Last year at Villa d’Este Zagato exhibited the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa as a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the Italian carmaker and won the Design Award of the event.

On that occasion, Andrea Zagato promised a TZ 3 Stradale as a completion of the Alfa Romeo celebrations.

What is indeed surprising today is that the new Alfa Romeo branded “fuoriserie” has actually been built on the bones and mechanics of an existing Dodge Viper ACR. Not the one that Dodge designers are finalising for regular production next year, but one of the old generation, which production was stopped last year, after 18 years in the supercar market. There are some unsold Vipers at the Dodge’s dealers and they could well be dress-up to become fuoriserie by Zagato, according to a long lasting tradition.

Now, the iteration of the thinking behind this Viper/Alfa Romeo TZ 3 Stradale follows a step-by-step logic that is hardly convincing but a convenient fantasy. Viper is a Dodge creature and part of its recent heritage. Dodge is about to share platforms with Alfa Romeo for new cars in the C and D segment, such as the Giulia due to follow late in 2012. Dodge and Alfa Romeo have certainly a common future.

There is more: the Viper itself will share major components “made in Italy” and here is the point. Just like the limited production Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, the 2010 Zagato TZ 3 Corsa fuoriserie is powered by a V8 Maserati engine of some 420 HP and share several more components sourced from Modena. As such it seems that the TZ 3 Stradale can well establish a spiritual bridge between the past and the future Viper to be exclusively “designed in Detroit” but possibly built in Italy and be for sale around the world. Will it also generate a successor to the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione? Please ask Ralph Gilles the question the first time you meet him.

It may well be that he, and his talented designers, has had some fun actually designing one.

By selling now SM will avoid the embarrassment of missing to deliver what he has announced: sell half a million Alfa Romeo by 2015. There is no way he can do it, unless he is thinking of a range of Chrysler derivatives that would carry the Alfa Romeo shield but would be rebadged Chrysler. This can work for Lancia. Not for Alfa Romeo.

The problem here is not that Alfa Romeo and Chrysler need some time and money to design and engineers new car. The problem would be the sale and service network. It takes more time to build this than to deliver a sexy and very attractive car with the virtues expected from an Alfa Romeo and the quality of any premium car.

But there is much more to it.

To keep Volkswagen anxiously waiting for the transaction might – perhaps – grant Fiat Group Automobiles (not Sergio Marchionne) a slightly higher income, but how much would any further delay costs to the Italian economy and the Fiat Group Automobiles employees?

It is time for Fiat and S.M. (Sergio Marchionne not Sua Maestà, Italian for His Majesty) to re-establish a friendship feeling with Italians and its own market, after too many years of a love-hate affair that is increasingly turning sour day after day.

The sentiment that a significant share of Italian citizens and buyers, union leaders and politicians are critical towards Fiat became vehemently obvious recently, after SM spoke to a most successful and popular talk show. What he said was absolutely right, pragmatic and factual.

But it was too straight perhaps, and positively out of its historic perspective. Looking at today and tomorrow, Marchionne ignored the past that has actually shaped the fortunes (and misfortunes) of Fiat, the Italian governments and politicians as well as the workers unions. What he said did not please a certain audience.

His statements on the lack of stability, the hardship for the industry to compete in a country that ranks 118 in a list of 139 for labour efficiency and 48^th for the competitiveness of its industrial system or the risk associated with a share of work-force that is not taking seriously its obligation to perform and go to work according to their contract (on some peculiar days – reads foot-ball matches and similar events – up to 50% of the work force fail to go to work and report to be “sick”) were considered “not politically correct”.

The claims were factual and responsible. What created scandal and furious reactions was Marchionne statement about the risk that Fiat (he) might eventually be forced by the circumstances to detour a € 400 m. investment for the production of the new Fiat Panda in Pomigliano (the factory close to Naples which used to build Alfa Romeos and would build Fiat in the future) elsewhere.

The day after the talk show SM was not portrayed like a hero (as he has been for long time in the past year and as he should probably be portrayed today) but as a sort of “cynic traitor” that was not talking “as an Italian”.

More recently SM has announced plans for the Mirafiori plant in Fiat hometown Turin. A new 40/60 Chrysler-Fiat JV would be established for the production of some 250 to 280 thousands Chrysler and Alfa Romeo cars, SUVs and Crossovers per year, with an investment of € 1bn (some € 1.3bn). It is a very welcome news but soon Marchionne and the unions crossed each other and SM did not wait to state he has “a couple of Plan B” options and is not on “someone else clock”.

Well, as soon as Fiat’s management and the union met to discuss the plan and the workers’ contract, they called off the meeting because of too different views on key issues such as the transfer of the plant to a NewCo and the  “national contract”

Within this setting, one step towards a new friendship with Italians would be to remember that Alfa Romeo was acquired by Fiat at what can be defined “cost zero” (as it was – in different circumstances – the case with Lancia) even though a payment had been agreed to be made years after the sale at a time of double digits inflation, and after Fiat has cashed substantial “financial contributions” from the Italian State (which eventually was forced by politician and workers unions to sell to Alfa Romeo rather than Ford).

It is useless to say, here again, that the history of the Italian motor industry through the past 25 years would have been quite different if Ford had bought Alfa Romeo. The competition would have certainly forced Fiat to do better in every respect, starting from the quality of its management (and some managers), its products, its suppliers base and its sales network, making it a stronger competitor on the international arena.

Perhaps SM does not know, or does not want to know, the dealing and wheeling Fiat orchestrated with politicians to prevent Ford establishing a production base in Italy. Nor does he seem to know the many and many promises Fiat committed to, before his time, and never kept. Closing factories and creating unemployment. Not to mention investigations into alleged bribery (that could not be proved)

This is why, considering past and present circumstances it would be a very elegant and fully justified move for Fiat to actually return to Italians the extra income of the Alfa Romeo sale to Volkswagen. Obviously I would not go as far as to ask for such a “beau geste”.

I would just be satisfied to see Alfa Romeo being assigned to a new family that has the love and means to grant this sick child with the potential of a champion and a bright future, with no further delay.

After all this would be just what happened to Chrysler when SM and the Elkann (Agnelli’s heirs) family accepted the challenge to take care of it.

Back to business, it makes more sense to look at this option from a very pragmatic perspective in typical so SM style.

By selling Alfa Romeo NOW, SM would also present a very precious gift to himself.  He has proved he is a financial wiz, a very honest and ethical man, a very hard worker and a creative strategist. He is much more exposed to risk mistakes when it comes to industry and products strategy and decisions.

His weakness on this front has emerged in the past months, when sales of his cars (no longer supported by eco-incentives all over Europe) have set record declining figures mainly due to he limited range of competitive products and the lack of new products the Fiat Group can offer. Fiat is late, very late.

Probably this is not entirely his fault. It is clear that Fiat’s controlling shareholders have long decided to invest their money in other business but cars and left him with not enough money to invest into a medium and long-term industrial and market strategy.

The Fiat-Chrysler deal was a Marchionne’s work of art he mastered without Fiat’s money so far. Money that he will need to invest, on both side of the Atlantic, in the next couple of years.

Trouble is that Fiat has not all the human, technical and financial resources, plus the time, it needs to develop the sort of products and commercial network required to be competitive as a world player.

Also it has not much time to be ready when the Chinese competition will make the current fierce competition even fiercer, if not irresistible.

By selling Alfa Romeo NOW Fiat:

• Would get a precious couple of billion Euros (or so) to invest in new Fiat and Chrysler vehicle;
• Would be better fit to focus on the other Fiat brands plans its limited human resources; accelerating plans and expanding its range, getting ready for its expansion in new areas;
• Would be more comfortable in seeking the third alliance SM has been looking for since the Opel option was lost.

There is probably only one counter-effect that is slowing down a decision that in Milan many sources give for done: the risk of a very critical reactions from the public at large. To cure the problem, Fiat has all the expertise and tools to prepare the public opinion for the news and in my opinion it is already working on this. However, SM can do even better: concede that the sale will benefit Alfa Romeo and the Italian economy much better than with Fiat at this time and the right thing to do.

by Giancarlo Perini (c)

You can look back at the Paris Motor Show, the latest top-ranking of the season from many different perspectives: business as usual or new perspective, sexy style or strict functionality, economic status or talks between car-makers to discuss new alliance and even a show within the show. Indeed this is what tiny British carmaker Lotus has done in Paris. By presenting as many as 5 new concept-cars and mock-ups (Elise, Elan and Esprit, Elite and Eterne) the company has attracted a lot of attention from the media and caused a series of serious of questions now waiting for an answer.

Indeed Lotus new leaders (led by past Ferrari managers) is trying to re-establish the company as a new competitor to Ferrari: their head of design, Donato Cocco, went no-stop from Maranello to Hethel (home of Lotus headquarters). The look of the new Lotus is quite sexy and really fast. Trouble is that they are hardly “new” cars. It couldn’t be otherwise: considering the extension of similarities with existing Ferrari. But what is most amazing (and confusing) is the offer of bigger V8 (Toyota) engines with too many horse power at a time when the trend is going in the different direction, toward downsizing. They are just too heavy to deserve the Lotus badge. This and the excess of different cars aiming at the same market produce a clear perception that the company strategy and efforts are aiming at capturing investors rather the car buyers. I will certainly be not one of them. I cannot see how they can go from 2 to 10 thousand sales per year within the next 5 to 10 years. I cannot offer any of my own pictures: access to their exhibition was managed as a popular disco with people (professional and not having to queue to be let in, simply ridicolous).

Back to the real show, I would leave the talks among top executives of merge, alliance or sale to the financial newspapers, but simply note that in this area it was the perspective sale of Alfa Romeo to Volkswagen that was the most controversial, with Fiat’s C.e.o. saying “let them wait” and those a VW commenting “It is just a matter of time”. Everyone would love to get Alfa Romeo and Fiat has more words than money to spend on its revival.

As expected the main theme (and obsession) of the show was the electric-car (and mopeds) of the near, or far, future, but the more beautiful show-cars got more attention for their style, as we shall see in a moment.

On the regular production cars front, the newcomers to mention bear the name of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the fore-runner of the “sleek four door coupé” architecture is now at its second generation and comes with a style that cannot go unnoticed for its strong character and (following the BMW school of design) sharp lines as well for the news that it will also come with s compact 4 cylinder 2.2 litre diesel engine pumping as much as 500 Nm of torque and 150 kW power.

Next is the New Audi A7 which goes on sale in November but has already been seen and driven before the show. The third “premium” brand presented in Paris the new BMW X3 cross-over that is bigger and better than its predecessor and is no longer produced in Austria by Magna Steyr but in Spartanburg (U.S.A.) by BMW themselves. They also unveiled the look of the forthcoming BMW 6 Series coupé as a very promising “concept”.

In the ultra-luxury category it is Bentley which won the greatest acclaim with their new Continental GT Coupé, also with stronger character lines, especially in the rear and s V8 replacing the V12 to save up to 40% emissions. Ferrari, on their side, launched a limited edition (80 units only, all sold) of its California in roadster style, called SA Aperta where S stands for Sergio and A for Andrea Pininfarina, whereas Aperta is Italian for open (roof).

Hyundai and Kia keep going strong and have introduced a range of new cars due to go on sale in the next months: the Hyundai ix20 minivan (sister of the Kia Venga, both for the small size segment), the new Genesis Coupé now more powerful with a 3.8 litre, 303 HP V6 or a 2.0 litre 210, four-in-line engine. In addition, Hyundai also presented the Genesis sedan and the Equus flagship with the aim of monitoring the public’s reaction. Kia, on its turn, introduced in Europe the successor to the Magentis up-scale sedan. All confirmed the steady improvement of the Korean car industry leaders.

Now under Indian (Tata) ownership Land Rover seems to enjoy a new life. In Paris the company is showing to the public at large its new Range Rover Evoque in a brilliant move that combines marketing, branding and design. Indeed the Evoque is in essence a Land Rover Freelander, redesigned and re-engineering (shorter but wider) to drive on front wheels only (first time ever in a Land Rover, what a shame!) as well as 4×4 (with bigger engines) and styled as a trendy (although rather impractical) 2 door SUV Coupé. It clearly aims at attracting fashion victims driving in metropolitan areas. Soon a 4-door version will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show next month (November). The Range Rover Evoque will probably be a success among emotional and irrational driven buyers, quite the opposite of those who will continue to make the redesigned Volkswagen Passat, the best selling car in the European upper-medium class.

The new VW Passat available as a sedan and wagon is the perfect classic, rational and quality product for the conservative customers. Its style combine the new VW look of recent Golf and Polo with a body that strongly recalls Mercedes-Benz of two or three decades ago. That style is an evergreen and VW is quite right in taking this direction now that Mercedes has left that market to other makers. Classic in style, the Passats are very modern in technology and sophisticated in equipment and option.

Volvo, on the contrary, is moving fast into a more dynamic and performance oriented territory. Its new V60 is a coupé-like compact wagon with a strong image designed to appeal to safety-conscious drivers who also favour a modern and trendy look.

This was not all, because the French industry made sure to have new proposals for their own motor show, even though they did not impress but for the new Peugeot 508 sedan which elegant and classic style takes back Peugeot to good design. Also noteworthy from Peugeot is their 3008 Hybrid 4, the first to match a diesel engine with electric traction (on real wheels thus delivering part-time 4×4 transmission).

Citroen’s new C4 is different from the generation it replaces but it is hardly better, despite a series of improvement under the bonnet and for the quality of materials inside the passenger cabin. Its design is absolutely conservative and rather irrelevant. Even the “premium” derivative the DS4 is a disappointment after the very cute and successful DS3.

Last but not least is Renault. This company focused its effort on electric vehicles and a stunning show-car, leaving to their Korean partner, Samsung, to deliver the Latitude, another unlikely attempt (after the Vel Satis) to win European buyers to a premium car with the Renault trade mark. Clearly a no-investments, no-risks, option that might make some sense at this time.

Renault showed a completely different face with its stunning show-car; and it is with its DeZir that we now enter into the “Concept, dream and show” cars territory.

Once again, the name carry the message: the capital Z is the symbol for zero emission performance granted by a 109 kW electric motor propelling the 830 kg Kevlar intense, two-seater coupé, with symmetric door and bio-design look. DeZir is an artificial name that has no meaning but its pronunciation in French sounds like “desir”, French for “desire”. This is the first car designed under the new leadership of Laurens van den Acker to be seen by the public at large and certainly marks a departure from recent design works by Renault.

Although very interesting DeZir was not my favourite design at the show. In my opinion the “dream car” that deserves the title of “Star of the Show” is the Jaguar C-X75. Not only its architecture and style achieve a beautiful balance in volumes, shapes and graphic but the proposed powertrain and traction system (now under feasibility study in view of a limited production, not yet decided) grants this powerful supercar a clear eco-friendly image by combining four electric motors (one per wheel) with twin-turbine Hybrid (see dedicated post for more).

My choice of the “Top Star” has not been easy because there were a few more very attractive show-cars that deserved the honour of a bright star: the Audi e-tron Spyder (the electric open-air sport car for the purists),

Lamborghini “Sesto Elemento” (the technology show-case of future supercars), Sear IBe (the affordable 2+2 coupé for the young and green generation) and the KIA POP (the theoretical and futuristic three-seats, electric drive, alternative to the Toyota IQ city car).

There were other interesting concept cars on display, such as the Audi Quattro Concept, Citroen Lacoste, Nissan Townpod, Peugeot HR1 and EX 1; and the Renault Zoe but they are not within my top 5 favourite from Paris.

Yet, they – but the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – clearly confirm the trend emerged in recent times: the car of the future is going to be a Hybrid and than (or) an Electric car. Well, at least a good part of them because for quite some time the internal combustion engine will continue to live and prosper all over the world.

Lamborghini might eventually offer also an hybrid alternative to their V10 and V12 engines but for the time being they are working to dramatically cut fuel emission (hence consumption) by dramatically cut the weight of their car through extensive use of carbon fibre.

Their Sesto Elemento (Italian for Sixth Element) introduces the use of avionic “forged carbon” technology that allow to form a new panel of any dimension in six minutes versus the six hours requested so far by conventional carbon fibre cooking oven. Lighter cars should positively be the new frontier but they cost a lot of money and the industry prefers to look elsewhere. As long as they can afford it.

]]> http://autodesign.socialblog.us/2010/10/27/my-2010-paris-motor-show/feed/ 1 http://autodesign.socialblog.us/2010/07/20/vw-invests-into-italdesign-part-3-watch-out-for-these-two-guys/ http://autodesign.socialblog.us/2010/07/20/vw-invests-into-italdesign-part-3-watch-out-for-these-two-guys/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:04:27 +0000 Giancarlo Perini http://autodesign.socialblog.us/?p=298

Can it just be a meaningless coincidence than 50% of the winners of the Car of the Century awards presented to top personalities of the Twentieth Century have been friends for almost 40 years and although both over 70, have a lot to share under the roof of Italdesign-Giugiaro?

Late in 1999, a jury of 132 professional automotive journalists from 33 different countries, under the presidency of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, awarded the title of Car of the Century’s to Ford’s T Model and the same awards to four top personalities in the car industry through the past century.

Their choice made up for a very impressive panel: Giorgetto Giugiaro was elected Car Designer of the Century, Ferdinand Porsche, Car Engineer of the Century, Henry Ford I Entrepreneur of the Century and Ferdinand Piëch Car Executive of the Century.

Those who are not familiar with the talent, drive and personality of Giorgetto Giugiaro and Ferdinand Piëch are fully entitled to assume that their role at the top of Italdesign-Giugiaro and Volkswagen is simply a honorary, non-executive, position. However, I am ready to bet (and with me I am sure many who are familiar with these two giants of the car industry world-wide) that they are going to have a lot of fun at developing truly innovative concepts for cars and mobility.

They no longer have executive roles to play day in and day out and are free to do what they like best, even though they will have quite a deal of “representative” work to do.

Ferdinand Piëch has officially left any executive responsibility at VW since 2002 but look at how the German Group has evolved ever since under the strategic direction of Dr. Ing. Piëch and you have just a glance of how constructive and far reaching has been his influence in the development of the group. His “career” in indeed far away from closing.

The grand-son of Ferdinand Porsche, Piëch has obviously inherited the talent and strong personality of the founder of Porsche and these qualities were quick to emerge. At Porsche, Piëch developed the technical department and create the unbeatable Porsche 906 and Le Mans winner Porsche 917.

When the family decided that none of his member would no longer have an executive job in the company he moved to Audi, after having established an Engineering Consultancy company (which design a 5 cylinder diesel engine for Mercedes-Benz) and spent few months at Italdesign’s engineering studios to “learn Italian and become familiar with unique Italian body engineering technique.”

His many achievements at Audi are simply outstanding: a new five-cylinder engine, with tubocharging, the aerodynamic record setting Audi 100, the four-wheel drive Audi Quattro, the first fully galvanised bodyshells for mass production, direct-injection diesel engines (TDI), the first Audi V8, with lightweight aluminium body construction (ASF, for Audi Space Frame, a high-strength aluminium frame structure) and such design icons as the Audi A2, the Audi TT, Spyder and Avus quattro.

There is no doubt that Piëch gave fresh power to Audi’s “Vorsprung durch Technik” claim and has steered the brand profile up market to make Audi the strongest and most successful  rival to the most powerful and successful competitors.

On his turn Giorgetto Giugiaro has never quit his role as the driving force of his company and the recent transfer of long term responsibility to VW means that he has no longer to worry about the orders portfolio for the next year(s) and the job security of his 800 employees.

At 73 and 72 respectively what sort of new ideas and contribution can they add to the history of the car industry? I do not have the answer, of course but look at their records and you too may come to the conclusion that together, and this is the key factor, they are going to really surprise us.

I remember an interview with Giugiaro Giugiaro some years ago, ehen he complained that “Italdesign has gotten a little too big. I have to spend too long time doing company business work when I would rather be designing cars”.

That was back in 1974, when the company employed little more than 100 people. (Car Styling issue # 8, Tokyo 1974). Already at that time Giugiaro was dreaming of a small team of four to five to work with.

Well, I am ready to bet that this is what he is going to do very soon. That will allow him to focus on his vision and concepts for the cars of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

His dream will come true with the complicity of another genius who has become a very good friends in the past four decades and who, is also much renowned as a car visionary by the name of Ferdinand Piëch. When the two met for the first time, Giugiaro did not really know who was the young Austrian engineer but being kind by nature he went to meet him at Turin’s airport and was rather shocked to see that Piëch had ridden his motorcycle from Germany and asked to be met at the airport only to pick-up his luggage, flown-in by his private airplane.

Consider this: very recently VW has introduced two very innovative and attractive taxi designs: the Taxi Milano and the Taxi Berlin. Well, Volkswagen could have revolutionized the design of taxi in 1976 to develop a new Taxi according to the briefing set by the Museum of Modern Art of New York for “The Taxi Project: Realistic Solutions Today.”  Fiala refused to do it “together” and did his own “Taxi Project” that – as far as design goes – was just another major failure. Giugiaro did it with Alfa Romeo and his concept did indeed open the way to the new MPV architecture which starter to take shape with his own 1978 Lancia Megagamma, long before the industry took notice.

Giorgetto Giugiaro reached maturity as a car designer when he (with a partner) established his first company as an indipendent designer. That was in 1967 and the company was Italstyling, with offices in Torino, at Via Giolitti. One of his first and major project was to design the new Alfa Romeo Alfasud for, and under the engineering guidance, of Austrian Ing. Rudolf Hruska. It was Hurska who took Giugiaro from car styling to body architecture, ergonomy, functionality and consequent car design.

Before that, under the leadership of Nuccio Bertone, Giugiaro just expressed his natural talent and natural sensitivity for perfect proportions and beauty to create emotional and attractive cars such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia GT, the Chevrolet Testudo, the Alfa Romeo Canguro through the Maserati Ghibli and the De Tomaso Mangusta (for Ghia) just to mention few among his many successful works.

As a complete car designer, Giugiaro “invented” new architectures and formulae for popular passenger cars, such as the 1967 Rowan Electric City Car, the minimalist Fiat Panda, the tall Fiat Uno, the innovative Lancia Megagamma (the seed of the Minivan). In other instances his job was just to stick to agiven architecture and make it look right.

That is what he did with the VW Golf. The VW Scirocco was born from his imagination and suggestion to VW via German coachbuilder Karmann.

In the “business as usual category” one can list the contributions to Hyundai and the Korean car industry (after many years of support to the young Japanese carmakers since the late sixties) and more recently China (starting with Brilliance’s Zhongua).

NEW CHALLENGES IN EXCITING TIMES.

Will Giugiaro and Piëch challenge their creativity and geniality with a revolutionary taxi anytime soon? Why not? It is easy to image what could come out from the application of the new architecture concept of the Proton Emas 3 and “Up!” to a vehicle  in the 4 metres length class.

If the future is written in the past, we must considering a short and quick review of Giugiaro and Piëch most significant achievements.

Obviously, millions of fans (and probably Giugiaro and Piëch as well) would love to see a new Porsche or a new Panamera designed by Giugiaro. However these are just a couple of rather conservative expectations. It is more realistic to expect something much more innovative and even revolutionary.

I would not be surprised if they will impress us with a new concept/show car at the Geneva Motor Show next March or the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

In addition to the all-new Alfa Romeo Giulietta, designed in house, there were three more Alfa Romeo dream-cars to look and scrutinize at the Geneva Motor Show opening early this March.

The two-seater roadster 2uettottanta by Pininfarina; the dramatic high performance V8, 2+2, Bertone Pandion and the luxury Alfa Romeo Sofia, four-door saloon by I.DE.A. Institute.

The trio of Alfa Romeo dream-cars has been proposed by the Italian coachbuilders as their own contribution to the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo and to enhance the role of the Italian coachbuilders, and designers, in creating the Alfa Romeo myth, as well as to visualize what the future might bring to the brand.

The design-study that won general acclaim and was considered “star of the show” was the Pininfarina roadster, a cute and elegant sport car which very modern and trend setting style succeeded in linking the image of the light and nimble Alfa Romeo of the future with the memories of a the great life-style of the Dolce Vita of Federico Fellini and Marcello Mastroianni.

It cannot be by chance that all three coachbuilders have come up with proposal of cars designed to go back to front-engine-rear-drive. Indeed Pininfarina’s 2uettottana goes even further with its design that enhances the long engine hood, which suggests a superlative in-board layout for a compact, yet powerful, four cylinder turbocharged engine that could easily deliver anything between 200 and 250 HP.

Pininfarina’s director of design Lowie Vermeersch says that the self-assigned briefing was to offer their “vision of the Alfa Romeo Spider of the future. A design looking forward but with links to the mythical icons of the past.” The dimensions and architecture of the 2uettottanta are consequent with the goal of a pure sports car, with real wheel drive, superlative performance and great dynamics. Hence, its fast proportions and the surface treatment inspired to air flowing over the skin.

Although the modelling of the surface is very subtle and sophisticated, the visual impact is impressive for the essential simplicity. There is a clear feeling of lightness and dynamism at the design suggests this car “move in the air in total harmony”.

It is not by chance that the latest dream-car by Pininfarina is a very realistic design rather than a show-car too far into the future or into the unlikely.

In all respect the 2uettoottanta, which design has originated from the work of Donato Pacella and Nazareno Epifani, with contribution from Eero Kankainnen, restates what a real Alfa Romeo must be: compact, nimble, simple and light. Almost a piece of race-engineering for the enthusiast driver. Rather than just another “premium car”. This is well communicated by the interior design too.

In contrast with too many “over loaded” examples from too many motor-shows, in the 2uettottanta is minimalist, essential and yet very attractive.

At the show, and after that, everyone says Alfa Romeo has got to build again car like the Pininfarina 2uettotta, and I an only join the crowd.

At this time, there are no plans, of any sort, to take it to production stage. It will all depend on what Sergio Marchionne decides to do. Will he convince his shareholders to invest serious money in the revitalization of Alfa Romeo? Alternatively, will Fiat sell Alfa Romeo to the VW Group, as repeatedly reported?

The love-hate relation between Fiat and the Italian coachbuilders has rarely been even.

The giant Fiat has always plaid the role of the big fish who lives on the small fishes and indeed the recent troubles met by Bertone and Pininfarina would have not be as big if only Fiat had done his part with the due fairness.

The notion that Alfa Romeo could live a brilliant and better new life under the ownership of a group like is wide-spread and shared by many insiders in Italy and there are strong indications that the final decision is only waiting for the last details, and the right time, to be made and announced.

Pininfarina 2010 AR 2ueottottanta Photo Gallery

Official statistics show that the latest and 80th Geneva Motor Show set a new record for “premieres”, with as many as eighty “new cars”, or so, unveiled for the first time there. Now, considering the space in the magazine is not growing with the number of new cars at motor shows, let’s go straight to the point and answer the usual questions: how was the show this year. What was relevant and worth recording for the years to come?

First I would say that I saw more irrelevant, disappointing or irritating cars (read designs) than interesting and attractive ones: be for their design or their lack of innovative ideas/concepts. A short list includes the Aston Martin Cygnet,  Renault Megane CC, Renault Wind and Toyota Auris.

EV and Hybrids are introduced in other pages and I leave it to my colleague reporting and commenting on them, including the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid and the Opel Flexetreme GT/E.

To me the new car that faithfully mirrors the current times was the Proton Emas by Italdesign –Giugiaro because it points straight into the right direction of the functional car of the near future.

It offers the Lotus engineered serial-hybrid technology that will save us oil and emissions, both in town and between cities (even though its 3-cylinder engine could be a lot smaller and lighter). It shows how roomy and comfortable a 3.55 metre long and 1699 wide, 4 full-size-seats car, sitting on a 2590 mm. long wheelbase, can be.

Its design inside and out is stylish and attractive, although the treatment of the surface is simple and conventional.  The smart package and the simple and “two-dimensional” architecture allow for derivatives that are easy and economical to produce: the taller “Country” (with 4×4 drive coming as standard from the hybrid technology) or the ultra-tiny 3 metre, 3+1 seats, city car that can easily challenge the Toyota IQ on price, performance and style simplicity.

Add to all this the notion that this is the car the Malaysian carmaker plans to mass-produce sometime next year and you may agree with me. It is perhaps humble but in my eyes and in my mind it is “the interesting car of the show”.

If the Italdesign-Proton was the most interesting “rational hybrid for all” which were the most “trendy and emotional” cars of the show?

In the department of cars that (reasonable) money can buy I would list the Opel Meriva in the first place, and the Audi A1 with the Volvo S60 next. To be honest I have not made my mind yet on the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta, a new proposition I would love to love but that failed to impress me. My first reaction is that it style is a bit overdone, access and space at the rear is not enough and its build quality will be a though challenge. I hope to make my mind for good, when I see the Giulietta on the road and in daylight, one of these days.

When the price does not matter, the horizon is a bit wider and wilder: the execution of the Bugatti Veyron Supersport and the ultimate Pagani Zonda Tricolore is simply stunning and makes each unit a masterpiece anyone would like to see, touch and to have in their living room.

On this front, the courage of those who want to revive the myth Hispano-Suiza (with production of the 2010 Granturismo in Lugano, Switzerland) is just amazing and one can only wish them just as much success as Pagani (if their quality matches that of a luxury Swiss watch).

Another “come-back” not to be missed is that of Touring Superleggera. In Geneva the re-born Italian coachbuilder has unveiled a work typical of the company tradition: the Bentley Continental Flying Star by Touring, a high-class shooting brake derivative of the superlative Continental GT, a sports car featuring enough space to join a hunting party or a golf tournament with elegance and efficiency This will be a strong contender for the Villa d’Este Trophy early next May, unless Zagato’s latest masterpiece (due to be unveiled there) surpasses it in style and elegance.

Journalists from all over the world who attended the event celebrating the present and future innovations of the VW Group had also a direct preview of two supercars of the near future. Both are not confirmed for production but both, one from Bugatti and the second one by Porsche, are very likely to reach limited production in the semesters to come. Bugatti presented a second (and different) prototype of its four door, 16–cylinder, “Bugatti 16C Galibier”, whereas Porsche teased everyone with a rather realistic “concept” of a rear-midship hybrid V8 Porsche 918 Spyder. Its style is excessive, following an insane trend on one side, and probably disorientating its competitors on the other side. I do not see Porsche going away from its “engineering” approach to body design and I actually expect something a lot simpler from the production car.

From this point let’s move to the more entertaining (and often“déjà vue”) show-cars. Here I would like to start with two cars: the Hyundai i-Flow and the Mercedes-Benz F-800 Style to say that, once upon a time, Hyundai was imitating or (to be more diplomatic) taking inspiration from Mercedes-Benz  now I have the impression that it is the other way around.

I am talking of a certain way to see car-design, of the direction these companies are going, of the lack of principles and orientation for those companies which look outside of their own culture and, perhaps, in the wrong direction.

The consequence of this is that I feel more comfortable in front of the wide and short Seat Ibe EV by the team of Luc Donckerwolke team and the Hyundai I-Flow of Nicola Danza and Nico Munkler than in front of the F-800 concept. The i-Flow shows as many lines as you would expect by summing three production cars but it remains true to its company’s heritage (which has just delivered the attractive and successful ix-35). On its turn the F-800 confuses me with its excesses.

In this respect, after the devastating “big-mouth” look, the Peugeot SR1 and “5 by Peugeot” marks a welcome-back to elegance and style of the French makers. The 5 by Peugeot is very promising and although it may benefit of a bit of further refinement and more (subtle) character it will certainly be a market success when it is ready for production, in France and in China, within the next 12 months, as the new Peugeot 508.

Citroen, Peugeot and Renault also had their share of attention in Geneva. The Renaults are all-right, but do not stimulate attraction.

The Citroens are dress-up for the occasion. Citroen has got the spirit to offer great entertainment to the public and designers must have had a lot of fun at working on the DS3 Racing as well as freeing their fantasy with the Citroen Survolte.

On a more approachable frontline the Citroen DS High –Rider is intriguing as its design confirms Citroen aims to be a “different sort of car” as its heritage calls for. The difference now is that rather than being controversial for its engineering innovations Citroen now plays a safer card by betting on mildly provocative marketing and design approach.

Only a new marketing approach can explain  the direction taken by Nissan for the look of its Yuke and the front design of their new Micra. Again it is marketing that is betting and banking on design with the Mini Countryman, which design succeed in being different, despite being rather conventional with its five doors. It remains pretty unique and I wonder the Mini “approach” to design can be stretched. These three volume production cars are getting suspiciously close to be car…icatures and there will be lessons to be learned from the market places in different regions.

A successfukl life is more likely for well-done “business as usual cars” such as the Ford Focus Hatchback and its Wagon derivative, the new VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, the

Mazda 5 and its rival VW Sharan, as well as the Kia Sportage.

Before closing I need to report on the three design studies proposed by the Italian coachbuilders to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Alfa Romeo and to fare well for its future. Following the alphabetical order is politically correct and allows me to close on positive notes, which is always good. The Bertone Pandion faithfully reflects the state of the art of the Italian automotive industry. Officially it is built on the running gears of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione although it is a well known fact that they are those of the Maserati Granturismo. Well, the Bertone Pandion is certainly a most spectacular show-car, the one with the tallest doors ever seen at a Motor Show and the matched by the tallest girl ever seen posing as a model next to a show car. I am not sure this is the car that the real Alfisti would dream of, but it cannot be denies that the show-car designed and built under the direction of Michael, Mike, Robinson, is a real Bertone, with its high tones and excesses combined with a great number of ideas and experiments. I wonder if this is the sort of Alfa Romeo needs for its future or it rather serves to celebrate the past glories of both Alfa Romeo and Bertone.

Alfa Romeo positively need an elegant, very dynamic and sexy flagship if it is to return to the U.S.A. and make some profit. This is the sort of car that the designers led by Umberto Palermo of I.DE.A. Institute have created with a very sexy Italian icon in mind. Sofia Loren.

This is confirmed not only by the model’s name but primarily by the round, soft and sexy lines of the I.DE.A Sofia design study. This is not a running prototype by a full scale model conceived as a stately sport limousine.

Pininfarina 2uettOttanta.

Pininfarina have indeed win the show top honours with its “2uettottanta” where 2 is designed to almost look like a capital D. The name wants to say this is the Alfa Romeo Duetto celebrating the 80 years of Pininfarina For this very reason the designers have made sure (and have got it absolutely right) that their Alfa Romeo Duetto for the future is a real Alfa Romeo. That is compact, light and nimble. Simple and pure. Elegant and with a clear, sport character. This is what the 2uetottanta is all about: dynamic architecture, perfect proportions, sophisticated simplicity inside and out, care for details. The silhouette of the roadster (easy to redesign as a soft-top convertible for regular production) speaks for itself and call for a compact engine installed “inside of the front axle” and rear wheel drive. Precisely the dream-car all Alfisti pre-and-past “The Graduate” Dustin Hofmann keep dreaming about. The dream-car that Alfa Romeo has got to build.

Geneva Motor Show 2010 – Photo Gallery