Auto Design

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.

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Some eight years later Citroen is ready to replace its successful C3 with the second generation and it does with a car that is new on design and conservative on the product concept that has met better than anticipated with the market demand. The development follows the rules: never change a winning horse and so we have a new car that is longer and wider than its predecessor and aim at being so “cocooning” and “gentle” to appeal to female buyers. Male buyers and other genders will follow. Read the rest of this entry »

What happens when the magic marketing guys get it their way and are allowed to follow on the step of a winner in the market place by the name of Mini? Will they invent and create a new Mini from scratch? With all the time, money and risk this involve? Read the rest of this entry »

It is good to hear that whereas many carmakers face the dramatic crises that is currently affecting the industry world-wide but cutting budgets and work-force there are some that keep cool and confirm their strategy and investments. Hopefully the Geneva Motor Show will send out the first signals that the industry is no longer retreating but is moving ahead again. Read the rest of this entry »

Most probably, the ultimate sports car of the future was presented at the Paris Motor Show and went unnoticed. This is despite it presented for the first time a revolutionary innovation developed by century old Michelin: the active (electric) wheel.The car we are talking about, actually a concept-car, is the Venturi Volage designed by the talented and renowned Sasha Lakic. The Volage is an electric 4 wheel drive sports car that is powered by four active wheels, one per wheel, banks on 220 kW of power, only weights 1075 kg and is capable of accelerating from zero to 100 kph in less than 5 seconds. These specifications are based on the assumption that the Lithium-polymer battery pack weights some 350 kg. Read the rest of this entry »

Brought to you, non-stop from the company design centre and press office.

Pictures always say a lot more than thousands of words. However, here some news you might light to read.

The GT by Citroen is a real dream car built from a virtual first designed for Polyphony’s simulation game Gran Turismo to be plaid on the Playstation 3. As such is the first ever prototype that million of “players” can drive in their virtual world. Somehow, the GT by Citroen seen at the Paris Motor Show is a replica of a car that has never been built. As such, it can be anything. In our case, the engineers of both the virtual and the real car companies have opted for an electric sports car powered by fuel cell and delivery no emission. A real dream car. At least for the time being. Read the rest of this entry »

 Jerome Gallix resign from Peugeot.

According to an official press release, Jerome Gallix has resigned from his position as head of design of Peugeot Automobiles. He was appointed to the top of Peugeot’s design organisation one year ago, when Gerard Welter who has led the department since the late 70ies retired.  Reportedly Jerome Gallix is leaving the group “to pursue a personal project”, today, September 30 2008.

Actually the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group press-release has been issued to inform that « Jean-Pierre Ploué, Citroën Styling Director since 2000, has been appointed Director of Styling for the entire PSA Peugeot Citroën Group effective October 1. In this capacity, he will lead all of the Peugeot and Citroën styling teams, which have been consolidated at the Group’s Automotive Design Network facility in Vélizy since 2004.»

Ploué, who has successfully led the Citroën styling renaissance over the past eight years, will manage the ADN, a center of automotive creativity with two dedicated Peugeot and Citroën styling teams. This combined Peugeot and Citroën design center provides effective support for the Group’s commitment to strengthening and differentiating the two brands’ styling universes, a process that was initiated by Chairman Christian Streiff as part of the dynamic of the CAP 2010 program.

In his new position, Ploué will report to Grégoire Olivier, Member of theManaging Board and Executive Vice President, Programs.

Some 2500 participants from all over the world have entered the 5th Peugeot Design Contest, launched on the occasion of the Beijing Motor Show last April. Design enthusiasts, students and professional were challenged with the theme: “Imagine the Peugeot of the metropolises of tomorrow!”.

The briefing was: Create a Concept Car which is designed to evolve within the cities of the future, whilst retaining the key values of the 21^st century. The projects should bear Peugeot’s stylistic codes and must contain the following four aspects included in this design competition: environmental awareness, social harmony, interactive mobility and economic efficiency.”

They were given a relatively short three-months time to submit their ideas and yet hundreds and hundreds of them submitted, via internet only, ideas of all sorts in two dimensional format. The rules called for still renderings (up to 5) a verbal description of the concept and a video animation.

The competition has entered into its second phase, following the selection by Peugeot experts of the top 30 projects now published at www.peugeot.com. The public at large (that is you!), and a selected panel of motoring writers, is now called to vote for the best 10 finalists within the deadline of September 15. Well, this is not perfectly clear.

Indeed the rules say: “Following an analysis of the votes, the PEUGEOT judging panel, consisting of PEUGEOT members of staff who are experienced in the domain of automobile design, a representative from MICROSOFT and chaired by Jean Philippe Collin, Managing Director of Peugeot, will make a list of the 10 selected designs..”

This means that your vote will be considered, but the Panel is the one that indeed make the choice, so that entrants with most friends on internet get an unfair advantage.

Between 16 September and 30 September 2008, the 10 finalist projects selected by the Peugeot judging panel will be posted online between 16 September and 30 September 2008 and again the panel will select the winner of the gold medal as well as those deserving the silver and bronze medals.

According to Peugeot the theme of this fifth edition has inspired the entrants to envisage a form of urban mobility that’s more versatile, more practical, more economic, but also more fun and more individual. There should have been 30 of such projects to choose form but only 29 could be published as one entrant has reportedly failed to grant the organisers the required copyright.

The projects published reflect the different cultural inputs from the global society that internet is contributing to form. From the simplicity of the Indian “Globe” project to the complexity and sophistication of the German “Rugir” project.

Vote.

The rendering released by Peugeot to tease the public looking for the opening of the Paris Motor Show on October 4^th is attractive but does not show much of the forthcoming concept car, neither for its architecture neither for its powertrain. The company wants to keep our interest alive and for the time being only says what it is.

First: it will be called RC something, much like its recent predecessors, the RC ♠ et ♦ concept cars revealed in 2002, and the 908 RC (2006 Paris Show). Perhaps RC § “fleurs” (flowers), for its eco-friendly nature? Peugeot says their latest Research Concept is a show-case of future ideas, combining many design, engineering and technology ideas in a single vehicle.

Even more relevant is the fact that the new show-car aims at anticipating a feasible, affordable and versatile car, “with four doors, four seater and a highly innovative hybrid architecture” that aims at a very high level of efficiency both in terms of performance (with its potential 230 kW/313 HP) and minimal impact on the environment (CO2 emissions of 109 g/km in the combined cycle or ZERO in electric mode). Clearly a high performance and emotional car that match with the spirit of the time and capable of combining environment friendliness with driving pleasure.