Posts Tagged "vw"

Perhaps the biggest shock of the Geneva auto show is this Bentley SUV – the Exp 9 F. This is by the far the biggest talking point of the show, but perhaps not in the way that its designers – and the VW group – would have hoped. The interior, in parts, is exquisitely detailed and feels beautifully bespoke.

But it’s the exterior that has made people sit up and take note – or more accurately reported – pull funny faces. We will wait until post show to conduct a full design review to explore further as to why, but for now we will leave you with a few of the choicest quotes that other designers have made when speaking to us about this car: “Like a London taxi cab from the front” doesn’t get things off to a good start. “Like a bad Chinese interpretation of what a Bentley SUV might be” was very cutting. But “makes the Lagonda SUV of 2009 look positively reasonable and well resolved”, is perhaps the one that will hurt most.

Suffice to say that, in recent years, we cannot remember such a negative reaction to a show car. There’s clearly some value and indeed logic to Bentley exploring an SUV direction. But in its current exterior design form, most will be hoping that this isn’t it.

Geneva has historically proven an exciting show because of its ‘neutral’ ground, Swiss location. Neither the Germans, nor the French or the Americans are on home soil and able to stake a real claim to be in the ascendancy. But since the demise of the Turin motor show, this has been the home show of the Italian Carozzeria.

Yet it’s a sign of how many of these style houses have fallen from grace in recent years, that one now arrives in Geneva with a sense of trepidation – rather than excitement – about what to expect from them.

The Guigiaro Brivido (meaning “Thrill”) doesn’t exactly lay those fears to rest, but nonetheless has some strong qualities – it’s certainly a step on from the Tex and Go! of last year’s show. In its size, form and volumes it feels entirely modern. It’s just a shame the graphics and detailing are a let down.

The most notable (distracting) aspect of the design is the signature DLO graphic, which extends into the lower body side. On its own this could be a powerful element, but it is somewhat undermined by the clumsily handled shoulder section which punctures into it from the front fender. This feature’s heavy volume is at odds with the crisp, elegant surfaces around the rear three-quarters.

The Brivido clearly shows one potential direction for a large VW Group coupe, but it’s hard to see which brand would of the group’s up-scale brands would usefully benefit from Guigiaro’s attention, right now. We wander if Guigiaro couldn’t be allowed a little more freedom in its roll as an internal studio within the VW group. In that context, a car of this type and size might more usefully be a proposition for an extreme, alternate direction for a brand like Lamborghini or Bugatti. Perhaps then, this great name could truly recapture the essence of what made his concepts of the 70s so innovative, shocking and ultimately influential.

By Joe Simpson

The Bulli has proven to be a conversation-provoking concept in Geneva this year. Not all are impressed with it, something we suspect is due to fond memories of the MicroBus concept from 2001 and the fact that it references the original microbus in a more conscious and obvious manner than the previous SpaceUp! Concept.

Nevertheless, this is yet another impressive Up! platform variant, and – perhaps most excitingly from the consumer’s perspective – appears to be 85 percent production ready. The pressings, door cards, secondary lamp units that provide mandatory illumination for when the tailgate is lifted at night, and the mouldings and seals all speak real road more than show stand.

Surfacing impresses – note how the outer surface runs out of the flipped hockey-stick graphic inside the taillamp

One aspect that deeply impresses is the simple, elegantly resolved tailgate surfaces you can see in the picture above. A beautiful, undercut bevel surface which marks the colourway division and runs continuously around the car also impresses, yet it creates the biggest design detraction as it runs into the DRG.

The issue is caused by this bevel line turning down to form the edge of a positive surface between the lamps, on which sits a huge VW logo. The overall impression of the DRG references the original Microbus, but looks oddly aggressive. The problem is that, as the bevel surface turns from horizontal to vertical, it overcuts above the lamps, turning the Bulli’s DRG expression into a scowl.

 

 

Bevel surface (seen running at the junction of the colour ways, runs around the car but turns down  at the inner edge of the lights, creating a scowl

It’s an appearance that’s completely at odds with the ethos of the rest of the car, which features a show-stoppingly cool interior, complete with iPad interface and two rows of three-abreast bench seats, which fold out to create a double bed. It’s a lovely reference to the past, but more importantly, this too appears close to production – it’s similar to the system used in the bigger California.

(Top) iPad slots into a on the IP, which swivels on an arm that – iconically – seems similar to the one used in the previous generation iMac. (Bottom) Owen Ready of Car Design News helps put the Bulli’s interior into its double bed configuration

If this car does make production relatively intact, VW could have a huge hit on its hands. It’s easy and obvious to see how vehicle this would appeal to the empty-nesting baby boomer generation who remember the original with such fondness. Yet it’s also easy to see it tugging at the at-once emotional and rational-thinking Gen-Y, that’s otherwise falling out of love with the car and also to young families looking for space and practicality without sacrificing style. But what really sets the Bulli apart is a sense of light-hearted fun and freedom of movement, that’s straight from the copy book of the original. As a riposte to the current atmosphere of austerity, it is a perfect antidote and a real breath of fresh air.

Joe Simpson

The Go!

This is the first show at which ItalDesign Giugiaro has exhibited since the Carrozzeria became part of the Volkswagen group. It was slightly odd to see Giugiaro away from its traditional home on the other side of hall 2: it’s now relocated to a position opposite the Teutonic, bright-white environs of the VW stand.

Most designers we spoke to at the show felt that the two Volkswagen-badged designs felt slightly dated and ultimately offered little new. It might sound clichéd, but we couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed there wasn’t something more distinct or groundbreaking, especially given Giugiaro’s VW history with the first Golf not to mention its rich history of concept design.

The Tex

The Tex’s overall form is reminiscent of some of the work ItalDesign Giugiaro has previously done for the Italian brands and it may have worked better as a Seat than a Volkswagen. The interior shows both a theme and detail design elements we’ve seen on previous Volkswagen pre-production concepts.

The Go! is in many ways the more intriguing and appealing piece of design. It appears to be based on the forthcoming VW Up! platform, and shows a somewhat different aesthetic direction to the one VW has been pursuing with the line to date. The high roofline combines with the dropped belt-line of the DLO (itself divided into two distinct sections by a running bar which carries the rear view camera) to evoke a graphic element reminiscent of some of the most famous Carrozzeria concept cars of the 1970s.

Combined with the glass roof this feature creates an interior ambience of incredible airiness. The seat design and light beige upholstery exaggerates this sensation and gives the interior of this VW-branded concept real southern European warmth.

While VW has only recently settled on a DRG that it is quickly applying across its entire range, these concepts illustrate a potential alternative future direction for the face of VW. It manages to still speak of the brand but is friendlier and less stark.

It’s easy to criticise many aspects of these designs, but at least they avoid the surface language and sharp shut-line intersection points that creates a ‘guess the VW group brand’ design appearance that afflicts the Seat and Skoda concepts seen nearby. As a counterpoint to VW’s main studios’ refined – often very strategic work – these concepts appear to illustrate the usefulness of having a separate, yet in-house consultancy, to provide a counter-point to work done in the primary design studios.

It’s just a shame that they lack the consistency and exquisite execution that has been a characteristic of many recent Volkswagen concepts, a sense exacerbated by the beautifully resolved Bulli, which glowers at these cars from across the walkway.

Joe Simpson

It would have been easy to walk past the VW Bulli concept and mutter something under your breath about “just another UP! Concept, when are they going to build it etc. etc…” and if you did the above, shame on you as you missed out on one of the highlights of this year’s show – specifically its interior.

Look past the glitzy showcar colour and trim and the iPad integrated into the IP and what you would have seen is around 85 per cent production ready. The exposed screws where the door cards mate with the door shuts, the switchgear and, most importantly, its seating.

Two rows of bench seating that fold into a double bed. Ok, not entirely new in concept but beautifully executed and all fully production engineered to typically slick VW standards. The truly accessible VW Camper is back, and how.

Owen Ready