by Jon Alain Guzik
December 2006
The Los Angeles Auto Show, which runs from December 1-10, kicks off the auto show season in grand style, and nothing says “wow” like that perennial favorite, the concept car. From the classic 1938 Harley Earl-designed Buick “Y” Job to Acura’s 2007 future-luxe Advanced Sedan Concept, the major automotive manufactures have been producing concepts that not only raise public consciousness about a brand, but also gives a generation of future car designers something to dream about during math class. At this year’s show, Honda, Acura, Ford, Mazda, Volkswagen and Hyundai all debuted new concepts, and like Los Angeles, the “City of Glitz”, all seven models really shine
“Concept vehicles give us the chance to stretch our design ability and take more risk and experiment with new design aesthetics to determine what will resonate with customers and the press,” says Joel Piaskowski, chief designer, Hyundai California Design Center. “It’s a great and not so expensive way to create more brand awareness while “testing the waters” to see what could be relevant in the future.”
Yahoo! Autos Editor-At-Large, Jon Alain Guzik, takes a look at these concepts for the future.
Looking like something you’d see on the streets of the Roppongi District of Tokyo, the Honda Step Box concept is a mini-van any lover of small, oddly shaped vehicles can get behind. Honda has been using the word “step” in car names since the 1970’s — “step” describing any boxy, utility-oriented vehicle.
Designed as an expression of Honda’s packaging prowess, the Step Box features a mid-engine design and a fully maximized and quickly adaptable interior. Envisioned as an urban vehicle, the Step Box uses maximum interior space while minimizing exterior size — Oh, it’s really cute too.
Acura has gone increasingly upscale the past few years and the new advanced Sedan Concept sufficiently outlines their new design strategy. “The goal of the Advanced Sedan Concept was to look two generations ahead of where we are now and capture the essence of an ultra luxurious sedan, but give it a bolder, stealthier, more mysterious presence than contemporary vehicles,” says Dave Marek, chief designer for Honda R&D. “We think that the vehicles sleek lines recall the past while also looking forward to the future.”
As close to an actual production model seen at the auto show, Volkswagen’s Concept Tiguan, which VW bills as a “small Touareg” is the manufacturer’s entry into the crossover market and is set to come to market at the end of 2007. The Tiguan is powered by a new BLUETEC “Clean TDI” turbo diesel developed with partners Mercedes-Benz and Audi.
Honda’s REMIX, a small two-seat design concept is built around the traditional Honda set up -- a front-wheel drive platform with a 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Throw in a sport suspension, large brakes and tires and you’ve got the Civic Si of the future.
“When we set out to design the REMIX, our goal was to push the envelope, to try new ideas and to anticipate what a sports car could and should be in the future,” says Ben Davidson, a designer at Honda's Advanced Design Studio. “We wanted to design a performance car that would capture the attention and imagination of the youth market in terms of its aggressive styling and performance in a compact, lightweight, agile package. We also wanted a car that would be practical as a simple, affordable, daily driver.” Sounds like a Honda to us.
A car inspired by a backpack? Only in California. “The Hellion was inspired by a backpack designed by Oakley,” says Joel Piaskowski, chief designer, Hyundai California Design Center. “The subtle camouflage print pattern on the removable soft-top roof and seat inserts was inspired by surf wear. Camo is a very popular fashion statement that transpired from the SoCal surf culture.”
The HDC10 Hellion is the most ‘LA’ of the group of seven, Piaskowski continues, “The SoCal environment is very influential on many levels. The entrepreneurial environment, active lifestyles, entertainment industry, car culture and fashion are all influences in our daily design lives.”
Like an RX-8 from the future, the Nagare – Japanese for “flow” – is a four-seater sports car, powered by a hydrogen-fueled rotary engine. Mazda’s global design director, Laurens van den Acker sums it up: “The Nagare is a celebration of proportions and surface language that will evolve into subsequent designs planned for presentation at future international auto shows. Nagare examines light and shadow, and begins to reveal the global design cues for the next generation of Mazda vehicles.”
While not a brand-new from scratch design concept, the Mustang by Giugiaro is a reinterpretation of the Pony Car by famed Italian design house Italdesign – Giugiaro S.P.A. With its seductive lines, muscular swagger, large glass roof and Ford racing underpinnings, designer Fabrizio Giugiaro took an American classic and transmogrified it into an Autostrada Killer. Expect to see this vehicle at Detroit’s annual Woodward Dream Cruise for years and years to come. Multo bellissimo, Ford.
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