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Moonlighting on Downsideupdesign... Geneva auto show Podcast #1

Still not had your fill of this year's Geneva auto show? Well then why not head over to Drew Smith's downsideupdesign blog, where you'll find me guesting on their first podcast, in which Drew and myself disect the design and strategy behind Geneva's most important production debuts (and at times, that disection perhaps comes closer to vivisection...don't say we didn't warn you!)

Click on the screen grab below to head through to downsideup's site, or here to go direct to the video on blip.tv

With thanks to Drew for conducting the podcast, and putting in all the edit time...Check back soon if you'd like to see us rake over some hot coals in the form of Geneva's concept cars.

Posted by Joseph Simpson on 11th March 2010

Geneva auto show 2010 - some things you might have missed...

By now, you'll no doubt have read all about the cars and concepts that you were interested in at last week's Geneva auto show. But if you've still apetite to digest and cogitate, Drew Smith - of the Downsideupdesign blog - and myself are producing a two part podcast with pics to cover all of the major production debuts and concepts, which you'll be able to see/hear in the next few days. For now though, you might be interested in some of the details, elements and irreverant bits and bats that I noticed in the Palexpo last week. So without further ado...

Citroen reimagined the ReVolt from Frankfurt as a racer for the road in the form of the SurVolt (above). Only Citroen could get away with painting it gloss blue, matte grey, pink and orange. But they did. Note these graphics - they were quite fun, a play on PCBs - used to signify the electric drivetrain.

Meanwhile over at Mercedes (above), they'd got wood... (sorry, couldn't resist). The use of wood laminates in this interior was fantastic - it vied with the Pegueot (see below) for concept interior of the show, and previews an altogether more 'light of touch' future Mercedes interior design language...

Peugeot marked its return to form with the SR1 (although special note to the glorious bike also on the stand) - which previews the brand's altogether more acceptable new face (thank god the rictus grin's gone). But it was the interior that really stood out in this car...great work Julien et al:

Speaking of gorgeous things, here's a shot of the superb little Pininfarina Alfa Duettotanta that makes me go a little bit weak at the knees...

Geneva 2009: Ford 'Maxes Out' Kinetic Design

Geneva 2009 saw Ford launch the third in a series of 'Kinetic design' Iosis concept cars. Following the Iosis, and Iosis X, here we have Iosis Max (Gavin Green says it sounds like an energy drink). As with the Iosis - which essentially became the Mondeo, and the Iosis X, which previewed the Kuga, most commentators expect the Iosis Max to preview the upcoming C-Max - Ford's European MPV, which competes with the likes of the Renault Scenic and Opel Zafira.

You can see my quick walkround, and overall take on the vehicle in the video below:

So this concept holds great significance, as it's the first vehicle to sit on Ford's new world Focus platform. In other words, the production version of the car you see above, looks likely to land in North America. This will no doubt cheer blue oval fans stateside, who've long been clamouring for Ford of Europe's sportier, more dynamic range of models.

This Focus platform is a pretty special one, too, for it is designed to accept a whole host of different engine technologies. This concept was launched with the new four cylinder, 1.6l EcoBoost gasoline engine - like Detroit's Lincoln C Concept. But according to Ford's director of Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle Platforms Nancy Gioia, this platform will be capable of accepting not only petrol, diesel and hybrid motors, but full battery electric technology too (see the video for more on this).

Show goers could see what the underside of the electric versions of the future car might look like around the corner from the Iosis Max. Magna Steyr, Ford's EV partner, showcased the electric vehicle chassis and layout it is developing (watch the video below for more). It was largely ignored in a sea of shiny metal but it, and the battery electric Transit Connect sitting just to the other side, quietly demonstrate Ford's intent to go electric in a big way, something CEO Alan Mullaly affirmed yesterday.

All of this leads me to ask two questions. Firstly, can Ford make its global platform strategy work? American's say they want the dynamic European vehicles - Fiesta, Focus, S-Max. But Ford has brought euro-designed cars to the USA before - the first Focus, and the Mondeo (Contour) amongst others (Merkur XR4Ti anyone?) - and they didn't meet sales ambitions. The current economic and environmental climate suggests they should fair rather better this time, but if the production version of the car you see above is named Focus, I wonder if it will be hampered by association to the current - somewhat apologetic looking - North American Focus? (I've discussed this over on a blog with MPGOmatic, which you can check out here.)

The second question is a nagging doubt about how much further Kinetic design can be pushed. I was one of the few people in Geneva who wasn't hugely blown away by the Iosis Max. Plenty of commentators and designers have sung its praise over the past few days, but the hints of visual similarity to the Mercedes B-class - which come from its wheelbase and proportions, together with questionable colour/trim and the hinge-fest that are the doors and trunk lid, sullied a fundamentally sound idea in my eyes (watch the video above for my thoughts and the full tour). The question is, as this is the third in the series of 'Kinetic design' concepts, where do Ford - particularly Ford of Europe - go next, in design terms?

Kinetic design is intended to express - in the exterior form language of the vehicle - how 'fun to drive' and dynamic Ford's vehicles are. I'd say they've achieved that to some extent. Yet this vehicle was supposed to herald a new phase of design for Ford of Europe. Instead it feels like the topping out of the current form-language theme. So, rather like Mazda with their 'Flow' series of cars which appear at every auto show and feel rather long in the tooth, might Ford need a proper change of design gear before too long?

Ford Iosis Max photoset below - click on the link to go to the full Flickr set. All photos are creative commons licensed, please credit Joseph Simpson and link to this page.

Disclosure: Ford is sponsoring The Movement Design Bureau's design research work throughout 2009

Posted by Joseph Simpson on 6th March 2009

Geneva 2009: Infiniti Essence (Video) - right car, wrong time

No one appears to have told Infiniti that there’s a global financial crisis and that (apparently) the world now only wants to buy clean, economical city cars. Not that we’re saying a production version of the Infiniti Essence couldn’t be green(ish) you understand. Autopia is reporting that the real McCoy might even come with a diesel engine, coupled to a hybrid…

But don't worry about that happening - cos it'll never be built. And to be honest, we think that if it was, shoving a diesel-electric unit under the hood would be a bit of shame. There comes a time when you just have to say “stuff it”, and to be honest that’s pretty much what Infiniti have done here. It’s clearly a case of ‘right car, wrong time’, but hey, if you were 20 years old, wouldn’t you build yourself a nice birthday present?

So no, we think that this is one of those cases where a drop-dead gorgeous, large, 2-seater coupe would be just fine with a snorting great V8, thanks very much. In all seriousness, what the Essence could show though, is a way forward for Infiniti’s design language. This car has – frankly – unbelievable body surfacing. It will doubtless have its detractors, but from a design standpoint, the complex surfacing and highlights are incredibly well controlled, and the proportions of the car are pretty much spot-on. All in all, this was one of, it not the highlight of the Geneva 2009 autoshow.

We didn’t really expect it to be Infiniti who would throw caution to the wind and build a “screw you and your economic downturn” supercar concept, but we’re rather cheered by the fact that they did – and that it looks as good as this. See for yourself in the Video (top).

With thanks to Drew Smith – who pointed out the Infiniti, which I had previously missed due to tiredness and stupidity, as one of the stars of the show – and who makes a cameo voice-over appearance in the video. Check out his Downsideupdesign blog, too – because it rocks.

Posted by Joseph Simpson on 5th March 2009