We always had a weak spot for Opels for
their willingness to perform, handle and drive with zest and ease. It leads
many Opel owners to become enthused drivers, and appreciate their cars the
longer they own and drive them.
Combine all these good dynamic qualities
with their robustness, the quality of workmanship and materials used and you
have a cocktail which is very much appreciated throughout Europe.
Of course, Opel also has embarked fully
into the SUV trend, and has put some very interesting contenders on the road.
We are driving for you here the Grandland X Flagship version, and were glad to
rediscover again all the good Opel qualities…masterfully retained despite the
fact that Opel and Peugeot have co-developed this mid-sized SUV-Crossover, and
this even long before GM even considered getting rid of their German
subsidiary.
BMW enters a new era with its new 1 Series:
front wheel drive makes its entry in this third generation. This results in
more room, but driving pleasure and dynamic qualities have been retained, BMW
assures us.
The third generation of the BMW 1 Series will be unveiled to the public for the first time on 25 – 27 June 2019 on the new BMW Group #NEXTGen presentation platform at BMW Welt in Munich. Hosting the show premiere of the new BMW 1 Series, meanwhile, will be the IAA event in Frankfurt am Main in September 2019. The worldwide launch will get underway on 28 September 2019.
We show you here the first photos, and we
must admit, we already were offered a first (pre)view of this car at the
presentation of the #18 BMW Art Car at the Brussels Brand Store… Corporate PR
Officer Saschia de Rudder then asked us to cover our smart phone cameras,
offering us this very smart pouch… which we then did, noblesse oblige!
But just read and look further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
A new, bolder stance.
What first impresses is the signature BMW kidney grille, which is now larger, with far greater presence. For the first time in this model range, the two kidneys now merge in the middle. The sporting flagship of the line-up, the BMW M135i xDrive, replaces the grille’s classical bars with a prominent threedimensional mesh design inspired by racing cars. The headlights are now angled in design. This Series 1 has now truly grown up… to underline all this, know that 19-inch rims are available as an option for the first time.
More luxury too: The electric panoramic roof available for the first time on the BMW 1 Series, as well as backlit trim strips. They come in three different designs with six switchable colours. Optional infotainment features of the new BMW Operating System 7.0 – using gestures, if the relevant option is specified – are via a grouping of two displays, each of which have a screen diagonal measuring up to 10.25 inches in the case of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional. Also a full-colour, 9.2-inch BMW Head-Up Display is available as an option for the first time on the BMW 1 Series.
More room…
Getting in is easier and knee room for the rear passengers has increased by 33 millimetres. The rear offers a full 19 millimetres of extra headroom if the outward-opening sliding panoramic sunroof is specified. Rear passengers also enjoy 13 millimetres more elbowroom, while the driver and front passenger can look forward to an extra 42 millimetres in this respect.
The load compartment capacity of 380 litres is 20 litres up on the outgoing car and folding down the rear seat bench increases this to 1,200 litres.
Four equipment lines and one flagship model.
The base Advantage model is joined in the new BMW 1 Series line-up by three other equipment lines, which differ from one another in both exterior and interior details. The Luxury Line model accentuates the classy and comfortable side to the car’s character with the help of body applications in Aluminium satinated and seat upholstery in Dakota leather.
The Sport Line model with Black accents, window graphic in BMW Individual high gloss Shadow Line and sports seats, and the M Sport model with accents in Aluminium satinated, front apron with specially shaped air intakes and BMW M rear apron in High-gloss Black lead the 1 Series up the dynamic BMW Media Information 05/2019 Page 4 ladder culminating in the BMW M135i xDrive. The flagship model stands out with features including a mesh-design BMW kidney grille, angle-cut tailpipe tips in Cerium Grey and a BMW M rear spoiler in body colour.
Cutting-edge new front-wheel-drive architecture…
A five year process of development has brought
all the experience acquired over recent years with front-wheel-drive BMW Group
models together in the new Series 1. Also
the transfer of technology from BMW i to the BMW core brand contributed to
create a proper BMW with a character all its own. Whether front-wheel-drive or
equipped with BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive, “the new 1 Series has
taken its agility to a level above its predecessor”, BMW claims.
An important factor here is the ARB (actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation) technology familiar from the BMW i3s. This is now making its debut in a combustion-engined vehicle and allows wheel slip to be controlled much more sensitively and swiftly than before. A standard feature of the BMW 1 Series, ARB uses a slip controller that is positioned directly in the engine control unit rather than in the control unit for the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) system. Eliminating the long signal paths, means that information is relayed three times quicker, while the driver perceives wheel slip being brought under control up to ten times faster. Actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation works in close tandem with the DSC system to bring about a clear reduction in the power understeer normally experienced in front-wheel-drive cars.
The ARB technology is assisted in its task
by BMW Performance Control (yaw moment distribution). This feature, also
included as standard on the 1 Series, gives it more agile handling by applying
the brakes as required at the wheels on the inside of the bend before the slip
threshold has been reached. The result is neutral steering behaviour. Besides
the standard suspension – which already has a dynamic set-up and is specially
tuned to the different engine variants – and the M Sport suspension with a 10
mm reduction in ride height, the all-new BMW 1 Series can also be specified
with the Adaptive suspension with VDC (Variable Damper Control) as an option.
Two models with BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive.
ARB technology and BMW Performance Control are likewise included in the BMW 120d xDrive and BMW M135i xDrive, which feature intelligent all-wheel drive as standard. Standard specification for the M135i xDrive also includes a newly developed mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential, which gives the car an even sportier edge by creating a locking effect between the front wheels.
Three diesel engines and two petrol
variants from launch. Customers can order their new BMW 1 Series with a choice
of three- and four-cylinder engines from the latest-generation BMW
EfficientDynamics family. A host of detail improvements give them better fuel
economy, lower emissions and, in some cases, more power than before. Three
diesel engines and two petrol units are available, developing from 85 kW (116
hp) in the BMW 116d (fuel consumption combined: 4.2 – 3.8 l/100 km [67.3 – 74.3
mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 110 – 100 g/km*) to 225 kW (306 hp) in the
BMW M135i xDrive. The new engine powering the latter model is the most powerful
four-cylinder unit in the BMW Group line-up. The BMW M135i xDrive dispatches 0
to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a mere 4.8 seconds (4.7 seconds with M Performance
package, available from 11/2019) on the way to a governed top speed of 250 km/h
(155 mph). Despite these impressive performance figures, combined fuel
consumption is just 7.1 – 6.8 litres per 100 km [39.8 – 41.5 mpg imp] and CO2 emissions
come in at only 162 – 155 grams per kilometre, says BMW. All the engines
available for the BMW 1 Series meet the Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard, while
the BMW 116d is already Euro 6d-compliant. The petrol engines are equipped with
a gasoline particulate filter and the diesels with a diesel particulate filter,
NOx adsorption catalyst and SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology.
Three different transmission technologies now available.
The BMW 116d, BMW 118d and BMW 118i come as
standard with the further-developed six-speed manual gearbox, while the seven-speed
dual-clutch Steptronic transmission can be specified as an option for the BMW
116d and BMW 118i. The eight-speed Steptronic transmission – available as an
option for the BMW 118d and standard on the BMW 120d xDrive – and the
eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission of the BMW M135i xDrive boast further
improved smoothness and acoustic properties. Intelligent connectivity allows
both automatic transmissions to adapt their shift strategy to the route and
traffic situation at hand.
Assistance systems from BMW models higher up the range.
A large number of innovative driver
assistance systems fitted in the BMW 1 Series have been taken from models
higher up the BMW range to make their debuts in the premium compact class;
Standard equipment in Europe includes
collision and pedestrian warning with city braking function, which also alerts
the driver to the presence of cyclists. Also fitted as standard is the Lane
Departure Warning system with active lane return, which is operational from 70
to 210 km/h (44 – 130 mph). Options include Active Cruise Control usable up to
160 km/h (99 mph) – on cars with automatic transmission and Stop & Go
function – plus the Driving Assistant, which comprises the Lane Change Warning
system, rear collision warning and crossing traffic warning.
Celebrating its premiere in the premium
compact class is the innovative reversing assistant, which stores the steering
movements for any section the car has just driven forward along at no more than
36 km/h (22 mph). The system is then able to steer the vehicle in reverse – for
distances of up to 50 metres at up to 9 km/h (5.5 mph) – along exactly the same
line it took when moving forward.
The smartphone as car key.
The BMW 1 Series is available with the
option of two new smart features that have previously only been seen in BMW
models higher up the ladder: the BMW Digital Key and the BMW Intelligent
Personal Assistant. Available as an option, the BMW Digital Key enables users
to lock and unlock the vehicle from a smartphone using Near Field Communication
(NFC) technology, rendering the conventional car key surplus to requirements.
Holding the smartphone up to the door handle opens the car – even if the phone
battery is dead. The engine can be started as soon as the phone has been placed
in the smartphone tray or wireless charging tray.
Operation by iDrive Controller, touch, voice or gestures.
The new BMW 1 Series lets drivers use a variety of operating methods, depending on the situation and personal preferences. In addition to the usual buttons on the centre console and steering wheel, other frontline control elements include the iDrive Controller – with touchpad from BMW Live Cockpit Plus upwards – and the standard 8.8-inch Control Display with touch screen functionality. BMW Live Cockpit Plus also adds a navigation system and intelligent voice control with online speech processing. BMW Live Cockpit Professional, based on the new BMW Operating System 7.0, brings together the fully digital display and operating system (including two 10.25- inch displays) with maximum connectivity and customisability….
The Series 1 has definitely grown up… we
are of course very anxious to gather first driving impressions!
A formidable driving experience on Italian roads: 710 horsepower under your right foot!
Your servant had the exquisite pleasure to drive the whole Jeep range on the roads and heavy terrain around the scenic Lago di Garda, and get acquainted with their unique panache and qualities, ranging from the rugged Rubicon to the superfast Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
Thr Wrangler proved its legendary Jeep stamina on the muddy mountain roads around the Lago…
Soon you will read the full report about our unique driving experiences in these columns, stay tuned!
The elegant, refined but totally rugged Grand Cherokee in front of the parish church of Rivoltella, built in the 15th century…
Klaus Busse told us about the sensuous essence of Italian Car design, and how it is embodied in Alfa Romeo…
This is the second part of our series about
the visit to the FCA Centro Stile in Torino. It started with an intriguing interview
and talk with Klaus Busse, head of Design for Fiat, Abarth, Lancia, Alfa Romeo
and Maserati, offering us interesting insights into the sculptural design
philosophy and language of the iconic sporting Milano brand. This talk
continues here…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Shaping the body of an Alfa is also performing the art of sculpture…
HktB: “When we look at earlier design, and I want to take you here to the first Giulia, you see this modernism with the aerodynamic concepts brought into the brand and also the first dashboards of this Giulia, with their, as the Germans say it, “neue Sachlichkheit”, a strictly modern, pure, rectangular style, with a horizontal ribbon speedometer flanked by a small rev counter and column gearchange. In later years, with the later updates of this Giulia, this was again replaced by floor gearchange, a wood rimmed three spoke steering wheel, and two classic round dials for speed and revs in their individual clusters.
The shape of the three spoked wheel of the Tonale is also inspired by the historic Montreal…
Back to tradition, again we would say. What can you say about this tension between absolute, purified modernism and a more traditional (sporting) tradition in the styling language of the brand?
B: This is a beautiful question, thank you for this. Of course, we have the same challenge here. When I say Italian design process, let’s start with the classical approach and then I will come back to the modern aspect. The classical approach at Centro Stile, even though we have virtual reality, we do virtual reality reviews with the teams around the world, we scan, we mill, we digitize, we use computers, out of these 200 people, a big amount of people is dealing with computers, one way or the other.
Marrying the sporting styling language with today’s materials and connectivity…
But, when we design an Alfa Romeo, we always do it by hand. Meaning, that once the sketch is created, and we have the model in front of us, out of clay and clay material, hand modeling is still the king. Because, unless you shop online, when you buy any of your clothes, you look at it and you touch it. Because touch is for us humans such an important thing. And the other thing is, when you look at the car itself, we want to create something than feels good to the hand. I always say to joke, the best way to experience an Alfa Romeo is to hand wash it.
You discover an Alfa by touching, and hand washing it…
As a matter of fact, any car, when you hand wash it, you experience it. And there are some brands that take a lot of pride in super sharp edges, and it is not a very nice experience hand washing that car. It is not criticism; I am just pointing that out. Our way is to have the very sensuous experience touching an Alfa Romeo. And you can only achieve that if you hand model the car. Now we support it with computer, because we want to be fast in our process and we want to have high quality. Clearly, the creation process is manual, and that is a very Italian thing.
Also the seats are a work of dedicated sculpture…
This is the land of sculptures. You go to Florence, Rome, there are beautiful sculptures. Then of course, when it comes to technology, like the lighting technology, we can use the modern technology to emphasize graphics which were not possible in the past. You go from halogen reflector to projectors that are very, very slim, so that’s on the exterior where the technology helps us.
Coming to the interior, there is a lot of discussion about connectivity, screens these days. So for us, the question for Alfa Romeo is always, considering we build a drivers’ car, with the handling of the car being equally important, so what room do we dedicate to screens and connectivity experience, and what you don’t see in this concept car and in an Alfa Romeo, is these big screens, the “tombstone” that almost blocks your view, that almost screams for attention.
Big screens do not block the drivers’ vision…
For Alfa Romeo, we do use these screens, we have of course large screens in this vehicle, we also have 12 inch cluster, etc, etc, we have all that, but we keep it more like it’s here to support you, but it is not saying “look at me, look at me”…
The graphics themselves, what we use, is of course state of the art, in terms of connectivity, in terms of HMI, so for is, this is the connection we try to find between the classic approach to handmodelling, sculpting, and the historic approach to design, but then combining it with state of the art technology, how we assist the driver, and bring an enjoyable experience to being in the car. It is a long answer to your question, but it was a very very good question because it comes very close to what we are dealing with every day, how do you combine these two worlds.”
Directed towards the driver, while he keeps his eyes on the road…
The
conversation was far from over, but then covers different subjects, with we
will soon continue to cover in a following part in this series…
Race bred by Toyota Gazoo Racing: the latest Supra.
There are car builders which nurture classic and iconic sports cars and bring them to perfection. A classic two seater coupé with a well sounding straight six under its long hood and with all the power fed to the rear wheels.
This car builder is Toyota, and the car is the Supra. This sports/GT has been honed and carefully improved over five model generations now and is better than ever.
The Supra is not only race proven over the years, speeding from success to success under the flag of Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s President Aiko Toyoda actually hurtles this Supra himself around the Nürburgring Nordschleife for hours on end. The result is a breathtaking machine. We present you here its highlights…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
First worldwide GR model of Gazoo Racing
Actually this fifth generation marks a remarkable début for Toyota Gazoo Racing, in establishing its GR model range. They couldn’t have chosen a better car.
Toyota Gazoo Racing is the global
organisation of Toyota’s worldwide racing and sporting activities. They chalked
up last year a win in Le Mans and also won the Dakar rally.
Tetsuya Tada’s masterpiece
Chief engineer kept the layout and character of the original GT 2000 and the previous Supra generations firmly in mind when designing this latest Supra.
Aiko Toyoda sat himself behind the wheel to give the Supra its final touch…
Short wheelbase, wide track, low gravity
point, low weight and a very stiff chassis are the ingredients for pur sang
handling. The 3 litre straight six has a twin scroll turbo and develops 340 DIN
horsepower and 500 Nm torque. It is coupled to an eight-speed automatic
transmission, and guarantees powerful accelerations and indeed tons of pulling
power at all engine speeds.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing was instrumental in honing the new sports car’s performance, working extensively on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife and surrounding roads in Germany to achieve the most agile, stable and rewarding handling possible. Further extensive testing was carried out on roads around the world.
An 8 speed automatic lets you control the power like a master…
To be certain that the car delivered on its promise, Toyota President Akio Toyoda himself put it to the test at the Nürburgring in his role as a Master Driver before giving it the final green light.
New Toyota GR Supra customer deliveries
will start from summer 2019. By the way, did you know that all cars will be
manufactured in Graz, Austria?
Just look at the photos here, and indeed we
are looking forward to driving this absolute gem!
BMW driving art is again to be seen in the capital of Europe: In its flagship Brand Store, BMW organizes until June 1 an Art & Design Expo. The 18th BMW Art Car, a BMW M6 GT3 with multimedia design, has been created by the Chinese female artist Cao Fei, is the focus point of this show. It is even to be enjoyed and admired with the use of an app bringing the car to you on your smartphone with enhanced reality. A stunning experience, of which we show here some photos, but which has to be seen to be believed.
Hans Knol ten Bensel
In the Brussels BMW Brand Store you can join the stunning journey to discover this Art Car in augmented reality…
This virtual animation is also created by the artist, and forms an integral part of the car. “We are now entering a new era where the mind can steer objects directly and thoughts can be transferred, like unmanned controls and artificial intelligence.” comments Cao Fei.
Follow this path in the showroom and zero in with your Ios device on this graph to experience the augmented reality… Download the app BMW ART CAR #18 on your mobile (IOS) device, follow the screen instructions and enjoy!
The work of Cao Fei illustrates the fast and stunning changes in China and its society. With her BMW Art Car she spans a road which stretches over thousands of years, honouring the spiritual wisdom of Asia, which now enters the third millennium with breathtaking speed. The film can of course also be viewed on YouTube, using the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_GNSyeIpOY&feature=youtu.be.
A video which focuses on the millennial time which a spiritual person travels through… Finishes with presenting the augmented reality…
The multimedia artist approaches the
concept of a BMW Art Car in her own unique way, with which she builds a
parallel universe.
Her work consists of three components: a video that focuses on the millennial time which a spiritual person travels through, augmented reality with colourful light particles (via a special app called BMW Art Car # 18) and the BMW M6 GT3 racer in the original colour carbon black.
As a tribute to the carbon fibre structure of the BMW M6 GT3 applies Cao Fei a lot of non-reflective black paint, which means the possibilities in the digital world are endlessly applicable.
The application of video and augmented reality creates an environment in which the BMW M6 GT3 plays an essential role. Cao Fei uses in her video spiritual movements that express themselves in colourful flashes of light.
Point your device on the graph and a whole enhanced world opens to you…
When the app is used in the vicinity of the car, these light accents are transformed into an augmented reality installation that floats above and around the BMW M6 GT3. In this way, the viewer becomes interactively involved in the artwork.
Just download the app BMW ART CAR #18 on your mobile (IOS) device and follow the instructions on your screen.
The BMW Art Car Tradition runs back already decades… more about this in a special report!
Practical info:
The
exhibition runs until May 31, at BMW Brand Store Brussels, Waterloolaan 23,24, 1000
Brussel
We photographed the first e-tron we drove at the entrance of the beautiful Middelheim park in Antwerp…
When visiting Audi’s “The Place To-e” in Antwerp, we took the opportunity to slide behind the wheel of Audi’s all-electric SUV flagship. It is already quite familiar to us seeing it produced, as your servant has made already several guide tours around the Brussels factory where it is built.
I will also continue to do so and in the
near future be able to welcome you there to show you around the production
lines, but until now we never had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of
one.
Of course, Audi Import in the person of PR
Manager Audi Belgium, D’Ieteren – Audi Import Sofie Luyckx will rather sooner
than later offer me a longer test drive in one, but we tell you here already
our “first drive” experiences.
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Impressive in ingenuity, style and build quality
The e-tron makes a statement of quality and style when you approach it. This is even reinforced when you see the dashboard and cabin and slide behind the wheel. Clean, well balanced, superbly finished, this is what your eyes and hands see and feel.
All commands are digital/virtual, or via stylish knobs like the drive selector…
The instruments, dials and function knobs are all digital, embedded in shiny black surfaces, which are ergonomically ideally angled towards you. You would like to touch them with gloves, as your fingers leave marks on their semi-matte surfaces. Maybe we should go back – with pleasure – to this gentlemen drivers’ tradition of wearing fine leather gloves when driving a car, certainly with a noble example like this one.
It is all breathing this angular futuristic
Audi styling language, which has a timeless balance to it.
Comfort in silence and refinement
We took this e-tron fro a very gentle urban ride, testing out the energy recuperation modes when decelerating and/or braking, which is very cleverly controlled in intensity by the paddles on the steering wheel. A very refined touch.
Progress is of course, as an e-car befits, silky smooth, with ample acceleration power delivered by both engines fore and aft. With this luxury SUV it is combined with excellent suspension comfort, and here the Audi really stands out. This is further enhanced by the superb seats, which make the picture of a fine quality car offering top level refinement complete.
In the neighbourhood of the “The Place To-e” in Antwerp is the magnificent Middelheim park, and this is where we photographed the e-tron for you.
Soon more about this superb car, when we
have it for a longer drive…
Klaus Busse talked with us in depth about the Alfa Romeo Tonale…
Our series about the visit to the FCA Centro Stile in Torino starts with an intriguing interview and talk with Klaus Busse, vice president of Design for Fiat, Abarth, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, offering us interesting insights into the sculptural design philosophy and language of the iconic sporting Milano brand.
Of course this is not all. This in depth
talk and interview covers more aspects about the Tonale, and furthermore also the
Fiat approach to automotive product design…so we decided to split this
interview into a series, focusing in more detail on the various aspects. So stay
tuned on these columns for further reports in this series!
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The original wooden styling sculpture of the legendary Multipla stands proudly in the entrance hall of the Torino based FCA Centro Stile…
Having walked through the impressive
entrance hall of the Centro Stile, we started off with a question about how
this styling centre is set up.
B: “It is of course every day a joy for me to walk through the several studios of our Centro here. Every brand has a separate studio, and you met earlier here with Scott Krugger, the head of design for Alfa Romeo. (Note: this will be our next interview in this series). Every brand has their own head of design. We have 200+ individuals working here, from around the world. It is a very international team, we look at ourselves as the “espresso beans”, because as you know, espresso beans also come from around the world, but with the Italian process it creates an Italian iconic drink, and with the Italian process of design, we hopefully, you will agree, we are able to create Italian iconic design, even though the designers are not coming only from Italy, but from around the world.
We went first to the room of Alfa Styling department
Q: We are here seeing today shoulder to shoulder two different cars on our visit: the Tonale and the Centoventi…
B: I can tell you here first a few words about the Tonale itself, and notably also of the Fiat Centoventi. (Note: which we will also discuss later in separate interviews). It is a very rare thing for us to go to a show with two concept cars, and the beautiful thing we were able to do with the Alfa Romeo and the Centoventi, is that we were able to show the two sides of Italian design, the way we see it. So we have in front of us here with the Tonale the classic sculptural beauty of Italian design, and with the Centoventi we have the Italian approach to product design, applied to the car. So you see the two extremes of Italian design in the automotive sphere.
In the Fiat Centro Stile room, we stood eye to eye with the Centoventi… more about it later in this series!
With the Tonale, the challenge was, since it is again an SUV, and we have already an SUV with the Stelvio, to create something that is typical Alfa Romeo, but has nothing to do with the Stelvio in terms of the shapes. The Stelvio is a very muscular car, with emphasis on the wheels and the voluptuous shapes, here on the side you see we have a different construction of the car, we have a completely different front, so the challenge was that with our second entry to the SUV market, we do not create a copy of the big brother, like you see with other companies, who are just adopting a same design and adapt it to different sizes. We wanted to create something completely different with the Tonale.
The horizontal “eyebrow” line is clearly seen here…
Q: Will this car be a trendsetter for the future Alfa design?
The one thing you will not hear me talk about today is the future. I will talk about the present, about the Tonale, but I will not lift the veil more. All I can say is that I think we found something which is a beautiful progression. I saw that my team put the 8C model here, and maybe that allows me to highlight where I see the progression what the team has done here, when we look at the front. The 8C, the 4C, the Stelvio, the Giulia, all of these cars have basically have this hood line, it is a flowing design, and it nicely encompasses the grille. This face was applied to all current generation vehicles.
The muscle lines on the hood converging into the Scudetto, as seen here in the 8C, is now completely given up in the Tonale…
With the Tonale, we completely gave up this kind of interpretation, you still see the muscles of course leading to the Scudetto, but we went to a much more horizontal design. So we went from a vertical design to a horizontal design, and that of course is a completely different construction of the front, and this much I can tell you, we would not do this just for one car…
Klaus Busse dedicated a drawing to your servant… with the horizontal line clearly visible…
Because here, the 8C created a family of cars, and in this case again, it might create a new family of cars…
As
said stay tuned for the next part of this interview, where we will talk in
depth about tradition and modernity embodied in today’s Alfa design language…
We will have this week a workshop visit the
Centro Stile of the FCA Group, where we will also be able to have an interview
and talk with the designers who created the stunning Alfa Romeo Tonale and Fiat
Centroventi. Both cars are very important harbingers of things to come, both
for Alfa and Fiat.
The Tonale concept car is the Italian brand’s first plug-in hybrid compact SUV, and after its global debut in Geneva, it was first seen in Italy at the 58th edition of the “Salone del Mobile.Milano”.
The Tonale will be one of the stars discussed and seen at the workshop…
The Tonale concept car embodies all Alfa
Romeo’s trademark language of beauty: it is a compact UV for urban use with a
sporty personal In keeping with the Alfa Romeo manifesto, every detail is designed
around the driver, with driving pleasure delivered through ergonomics, use of
premium materials and, above all, unrivalled dynamic handling. Furthermore, the
Tonale concept car is the Alfa Romeo take on electrification.
The front end displays the trademark
trefoil and the distinctive Alfa Romeo shield, which acts as a bold focus
point. Completing the design of the front end and accompanying this iconic
element are “3 plus 3” light clusters which in turn evoke the proud
look of SZ and Brera.
The rear of Tonale is characterized by an
enveloping rear window completed on the top by a suspended wing that exalts
continuity with the clear sunroof. As for every Alfa Romeo, design is
characterised by a distinctive touch. The rear light clusters are more like a
graphic sign than an optical lighting element, a sort of signature created
directly by the hand of an artist.
On the sides, the full and elegant volumes recall
the Duetto or the Disco Volante Spider, while the “Linea GT” of
Tonale reinterprets the pouncing stance and feeling of safety conveyed by the
award-winning GT junior.
Several celebrated style elements are
picked up in its design to become a tangible manifestation of the brand’s
history in a performance which elicits a modern approach to new Alfa Romeo
anatomy. The “teledial” wheel, for instance, is an element which hints
to the traditional DNA of Alfa Romeo. The design of 21-inch rim of Tonale
invokes the concept of a rotary telephone dial through a light architectural
structure for a clear, high-impact interpretation of the circular theme. This
style choice dates back to the 1960s, when it was sported by the iconic 33
Stradale.
The cockpit of Tonale is boldly designed
around driver but also to accommodate passengers in comfort. The contrast of
premium materials, such as cool solidity of aluminium that meets the warm softness
of leather and Alcantara, enhance the emotions of both driver and passengers.
Inside, there are translucent panels and a backlit central tunnel. The DNA mode
selector, one of the key elements of Alfa Romeo, is perfectly at ease on the
tunnel.
Comes the Concept Centoventi…
Fiat Concept Centoventi is fundamentally a “blank canvas” ready to be painted to suit the customer’s tastes and needs at any time of his life or day, without no customisation restrictions linked to the specific time of purchase. In fact, it will be produced in just one livery, which customers will be able to personalise using the “4U” program, with a choice of 4 roofs, 4 bumpers, 4 wheel covers and 4 external wrappings. So, just like modern devices, this vehicle can be updated with the greatest freedom and imagination in its colours, interior configuration, roof configuration, infotainment system and even battery range. And this is one of the concept car’s strong points: owners no longer have to wait for new special editions or facelifts, as they can “change” their cars any day they like. It is made even more revolutionary by the presence, at the launch, of 120 additional accessories that will generate a genuinely new business model, as well as a community of Fiat Concept Centoventi fans.
In other words, Fiat Concept Centoventi is
the response to a real design and business challenge, which embodies the
functional spirit of the brand and pays tribute to its 120 years of history, at
the same time, with a modern take on some trademark style elements that hint to
the Panda of the 1980s. Fiat Concept Centoventi is inspired by Italian design
and embodies Fiat’s “less is more” concept, which means getting rid
of everything unnecessary and complex in a car to provide more space for people
(More You), for attention to the environment and the community (More Care) and
for the brand’s DNA in terms of values and looks (More Fiat). By playing these
three cards, Fiat Concept Centoventi revolutionises the idea of electric
mobility, in town and out, successfully overcoming the tougher and tougher
challenges – in terms of traffic, regulations and costs of ownership – while
simultaneously making the most of the new opportunities offered by electricity.
Soon we will treat you in these columns
with a fascinating tale about what we heard, saw and experienced at the Centro
Stile in Turin… stay tuned!
When we first stood eye to eye with this
Kia, we were convinced. This shooting brake has what it takes. Just look at the
fluent lines of this Shooting Brake, which seems to move even when standing
still. And then we say nothing about the dynamic 204 HP heart of this car, and
the way it handles and rides.
Just some extra info here to complete the
picture: the popular and very European Kia Ceed range has been designed in Kia’s
European Design Centre in Frankfurt under the guidance of European Head of
Design Gregory Guillaume and President of Design and Chief Design Officer Peter
Schreyer, and is manufactured at the Zilina plant in Slovakia. It has sold 1,3 million
cars in Europe since its début in 2006, and is indeed going from strength to
strength. Just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Well proportioned and pleasing…
Indeed, the design team in Frankfurt know what they are doing. We rarely saw in this class – taking into account its wheelbase of 2.650 mm – a car which looks so sleek and elegant. Indeed, the ProCeed is only 5 mm longer than the Ceed, and shares its “K2” platform. No surprise that the ProCeed actually won the Australian Red Dot Design Award, and we must admit that in the black colour scheme which we found on our test car, this Kia has style and panache. The GT version we drove also runs on 18 inch alloys, which don’t hurt either.
The cabin follows through on the elegance shown outside. Matte chromed inserts, nice round dials, a well positioned “floating” 8 inch touchsreen above the heating / ventilation commands, all very inviting and intuitive. This is one of the cars where one is not overwhelmed by too much futurism and where one finds its way in seconds. The design and execution of the door panels is also showing excellent taste and has a distinct premium touch. The central fascia panel is now finished in a high quality, anti-scratch gloss black…
Driving is believing
A gentle push on the matte chromed starting button and “Drive” is soon selected on the excellent 7 speed dual clutch transmission. A docile 1,6 litre petrol engine hums to life.
But this is no sleeper, even when it sounds very refined and subtle when idling. This machine is the Hyundai Gamma GDI series unit, with four valves per cylinder and D-CVVT or dual continuous variable valve timing. Wow! Turbocharged, it delivers a solid 204 HP at 6000 rpm, and offers a healthy 265 Nm of torque over a wide rev range between 1500 and 4500 rpm. Yes, you understood. This means zest, and indeed it will shoot away from 0 to 100 km/h in merely 7,7 seconds, hurtling further to a top speed of 230 km/h. If this is not super car performance, it comes really close.
The GT pilot is treated to an even more sporting experience, not only with extra engine sound coming from the speakers, but also with the possibility to select different driving modes. In the “Sport” mode, steering response is different, and the gearbox will let rev the engine markedly higher. The ProCeed has in standard version already all what it takes to cling to the road. Electronic Stability Control, ESC is standard, as well as Kia’s Vehicle Stability Management (VSM). This means Torque Vectoring by Braking-technology can be included.
The ProCeed GT was developed under the guidance of Albert Biermann, President Vehicle Test & High-Performance Development for Hyundai-Kia. Six months of additional tests have improved the handling even further, and this really shows. Agile and precise, this ProCeed feels utterly at home on mountain passes, winding roads, city boulevards and Autobahnen. A true, well handling GT, with thoroughbred character and panache.
The handling does not come at the expense of comfort, and indeed this ProCeed handles even quite uneven roads without trouble. For spirited as well as long distance driving, the recaro-type front seats provide excellent support. Consumption is reasonable, and we stayed in the 7 to 8 liter/100 km range without effort.
Practical
The name shooting brake says it already. You can expect passenger and luggage space, and indeed, this ProCeed delivers. Luggage space is plenty, with 594 liter, and of course, the rear backrests can be folded in 40:20:40 fashion. Our test car came with the Smart Power Tailgate, and the loading floor is completely flat.
There is also a net for small luggage and a rail system. A last word about the infotainment system: combined with the 8 inch screen the navigation and Kia Connected Services are steered by TomTom®. The system has full smartphone-integration with Apple CarPlay™ (for the iPhone 5 and newer) and Android Auto™ (for Android-phones which run on version 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher).
Our test
car was also equipped with a marvelous ‘Premium Sound System’ from JBL with the
restoration technology Clari-Fi.
Conclusion
A very endearing, stylish shooting brake with a marvelously willing and pleasant drivetrain, which invites you for a very engaging drive as well as a smooth stroll on urban roads. The available space is quite sufficient, the styling, choice and quality of materials and sheer workmanship and finish are quite worthy of a premium segment car. When considering a roomy hatchback with a beautiful rear end, certainly do have a long look (and drive) of this one…
Autoprova - for the Connaisseur 