Category: prototypes

70 years of DS, a unique adventure: the story of its iconic engineers…

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 Already in 1934, the dream of the goddess of the road began: Citroën designers drew the first contours of a more streamlined body for the “Traction”, which was launched only a few months earlier.

This year we celebrate 70 years of DS, as indeed the iconic DS 19 was launched in October 1955, this year now 70 years ago.

Reason enough to delve into the stunning history of the birth of this goddess, and subsequently also DS Automobiles, who since 2014 carries further the tradition of making superbly styled, avant-garde automobiles offering exquisite comfort and panache.

Your servant started to delve into his archives, and here is a tale, which every car enthusiast can adopt as an exquisite story to be told at a dinner table with friends and family, about the men with a unique “Génie Français” which led to the birth of a truly unique automobile.  

Hans Knol ten Bensel

But development work started rather in earnest in 1938, when Pierre Boulanger codenamed the project for a successor of the Traction VGD, or “Voiture à Grande Diffusion”

The man behind it all: Pierre Boulanger...

But first a word about the actors of this unique engineering adventure. It starts with Pierre Boulanger,  who was a so-called “Michelin man”. He started working for Michelin in 1918, reporting directly to Eduard Micheli, co-director and founder of the business. Boulanger joined the Michelin board in 1922, and in 1938, he became the company’s joint managing director.

What has Michelin to do with Citroën? In December 1934, despite the support of the Michelin company, Citroën filed for bankruptcy. In that same month Michelin, already the car manufacturer’s largest creditor, decided out of necessity to become its principal shareholder.

Pierre Boulanger then became the assistant of Pierre Michelin, who was already the chairman of Citroën. Boulanger became the vice-president and chief of the Engineering and Design department. He became president in 1937 until his accidental death behind the wheel of a Traction 15 CV . He also jointly managed the Michelin company.

Pierre Boulanger was already since 1936 working on a project to create the TPV (short for ‘Très Petite Voiture’). This led, as you might already know dear reader, to the birth if the 2 CV, affectionately called by the French “La Deuche”.

The driving genius of the project: André Lefebvre …

But let’s go back to our VGD project, which he started with the help of André Lefebvre, the spiritual father of the Traction. Another most important actor in our tale. He was an engineer with unique insight and creativity, with a wonderful talent to think out of the box. He was a lifelong friend of aviator, artist and also car designer and engineer André Voisin. And this is a man who designed and built absolutely stunning cars.

André Lefèbvre in his younger years, a keen racing engineer, working for Voisin…

We show you here a photo of the Voisin which was to be seen in the Brussels Autoworld museum last year. It was also André Voisin who recommended Lefebvre to André Citroën.

The man behind the hydropneumatic suspension: Paul Magès

The genius who invented and developed the legendary hydraulic suspension was Paul Magès. He came to Citroën as a draughtsman at the age of 17 and a half, and made a wonderful career thanks to its practical sense, creativity and entrepreneurship. In September 1940 he was promoted to quality engineer and in 1942 Pierre Boulanger included him in his research team, to create and develop a suspension system for the 2 CV. Here his out of the box thinking and creativity proved crucial.

Already early in the development, he saw the advantages of a liquid that would compress a gas. It was a new idea that Paul Magès began to experiment with in 1944 on a 2 CV with a very crude system comprising 1 gas tank per wheel, which theoretically made it possible to vary the flexibility from one to four, with a gas and a liquid separated by cork. Cork will not withstand high pressure however. This archaic start is refined, perfected, tested a multitude of times, and the results are always more surprising. Paul Magès then created his own team which manufactured all the organs itself. The skills of each person are at stake, in the feverish atmosphere of research. The theory gradually became reality, the concept was simplified, the tests multiplied, the results were refined.

First trials of a hydropneumatic suspension on the 2 CV prototype…

In 1946, Pierre BOULANGER encouraged Paul Magès to continue his research, no longer on the 2CV but this time on a front-wheel drive, because it was necessary to think about the future VGD car. (Mass Circulation Car)

Besides the suspension, the car had to be revolutionary, and Boulanger proposed a monocoque structure in which the centre of gravity would be as low as possible, the roof and bonnet would be of aluminium and the floorpan would support unstressed, lightweight body panels. 

The hydraulic suspension found its way on the rear axle of the six cylinder 15 CV Traction…

In 1949, Paul Magès, after multiple tests, finally developed a hydropneumatic suspension that he put to the test in the cold in the Nordic countries, then in Algeria for resistance to high temperatures. It was from this adventure that the idea of a manual height control was born, in order to allow the vehicle to face snow or chaotic terrain. Other trials will be the source of questioning, creations, and multiple improvements.
In 1953, the hydropneumatic suspensions were deemed reliable enough to equip the 15 six, then the DS 19…

But soon more about the story of the DS in the following 70 years since its birth…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

BMW makes you dream in the sky…

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Designers can make you dream, and at BMW this is no exception. It brought to this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este a unique design study: the BMW Concept Skytop. It has clearly athletic proportions, and Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design, commented: “It offers a combination of driving dynamics and elegance at the highest level, comparable to its historic ancestors, like the BMW Z8 or BMW 503.”

Indeed, it does, its lines, surfaces and volumes breathe the classic proportions of its iconic predecessors. Is it a harbinger for future BMW styling? It certainly has interesting details, like winglets integrated into the door shoulders replace conventional door handles. Light-alloy wheels with precise lamellas are also adding elegance and drama.

We like the impressive long bonnet and the classic kidney grille, and also the retracted rear end and the pronounced central spline, which runs over the bonnet through the interior and ends an aluminium trim positioned on the tailgate, add both panache.

The LED headlight units, positioned on milled aluminium carriers, were custom developed for the BMW Concept Skytop, utilizing the latest technology and design for automotive headlights with the slimmest profile currently available.

We also love the leather-finished roll-over bar behind the BMW Concept Skytop’s two seats, as it is combined with side fins on the B-pillar and a fully retractable rear window. The setup is quite practical: the two removable roof parts, also finished in leather, can be stored in a special compartment in the luggage space.

Color harmonies…

The colour scheme ensures a smooth transition from interior to exterior, regardless of whether the roof is open or closed. In the rear section, the reddish-brown tone of the roof flows into the muted silver with chrome shadow effect of the exterior paintwork. The technically elaborate colour gradient was crafted by an experienced master painter at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing (!)

…and luxury in brogue-style leather…

The leather seats in the interior carry brogue-style accents. The reddish-brown tone of the leather gives the whole interior a sense of luxury and spaciousness. Chrystal elements and further are artfully embedded in the gearchange lever and the cockpit, adding to the overall impression. The interior surfaces of the BMW Concept Skytop were crafted in the traditional saddlery of the BMW Group plant in Dingolfing.

The spirit of the Z8 reigns also in this concept car: under the hood roars the most powerful V8 engine in the BMW drive train portfolio.

Of course there is much more news on the BMW front: the new 3 Series Sedan and Touring, the new 5 series Touring and the first BMW i5 Touring, to say the least. Stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Stellantis Belux unveils cars and future plans in a multi-brand car show …  

Posted in Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Environment, Future car technology, Interviews, New Models, prototypesTagged , , , Leave a comment

Indeed, the  Management and PR team of Stellantis Belux, welcomed recently the Press and B2B to a, called ‘House of Innovation’.

A fitting initiative, set up in the absence of the Brussels Motor Shows, keeping the tradition in our country of a traditional show period and at the same time providing a platform for unveiling the latest innovations, concept cars and the future direction of the Stellantis brands.

Needless to say we were very keen to attend this event, giving your servant also the opportunity to have several interviews with the managers of several brands, which we will present soon on our columns. Here in this first report about this “Kickoff Press conference” we will focus on the future strategy of Stellantis and its plans for the Belux market. Just read further!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The event started with an inspiring introduction by Florian Kraft, CEO of Stellantis Belux…

…followed by interactive brand presentations and workshops. “This event symbolizes our continued pursuit of innovation and progress in the automotive world. We are excited to share our latest developments and our vision for the future with the press and our valued customers and partners,” said Florian Kraft, CEO.

Florian Kraft first pointed out the four core targets of the Stellantis “Dare Forward strategic plan 2030.” This plan will move Stellantis into a sustainable mobility tech company.

The first target is reducing its carbon footprint by 50 % in total CO2 emissions per vehicle compared with 2021, on the path to achieving carbon net zero in 2038. This then includes not only from well to wheel, but also throughout the entire supply chain. 

The second target is setting the course for 100% BEV sales in Europe and 50% in the United States in 2030. The third is achieving number one position in customer satisfaction. The fourth is doubling net revenues while transforming our business models and sustaining double-digit operating margins. How Stellantis will achieve this, will be the subject of a future report in our columns. Stay tuned!

Ambitions for 2024…

Looking ahead to 2024, Stellantis Belux has set itself several goals. In terms of network, the company aims to ensure a successful transition to the New Retailer Model using its existing network. Indeed, Stellantis is progressing at full speed in the execution of its Dare Forward 2030 Strategic Plan, with the ambition to be #1 in customer satisfaction in all markets, in products and services. Indeed, the customer experience will be at the core of this retailer model.

Customers will be able to take advantage of a multi-brand and multi-channel approach with a wider range of services. Dealers will have a new and efficient business model aimed at benefitting from Stellantis’ 14-brand portfolio, creating synergies, optimizing distribution costs and offering additional sustainable mobility solutions, says Stellantis. So far for the aims, let’s explain this further in more concrete terms.

In September last year, Stellantis launched the reorganization of its European dealer network, starting with four specific markets before extending it further across Europe in 2024. Stellantis announced it was ending its previous sales and services contracts with European dealers for its 14 brands and moving toward a new distribution framework based on an agency model. What is this agency model?

Under this model, the manufacturer becomes the retailer while the dealer remains the physical touchpoint with the customer. The agent/dealer receives a commission on each sale and no longer individually sets prices or discounts.

As the dealer does not have to purchase the cars from the manufacturers anymore, he does not carry significant commercial risks and has less administrative costs as billing and payment towards the customer is done by the manufacturer. It protects also the profitability of the retailer. Because, as everybody knows, profit margins on new car sales can fluctuate.

With the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE, the Lancia journey towards the future begins, drawing inspiration from the past

The advantage for the car manufacturer is a direct contact with the customer, which it did not have so far….

The manufacturer can now determine end-customer discounts themselves, in this way achieving price consistency and avoiding  competition between dealers of the same brand. They can optimize costs through centralization, and profit from the scale effect of transferring responsibilities from individual dealerships to the bigger sales organizations on national levels.

The new Alfa Romeo Stradale: the future is already a pur-sang reality…

It also is more in line with today’s consumer preferences, which would rather see fixed prices and an equally simple buying process as they experience in e-commerce.

Stellantis is moving towards this model in big steps now. In September last year, Stellantis announced that the revised retail model will be fully effective from Sept. 4, starting with Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Stellantis is not the only one to prefer this agency sales model. BMW and Mercedes opt for it too…

The BEV line up at Peugeot: towards a leading position in the B and C segment…

Stellantis market position in Belux …

In terms of sales, Stellantis Belux aims to regain the lost market share in 2024 and further strengthen its position. In 2023, Stellantis Belux achieved a global market share of 17.2%, with more than 100,000 units sold. On the LEV (Low Emission Vehicles) market, Stellantis Belux occupies a fourth place with an 11.6% market share. The BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and the PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) occupy a fourth place with respectively 10.5% and 12.8%.

Stellantis Belgium confirms its strong position with a pole position in the segment A and with not less than six models of Stellantis (Peugeot e-208, Peugeot e-2008, Opel Corsa Electric, Jeep Avenger, Opel Mokka Electric, DS3 E-tense) in the TOP 10 of the segment B (BEV), representative 66% of the part of the segment.

Introducing petrolheads to the joys of E-power: the Abarth 500 E, waiting for the imminent 240 HP 600 E…

Last but not least, Stellantis Belux is the leader in the segment of the LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) with more than 30% of market share, of which more than 50% is electrified!

In terms of product innovation, Stellantis Belux will continue its electrification, where it currently leads in the A-B segment and LCV, and further expand it to the C segment with models such as the Opel Astra, Peugeot 308 and 3008 and Citroën C4.

As is tradition in January, the Stellantis brands start the year with super attractive “salon conditions” on their range. This applies to both private and professional customers and to electric and ‘thermal’ vehicles.

We made on this event interviews with Pierre Voineau, Managing Director Citroën Belgium & Luxemburg, (see photo here above), Asterio Perez, Managing Director of Fiat, Abarth and Fiat Professional in Belgium and Luxemburg, and last but not least Eric Laforge, Head of Jeep Brand Enlarged Europe.

This will be followed by a special report on the magnificent prototypes which were displayed amongst the 36 cars on this conference.

So stay tuned for (much) more soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Unique historic Porsches to be seen at Brussels Autoworld…

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Autoworld, the impressive car museum at the Brussels Cinquantenaire, holds now an exhibition ”Porsche, driven by dreams” celebrating the 75th anniversary of the brand. You can already read about it in our columns. Some 50 Porsches are displayed, many of them brought to the capital of Europe by the Stuttgart Porsche museum, with some of them never seen before on public display in Belgium.

It ranges from the 984 to the “Mission E” prototype, the latter which was a harbinger of the alternative future coming to us all.

The show was presented by PR manager Porsche Belgium Liana Picard, General director Autoworld Sebastien de Baere and last but not least car expert and curator of Autoworld Leo Van Hoorick, who showed us around the exhibition and offered us his expert comments and insights. (See photo here and further in the article).

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The 911 is now already 60 years among us, and your servant still remembers driving these 911’s with sporting abandon in the early seventies. I just loved to take these genuine drivers’ cars to the limit, their handling needed an expert hand, but they never betrayed me and on the contrary, it was a pure delight to master them. The flat six engine was then still air cooled, and the echo of their roar and hiss at high revs still echoes in my ears. Just look a bit further in our columns, click the following link: https://autoprova.be/2021/03/27/some-early-photos-from-my-automotive-beginnings/


Besides the iconic 911, of which we still found an absolute classic early version in the Museum, on display outside the specific Porsche show, just look at the photo here  above, there were indeed some very dramatic Porsche Museum Cars, and the most stunning for me was the Carrera GT with its V10 engine.  It is a stylish classic sportscar, breathing the “Zeitgeist” of two decades ago, with its clean, fluent lines, inspired by the bolides at le Mans.

It’s a carbon-fibre, mid-engined super car, and made its debut at the 2003 Geneva International Motor Show. It came three years after its debut appearance at the Paris Motor Show in prototype form – an event itself which caused such an explosion of interest that Porsche knew their dream needed to be made a reality. The birth of what is today considered one of the greatest of modern classic sports cars, says Porsche. We can only agree…

Pushing technical boundaries 23 years ago…

The Carrera GT is a car that pushed technological boundaries beyond any supercar of that time. Its beautiful profile encompassed a staggeringly powerful 612PS V10 engine that was a direct descendant of the 10-cylinder race engine developed for the Le Mans 24-hours of 2000. The only modifications the race engine required were those to meet worldwide emissions and noise regulations for road legal cars. In keeping with its push for innovation, the Carrera GT also pioneered the use of pure carbon fibre for its monocoque and subframe.  Performance is – considering even today’s standards – quite impressive. It can reach 100km/h in just 3.9secs and roar on to 200km/h in 9.9secs. The top speed of the Carrera GT is officially 330km/h.

The racing engine needs of course a fair amount of cooling. The huge air intake along the car’s flanks, along with the three radiators are five times larger in area than that of the Porsche 911 Turbo of the time.

Then there are the purposeful contours of the Carrera GT. It was designed by a team headed up by legendary Dutch car designer, Harm Lagaay. He already worked since 1971 for Porsche, and designed the 924. He moved to BMW in 1985, and designed for them the BMW Z1. Also purposeful and elegant. This purposefulness is found also in this GT. He returned to Porsche in 1989 as head of the “Style Porsche” department in Weissach, and oversaw the design of the Porsches of the period – the 968, 989 (the stillborn four door Porsche), 993 (the 1993-1997 generation of the 911 for which Englishman Tony Hatter is also credited), Boxster, 996 (the all-new 911 of 1997), last but not least the Cayenne and one of his absolute masterpieces, the Carrera GT.

General director Autoworld Sebastien de Baere…

Some 1270 units of the Carrera GT were made in total over its production life (manufacture ended in May 2006). Today, the Carrera GT Type 980 is an official member of the Porsche Classic family, which means both owners and those Porsche Classic partners and Porsche Centres who maintain the cars have access to an extensive supply of genuine parts. As you might expect, many of them are still on our roads and retail at around the $1 million range for a reasonably good example… Mind you, it cost close to half a million Euros when new…

Italian blood: the Carrera Abarth

Can you believe, looking at the picture above, that this car was built in 1960? Three years before the 911, as the dust sheet was pulled back on this brand-new Porsche model at the 1963 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Looking in profile, it is quite reminiscent of the overall proportions of the 911. Just a bit more muscular, racier, more pur-sang even. It is officially called the Porsche 356 B 2000 GS Carrera GTL Abarth, and for me, it is one of the “purest” Porsche street cars.

We go back to the early sixties here. To remain competitive in Grand Touring (GT) racing, Porsche needed lightweight versions of the 356 B. They looked south for help, and found it in the Italian-Austrian sports car builder and Porsche representative Carlo Abarth. He has enjoyed a good relationship with Zuffenhausen since their collaboration with the Type 360 Cisitalia Grand Prix car in 1947. Abarth now commissions Ugo Zagato in Milan to build 20 lightweight coupés. The handcrafted aluminium bodies featuring the characteristic air scoop on the rear are compact and streamlined. It is a true beauty with wonderful proportions, in our opinion a forerunner of what the 911 was to be.

Gave us expert information about the Porsches in the exhibition, connaisseur and Autoworld curator Leo Van Hoorick…

. The 356 B Carrera GTL Abarth weighs almost 120 kilograms less than the standard 356 B. The “marriage” of the chassis and body takes place in Milan, with the GTL receiving its finishing touches at Abarth and Porsche. The list of successes of the 356 B Carrera GTL Abarth includes class victories at the Targa Florio – in 1960 with a 1.6-litre engine, 1961 with a 2-litre Carrera unit – plus outright victory at the Lyon-Charbonnières Rally of 1960 as well as class wins at Le Mans.

Driving the Abarth GTL, racing drivers such as Hans Herrmann, Herbert Linge, Edgar Barth and Paul Ernst Strähle win world championship titles in 1961 for Porsche for GT cars with a displacement of up to 2 litres. Further international titles in 1961 include Heini Walter’s fourth victory at the European Mountain Championship and Hans-Joachim Walter’s win at the European Rally Championship.

Even with the 1,588 cc flat four, developing 135 hp or 99 kW, the 778 kg Carrera was 220 km/h fast…

There is a lot more to see in this Porsche exhibition in Autoworld, and we will come back on this in following reports, where we will delve more in detail about the Porsche prototypes and the iconic Gmünd Coupé. Stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We spoke with Milosz Tomanek, Premium Cluster Director Belux, about Lancia’s renaissance…

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In the magnificent surroundings of the Italian embassy in Brussels, we talked with Milosz Tomanek about Lancia’s return to the Belux market…

At the presentation of the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE and the announcement of the return of Lancia in Belgium, we had an interesting talk with the Director of the Premium Cluster Belux at Stellantis, on the opportunities of the iconic brand on the Belux market…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Q: The Belgian market has much potential for Lancia, but due to its long absence, the question arises what is now your client base and what is your approach to re-enter our market? We have the Dutch approach, where the market is already very digitised. Both countries have a very large fleet market, and this will also be the challenge for Lancia…

MT: Indeed, the fleet market is with around 70 pct of the total volume very important. For the premium segment, its share is even 80 pct. When we want to re-launch Lancia, we have to establish ourselves in this fleet market too. This is also the reason why we have electrified the new Ypsilon, and are offering a plug-in hybrid version as well as a full electric variant.

When we want to re-launch a brand, we have also to take the right steps to grow. We have to start from a solid base. The B segment is quite large in Belgium with a total volume of not less than 125.000 cars. We also have the private client. His market importance has admittedly diminished over time, but he exists. When a new model is launched by an Italian brand, it is the private client who is the first to show substantial interest.

Driven mostly by family members or acquaintances which had previous ties with the brand. When it was rumoured that Lancia would come back to Belgium, many private clients reacted eagerly to the news. This shows clearly that Lancia still stirs emotions and interest amongst many. Clients which are looking for emotion, design, a sporting touch, elements which are intrinsically part of Lancia. We must certainly not overlook this segment.

Q: I also think that the interest of the private client forms the basis for the subsequent appeal of the brand in the fleet market. Don’t you agree?

MT: Indeed, this is why the private client constitutes the basis of our market approach.

Q: Will you adopt for Lancia a similar service model which Stellantis uses for the other premium brands in the group, like DS for instance? MT: What you are saying now is somewhere the essence of the premium approach, but we have three brands with their own, specific identity. If you put the three brands in a showroom, the clients will invariably go to the niche or corner of their brand. But of course, what DS has established and built over the last few years is valuable. We have to offer a credible and worthy alternative of the German brands. Having said this, we have to offer a client experience which is at least as good as what the German competition is offering. But we don’t have to merely copy their approach. The client has to discover the identity of the brand in his service experience. Therefore we cannot simply copy what DS or Alfa does for its clients, but we take the right elements which are in line with the identity and character of the brand.  Last but not least we have to offer a proper atmosphere of the reception and showrooms of the dealerships.

One of my tasks is to find the synergies, but always with an eye for the specific identity of the brand. We don’t want to be merely a corner within the Alfa showroom, we want to offer a complete client experience, but then of course we will use the best practices learned with DS and Alfa Romeo. One must not forget that despite their iconic and long history, these brands are relatively young for the Belgian market in terms of a substantial market presence. But the brands nourish each other, this is also important for our distribution network.

There will be 10 dealers this year which will have also Alfa or even the three premium brands under one roof, and we see that proven best practices are shared for the three brands, inspiring but not cannibalizing each other in their specific client approach.  

Q: We will see the Ypsilon in a full electric and electrified hybrid version, also to enable a smooth transition for the existing Ypsilon owners to this electric age, which is certainly indicated for senior clients who live in urban areas and apartments…

MT: Indeed, there is a philosophy behind this. We will not dictate what the client has to buy. We will listen to the client, but at the same time we have to project what the client of the future will buy. We notice that the market is getting more mature what full electric purchases is concerned, and political decisions now cause a rapid expansion of this segment. But this switch is slower for clients living in urban areas.  

Thanks to the financial strength of the Stellantis Group, we could carefully work out our renaissance strategy and roll it out judiciously step by step. This consistency has helped me when I started up the team and the retailers were identified. Credibility was already created. One should keep in mind that irrespective of the fact that a brand has been absent of the market for 5 or 10 years, you only have one chance to (re)launch a brand successfully. You have to do it right. I am convinced we are doing it the correct way…

Q: Thank you for this interview.

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Lancia is back…

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Belgium has always been a country with many Lancia enthusiasts, and the iconic brand returns therefore in its renaissance strategy also to our country and Luxemburg as one of its 6 major European markets. We could witness the presentation at the Italian embassy in Brussels of the beautiful and stunning Lancia Pu+Ra HPE, a concept car which embodies, as Lancia puts it,  “the brand manifesto for the next 10 years in terms of design, interior home feeling, sustainability, electrification and effortless technology.” We will come back in more detail on the styling and innovations incorporated in this car, which will indeed be a harbinger of things to come for the brand.

At the press conference, we listened to four speakers, Mr. F. Colonnese Business Development Manager EE (see photo here above) , Mr. C. Louwerse_Premium Cluster Director NL, Mr. Milosz Tomanek_Premium Cluster Director Belux and last but not least Emanuele Tomassorri, Exterior Designer.

We could have an interview with both misters Tomanek and Tomassorri, which you will see further soon in our columns.

Milosz Tomanek, Director of the Stellantis Premium Cluster in Belgium and Luxembourg (photo here above) stated “as soon as we announced Lancia return to Belgium and Luxembourg, we set up a dedicated team to work on and implement the brand Renaissance, making of Lancia the brand that embodies the Italian elegance. For the launch of the new Ypsilon in 2024, we will have 10 retailers and 13 after-sales service points. We are ready to have Lancia back and make of Belgium and Luxembourg two of the main European markets for Lancia.” Lancia will also launch the Gamma in 2026 and last but not least the Delta in 2028. From 2026, Lancia will only be launching 100% electric models and, from 2028, it will only sell 100% electric cars.

Lancia’s Roadmap for Europe

Lancia’s arrival in Belgium and Luxembourg is another step of the brand’s Renaissance towards its internationalization and forms part of a roadmap in line with the Stellantis “Dare Forward 2030” strategic plan.

By the first half of 2024, the brand will have 70 new retailers in 70 major European cities and 100% of the letters of intent have already been signed. The strategy involves, as Lancia puts i officially, a new efficient and innovative distribution model, with a selected number of retailers based on a key concept of Lancia Renaissance: quality.

The new showrooms will provide customers with a totally immersive experience, both online and offline, recreating a “home feeling” atmosphere, thanks to materials, colors and attention to detail, inspired by Italian architecture and design.

As said, more soon with interviews and further separate reports and comments on the design of the Pu+Ra HPE…

we just tell you here that the name Lancia Pu+Ra HPE is based on Pu+Ra, the brand’s new pure and radical design language, whereas HPE stands for ‘High-Performance Electric’…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We spoke with Pierre Leclercq: “our Citroën Oli is not only style. It is French Design.”  

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, Driving accessories, Environment, Fashion, Future car technology, Interviews, Lifestyle, New Models, Profiles, prototypes, Suppliers and car industryLeave a comment

On the Brussels Salon, Citroën showed its already iconic Oli prototype, a harbinger of things to come in the Citroëns which will be in the showrooms already this and next year. Reason enough for your servant to have a talk with its head of design, Pierre Leclercq, about the design philosophy of the progressive brand with the “double chevron”, and so much more…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

I started this interview asking indeed about this new design philosophy of the brand, striving towards simplicity, practicality, lightness, durability and sustainability in a very bold and original package.

PL: “With the Oli, there are two things. First there is the brand identity, as we show with the Oli styling elements which we will bring to the market as soon as this year. The front end, the new logo, the head- and rear lamps, also the coherence between the front and rear end. The latter is a very important element in our brand identity. (We have seen this already in the Ami – editor’s note).

The form language, the simplicity of the edges and the curves will also be seen on our future production cars, but then also the contrasting vertical elements will be present. Our designers will deviate here from the strictly automotive styling which you see in the other brands of the group, we have a non-automotive touch which will be a distinctive element in our future styling.

The magic goals of French Design…

The second fact is that the Oli is not just a styling exercise. It is not only style. It is really French Design. We work together with our engineers to reduce weight, the cost, we are striving for intuitive and simple solutions.

For instance the seats. It’s very important, we work with a whole team to get a seat which is very distinctive, which we can put into production. We discovered with the Oli that our clients are ready for these things. We see that our clients are ready to take bold steps together with us, because we have an image that we will bring something more on the road than just a nice looking car.

HKtB: This translates also into the choice of the materials, the dialogue with the suppliers about the substance and texture of the elements and their surfaces, their unique touch and feel, the atmosphere and character this gives to the car…

PL: We will be a zero carbon company in 2038, and this has a huge impact on materials. Not so long ago, the choice of the materials came very late in the process of building a car. The exterior and interior, the colors, it was seen as pure decoration. Here and there, one started to use recycled materials for some items, but that was it. This process is now completely turned around at Citroën. We now ask first to tell us which materials we can use, as we want recycled materials, unpainted, and we will go from there and adopt them. This is most interesting. And I think that our clients are also ready for this.

HKtB: These elements and this approach we also see in the Ami. The French, as even Mr. Tavares recently put it, love their individual mobility. The Ami is fit for the (mega)city… will there be other models geared for a new City Mobility in the spirit of the Oli?

We always search for new solutions…

PL:  We have many projects running now. It’s a bit like a funnel. When there is one project hitting the road, we have already other proposals in the pipeline. We are always searching for new solutions. If you remember, two years ago, we showed a rather disruptive project of robotized platforms, which is an intelligent use of the present day autonomous technology, in controlled urban areas. But I imagine perfectly in 2030 and 2035 that these solutions will be used in our cities. The design will then focus on the interior of the cabins and structures rolling on these platforms, a very interesting evolution.

The Ami represented a big risk for us, indeed, we thought about the city, but in fact, we scrutinized the clients who bought the Ami, age, location, etc, and we noticed that the Ami is not only used in the cities. We have clients who buy the Ami for their children and grandchildren, remember that in France you can drive an Ami at the age of 14, and it is better than a scooter. And in a market where these vehicles cost between 12 and 15.000 Euros, ours is available for 6.000 Euros… No small feat, as we respect the profitability margins of our group! It is now on the market for two years, and it has grown more into a lifestyle than a car. This is also what the 2 CV has achieved. It is not easy to create the same phenomenon in this day and age…

HKtB: Can you tell a bit more about your Ami buyers?

We have also many clients who buy an Ami for their holiday homes. And as I said, of course grandparents who buy the Ami for their grandchildren. There are also clients who own a Ferrari and buy an Ami for their third or fourth car…

HKtB: We talked earlier in Paris about your open mindedness towards other designers, in other sectors, who could become involved in offering elements of the car during its life, for example, that in a further future one could offer replacement seats for Oli’s or Citroëns who after years of intensive use get a bit long in the teeth… or, rather, offer parts and items to customize the new Citroëns…

PL: It’s a philosophy I love very much. People more and more want an object which is really theirs. Design is not a luxury anymore. If you go for an Ikea kitchen, you can still choose the finish, styling and colors you want, to make it yours. This is now also true for cars. We have started this with the Ami.

HKtB: It is also true for Jeep. Mopar offers a wide array of accessories.

PL: Indeed, this trend is already more prominent in the States. But with the Ami we started off in Europe with the same trend. Not that we offer many accessories, but we created a desire with the customer to customize his car. It’s like Apple. They don’t offer many accessories themselves, but are produced by Belkin etc. It is a very interesting path for our cars in the future. This will give us for instance incredible interiors. I want the client to appropriate our geometries. Why not share our geometries on the internet Open Space and invite the developers to have fun with it?

Every brand has its own design team to embody its proper DNA

HKtB: What is your relationship or rather dialogue between your styling department and the suppliers? Do they come present you what is possible, or after having established a manifest for yourselves what you want to do in styling in the next five years, let’s say, you ask them to come up with new materials, possibilities?

PL: The dialogue goes both ways. But I want to stress here that the design has become very important. The suppliers are specialized in offering technology, for instance for the platforms we have conceived within the group, but over the last 30 years, what have we done? Instead of asking PininFarina or Bertone to style all the cars in the world, we have all established our design centers which carry truly our DNA, and every brand has its own equipe or team of designers. This is génial, because we have cars within the group which don’t resemble each other at all…

HKtB: With the new materials comes also repair friendliness, durability…

PL: Indeed, we want our cars to have a longer lifespan, and we will refresh them within our network. We need of course more control as nowadays we don’t see the car anymore after it has been produced. We have to control the recyclability of the car. Otherwise it’s no use to build the car with recyclable materials.

HKtB: It think it is necessary to tell the client that his car now has a long life and that you as the manufacturer will follow the car throughout its life.

PL: Indeed, a lifelong car, staying with you the rest of your life.

HKtB: Indeed, that as a brand policy you commit yourself to the clients that your Citroën model, Type A, B, or whatever, that you will always follow this car for decades to come…

PL: Ca serait génial, that would be a stroke of genius. It is our goal. It would be very interesting and it would completely change the idea of the automobile of today.

HKtB:  The youth is already there. They support and adopt the circular economy. I think Citroën is the right brand to do this. 

PL: Indeed, we push within the Stellantis group for these concepts, and I think that our clients are far more inclined to make these choices than the buyers of other brands.

HKtB: I thank you for this interview. Thinking out of the box is always interesting.

PL: I thank you, always lovely to exchange these ideas, thank you for the conversation. I also think that every car we build has to make the life of our clients better. These are not empty words. The Ami improves lives. We offered a new service; in Paris, people smiled when they saw the car. It takes something to convince a Parisien!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

A look at Peugeot’s future products and electrification strategy with the INCEPTION CONCEPT…

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Featuring a revolutionary exterior and interior design, including the next-generation PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® and innovative Hypersquare control system with steer-by-wire technology, the INCEPTION CONCEPT will inspire PEUGEOT’s future products from 2025 onwards. The better news is that Peugeot plans to bring most of its innovations to production (!)

Based on the STLA Large platform, the fully electric INCEPTION CONCEPT is powered by a 100kWh battery providing a range of 497 miles. With two electric motors, the INCEPTION CONCEPT produces almost 680hp and accelerates from 0-62mph in under three seconds. The model also features 800V technology, enabling it to add 93 miles of range in just five minutes, and is capable of wireless induction charging.

Linda Jackson, CEO of the PEUGEOT brand, said: “PEUGEOT is committed to the electrification of its range. In 2023, our entire line-up will be electrified and in the next two years, five new 100% electric models will be launched. Our ambition is simple: to make PEUGEOT the leading electric brand in Europe by 2030. This objective and ambitious vision pave the way for a radical transformation for the brand, as represented by the INCEPTION CONCEPT.”

Indeed, PEUGEOT will reduce its carbon footprint by more than 50% by 2030 in Europe and to become fully Carbon Net Zero by 2038.

Over the next two years, PEUGEOT will launch five new 100% electric models and by 2030, all PEUGEOT cars sold in Europe will be electric.

Dramatic design

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT introduces a new, simpler and more refined design language for the brand, which will be introduced on future models from 2025. At the front, it features an all-new light signature incorporating PEUGEOT’s distinctive claw design, which is merged with the front grille to create a single object that also houses the sensors. This is made up of a single piece of glass with the logo in the centre, magnified by the 3D luminescent effect.  The front grille and headlamps are in my opinion a bit reminiscent of the ‘70s 504… 

A TECH BAR runs horizontally through the door layer. This flush screen emits different messages to the outside of the car when the driver and passengers approach it. The artificial intelligence equipped on the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT makes it possible to recognize the driver in order to set up the comfort settings (seat posture, temperature, driving mode and multimedia preferences) desired by each occupant. In addition, the TECH BAR also displays the battery charge level and houses many sensors and radars, leaving the bodywork completely smooth.

The INCEPTION CONCEPT’s bold design incorporates 7.25m2 of glazing to create a glass capsule for the passenger compartment that plunges to the driver and front passenger’s feet. All the glazing (windscreen, side windows and quarter windows) is made from glass designed for architecture. Adapted to the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT, it retains its exceptional thermal qualities and benefits from a multi-chrome treatment (treatment with metal oxides), a process initially used for the visors of astronauts’ helmets by NASA.

Completing the car’s unique design is an exclusive body colour, which highlights the shapes in the bodywork and interacts, like the glazing, by tinting according to the external environment. The paint is single-coated, meaning far less energy is consumed during its application.

‘BEV-by-design’ platform

The INCEPTION CONCEPT has been given the silhouette of a low (1.34m) and efficient saloon and is 5m in length. It is based on the STLA Large platform, one of four future Stellantis Group “BEV-by-design” platforms. The arrival of this new range of platforms from 2023 will revolutionize the PEUGEOTs of tomorrow. Specifically created for electrification, they offer major differences in terms of architecture which enabled designers to completely reshape the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT’s passenger compartment.

The new “BEV-by-design” native electric platforms will also introduce technological modules powered by artificial intelligence: STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit and STLA AutoDrive. Like the INCEPTION CONCEPT, future PEUGEOT models will be equipped with STLA Brain artificial intelligence and will be fully connected.

Powertrain

The 100% electric PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT is equipped with 800V technology. Its 100kWh battery enables it to travel 497 miles on a single charge, with extremely low consumption of just 12.5kWh per 100 km. The INCEPTION CONCEPT is capable of adding 19 miles of range in one minute, or 93 miles in five minutes, and can also be recharged wirelessly by induction.

Two compact electric motors, one at the front, the other at the rear, make the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT a four-wheel drive vehicle. The combined power is close to 680hp (500kW), enabling it to accelerate from 0-62mph in under three seconds.

Next-generation i-Cockpit®

With its new Hypersquare control system, the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT offers an agile driving experience and an all-new, more intuitive i-Cockpit®. Inspired by video games, the Hypersquare control system does away with the conventional steering wheel in favour of digital electric controls and steer-by-wire technology.

The centre of the Hypersquare is a tablet-type screen dedicated to the distribution of control information. The pictograms for the different features (air conditioning, radio volume, ADAS etc.) are displayed on the two side panels to facilitate access to the chosen control. The latter is located inside the circular recesses and can be accessed by moving the thumb only, without taking your hands off the steering control.

The next generation i-Cockpit also includes the Stellantis STLA SmartCockpit technology platform and STLA AutoDrive, enabling Level 4 autonomous driving. When driving is delegated, Hypersquare retracts and a large panoramic screen slides out from the floor to offer a new passenger compartment experience.

 PEUGEOT’s goal is to introduce the Hypersquare on a next generation vehicle in the range before the end of the decade.(!)

Interior

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT features a minimal cockpit dedicated to the driver alone, which does without a dashboard, crossbar and the bulkhead, providing a completely open view of the road.

Sustainable ‘moulded textiles’ are also used throughout the interior. Scraps of 100% polyester fabric from the design centre’s prototyping workshops or from suppliers are re-used to make load-bearing or trim parts. The seats are covered with a velvet made from 100% recycled polyester, which extends onto the floor and features 3D patterns to act as a floor mat.

More Peugeot news soon…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

BMW rides you into an enhanced real and virtual world at CES Las Vegas…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Future technologies, Lifestyle, New Models, prototypesLeave a comment

The BMW Group is sharing its vision of the future digital experience, both inside and outside the vehicle, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas.

It presented the BMW i Vision Dee, a futuristic mid-size sedan with a new and pared-down design language. The name “Dee” stands for Digital Emotional Experience – and that is precisely its aim: to create an even stronger bond between people and their cars.

This car has future digital functions will go far beyond the level of voice control and driver assistance systems we are familiar with today.

It starts all with a BMW Head-Up-Display extending across the full width of the windscreen, providing a glimpse of the next vehicle generation.

From 2025 onwards, this innovation will be available in the models of the NEUE KLASSE. The BMW Group has also refined its use of colour-change technology. Having unveiled the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink, with the ability to change from black to white, at the last CES, BMW i Vision Dee can now curate its exterior in up to 32 colours.

“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge. In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalisation to transform the car into an intelligent companion. That is the future for automotive manufacturers – and, also, for BMW: the fusion of the virtual experience with genuine driving pleasure,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “At the same time, BMW i Vision Dee is another step on the road to the NEUE KLASSE. With this vision, we are looking far into the future and underlining the tremendous importance of digitalisation for our upcoming product generations.”

With its intelligent, almost human capabilities, BMW i Vision Dee accompanies drivers not only through real-life situations on the roads, but also in their digital environment.

“A BMW lives by its unparalleled digital performance. BMW i Vision Dee is about perfect integration of virtual and physical experiences,” said Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. “Whoever excels at integrating the customer’s everyday digital worlds into the vehicle at all levels will succeed in mastering the future of car-building.”

BMW Mixed Reality Slider: into the virtual world in five steps

The BMW, in combination with the advanced Head-up Display, is the digital highlight and central operating control of BMW i Vision Dee. The completely virgin and simple dashboard panel shows just a line with dots. This is the Mixed Reality Slider. By using shy-tech sensors on the instrument panel, drivers can decide for themselves how much digital content they want to see on the advanced Head-Up Display. The five-step dot selection ranges from analogue, to driving-related information, to the contents of the communications system, to augmented-reality projection, right up to entry into virtual worlds. In parallel, dimmable windows can also be used to gradually fade out reality. Mixed reality can be experienced in BMW i Vision Dee in an immersive way that engages different senses without requiring any additional tools, creating a new dimension of driving pleasure for the user.

Advanced BMW Head-Up-Display: in NEUE KLASSE from 2025

The BMW Group is known in the automotive sector as a trailblazer for the Head-Up-Display and has systematically refined this technology over the past two decades. In BMW i Vision Dee, projection across the entire width of the windscreen allows information to be displayed on the largest possible surface – which only becomes recognisable as a display once it is activated. In this way, the BMW Group demonstrates the huge potential of projection technology and BMW i Vision Dee visualizes how a advanced Head-Up-Display could also be utilized in the future for the display and operating concept. The standard-production version of the BMW Head-up-Display extending across the full width of the windscreen will be used in the models of the NEUE KLASSE from 2025 onwards.

Welcome scenario with voice and phygital icons

The digital experience already begins outside the vehicle, with a personalized welcome scenario that combines graphical elements, light and sound effects. Natural language serves as the simplest, most intuitive form of interaction, enabling perfect understanding between humans and their vehicles. The headlights and the closed BMW kidney grille also form a common phygital (fusion of physical and digital) icon on a uniform surface, allowing the vehicle to produce different facial expressions. This means BMW i Vision Dee can talk to people and, at the same time, express moods such as joy, astonishment or approval visually. BMW i Vision Dee can also project an image of the driver’s avatar onto the side window to further personalize the welcome scenario.

World premiere for full-colour E Ink technology

Following the spectacular debut of the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink at CES 2022, the BMW Group is now unveiling a full-colour version of the E Ink technology in BMW i Vision Dee that will be used as the outer skin of the vehicle for the first time worldwide.

BMW i Vision Dee, rather than simply alternating between black and white, now showcases a multi-coloured, fully variable and individually configurable exterior. An ePaper film from the BMW Group’s cooperation partner, E Ink, is applied to the body to create this magical display of colour. Up to 32 colours can be displayed.

The body surface of the BMW i Vision Dee is divided into 240 E Ink segments, each of which is controlled individually. This allows an almost infinite variety of patterns to be generated and varied within seconds. The laser cutting process used to trim the films and the electronic control design were developed in partnership with E Ink. The adaptation of this technology for curved surfaces and the programming of the animations, were developed by BMW Group’s in-house engineers – enabling a form enabling a form of customisation that is unique throughout the automotive sector worldwide.

Reductive design – inside and out

The design of BMW i Vision Dee has been deliberately pared down to focus attention on the digital experience and the DNA of the BMW brand. The exterior is defined by the classic three-box sedan design that forms the core of the BMW brand. Traditional design elements, like the BMW kidney grille, twin circular headlights and the Hofmeister kink, are reimagined, with phygital icons replacing analogue elements. This gives BMW i Vision Dee its own digital, but human, character.

Inside, digitalisation goes hand in hand with reductive use of materials, operating controls and displays to ensure nothing distracts from the digital experience and the new feeling of enhanced driving pleasure. The unconventional design of the steering wheel, with its central vertical spoke, creates touchpoints that come to life when approached or touched and can be operated by moving the thumb. These phygital touchpoints control selection of the content projected onto the windscreen and, together with the Head-Up Display, thus support the principle of “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road”.

“With BMW i Vision Dee, we are showing how the car can be seamlessly integrated into your digital life and become a trusty companion. The vehicle itself becomes your portal to the digital world – with the driver always in control,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design. “Implemented the right way, technology will create worthwhile experiences, make you a better driver and simply bring humans and machines closer together.”

Another milestone on the road to the NEUE KLASSE

The future of the BMW Group is electric, circular and digital. BMW i Vision Dee represents the digital aspect of this trio and will be another milestone on the road to the next vehicle generation, the NEUE KLASSE. The BMW Group will provide further insights and glimpses of the revolutionary vehicle concept of the NEUE KLASSE over the course of 2023. See more news soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) and Alpine create a hydrogen concept car…  

Posted in Automobilia, Automotive drawings and art, Car News, Car presentations, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, Environment, Future car technology, Lifestyle, prototypesLeave a comment

Students at the Italian Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) presented the ‘A4810 Project by IED’, their new concept car made in collaboration with Alpine. The result of this collaboration between the Italian design school and Alpine is a hydrogen-powered two-seater supercar.

Twenty-eight Masters students studying Transportation Design at IED worked on the project.

Alpine proposed the students to design a ‘super berlinette’ for the year 2035. The two-seater supercar was designed to be a high-performing vehicle both in terms of performance and environmental impact.

After the brief was given last autumn, students worked individually to come up with their own interpretation and present it to the Alpine designers. Alpine then selected a combination of two main ideas. Based on the two selected proposals, the young designers created the ‘A4810 Project by IED’: a light yet powerful and agile concept car that boasts pure driving pleasure.

During the design phase, the students sought to combine vision and innovation, without losing sight of the traditional roots of the French car manufacturer.

Furthermore, they chose a name that conveyed the brand’s legacy. In fact, ‘4810’ is the height (in meters) of the Mont Blanc: the highest and most emblematic peak in the Alps that sits at the border between Italy and France, like a bridge connecting IED and Alpine. The car manufacturer is named after the very same mountains and evokes the joy of driving along their winding roads.

A STUNNING LOOKING CONCEPT CAR

The Alpine A4810 Project by IED (length 5,091 mm – width 2,010 mm – height 1,055 mm – wheelbase 2,717 mm) is a two-seater supercar with the experimental combination of the shape of a berlinette with a hydrogen powertrain.

While the engine and fuel tanks are built like those on a typical hypercar, the subtraction process is proof of considerable innovation. The design alternates between empty and full spaces, giving the vehicle a lightweight look and aerodynamic features inspired by Formula 1 models. Furthermore, the A4810 Project by IED was tasked with bringing the brand to the cusp of the sports car category.

The team of students used digital tools to design the interior through sketches, 3D models, renderings, animations, and HMI (Human Machine Interface) development.

The A4810 Project by IED was presented on Friday, 18th March with a livestream broadcast from OGR Tech in Turin. For more info, please visit www.iedA4810.makeitlive.it.

Just click your way to Alpine’s sporty future, and in the meantime, have a look at the photos…!

Hans Knol ten Bensel