At this years Ward’s Auto Interior Conference held in Dearborn the other day J Mays was the key note speaker and brought a little something special to our shores.  The Ford Start Concept was on hand for the first time in the states after its debut at the Beijing Auto Show a few weeks ago.  This concept would definitely give Mini and the Fiat 500 a run for their money.  Look past the fuzzy cell phone pics and hit the jump for some fetish thoughts.

The exterior of the car provides a solid presence despite its diminutive size.  The surfaces are clean and simple emphasizing a more upscale and sophisticated look.  J Mays was presented as the designer who created the original Audi TT and the new VW Beetle.  I can definitely see those influences in this design.  J Mays even referred to the Start as charming which can also be used with the Beetle.  I see this car as being J’s new interpretation of the Beetle and TT, but for Ford.  It stands for everything the Beetle and TT were.  Simple, efficient and to the point.

A new take on familiar lines.

The lighting on the Start is very simple and minimal showing what you can do with some simple LED’s.  The wheels are also very cool.  They make me think of how a steel wheel can be redesigned to actually look aesthetically pleasing.  The design language of the wheel is also transferred to the engine bay in the sea of plastic covering the 1 liter eco boost.

J Mays talked about the interior having only three areas of criteria.  Be driver oriented, no clutter and a three spoke steering wheel.  These items all portray the new “Fun to Drive” mantra at Ford.  Every vehicle from now on must be Fun to Drive.  I like the sound of that.  The three spoke steering wheel and analog gauges speak to the racer in us with functional and easy to use interface.  No crazy 3-d graphics here.  Mays’ talked about this fitting in with the Kinetic design language, but I am unsure how.  I do like the Kinetic language but it is kind of busy and this concept clearly is not.

Could this be the next generation interpretation of Kinetic Design.  It would work well to follow the customer who is buying a Fiesta now.  As the consumer matures so does the product.  This could drive a returning customer.  Overall the Start is a charming small car that will  get you from point A to point B in a “Fun” fashion.

“Peugeot”. I love saying that word. It’s sexy in that “I have a sexy French accent” kind of way. Birthing forth from Peugeot is the SR1, a turbo-diesel hybrid that anyone living in Twin Peaks would love.

Spacey, futuristic, and gorgeous.  Peugeot (almost) always makes sexy vehicles that rely on perfect proportion to stand out, and the SR1 does that with a tantalizing extended hood and silhouette.

Peugeot have done something interesting with this concept.  While indeed the silhouette rocks our socks, the incredible details are what really set apart this exterior.  The SR1′s use of slightly 3-D elements and surfaces are “painted on” the bodyside with what can only be described as being similar to the strokes from a palette knife or brush.  The 2-D lines that lead our eyes around the vehicle remind me personally of the zipping arrows that I used for call-outs on sketches.  Indeed, they point to great eye-candy here as well.

What makes the SR1 special isn’t just the exterior; the vehicle’s interior, especially the IP, is outstanding.  Like something out of Mass Effect, the futuristic wrap-around (wood?) is a minimalistic take on Martian landscape, yet the details scream for space ship navigation.  Here’s a prime example of why we love this car: the gauges aren’t gauges… they’re frickin’ crystals.

Atlantis, here we come.

The facts: the 918 Spyder is a hybrid electric engine capable of achieving 500HP, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, and 78 MPG.  The downer: it’s just a concept (for now) but Porsche admitted that they, too, are in love enough to potentially pursue the vehicle on the open road.

While at first glance there appears to be a bit of Ferrari envy in the front end, it can’t be denied that the 918 is all Porsche.  Taking cues from the 966, the curvature of the hood and haunches is only broken by some of the crisp and dedicated linework around the body. The Spyder looks to be constantly undulating in and our of itself, with slivers of carbon fiber (thankfully not overdone) emerging like fangs from a pit viper.

To say that the vehicle doesn’t have any excess isn’t true.  The rear roofline is littered with all manner of doohickies and plastic, culminating in the multi-layered back end and its brow-like wing.  But that’s just Porsche, you see.  They’re known for controlled excess and overkill.  In this car, they manage to capture the look of a devilish snake (front half) emerging from its skin (rear), perhaps ready to strike at the poor victims ahead of it on the road.

Images courtesy Porsche

The Geneva Motor Show is in full swing, with news bites appearing every day.  The show, unlike the relatively production-oriented NAIAS Detroit show, straddles the SEMA line to bring some truly outrageous, often ground-breaking concept car design.  While there have been some absolute stinkers, what is considered good Design has been truly magnificent at times.

Let’s reiterate the reason that concept cars exist in the first place: they are usually seen as milestones for a company’s Design language and technological goals.  For example: while we may not see production cars with glass wheels anytime soon, the idea that the company is targeting light-weighting may be the real focus.

If what we see at Geneva is any indication, studios are now coming to an understanding that it is the sophistication in technology that can drive Design, not just flashy gimmicks.

We’ve compiled a few of our very favorite concept vehicles that will be driving European automotive design for the next several years.  We lead off with the excruciatingly wonderful Survolt.

Citroen is on a Roll

Not to trump itself with the recently released GQbyCITROËN concept, the double-chevron company strikes back with the Survolt concept.

The Survolt’s boy-racer inspiration hearkens back to the days when we were racing along Gratiot Avenue on Saturday nights, showing off our imports and Detroit muscle at every stop light. Save for the fact that Gratiot is not in Europe, of course.  The Survolt’s unique blend of racing and technology melts our Supra-loving minds, using Citroen’s curvaceous geometric form language inlaid with some unique details and tech.  Take, for instance, the slight indent around wheel arches that help outline the car like a sketch or the almost Tron-like neon surfaces.

Chief Designer Bertrand Dantec devotes some love to the stylish “ribbon” aesthetic, which is exemplified along the surfacing of the door and pillar and up into the roof.  The printed graphics along some of the body panels and the pretzel-twisty wheel designs are a nice frosting instead of a mouthful of cream.  The dark gray sheer sheet of silk that forms the car’s curves are akin to those of any Victoria’s Secret angel; we can’t help but caress the car with our eyes.

One more bit of housekeeping: kudos need to go to the marketing team behind the Survolt for the spectacular photos and imagery.  All cars need to be debuted with this much passion.

The Survolt balances along the tightrope of being almost overdone, which will keep making us give it a double-, triple-, and quadruple-take every time we see it.

Image credits

[Citroen Survolt: Laurent Nivalle, Director]

In many ways, Alfa Romeo’s styling revival has been spearheaded by their hatchbacks.  Models like the 147 and the MiTo have made them serious contenders in this arena.  With the introduction of the Giulietta, their hatch approach takes on a leaner look — not quite as whimsical as the MiTo, but still just as sporty.  The face has a bit more of a technical feel, with multi-layered lamps and razor-sharp surface details.  The bodyside features a prominent bone line that fades in the middle, drawing your eye to the release handle.  Once again, the Alfa team has hidden the second release handle in the DLO, a decision that has never made much sense to me.  I always feel like something is missing…

I like to think that Alfa Romeo is sort of the Italian version of Mazda, and this car reinforces that belief — particularly from the rear.  The execution of the rear glass and spoiler is very Mazdaesque, as are the spearing taillamps.  The wheels also help drive home the sporting feel of the Giulietta, with directional spokes and a two-tone color scheme.  Unfortunately, I am not as enamored with the inside.  While the materials and details are nice, the overall interior theme looks a bit more French than Italian (gasp).  Perhaps it’s the cross-car approach that’s throwing me a bit.  Personally, I get more of an Alfa feel from the MiTo and Brera interiors than I do from the Giulietta’s.  Maybe this theme will grow on me…

Overall, I like the look of the Giulietta.  And it’s another indication of what a fine job Alfa has done developing a consistent look across their product line — without resorting to a Russian doll approach.  It will be interesting to see what new twists and turns this storied brand takes in the years ahead…

The Mercedes-Benz F 800 has style written over it, no really they even included it in the name.  So it must be stylish, right?  You should be able to come up with an attractive vehicle when you combine Audi, BMW and the new swoops of Hyundai.  Yes I just threw in Hyundai when talking about a Benz.  It is exciting though to see a relatively stodgy brand create a vehicle with such emotional surfacing.  The future is looking bright and curvaceous for the brand with the biggest front emblem.

The basic theme lines of the car are nothing really new but are executed in a precise manner.  The complex surfacing looks like Bangle stopped by to touch one more car.  If everything in between these lines was simplified the vehicle would result in a much classier execution.

The rear three quarter has a cool laid back appearance enabled by the downward arc of the DLO and fender crease.  The DLO does appear to sag a bit much in the rear and pinch the front quarter panel.  I think they took this line and added too much crown to it.  The rear lights are clean and simple but mimic too closely Audi and BMW.

The overall proportion of the side view is exciting.  The lines could use some more refinement though.  The front fender crease comes and goes causing some awkward twisting of the surface.  The rocker panel crease appears too flat and loses any dynamic quality.

For a design exercise this is a great attempt by a very conservative luxury player.  Some more refinement will do wonders and help bring in a whole new demographic of buyers.  Let the sport luxury wars begin.

[pics via Serious Wheels, Car Body Design]

Well the long awaited Ford Focus is here and is going to make an impression. There is definitely a lot to take in with this global (80% common parts) Focus.  I think everyone will find areas they like and some they don’t.  This design was collaborated on between Europe, United States and Asia and I find myself trying to find who had influence on what part.  Overall the one thing I feel is missing on the exterior is “refinement.”  There is so much going on and there doesn’t need to be.

Read on for more……

This is my favorite view, rear three quarter of the sedan.  This is the most fluid area of the car and has a nice strength to it.  The shoulders are shown well and I can see the Euro influence in the rear.

The front end is hard to digest.  The thin verticals in the grill and large triangular openings do not “sync” with anything.  Please take some notes from the Fiesta front end which came out much more resolved.

The surfacing on the side of the car is crisp and strong except for the little undercut extending forward from the door handles.  The front clip begins to soften and becomes weak looking making it foreign from the rest of the car.

I would have liked the rear window to not dip down so low.  The higher window would have helped bring the car forward aiding in the kinetic design language.  Note the somewhat integrated fuel door.  Why can’t we hide these like they did in the sixties?  Oh yeah, because people would be doing laps around the gas pump trying to figure out what side their fuel door is on…..aka a dog chasing its tail.

Here is where I become impressed.  This interior looks top notch.  The Fiesta and Focus are now killing any other Ford interior to date.  Let’s hope the materials feel as good as they look.  Following the Fiesta there is sculptural surfacing providing a nice amount of depth to the interior.

Sadly the new Focus is not a homerun, but I am sure it will grow on you.  Just like the new Mazda 3, consumers will have some issues with the front clip.  But who knows I said the same thing about the current Ford Fusion front end and once you saw it on the road it looked great.  Any opinions on car design before they hit the road are just that, opinions.  The road tells all whether a design is successful or not. The road will tell us in one year what the outcome will be.

The Fiesta has arrived wearing exactly what we wanted it to.  Many were worried that the Fiesta would “lose” something after its long swim from Europe.  The U.S. Fiesta has sustained a minor face lift to fit in all the necessary requirements, but it is nothing that consumers will even notice.

Exterior Design

The Kinetic Design Language has survived since it was first introduced on the Iosis concept.  The highly energetic surfaces create a fabulous sense of style while never allowing the thought of a small econo box from entering your mind.

If this car doesn’t get the masses to begin appreciating hatch backs then I don’t know what will.  Finally designers have realized that surface development is free (well kinda).  Whether it is flat or “Kinetic” the metal will get formed and stamped.  So why not make the most of it.  This car does come close to being over done with so much activity on such a small canvas.  The hatchback does look the best since it was always intended to be.  But here in the states consumers want a trunk.  So that need has been filled.

The sedan is actually nothing new.  Remember the Verve Concept from last years Detroit show?  The front half of the car is identical to the hatch.  The rear gains a few inches which leads to a generously sized trunk.  The only issue with the sedan is the combination of a rising belt line to the rear and small wheels (16″).  The hatch is not as noticeable since the car ends at the rear wheel with basically no overhang.  Having the wheel arch and shoulder crease help to break up the mass, but it is still there.

The grill is not the best attempt at the three bar theme.  The designers blamed it on air flow, but I think there is more that can be done with it.  There is a different version shown on the hatch which can easily be swapped.  A nice touch is the light pipe borrowed from the new Taurus.  This is a nice change from the typical round lamp and fits well with the forms of the car.

As we have seen for the past year and with evidence of the 500,000 already sold since last fall this car is a success.  Throw in the 10 exterior color choices, some of which being fresh and vibrant and the Fiesta will be a welcome sight on American roads.

Interior Design

Small and inexpensive cars are notorious for having planar surfaces with bad materials.  Simplicity to the max and not in an Audi kind of way.  The Fiesta has done a great job carrying the kinetic design theme from the outside in.  The interior is sculptural with a layer of technology influence over the top.

There is no animal grain in here.  Only pebble grains and a cool techno dot grain on the instrument panel and doors.  The center stack is influenced from cell phones circa 2004.  Hello Razor.  Sorry to those of you who still use this phone.

The controls are easy to use and buttons are minimal.  The HVAC is fairly hidden in the sea of black.  It would have been nice to add another color around the controls. The gauges use a trendy font and look fresh.

The seats are fairly bland compared to the Euro versions.  The designer said that the American consumers have different needs.  Well I do not need a boring seat when the rest of my car looks bad ass.  Big miss here.  But don’t worry Ford makes up for it by offering 7 different trim levels including the highest trim level of leather with piping.  My favorite color option is the Lava Red seats.

Overall the interior “looks” good but it is still plagued by hard plastics and monotone color.  There is a lot of room for material upgrades and color inserts to make the interior look more up level.

Under the skin goods…..

The big seller on this car is the mpg.  30mpg in the city and 40mpg on the highway sounds like the new norm for small cars since the Chevy Cruze has announced the same.  I am sure the new Civic will also be hitting those numbers.  Helping to achieve these numbers is the introduction of the new PowerShift dual clutch transmission.  This is similar to the one on the VW GTI but without the paddle shifters or any shifting at all.  That is right, the automatic is old school with no way of controlling the shift points.  I would imagine this will change after the car is released and people complain.  Ford backed this decision up by saying there data showed consumers do not care about a tiptronic style shifter.  Time will tell.

Customer Insights

The Fiesta is targeted at Baby Boomers and Millenials.  No Gen Xer’s need apply since they are supposedly making families and are shopping for minivans.  Women are also the main target with 70% under the age of 30 buying new cars.  There is also talk of numerous accessories coming out.  How about a SVT version with an Ecoboost in it?  I wouldn’t be surprised since this car is all about personality.

Dealerships

Ford is going to begin training their dealerships about how to relate to the consumers buying this car.  This means using Twitter, facebook and others to communicate in a new way.  I think a test will be in order once the Fiesta shows up on the lots.  Can you imagine the 65 year old Ford salesman giving out his Twitter name and keeping in touch with you.  Don’t get me wrong, this is a much needed update, but it will be a long term change in how dealerships do business.

There is also going to be a reservation system to pre order vehicles for the first time.  Customers who reserve their Fiesta will have SYNC included as well as a break on delivery fees.

Final Thoughts

The Fiesta is a small car that blows the doors off everything else in its class (Yaris, Fit & Carolla).  Ford’s new personality of Dynamic, Engaging and Responsive vehicles holds true.  The one last test is to see how it drives.  Go check out your Lime Squeeze this summer at your local Ford Dealership.

Here is a fresh dose of Automotive Sketch P*rn.  Enjoy the selection of loose sketches/ renderings to more dramatic paintings.  We will start off with the sketch of the new Fiesta.  Tomorrow we will be heading to Ford to review the new U.S. production version due out early next year.  Stay tuned for our review on it.  For now enjoy the P*rn!

Jaguar recently invited us to see the new XJ and have a chat with Design Director Ian Callum.  The conversation spanned a variety of topics like childhood, Jaguars’ future and the future of automobile design.  Ian was great to talk to with a laid back personality and a true love for the Jaguar brand.

Check out the podcast for the full interview.

More pics and opinions of the design after the jump.

Overall the car has a nice volume to it with full uninterrupted surfaces.  It has a richness to it on the sense of scale.

This car has already had its fair share of opinions with the controversial C pillar, but I think there are other larger issues with the design.  During our time spent with Ian we stayed around the rear of the car for 90% of the time.  I think this reflects well on the design of the car.  My point being that the front and rear do not speak very well to each other.   Ian was very proud of the rear end and admitted that the team spent a lot of time focusing on the back of the car.  What about the front?

The rear is very different from the XK but the front looks very similar.  If you are trying to keep the design different then the XK you should probably start on the part of the car you usually see first.  My other issue is the character line running over the rear fender and down into the tail lights.  In my opinion the rear of the car begins to look like it is falling off.  This effect is emphasized by the tear drop DLO graphic pointing down at the rear.

The interior is nicely done with everything wrapped in leather and beautiful wood trim.  The most notable features are the digital and customizable gauges and the large HVAC vents.  The vents are reminiscent of cars from the fifties IMO and are well crafted with actual metal and a blue glow from behind the vent director.

Ian summed the design up best by saying “you have to see it on the road to get the full impact.”  I agree, for after seeing it I am on the fence about some of the chosen directions.  The XJ will start rolling out in early 2010.

Press Release Summary

ALL NEW JAGUAR XJ – IN SUMMARY

The all new Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to automotive luxury. Sleek, sporting and sophisticated, it offers a seductive mix of striking design, breathtaking performance, refined luxury and sophisticated engineering.

Building on the success of the new XK and XF models, the introduction of the all new XJ is a landmark for the revitalized Jaguar brand. Clearly positioned as the company’s ultimate four-door flagship, it extends the appeal of the legendary XJ line to a new generation of customers.

Jaguars are renowned for their elegant, sporting lines and the all new XJ, with its fluid, contemporary style, is the boldest interpretation yet of Design Director Ian Callum’s vision for Jaguar in the 21st century.

A panoramic glass roof is an integral part of the all new XJ’s design, enabling the car to have a lower, more streamlined roofline, while dramatically enhancing the feeling of light and space inside.

Standard and long wheelbase models are available from launch. The long wheelbase offers an even more sumptuous and refined environment for rear-seat passengers with an additional 5 inches of legroom. The XJ’s largest-in class trunk features power opening and closing for convenient access to the 18.4 cu. ft. storage space.

The all new XJ cabin blends elegant, contemporary design with the comfort, luxury and unmistakable sporting style of a Jaguar. Chrome and piano black detailing provides an eye-catching contrast to the beautifully-crafted leather and veneer surfaces.

To complement the all new cabin design is a level of choice in colors, veneers and leathers not seen before in a Jaguar.  The four models – XJ, XJL, Supercharged and Supersport – blend together the different elements to allow the customer to tailor the car to suit their personal tastes.  The ultimate expression of this is the Supersport model, available by custom order only, with specification including a leather roof-lining, semi-aniline leather seats and veneers with laser inlays.

Advanced new technologies have allowed Jaguar’s interior designers to create an environment more akin to a state-of-the-art living space than a simple car cabin. Stunning, 12.3-inch high-definition Virtual Instruments complement the 8-inch Touch-screen, which displays vehicle functions.

Premium surround sound options include the top-of-the-range 1200-watt Bowers & Wilkins system which is comparable in audio quality to the world’s best in-home entertainment. Advanced infotainment features also include hard drive-based audio and navigation systems, and comprehensive connectivity for portable audio and video devices via the powerful Media Hub.

The all new XJ’s beauty is much more than skin-deep: it is constructed using Jaguar’s aerospace-inspired aluminum body technology, which makes the XJ lighter than its rivals by at least 300lbs. These technologies – now developed into an even more impressive new generation of the XJ – provides benefits to performance, handling and fuel economy, while delivering increased strength, refinement and safety.

Proven Jaguar dynamic technologies are taken to new levels in the all new XJ. Features such as air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable damping), Active Differential Control and quick-ratio power steering deliver the blend of responsive, dynamic handling and refined, supple ride expected from a Jaguar.

The all new XJ benefits from the most advanced powertrains ever in a Jaguar, combining high performance with fuel efficient technologies such as direct injection. In the U.S. market, customers will have a choice of three engines based on model, all coupled to a shift-by-wire, six-speed automatic transmission controlled by the JaguarDrive Selector™ or steering wheel-mounted paddles:

• 5.0-liter 385hp AJ-V8 Gen III naturally aspirated direct-injection V8 – 0-60mph in 5.4 secs (0-100kph in 5.7 secs), in the XJ and XJL models
• 5.0-liter 470hp AJ-V8 Gen III supercharged direct-injection V8 – 0-60mph in 4.9 secs (0-100kph in 5.2 secs), in the XJ Supercharged and XJL Supercharged models
• 5.0-liter 510hp AJ-V8 Gen III supercharged direct-injection V8 – 0-60mph in 4.7 secs (0-100kph in 4.9 secs), in the XJ Supersport  and XJL Supersport models

In the U.S., the all new XJ can be ordered now. Delivery of first customer cars will begin in early 2010.

• Jaguar has built upon its leading quality performance using the latest ‘virtual’ product development technologies. This approach features an obsessive attention to detail, with almost 40,000 quality-specific assessments during the development stage.
• The all new XJ brings new standards of sustainability to the luxury vehicle segment. The lightweight aluminum structure – with 50 percent recycled material – underpinned by a lifecycle approach to vehicle design and manufacture, enables the all new XJ to minimize its carbon footprint. This alone creates a potential savings of three tons of CO₂ per vehicle, compared to a bodyshell made from new aluminum.
• The Jaguar brand has been acknowledged with a joint first ranking in a vehicle dependability study in 2009. Jaguar’s obsessive attention to quality and service has also resulted in #1 rankings in sales satisfaction and customer service.
• The all new XJ offers extremely attractive cost of ownership with impressive fuel economy across the range, high predicted residual values and 15,000-mile service intervals.