Volvo S60 Concept, 2009

Volvo S60 Concept, 2009

The Scandinavian inspiration
The front of the Volvo S60 Concept sports the enlarged iron mark in the trapezoidal grille. The two lamps that flank the grill emphasise the vertical stance of the front and highlight the bonnet's V-shape. The angled headlamps flow up into the strongly sculptured bonnet and combined with the lower air intake's reverse trapezoidal shape, this gives the concept car a very expressive "face".

Viewed from the side, the concept car's slim coupe roofline and window graphics are accompanied by an entirely new shoulder line, forming a gentle double wave, stretching from the headlamps all the way to the rear. Both the seven-spoke 20-inch wheels and the tread of the low-profile tyres have been specially designed, while the bronze-painted brake callipers match the "Warm Liquid Copper" livery.

The unique rear parallelogram doors offer a spectacular show when they are opened and closed. Door opening is initiated by pressing a button and the movement starts off in the traditional way. In the next phase, the forward section swings out away from the car's body and the door glides parallel with the side of the car until it reaches its end position by the rear wheel. Since the car does not have a B-pillar between the front and rear seats, this door configuration offers exceptionally generous entry and exit access.

The transparent attachment of the door mirrors illuminates and becomes part of the indicator function. The panorama roof is another ingredient that contributes to the concept car's airy Scandinavian aura.

The Viking longboats in the headlamps
In each of the headlamps, the lights create a silhouette of two miniature Viking longboats sailing side by side, one for main beam and one for dipped beam. When driving in the dark, the light is reflected from the concealed, upward-facing High Performance LED bulbs, projected ahead by the ships' filled sails.
A closer look reveals more detail. The compact cooling system for the LED bulbs has protruding cooling blocks made out of aluminum, semi-visible under the ships' hulls. This design creates the illusion of shimmering glass panels that float above a dark and mysterious Scandinavian sea.
The Inspiration from the racing track
The tail lamps, which follow the curve of the rear shoulders, are as advanced as the headlamps. When switched off, the lamp panels show no trace of the traditional red or yellow. But when activated, the position marker lights, brake lights and turn indicators come on in their correct colours with the help of LED bulbs. The solid glass panel is sectioned into horizontal "slices" that create the visual impression of a three-dimensional architect drawing when the lights come on.
At the rear there is also a retractable diffuser that adjusts with vehicle speed to give better aerodynamic properties.
New technology detects pedestrians in the danger zone
The Volvo S60 Concept also presents a safety innovation that can detect a pedestrian who steps out into the path of the car and the car's full braking power is automatically activated if the driver does not respond to the danger. The technology, Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and pedestrian detection, will be introduced in the all-new Volvo S60.

Elevates the brand's image
The Volvo S60 Concept was created to pave the way for Volvo Cars in one of the automotive world's most focused segments, characterised by razor-sharp competition.

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Zagato Perana Z-One, 2009

Zagato Perana Z-One, 2009

The sports car Zagato Perana Z-One signals the first collaboration of the Milanese Coachbuilders with a South African Vehicle Manufacturer: Perana Performance Group.

The Perana project is the result of Zagato's 90 year-long expertise in constructing fully functional running concepts. Virtual reality development has been integrated from inception, effectively eliminating the need for the traditional styling model and enabling the prototype to be completed in less than 4 months by the South African team.

Design Concept

As the latest descendant of the Zagato sports car family, Z-one is designed with full blooded Zagato form language.

Reflecting this pure passion from this brand new sports car specialist, the proportion and volume of Z-one is even tighter than usual sports car styling, accentuated by couple of long and dynamic curves with keen edge which visually integrate some important design features like the air out-lets. Surfaces defined by those cutting edges are even more sculptured maintaining the modern Zagato line which we have been developing for a decade.

Complying with Euro 4 emission legislation, this value proposition is expected to be launched at the introductory price of under 50.000 Euros, before taxes - an irresistible and highly competitive offer.

Technical Development

From the innovative tubular and box section chassis to the exciting interior styling, the Zagato Perana Z-One is a concentration of advanced design and engineering. Fully certifiable for the road, this ultra high-performance, front engined sports coupé uses a powerful 6.2 litre V8 engine that drives the rear wheels. This genuine 2-seater coupé, enjoys the benefits of almost 50/50 weight distribution allowing for exhilarating, balanced and predictable road manners.

Specification Sheet
* Dimension
o Curb Weight: 1195 kg
o Weight Distribution
+ Front: 50%
+ Rear: 50%
o Wheelbase: 2540 mm
o Track
+ Front: 1627 mm
+ Rear: 1570 mm
o Length: 4406 mm
o Height: 1233 mm
o Width: 1924 mm
o Seating Capacity: 2
* Engine
o Configuration: V8, All Aluminium
o Displacement: 6200 cc
o Power: 328 kW
o Torque: 583 Nm
o Max. rpm: 6600 rpm
o Fuel Delivery: Fuel Injection. Electronic, Sequential Port.
o Compression Ratio: 10.7: 1
* Drive train
o Gearbox: 6 speed manual
o Differential: ZF Limited Slip
* Wheels: Perana / Zagato
o Front: 18 x 10J
o Rear: 19 x 12J
* Tyres: Michelin PS2
o Front: 275/35 ZR18
o Rear: 345/30 ZR19
* Chassis
o Layout: Front/Mid Engine, RWD
o Frame: Steel Tube Space Frame
o Body: Vinyl-Ester/Glass Composite
* Brakes
o Front: 325mm
o Rear: 305mm
o Assist type: Vacuum
* Steering: ZF Power Assist
* Suspension
o Front: Unequal Length A-arms, Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks, Anti-roll bar
o Rear: Unequal length A-arms, Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks, Anti-roll bar
* Fuel Capacity: 85 litres
* Performance
o Power/weight ratio: 328 hp (240 kW)/tonne
o 0-100km/h: <4>

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Volkswagen Up Concept, 2007

Volkswagen Up Concept, 2007

There are cars that endure for all times. They are icons of their type, masterpieces of craftsmanship and technology; they put ideas into motion, make progress tangible and sometimes quite simply make everyday life better, more practical and enjoyable. Many of these cars carry the VW logo. "Bug, Beetle, New Beetle", "T1, Bulli, Samba bus, California", "Golf, GTI". Now Volkswagen is presenting - as a world premiere at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt - a concept car that once again has the right stuff needed to move more than just one generation. It is a small, pure and high-spirited Volkswagen that pays tribute to its environment. The overall concept is marked by an innovative, clear, intuitive functionality.

Concept

The up! is a city specialist, a car for four persons and all languages, for the job, the university, the drive to the beach and the excursion outside the city gates. A small car that shows a lot of size, because it offers more space than any other car of similar length (3.45 meters) and width (1.63 meters). Its engine - conceivable here are all facets of technology that can be sensibly applied - will run in the rear. And that changes everything: Space, mood and design.Walter de Silva, Chief Designer of the Volkswagen group, sums it up like this: "The up! is not a car whose form will become obsolete within a very brief period of time. It shines in its cleverness and yet is made with loving care. And so the up! is a clear and strong statement for future Volkswagen design." Furthermore, the team of designers and engineers has envisioned the up! concept car as the first member of an entire model line; other facets are entirely conceivable.

Exterior design
The fact that the engine of the up! runs in the rear has a decisive inf luence on its exterior design. That is because the up! has no classic radiator grille. It forges links to the Beetle. This fact alone gives it a great deal of independence. Dominant design characteristics are the headlamps that take an inward and diagonal line, between them the horizontally arranged air vents, the VW logo (as one of the few details kept in chrome), the tailgate that extends far forward and the smooth bumper with a circumferential black stripe as a detail of the "happy face" that is typical of Volkswagen.

In many areas, technology and design have melded into a vehicle architecture that is not only appealing, but is also very utilitarian. The rear end of the up! is a good example of this. The tailgate was produced using a transparent material. Under this gate developers also integrated the high layout of the taillights. Another feature that is technically and visually new is the location of the VW logo in the tailgate; it is also located behind glass and illuminates when the light is on. The rear bumper was designed to match the "happy face" in front.
The powerful appearance of the up!, despite all of its compactness, is emphasized by a very wide track width (1.42 meters) relative to vehicle width. The wheels are flush with the sporty outboard wheel arches and side skirts. The radial design of the wheels and surfaces extending right up to the edge of the rim make the 18-inch wheels appear significantly larger than they actually are.

The wheels that are arranged far outboard in the bumper areas reduce body overhangs to a minimum. All of these features are part of an unmistakable side profile with a very long roof arch as well as clear and large surfaces. Giving shape to its style here are the large doors and the lateral window surfaces, which incline sharply upward at the height of the rear wheel arch and thereby help to form the very independent C-pillar design.

Interior design

Mounting the engine in the rear opened up entirely new interior concepts. Relative to its exterior size, the space offering is exceptionally forward-thinking. The same is true of its variability: Except for the driver's seat, all other seats can be folded and removed. Since they are designed as light shells, they can be quickly stowed in one of the cargo areas - besides the front trunk there is also one in the rear - to free up space. Afterwards, the entire passenger compartment length can be utilized as a storage area for especially bulky objects.

To achieve the high level of seating comfort that is usual at Volkswagen, besides their ergonomic design, in the case of the up! this level of comfort is also attained by a simple yet very effective trick: Similar to a self-inf lating air mattress, air can be sucked out of the seat surfaces via a valve. This means that the seats can be adjusted 1:1 to the body anatomies of the occupants who have just
taken a seat.
Intuitive controls
On its up! concept car, Volkswagen is presenting some completely new solutions when it comes to operator controls. Klaus Bischoff, Chief Designer for the Volkswagen Brand, comments on this: "Another reason the up! is so fascinating is because everything, every detail, was thought out anew. In the interior we have a touchscreen with new proximity sensor technology for controlling the navigation, radio, trip computer and climate control systems. It is operated absolutely intuitively. As a result, the most complicated functions can be controlled like child's play."

In the cockpit, a 8-inch monitor shows the driver key information such as vehicle speed, fuel level and range, as well as momentary CO2 emissions.

In the center of the instruments - equally easy for driver and front passenger to see and control - an 7-inch monitor shows the way that future human-machine interfaces will look and operate. Here all conceivable functions can be controlled via the mentioned touchscreen, which also reacts via proximity sensor to gestures, i.e. specific hand movements.

The developers intentionally separated "display" and "control" levels from one another. Always shown on the screen is a control bar with standard functions such as climate control or audio volume control. Developers packaged functions of other higher-order systems - navigation, telephone, radio, images, movies, etc. - on a display level that has been referred to internally as the "main menu carousel" - a type of virtual carousel. It consists of the icons of different system functions (telephone, navigation, etc.).
When the user touches the "main menu carousel" it can be rotated by touchscreen. Visually, this control is just as spectacular as it is intuitive. When the desired function appears on the main menu carousel - such as the telephone - all the user needs to do is move his or her hand to the display to switch over to the telephone menu, thanks to proximity sensor technology. The new type of user control is fun, easy to understand in any cultural environment and very safe. That is precisely what is typical of Volkswagen.

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