In a strategic move toward electrification, Honda is set to join the electric sports car race, as revealed by CEO Toshihiro Mibe during CES earlier this month. Honda showcased its commitment to EVs with two concept cars, offering a glimpse into the brand’s new design language and technological advancements. However, Mibe shared that behind the scenes, a battery-powered sports car is already in the production pipeline.
The upcoming electric sports car is positioned as a pivotal member of the 0 Series, a range of electric vehicles slated for release starting in 2026. While specific details about the production model remain undisclosed, Mibe assured that development is progressing steadily. The sports car aims to be the flagship model of the 0 Series, incorporating technical innovations focused on maximising interior space, reducing battery weight, and optimising overall efficiency – all while prioritising the “joy of driving” and driver engagement.
Mazda Motor Corporation has debuted its new concept car, the Mazda Iconic SP, for the first time at the Japan Mobility Show 2023. This concept is designed as a compact sports car, tailored to adapt to the evolving era while resonating with customers who have a passion for cars and seek the pure joy of driving.
The Mazda Iconic SP introduces a cutting-edge powertrain, featuring Mazda’s distinctive two-rotor rotary EV system, which remains compact and offers versatile layout flexibility. This design choice ensures a low centre of gravity, thereby enhancing driving performance. The vehicle’s batteries are charged using a recyclable energy source, and a two-rotor rotary engine, utilised for power generation, is powered by carbon-neutral fuel. The striking Viola Red colour highlights the concept model, embodying Mazda’s corporate philosophy of “enriching life-in-motion for those we serve.”
Mazda aimed for proportions with a low centre of gravity, creating the impression of excellent driving performance. The innovative approach of placing the lightweight and compact rotary engine in the car’s centre results in a low hood.
The two-rotor rotary EV system, employing a highly scalable rotary engine capable of burning various fuels like hydrogen, generates electricity using carbon-neutral fuel. When the battery is charged with electricity from renewable sources, driving in a nearly carbon-neutral state becomes possible.
High output from the two-rotor rotary EV system, combined with a low centre of gravity, a weight distribution ratio of about 50:50, and low proportions, deliver excellent driving performance. Despite its sports car classification, the vehicle can serve as a power source during outdoor activities and during disasters.
The exterior body colour, Viola Red, was meticulously developed to reflect Mazda’s commitment to “cherishing the colour red” and aligns with the corporate philosophy of “enriching life-in-motion for those we serve.” The goal was to create a vivid colour with shaded elements accentuating its shape.
Daihatsu, a subsidiary of Toyota renowned for its compact models and microcars, is all set to make a significant mark at the upcoming Japan Mobility Show by unveiling a lineup of electric vehicles. Daihatsu has a rich history of producing microcars, vans, and trucks, and now it’s embracing the electric revolution, especially in the compact vehicle category.
Daihatsu Osanpo
One of the highlights is the Daihatsu Osanpo, an electric roadster that epitomizes the brand’s quirky and innovative design approach. The name “Osanpo” translates to “to walk” in Japanese, emphasising the ease and comfort of enjoying an open-air experience akin to a leisurely stroll. With a compact length of 3,395mm, the Osanpo promises a unique and compact driving experience. For comparison, the 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata is 3914mm, thus the Osanpo is a fairly small machine.
Lexus is set to unveil a new concept car at the Japan Mobility Show 2023, offering a preview of their first next-generation Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) expected to start production in 2026. While specific details about the concept weren’t disclosed, it’s anticipated to align with the teaser sketch previously released by Toyota under the Lexus brand.
Lexus is committed to a groundbreaking approach for their next-gen BEV, revolutionising the car body’s modular structure, altering production methods, and completely overhauling the software platform. The design will prioritise Lexus characteristics, focusing on aerodynamics for the exterior and utilising sustainable, high-quality materials for the interior.
Genesis has announced its debut in Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Gran Turismo 7 (GT7) sim racing videogame series as an official manufacturer partner of the Gran Turismo World Series, an online global motorsport championship. GT7 is developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. and was recently released on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles.
The luxury brand of the Hyundai Motor Group will make available to championship competitors the Genesis X GR3 and G70 GR4 concept vehicles, as well as the G70 Sport Sedan for the Manufacturer’s Cup.
“Genesis is pleased to be presenting the dynamic G70 sport sedan and our ambitious GR3 and GR4 concepts in Gran Turismo 7,” said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice-President and Head of Genesis Global Design Centre. “This platform allows fans of racing to get behind the wheel and discover the bold designs and performance ambitions of Genesis as we continue to explore the brand’s entry into motorsport.”
The X GR3 and G70 GR4 are concept vehicles which were shown last year when Genesis revealed the vehicle design process at an ultra-modern experiential installation called ‘The Performance of Design’ during Monterey Car Week. The two concept vehicles were part of a trio of models developed in collaboration with the creators of the Gran Turismo videogame series.
The X GR3 is based on the Genesis X Concept shown last year and reinterpreted in the Gr.3 racing specification. It is powered by a 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo engine with 555 ps.
The G70 GR4 Gran Turismo, is a California-built 420 ps racing car derived from the Genesis coupe. It is a completely reimagined G70 sport sedan for competition with a GT-inspired racing package. Building on the existing G70 model to create a bold, yet elegant, high-performance racing car, it showcases the motorsport intent of the brand.
Other concepts under study are the GR1 Alpha_DB, GR1 Bravo_GB, and GR1 Charlie_ET, all of which are potential designs for a future Vision Gran Turismo Concept that will be an elite racing car.
Gran Turismo 7, the super-realistic sim racing videogame by Polyphony Digital/Sony Interactive Entertainment received its latest update recently. This follows the update in April which saw the addition of 3 new cars (2 Subaru BRZs and the Suzuki Cappuccino) and the 24-hour layout of Spa-Francorchamps.
With this update, players get another 3 new cars – the Roadster Shop Rampage, Toyota GR010 HYBRID ’21, and Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo. Additionally, new events have been added to the World Circuits, namely the Lightweight K-Cup, Vision Gran Turismo Trophy and Gr. 1 Prototype Series.
Toyota GR010 HYBRID ’21
Roadster Shop Rampage
Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo
Of the 3 new cars, the Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo has been much anticipated. It showcases Suzuki’s expertise in both 2-wheel and 4-wheel products, highlighting the company’s involvement in both motorcycles and automobiles. Only a handful of companies can lay claim in mastering the two genres, and fewer still can boast international racing success in both.
Suzuki’s Vision Gran Turismo, which joins a number of other Vision Gran Turismo models from other many carmakers, was developed as a unique all-wheel drive super sportscar which fuses the company’s motorcycle and automotive know-how.
The 2-seater in the familiar yellow colour of the brand has a convertible bodystyle with a front-engine/rear-wheel-drive layout. It has a very powerful hybrid drivetrain consisting of the 1340 cc inline-4 petrol engine taken from the company’s flagship sports bike, the Hayabusa, and electric motors.
There are 3 electric motors – 2 in front and 1 at the back. The combined system output is shown as 318 kW/432 ps at 9,700 rpm with 610 Nm of torque.
During development of this virtual supercar, Suzuki employed much of its racing technology in the construction, using as many lightweight components as possible. As a result, the car weighs just in 970 kgs.
As for the styling, the Vision Gran Turismo’s low stance and flowing lines were inspired by popular Suzuki production sportscar models like the Swift Sport and Cappuccino.
This isn’t the first time Suzuki fitted its powerful Hayabusa engine into an automobile. In fact, the company used it to power the GSX-R/4, a mid-engine sportscar concept that was shown in 2001. With the Vision Gran Turismo, Suzuki is recalling memories of that legendary showcar while introducing the latest technology.
According to Polyphony Digital, there will also be a Gr.3 version of the Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo soon. That would certainly raise this classic sportscar formula to the next level.
At one time, a ‘connected’ vehicle was one which could receive radio broadcasts and that was about all. Today, the term refers to many more ways that the vehicle and its occupants are connected which we are taking for granted. Even the cheapest models come with simple handsfree telephony capabilities, and connecting to the internet has been possible for many years.
Yet, in the early 1990s, connectivity like this was still considered as just ideas in concept cars. People were just starting to enjoy the convenience of mobilephones and being able to make calls from cars (which would lead to new laws that made them offences as they affected safety). Voice command was still regarded as science fiction, let alone handsfree telephony.
Thinking ahead in 1991
But many of the connectivity features that are common in today’s vehicles were already in the minds of Mercedes-Benz researchers and designers back in 1991. They showed their ideas in the F 100 research vehicle which was first displayed at the North American International Auto Show.
The F 100 was significant in many ways as never before had so many new ideas and innovative solutions been incorporated in a single vehicle. With all its technology, the vehicle was a forerunner of today’s connected car, which was typical of the German carmaker that has a long tradition of demonstrating pioneering technology in visionary and fully functional vehicles.
The F 100 was clearly a visionary research vehicle and it was employed by the engineers and designers to implement key findings in relation to future demands on vehicle technology. Among other things, the research vehicle incorporated findings from accident/social research: as a typical passenger car carries an average of between 1.2 and 1.7 people in everyday use, the developers positioned the driver in the centre of the passenger cell – the safest place inside the vehicle. This made the innovations in terms of crash safety for the driver even more effective.
The occupants in the second row were seated to the left and right behind the driver. Two further passengers were given seats towards the centre between the sturdy rear wheelhouses. The body of the F 100 with its steeply raked rear end anticipated the trend of future years, in which there was an increasing demand for spacious estate cars and other vehicles. It did not, however, take into consideration the SUV with its higher ground clearance…
Complex door operation
The innovative spatial concept of the interior was matched by a new type of door operation. Access to the driver’s seat was by means of rotating-swivelling doors, which took parts of the vehicle floor and roof with them when opened. When they were closed, mechanical locking mechanisms in 3 places ensured firm, reliable closing.
In this way, the F 100 made up for the slender waistline in the vehicle floor and the design with no B-pillar between the front doors and the space-saving, rear pivot-and-slide doors. Of course, the complex idea would be expensive and would not appear in production cars, although sliding side doors are common in MPVs.
The connected car
With many of its systems, the F 100 anticipated solutions that would in future years give rise to the ‘connected car’. These included a voice-controlled telephone system and a central display, on which the vehicle system automatically showed the key information in every situation – such as the current speed or warnings about traffic in the area around the vehicle.
Such information was delivered by a camera activated when reversing, while a distance-warning radar and another radar system monitored traffic ahead and behind the F 100. Sensors also detected other vehicles in the blind spot if the driver indicated to change lane and automatic lane-keeping was also possible.
Other electronic assistance systems included access to the car by chip card instead of a conventional key, electric motors to control the adjustment of seat and steering wheel, mobile fax and a permanently installed personal computer that was becoming widespread. The power supply was assisted by solar cells in the roof with an area of almost 2 square metres and an output of up to 100 watts.
The driver of a Mercedes-Benz A-Class today has a dashboard that provides all kinds of information, and the car has features that were just ideas in 1991.
They all sound common today, along with other systems that were considered very advanced in 1991: autonomous intelligent cruise control, xenon headlamps and a chip card as the vehicle key. Those who saw the F 100 and learnt of these systems may have found it hard to believe would be available in cars just a decade later – and not just in the flagship models like the S-Class.
Better lighting too
it was a vehicle that gave a fascinating promise of the future of automotive technology. This included safety systems and one of them showed a new approach to lighting technology. The F 100’s highly compact headlamps were the first from Mercedes-Benz to use gas-discharge lamps. This technology was later to become known under the name of xenon headlamps. The tail lamps were of transparent prism rods that served as light conductors and were activated from a central light source in the appropriate colour depending on the required function.
Different vehicles, different purposes
In addition to its research vehicles, Mercedes-Benz also develops technology vehicles, test vehicles, concept vehicles and one-off vehicles in advance of new standard-production models. Technology vehicles are standard-production vehicles that are equipped with new technology – such as alternative drives – in order to test that technology under everyday conditions. Related to research vehicles, the test vehicles are used to take new technologies out of the research lab and onto the test track.
The F 300 Life-Jet displayed in 1997 was a new vehicle concept which combined the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car.
Concept vehicles, on the other hand, are near-production, ready-to-drive vehicles that position a future vehicle model on the market. They are usually equipped with new technology just short of readiness for use in use in production models that customers can buy.
Bertone, ItalDesign and Pininfarina are well known names in the auto world, having been the design studios that created many exotic models – as concepts as well as production cars – for companies like Ferrari and Lamborghini. Also included among these historical Italian design houses is Ghia, which is owned by Ford today.
Ghia began as an independent company in 1916 and like companies involved in automobiles then, it specialized in coachwork (carrozzeria) and its founder Giacinto Ghia, was a master-builder of wooden models as well as skilled at styling. His talent was apparent in the models he styled with the best known said to be the Fiat 508 Ballilla sports coupe which was displayed at an exhibition in Turin in 1933. Back then, in the period before World War II, such companies were commissioned by carmakers to design some models for them.
The building that Ghia had was demolished during the war, and while it was being rebuilt in 1944, Ghia had a heart attack and died. His widow offered the company to a couple of good friends who saw the value of the Ghia name and chose to retain it for the name of the company. One of the two friends was a stylist named Felice Mario Boano whose designs were characterised by wheels which were enveloped.
Alfa Romeo 1900 Supersonic Conrero designed by Ghia in 1953.
How Ghia connected with Chrysler
In the early 1950s, Luigi Segre, a designer in the company as well as its owner from 1954, visited the USA and looked for new business opportunities there. He came in contact with Virgil Exner, who was a designer in the American company. Exner was also in charge of Chrysler’s showcar division and had to come up with models to display at motorshows. As he was busy with design work, he decided to let Ghia work on the showcars.
One of the many concept cars Ghia did for Chrysler. This was the Chrysler Ghia Streamline X Gilda which appeared at motorshows in 1955.
Segre got on well with Chrysler executives and his close relationship with Exner was strong. The partnership went on for 15 years, during which time Ghia produced numerous models. Eighteen of them even carried the company name as Chrysler Ghia Specials.
The Karmann-Ghia
The 1950s saw many more Ghia creations and one of the most famous was the Karmann-Ghia. Karmann was approached by Volkswagen in 1953 to come up with a sporty model which would use the Beetle platform. Volkswagen had in mind a roadster with an open top but when Karmann got Ghia to develop the model, the Italian studio came out with a coupe.
The Karmann-Ghia was unveiled at the 1955 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Ghia provided the Italian sportscar design, Karmann built it and Volkswagen provided the Beetle platform. The Karmann-Ghia was unveiled at the 1955 Frankfurt International Motor Show.
It took Ghia about 5 months to build a prototype and, in fact, the design team was able to come up with 3 designs within days of being told of the ‘unofficial’ project. Fortunately, when Karmann presented the coupe design to Volkswagen management, it was well received and a decision to build the car was made within the same day.
Karmann had planned to do 3,000 units but in the first year of production, 10,000 units of the car – named the Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia (Type 14) were made and delivered to customers. Between 1955 and 1969, 485,987 units were produced and those still in existence today are cherished collectors’ items.
Unlike Bertone and Pininfarina, however, Ghia never ventured into making cars for sale in any significant way. It remained as a styling studio, offering some very memorable designs which are still admired today.
Although it is described as having ‘Italian styling’, Ghia is not mentioned in official Volvo documents related to the P1800 coupe. However, the Italian studio did have an indirect involvement in the design of the car driven by ‘The Saint’ in the 1960s TV series.
Ghia and the Volvo used by ‘The Saint’
One of these was the Volvo P1800 coupe, the car used by ‘The Saint’ in the TV series of the 1960s. The Volvo designers were busy working on the Amazon (121/122) at that time and had no time to think of a sports model. The consultant for Volvo, Helmer Pettersson, who was given the project decided to pass it on to his son, Pelle, who was working for Ghia as a designer at that time. And that is how Ghia got involved in that memorable car.
Ghia’s relationship with Chrysler came to an end in the early 1960s, by which time Exner had left and Segre passed away. Between 1963 and 1967, Ghia changed owners a few times and then Alejandro de Tomaso bought it over in 1967. De Tomaso was an arrogant and unforgiving man, perhaps due to his background from a wealthy and influential family in Argentina where he grew up. Under de Tomaso, Ghia lost many of its designers and one of them was Giorgio Giugiaro who would start his own company called ItalDesign and go on to also become a famous name in the auto world.
Alejandro de Tomaso bought over Ghia in 1967 and then sold it to Ford in 1973 when his company was in financial difficulties.
In August 1969, Lee Iacocca, who was a rising Ford executive destined to become company president, visited Ghia. The flamboyant Iacocca was impressed by de Tomaso’s sportscars and asked the studio to do some engineering prototypes and concept models, as well as some special editions.
One of the first projects was a running prototype of a small sportscar. It was adapted from the Ford Mustang, the car Iacocca was closely associated with. It was a smaller version and eventually became the Mustang II. Ghia’s designers took just 53 days to complete their assignment which also provided Ford with a new direction in thinking.
The ‘baby’ Ford Mustang II designed by Ghia came out in time for the energy crisis decade when the auto industry had to downsize its cars.
Ford buys over Ghia
The effort impressed Ford and in 1973, when de Tomaso ran into financial difficulties, the American carmaker decided to buy over Ghia. The idea was to have a professional studio as an external design house to work on specialized and advanced projects.
The man who headed it was Filipo Sapino who was a designer at a smaller Ford studio which was also located in Italy. Actually, he had also worked for Ghia earlier (as well as having a short stint with Pininfarina where he was involved in Ferrari styling) and by 1976, Sapino was given the position of Managing Director of Ghia. He would hold that position for the next 25 years.
Ghia versions of production models
Besides being used as an advanced styling studio by Ford, Ghia was also tasked to refine production models. These refinements were aimed at creating luxurious versions with higher-quality trim levels and equipment, mainly for models sold by Ford of Europe, starting with the Granada in 1974. This was followed by Ghia versions of popular models like the Escort, Capri and Cortina. The Ghia image was so strong that some Malaysians even referred to the late 1970s Escort Ghia as just a ‘Ford Ghia’. However, after 2010, Ford decided to drop the Ghia name and replaced it with ‘Titanium’ for the top versions.
The Ford Lynx Ghia was the last Ghia-badged model sold in Malaysia in the early 2000s.
The Streetka was a showcar that Ford decided to turn into a production model.
Some Ghia concept models were also turned into production cars, usually sporty models. For example, the Barchetta was the basis for the reincarnation of the Ford Capri in the 1980s, a product which was made in Australia using a Mazda 323 platform. The Streetka, which started off as a concept, also became a production model.
Today, Ghia is not prominent outside Ford and is part of the global network of studios which share work and combine efforts and resources. It does however have a major role in designing concept cars, just as it did when Chrysler’s Exner first appointed the studio to do showcars in the 1950s and 1960s.
Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, is aiming to develop a performance side to its image, just like the three Japanese luxury brands (Lexus, Infiniti and Acura). It is already finalizing a range of GT models that will appear in showrooms in the next couple of years.
This weekend, during the Monterey Car Week in California, Genesis is showing its design process at an ultramodern experiential installation called ‘The Performance of Design‘. At this event, the brand will unveil 3 concept models developed in collaboration with the creators of the PlayStation Gran Turismo videogame series.
G7o for competition
One of the models that will convey its motorsport intent are the G70 GR4 Gran Turismo, a California-built racing car, during an exclusive event. This is derived from the G70 sedan but completely reimagined for competition with an all-new GT-inspired racing package.
“The G70 GR4 GT builds on the existing G70 model to create a bold, yet elegant, high-performance racing vehicle,” said SangYup Lee, Senior Vice-President and Head of Global Genesis Design. “We are pleased to be presenting this vehicle and others as we explore the brand’s entry into motorsport.”
4 other concepts
Besides the G70 GR4 GT, there will be the GR3 and 3 potential designs for a future Vision Gran Turismo Concept, an elite racing vehicle. The three design studies are:
GR1 Alpha_DB – an experimental concept that embraces ‘Athletic Elegance’, separating the brand’s iconic two lines to form one seamless design and testing the limits of aerodynamics and speed.
GR1 Bravo_GB – a sophisticated mobile sculpture, proving that function and beauty can work as one.
GR1 Charlie_ET: a design embracing the technical precision of ‘Athletic Elegance’, capturing the tension, athleticism and performance of Genesis products.
Immersive experience with AR and VR
Visitors to the facility will be able to ‘experience’ these new designs with the use of augmented and virtual reality technologies that will create an immersive environment.
Audi has created three new concept cars to show how the brand will design its future luxury cars. The concept cars have a lot of focus on interior design which has been planned for Level 4 autonomous driving which will have much reduced driver involvement.
The three concept cars are called Skysphere, Grandsphere and Urbansphere. The shared root word ‘sphere’ in their names emphasizes all three designs’ focus on the new interior concept and the holistic digital ecosystem for a new world of experience on board.
With the transition to electromobility and, in a few years, to automated driving, this aspect of the car will change more dramatically than it has at any time in recent decades. And with the interior and the spatial architecture, a new overall car concept will also emerge in which the inner space becomes the core of new vehicle design. A digital ecosystem will also make personalized services possible beyond the car.
Each of the vehicles interprets this paradigm shift in design differently – created with resolute dynamism, distinction, or even long-distance travel in mind. In each case, the passengers’ needs and quality of experience are at the very top of the priority list. To achieve this, technological innovations and the highest quality materials and workmanship envelop the passengers in all areas.
Level 4 autonomy means that they can enjoy the freedom to drive themselves or – if possible – to simply disconnect from traffic and let the car drive itself. When autonomous mode is in use, the interior then changes its functionality. It becomes a free space for relaxing, networking, or even actively communicating.
“These concept vehicles embody our brand strategy. They show how we imagine the near future of premium mobility,” said Henrik Wenders, Head of the Audi brand. For him, the future is a design space to offer people new experiences during their journey. Audi is calling these newly designed car interiors – referred to as spheres – that envelope the passengers.
The first two concept cars will make their appearance during August. The Skysphere will be unveiled at Audi’s new design centre in California and also shown at the Monterey Car Week. A few weeks later, the second concept car, the Grandsphere, will be presented at the 2021 IAA Mobility show in Munich. In the first half of 2022, the Urbansphere will follow as the third concept car.
Unlike ‘vision cars’ like the Audi AI:CON or AI:ME, these three showcars are not trying to look into the distant future. Instead, they are presenting lines, technologies, and spaces for experience that are likely to be seen in some production models from the mid-2020s.
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