2011 Frankfurt - Ford set to stun audience with the Evos Concept

Rarely do automotive manufacturers consider the concept of ‘concepts’ seriously and use them as basis for their future models. Rather, most companies prefet to relegate them as just show-pieces letting us drool over their looks and imagine the usefulness of the many techno gizmos that they come loaded with. Ford thankfully does not belong to this group and is known for bringing most of their concepts to production form with minimal changes. It was this fact that got me all excited on seeing this new Ford Evos concept. Are we at last going to have an affordable mass-market sedan that looks truly gorgeous?



To be unveiled to the public at the ongoing 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford gave a sneak preview of the car at a special media event organized in Berlin. Derrick Kuzak, VP, Global Product Development at Ford said during the unveiling - "The Ford Evos Concept unites three key elements which are at the core of our One Ford global product strategy: outstanding design, smart technologies and fuel economy leadership. With its compelling design and innovative vehicle technologies, it is a clear demonstration of the exciting vision we have for the Ford brand."



The Evos Concept looks like an evolution of the brand’s successful 'Kinetic Design' theme with quite a few sharp cuts and creases adorning the body. Featuring a typical Ford honey-comb grille, ultra slim headlights, lovely foglamps surrounding the twin airdams, diamond-shaped taillights and a chunky trapezoidal exhaust tip at the center of the rear bumper, the Evos makes a stunning style statement. Without a doubt, the four sculpted gullwing doors that open skywards and extends well into the roof are the most eye-catching design elements of the car.



Ford says that though the Evos Concept throws a sneak peak into the future design elements of the brand, this car will not make it to production in its current form. Now, thats hardly surprising. Heck, in all probability, the gullwings too won’t make it to production. But, do we really care? The innovative and futuristic approach of the Evos continues in its interiors and powertrain as well. Again, who cares? Even if Ford stays half-true to its tradition and come up with a production model which is at least partly based on the Evos, we are in for a visual treat.



The Evos Concept looks to be similarly-sized to C and D segment cars of our world. Imagine the next generation Ford Mondeo with such gorgeous looks, next-best-only-to-BMW handling, powerful yet fuel-efficient ‘Ecoboost’ engines, futuristic interiors loaded with features and an affordable non-exotic price tag. Now, that's what most of us auto-enthusiasts dreams are made of, isn't it? You may well argue that such a combination is possible only in dreams but the point is, with the Evos Concept, Ford has come tantalizingly close in converting that dream into a reality.

2011 Geneva - Tata unveils Pixel Concept

Sharing floor space and hogging the limelight amidst global premieres from brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche at the 81st International Auto Show in Geneva, was India’s largest automaker Tata, which unveiled its vision of a future city car in Europe, the Pixel Concept. Speaking on the occasion, Carl-Peter Forster, MD and CEO of Tata Motors, said “Tata Motors holds true to its belief that there is an opportunity in Europe for a city car, which is optimal in space, maneuverability and environment-friendliness. The Tata Pixel is a reflection of Tata Motor's idea of what such a car should be.”

Though it has been derived from the Nano, the cheapest car in the world, the Pixel looks nothing like it. Compared with its probable competitors like Smart Fortwo and Toyota iQ, the Pixel looks better and would surely turn more heads than either of them. The fact that Pixel can accommodate four adults in comfort unlike any of its competitors is an added bonus.



From the front, the similarity in design cues with the Nano is clearly evident. The headlamps in particular looks remarkably similar but the LED clusters and the huge windscreen make sure that the car looks much more upmarket than it actually is. In profile, the unusually large glasshouse and the uniquely shaped scissor doors look elegant. From the rear though, the Pixel looks stunning with those beautifully shaped taillight clusters with integrated LEDs. If this car makes it to production as such, Tata can undoubtedly claim to be having one of the best looking compact cars in the world.



The Pixel also has some advanced technology beneath its alluring looks. The Zero-Turn toroidal traction drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT) assists rotation of the outer rear wheel forwards and the inner rear wheel backwards while the front wheels turn at acute angles. As a result, the car has a turning radius of just 2.6 meters, thus enabling easy maneuverability and parking inside the city. The scissor doors have been designed to open skywards allowing easy entry and exit for passengers of both rows even in the tightest of places. Moreover, key functions of the car would be controlled by the driver’s smart phone through ‘My Tata Connect’, the first-ever integrated human-machine interface concept from Tata.



With a 1.2L three cylinder turbocharged diesel engine powering the rear wheels, low rolling resistance tires, stop start technology and regenerative braking, we can safely assume the Pixel to bring in lively performance, good fuel efficiency and lesser CO2 emissions to meet the strict European standards.



Hats off, Tata! Just like you did with the Nano, you have again made the Indian flag fly high at Geneva. Please don’t let the Pixel go into the drain just like the Magna, Aria, Prima and many of your other earlier concepts. Give it a shot at the Indian market too and I am sure you will be rewarded for it!

Cool Concepts #2 - Lamborghini Estoque

May God bless the folks who created this whole concept of four-door sports sedan. Seriously, it’s a dream combination of the power, performance and handling of an exotic sports car and the space, practicality and features of a luxury sedan. Though Aston-Martin, Lamborghini and Bugatti too have displayed similar concepts, it was Porsche who entered this market segment in serial production with it’s Panamera. And boy, what a success it has been for Porsche, with the company recently producing the 10,000th Panamera within a year of global launch.

Any new model from Lamborghini is sure to grab eyeballs and headlines across the global automotive press. This though, did not happen for a long time as the company was happy continuing with it’s super successful twins, the Gallardo and Murcielago and their numerous power-packed versions. So, when the company finally showcased a four-door sports sedan which was unlike any other previous model it has produced, it literally bowled everybody off their feet.



FACTFILE:

• Manufacturer: LAMBORGHINI 


• Model Name: ESTOQUE 


• Debut: 2008 PARIS MOTOR SHOW 


• Competitors: Porsche Panamera, Aston-Martin Rapide

The Estoque, as it is christened, will go down in history as one of the most aggressive looking sedans ever created. Period. With it’s sporty, muscular lines and stunning proportions, the Estoque stole the show, literally. Just view the profile once and you will accept that it's one of the finest ever crafted. Though the global recession in 2009 almost killed this model, it would be a huge sin if Lamborghini decides to confine this striking design as a show-stopping concept alone. Latest reports suggest that Lamborghini is in fact considering producing this as it’s much-awaited third model range, which is the most sensible thing to do, so that Porsche and Aston-Martin has some serious competition. If the runaway success of the Panamera and the positive initial response to the Rapide is any indication, the Estoque, if ever made, will surely become one of the highly produced Lamborghinis of all time.



Now that the wish has been made, it's time for prayers to make it happen.

Cool Concepts #1 - Tata Prima

The idea behind the conceptualization of this new series "Cool Concepts" is very simple. Posts with this title will feature cars showcased by manufacturers as Concepts, which are my favorites and nevertheless too good in their own respect, but have not made it to production till now for various reasons.

FACTFILE:

• Manufacturer: TATA


• Model Name: PRIMA CONCEPT


• Debut: 2009 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW


• Competitors: Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic
  
  

Launching this series is our very own Tata Prima concept displayed at 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Having done this for close to a decade now, displaying concepts in Geneva is not new for Tata but the unfortunate fact is that literally none of them have been transformed from concept stage to production as yet.

Just one glance at the Prima will tell that this thing looks nothing like what Tata has ever produced. Infact, none of the models that Tata has made so far even comes close to this beauty. The styling of this sedan was done by the famed Italian design house "Pininfarina" who are better known for designing Ferraris and Alfa-Romeos than Tatas. Except for a slightly odd grille at the front, the rest of the car looks fabulous. Especially the rear with its XF like taillights will not look out of place in a Jaguar. I could imagine that if this thing runs on Indian roads with the Tata badge, its sure to catapult Tata's Brand Image to an all-together higher level with its stunning head-turning design and looks. This would be the first Tata that people would 'want to buy' rather than forced to buy.

Hope Tata is listening and does not let a beauty like this run into the drain just like their concepts of previous years.