Opel GTC Concept, 2007

Opel GTC Concept, 2007
Heralds New Design Era for the Brand

The four-seat coupé is powered by a 220 kW/300 hp, 2.8-liter V6 turbo gasoline engine and features an intelligent, electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system, which provides optimum traction and stability as well as excellent agility in all driving conditions.
Brand-typical on-board flexibility is ensured by the thoughtful "Flex4" system (patent application submitted). The backs of both rear seats can be docked separately to the front seats by remote control, creating a spacious three or two-seater with flat load floor and up to 1020 liters of luggage compartment capacity. As is typical of Opel cars, the seats do not have to be removed or installed.

Dynamic design: Visually communicating the Opel brand promise
The GTC Concept reveals the next-generation of Opel styling. Much like the Opel Speedster did in 1999, or the GTC Genève Concept did in 2003 this car marks a break in the evolution of Opel's design language and signals that the next chapter is about to be written.

Key elements of the silk grey-lacquered Coupé concept car finished with a matte grey paint (length/width/height: 4830/1867/1432 millimeters, wheelbase: 2737 mm) begin with an aggressive front end performance face emphasized by large aluminum vertical intakes that intersect the headlamps. These vertical elements are mimicked in the rear exhaust elements, proposing an unmistakable down-the-road signature performance graphic, coming or going.

The proud front is highlighted by a prominent, trapezoidal grille with signature Opel bar and Blitz, executed in polished aluminum, and gracefully finished with a bolder Opel Blitz emblem concept. The centerline crease coupled with the distinctive aluminum vertical intakes and outboard LED vertical driving lamps choreograph in harmony to visually communicate power and strength. The distinctive design continues with LED technology, enabling creative headlamp inner shapes that propose a night time signature illumination graphic in the front and rear lamps.

In addition, large flares hug the aggressive wheel and tire package, visually suggesting road confidence to the customer. Thanks to the wide track (front/rear: 1627/1629 mm), the Opel GTC Concept provides a commanding stance, planted by 20-inch rims with 245/40 R20 "red line" styled rubber. The wheels reference the motor sport aesthetic of black rims - however, elegantly finished with high- gloss black spokes contrasted with machine polished edges, alluding a signature performance wheel look.

The GTC Concept's rear visual solutions strategically echo the design language of the nose with an integrated rear bar and blitz emblem resting on the distinctive Opel rear center crease. Sophisticated surface development sculpturally integrates the rear spoiler into the sheetmetal to visually communicate performance. The rear appearance features Opel signature shaped rear lamps, uniquely displaying a LED night lighting graphic showcasing the exterior brand identity. The smart exterior shape and aerodynamic characteristics are rewarded by the cD value of 0.25.

The Interior design: Warmer and more inviting
Opel's interior designs have progressed to become warmer and more inviting in products like the new Corsa, Antara and Opel GT. However, the Opel GTC Concept significantly represents the next chapter of Opel's interior brand identity. Echoing the exterior, the interior shapes and surfaces are sculpturally-crafted to visually articulate a dynamic driving experience. The dashboard's top-pad wraps around from the instrument panel to the door, embracing the occupants. The sweeping décor dynamically stretches one's eye from the surfaces of the door and instrument panel, creating a memorable environment. The horizontal theme is secured with a large integrated centerstack design floating above the décor surface, an appearance reminiscent of premium audio equipment.


Complementing the exterior material theme, matte ebony surfaces are contrasted with rich high-gloss piano black décor finishes and structurally elegant aluminum accents, revealing a new standard of Opel aesthetics. The U-shaped aluminum graphic on the steering wheel is reflected again on the center console and the gear shifter, visually connecting the driving interfaces to emphasize Opel's driving dynamics. The rotating navigation control is ergonomically positioned, allowing it to easily be located and controlled by the driver, without having to remove his/her eyes from the road. The four, sporty, round instruments encircled by translucent rings are backlit in dynamic red, replacing Opel's traditional amber tones. These interior appearance solutions intentionally reinforce the dynamic ownership experience Opel provides.
As a final identity concept, the refined "redline" graphic of the tire pattern is vertically woven into the contoured sport seat surfaces and the centerline of the steering wheel, proposing that a visual performance identity can be distinctive without compromising taste.

Intelligent packaging: Compact exterior with spacious, flexible interior
With the lower seating position and vertical hip point ? known as the H-point? , both front occupants sit perfectly integrated in the car. Thanks to the lower-set instrument panel, outward visibility remains excellent. This also provides a generous sense of space, an effect strengthened by its color: the instrument panel's upper section is dark, while the lower section is light.

The intelligent packaging is further highlighted by plenty of space in the rear of the Opel Concept car, despite its flat roof line: rear headroom is 920 millimeters. The rear seats are set low, but the four-seat, two-door car still offers Opel's brand-typical flexibility thanks to a novelty developed by Opel engineers: the "Flex4" interior concept (patent application submitted).
"Flex4" enables the backs of both the rear seats in the Coupé concept car to be moved forward separately at the touch of a button via sensor-control and docked to the front seats. The luggage compartment cover is thereby automatically pulled over the remaining seat surfaces in the floor. This creates a three or two-seater with a flat load floor up to 1.80 meters long. Luggage compartment capacity increases from 500 liters to 755 liters (three-seater) or up to 1020 liters (maximum capacity: up to waistline).

Powerful engine and intelligent four-wheel drive system
The Opel GTC concept car is powered by a turbocharged, 220 kW/300 hp, 2.8-liter V6 gasoline engine with two variable camshafts, which is combined with a six-speed manual transmission. Maximum torque of 400 Nm is available from 1850 up to 4500 rpm, and accelerating from zero to 100 km/h is calculated to take around six seconds. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h.

The power from the high-tech turbo engine is channeled via an advanced, electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system, which is fully integrated into the car's adaptive IDSPlus chassis management system. An electronically-regulated torque transfer device seamlessly distributes power between the front and rear axles for optimum traction and driving performance. The high-speed control allows more power to be provided to the rear axle before any traction loss can occur, for example during quick acceleration. This creates a driving feel similar to a sporty rear-wheel drive car. An electronically-controlled limited slip differential at the rear axle provides additional stability and traction thanks to torque distribution between the rear wheels.

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.