Aston Martin V8 Vantage

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage, first shown in concept car form at the Detroit Motor Show in 2003, debuts in production form at Geneva little altered. The V8 uses a shortened version of the DB9’s aluminium platform which means that it has two seats as opposed to its larger sibling’s 2+2 seats and also differs in being powered by a V8 (not a V12 like the rest of the Aston Martin range) based on the engine from fellow Ford PAG brand, Jaguar.

The V8 is clearly part of chairmen Ulrich Bez’s strategy to have all models very closely related in design to concentrate brand awareness whilst Aston Martin broadens its proposition. The interior IP is carried over from the DB9, albeit with different colour and trim, but whilst the exterior is thematically very similar to the DB, its execution is distinct: pulling back from the side air outlets is a prominent side feature ridge; the rear has a hatch (not dissimilar to the new Jag’s); the overhangs are far shorter. And most importantly the car is so much more hunkered down on the ground with broad surfaces atop its wings and a more muscular demeanor.

But this attractive and faultlessly executed muscular design does have one failing. By definition of being so appealing to so many, the car lacks the distinction and slightly sinister might that befits this famous brand.

Pininfarina Birdcage 75th concept

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Pininfarina, the company is showing a dream concept based on the Maserati MC12 running gear. First impressions are of a classic piece of Pininfarina 'drama', with access to the interior via a giant canopy that moves forward on a parallelogram action, just like the 1970 Modulo. Combined with that, however, is a wonderful elegance and maturity to this design that is on a different level to that of other Carrozeria at the show. Speaking to CDN, Creative Director Ken Okuyama said “This is a pure flight of fancy. We just want people to look at it and say 'wow'. That's what we do best”

The white pearl body colour is contrasted with dark tinted glass on the delta-shaped canopy, together with bright blue seats. The exposed carbon fibre parts are also tinted blue, with visible tubular framework and a transparent head-up display for instrumentation. This is a fine effort from Ken Okuyama - Pininfarina at their best.

Nissan Zaroot concept

The Zaroot originates from Nissan’s Tokyo-based design centre Creative Box (who were notably responsible for the extreme Nissan Nails from Tokyo 2001). It is a sports-orientated compact SUV, not unlike Nissan’s Geneva show car last year, the Qashqai, from their London studio. But the Zaroot is more SUV in its off-road large wheels and chunky detailing and more sporting with a single gullwing door on each side and low height.

Exterior designer Xi Qiu explained to CDN that he wanted minimal tumblehome and doors that pushed out-ward to maximise the sense of width inside the car. These long but shallow doors (sitting atop sills that fold down to aid ingress egress) have their own surface that visually separates in profile the cabin area of the car from the rear luggage area and front engine, and this is accentuated by a separate DLO and a roof line that breaks at the B-pillar to run straight back.

Not as radical as Nails or as production believable in concept as Qashqai (for which we have to thank Project Chief Designer Ryouichi Kuraoka), but Zaroot has a strong and distinct appeal in its overall concept and innovative design execution.

Related Stories:
Nissan Nails - Tokyo 2001
Nissan Qashqai - Geneva 2004

Honda Civic concept

Out goes the bread van, in comes the rice rocket! This is a concept car that shows the theme if not the sheet metal of the next generation European Civic, and it certainly breaks with its predecessor.

The design is conspicuously cab-forward with a notably shorter rear door than front door, accentuated by an even shorter rear window and a quarter-light ahead of the front door. This combines with a steeply diving body side crease, and an Alfaesque prominent front door handle and hidden rear door handle to give it a very strong sporty appeal.

The full width glazed front and rear lamp graphics, and an unusual bustle backed rear tailgate, are other unusual design features.

Exactly how this concept relates to the soon to be launched production Civic five door is hard to know, but whilst potentially losing some of the current car’s spaciousness might seen counter intuitive, the strongly dynamic flavour of the new design certainly would appeal as well as being a return to previous Civic’s sporting design orientation.

Lexus IS

The new IS range has a big job to do for Lexus. We've heard about the new L-Finesse design identity and seen some lovely concepts these last two years but time to deliver the goods now, guys. And this car needs to sell in big numbers if Lexus is to reach its goal of a really serious premium brand player in Europe.

First impressions are of a scaled-down version of last year's luxury GS-Series, featuring the 'long cabin proportion' and slingshot DLO graphic rather than the compact, sporty concept of the previous IS. Lexus' declared intention of having a 'strong and unique design character' seems to have got a little lost in the translation too. For instance, the front face captures some elements of the LF-A concept but the trapezoid grille seems curiously hollow-cheeked and somewhat generic to really stand out on the Autobahn.

Similarly at the rear, where the previous IS was noted for its jewel-like taillamps, the new lamps appear curiously low rent and dated by comparison. On the plus side, the engine in the new IS changes from an in-line six to a new V6 range and includes an all-important 2.2 litre turbo-diesel engine for first time.

  Read our full Design Review...

Bertone Villa concept

Cadillac is a brand on the stretch. Already it has successfully stretched its brand from the luxury sedan sector to the SUV sector with the Escalade and SRX, into the sports car sector with the XLR and into the sports compact sector with the CTS. With the Villa, Bertone clearly see potential for it moving into the Minivan / MPV sector.

The dominating feature of the car are its large glass doors running far into the roof that unusually cantilever away from the centre of the car in profile. They open to reveal a rather empty, B-pillarless interior with pink leather seats(!) and a huge centre console screen. Rear lights run up the trailing edges of the rear doors and across the roof at a point that breaks the otherwise monospace silhouette and the rear window glazing extends to cover the name plate and secondary rear lights.

It may be a logical next step for the Cadillac brand to move into the MPV sector, but the Villa does not look like it shows the most promising way to do this.

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