Wacky Concepts From The 2019 Geneva Motor Show
Motor shows have a number of attractions. The most important part of them is the introduction and the unveiling of new models by all the big manufacturers. This is where we get to see what’s going to be hitting the roads at some point in the near future. It’s where we see where the future of motoring is going.
However, as well as all the sensible new suggestions, there are always the offbeat contributions. And you’ve got to admit that having a look at the weird stuff that designers have proposed is part of the fun of any good motor show worth its salt. One needs a bit of comic relief, after all!
Geneva 2019 didn’t disappoint in either regard, even though some of the big names like Ford, Jaguar and Volvo didn’t put in an appearance. There were plenty of good practical offerings up for the viewers, most of which fell into the EV category, as this is the way that Europe is going (here’s hoping that they have the capacity to generate electricity to match). The ones that are slated for release in Australia will eventually make it onto our reviews page for those who want to know more and would like to own them – and I hope that the Audi Q4 e-tron makes it down here, for one.
There were also hot sports cars galore from all the big names. Ferrari and Bugatti did not disappoint, showcasing a couple of hot hypercars that looked every bit as cool as they ought to be.
Naturally, there were the more entertaining elements and concepts as well. Here’s some of the beauties that raised eyebrows for their quirkiness.
GFG Kangaroo
This is an SUV. No, honestly; that’s what the designers say that it is, which shows you just how flexible the term “SUV” is these days. The GFG Kangaroo concept SUV might look like a sports car but it’s got flexible suspension to give it extra ground clearance whenever you want it, and those cool front splitters that look like a boy racer’s favourite dream are retractable, which improves the approach angle so you can drive this up a slope. This isn’t just some mock-up idea – the manufacturers actually made a driveable prototype and got it to do what it’s supposed to do. Well, bonus points to them for actually giving it a go and who knows?
Citroen Ami One
Designed with the legendary 2CV in mind as well as hip young Parisians who don’t want to ride the local equivalent of a Lime scooter on a cold rainy day, the Citroen Ami One might look like a car but is technically classified as a quadricycle. This means that one doesn’t need a proper driver’s license to drive it – though you’d think that the ability to parallel park, obey the give way rules and indicate properly would still be needed. It’s got two seats, the display panel and sound system require you to drop your smartphone into the special slot, and its top speed is 28 mph (that’s about 45 km/h).
Fiat Centoventi
Named after the Italian word for 120 (the number of years that Fiat has been in business), the Centroventi is a vehicle that aims to be as customisable and modular as a computer if not more so. The best idea with the modular concept would have to be the extra battery slots so you can extend the range by dropping in another battery if you want to (apparently, the idea was inspired by the way that you can add extra memory cards or drives to your computer for more data if you want to). The general idea is that you start with the basic all-white idea, then order the customizable accessories you want to personalise it… and you fit the accessories yourself. It also has a big display on the rear so you can send messages to those behind you.
Nissan IMQ
I wasn’t sure whether to leave this one off the list of weird offerings or whether to wait and see if it made it into production for the Aussie market, but came down on the side of weirdness. The word the designers had in mind in this potential replacement for the Qashqai was “kabuku”,which, so I am told, means “to embrace the unusual”. Looks-wise, it is weird, especially in the interior. The outside is something that looks vaguely familiar in outline but with lots of angular features but inside? What’s with those seats? They don’t look like the usual armchair styles but have gone in for minimalist things that look like they’re floating. They look like something from a classic sci-fi movie. One would definitely want to give it the bum-on-seat test to see if they’re comfy or not, because they don’t look all that inviting even if they have been properly ergonomically designed. The interior also features textures galore. Most bizarre is the steering wheel, if you can call something that’s shaped like the side view of a wonky loaf of bread a wheel. I’m sure it all works but… it’s a lot to wrap the mind around.
SEAT Minimo
Continuing the theme of little dinky-wees, the Minimo also can’t make up its mind whether it’s a car or a glorified bicycle. It seats two but the passenger goes behind rather than beside the driver. The idea is to reduce congestion by having a vehicle that takes up less space. But where do you put your groceries?
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JOHN DOLAN says:
Was there any hydrogen fuel cell evs
May 21st, 2019 at 2:26 pm