Geneva Motor Show concept car previews

Ahead of the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, most manufacturers have already leaked an image or two of their upcoming concepts, however some are still being leaked now.

The Rinspeed XchangE

Swiss think tank and 'mobility lab', Rinspeed, got hold of the new fully electric Tesla Model S and turned it into a fully autonomous vehicle. The concept has been dubbed the 'XchangE' and will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

The concept uses steer-by-wire technology, similar to that which can be found on modern airliners, which automatically controls the direction of the car. Since the concept does not require the assistance of the driver, the interior is designed around relaxation. There are a world record of over 20 seating arrangements available inside, various innovative entertainment features have also been fitted. These include a 1.2m wide display strip on the dash relaying back key vehicle data and a 32 inch 4k monitor, which can be used to watch videos.

The interior was developed by Strahle+Hess ad features natural materials such as merino wool and silk. Another interior highlight is the Plexiglas roof, which Rinspeed claims shimmers in all colours of the rainbow thanks to the 358 individually controlled LED lights.

The XchangE is the twentieth concept vehicle from the Swiss think tank and 'mobility lab'. It was previously previewed last year with several design sketches yet now the autonomous saloon is a reality, though it will remain a one off.

Volvo concept estate teaser

The first teaser pictures of the third and final Volvo estate concept have been revealed ahead of the concepts reveal at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The images appeared on the website of Swedish raincoat maker Stutterheim, which has been involved in making a handmade car cover for the concept.

The concept follows the Concept Coupe which was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year and the Concept XC Coupe shown at Detroit in January. Together they show the elegant, simple design language created by Volvo car's new vice president of design, Thomas Ingenlath. The company does not yet offer a coupe and the XC concept wasn't the same size as either the XC60 or XC90, so the concept estate is the first time that Ingenlath has interpreted one of the firm's current models.

Although disguised, the model resembles a Volvo P1800 ES two door station wagon, yet it's steeply angled rear screen, huge alloys and large exhaust show that a more sporty look for the firm's estate is on the way.

A statement on the Stutterheim website read, “The Estate Svart is a car cover made with inspiration from the Volvo Concept Estate. The cover is handmade together with the Volvo’s design team using hand-stitched seams on a rubberized cotton fabric in the best quality. The result is a unique jacket for your favourite automobile, keeping it safe from outer demons, warm and ready for adventure.”

Volvo has yet to confirm any more details of the concept model but as with previous designs, the concept is expected to be based on the firm's SPA modular architecture and will be powered by a new Drive-E engine. This will be the concepts last reveal before the new XC90 Is unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September.
 

Student designed Hyundai

A group of design students from Istituto Europeo di Design, better known as IED, have created a Hyundai PassoCorto concept for their thesis project of the Master of Arts in Transportation Design program. The concept will be officially unveiled by the Italian school at the Geneva show.

It is said to be 161 inches long, 74 inches wide and 45.7 inches tall. The concept rides on a 96.5 inch wheelbase, which makes sense as 'Passa Corto' means 'short wheelbase' in Italian. The engine is tipped to be a mid-mounted, twin turbo, 1.6 litre four cylinder capable of pumping out 266 brake horse power.

The styling comes from 16 IED students coordinated by Luca Borgogno, lead designer for fabled Italian design house Pininfarina. The students were given a brief by Hyundai to create a vehicle aimed at young, connected people like them. All of the students submitted a proposal and two were selected to be merged together in a final look. The entire class contributed to bringing the design to full scale.

With the Geneva Motor Show set to start on 4th March, more detail such as specs and tech, will soon be revealed by the companies.