03 Oct 06
Wolfgang Egger
At last. Alfa Romeo is going into production with the 8C Competizione, originally shown as a prototype in 2003. It's had to be modified to fit in with pedestrian safety regulations, and wind tunnel tests resulted in a new diffuser, but designer Wolfgang Egger says it's at least 90% true to the concept.
And although it looks fantastic, the production car will be a mix of form and function. 'It is a perfect relationship between the two things - it's a performance car, but it has room for luggage, two seats, and space. The inside door handle is a good example. It's a perfect design but has function - when the car is going very fast you need something to hold on to. It's the same thing with the centre console flick switches. They're from the airline industry and look good but are also very easy to use.
'It's got 50mm longer than the 2003 car for a better seating position. On the concept the seating was extremely compact - there was too little space for tall people.'
Egger says: 'It's not retro, it's a future design that has the emotions of the cars we had from some years ago (the TZ and 33 Stradale) and ones we may have in the near future also. When you sit in the car you see the front fender - the curve of it. The round windscreen creates emotion too by showing you the relationship between you, the car and the landscape you drive through.'
So what does he like most about it? 'There's no best bit, it's all about balance, and so that what's best about it.'
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Chris Bangle
Paris is a big show for the BMW group. In addition to the launch of the new Mini, there is the unveiling of a hydrogen-powered 7-Series and confirmation from Rolls-Royce that it will build the 'baby Roller'.
But what BMW doesn't have in Paris is a car with a controversial design. Why not? We asked Chris Bangle, BMW's much reviled and much copied head of design, if the company is going through a period of consolidation.
'That's probably a good way to put it. We really expanded the design vocabulary in the last few years. But it's very important to allow the design direction to flow through the product line and become stabilised as the norm instead of a continuous process of huge jumps.
'On the other hand, the brand new Mini has been launched here today and it really shows how close we've kept to stabilising the iconic values of the original design. I really like that car.'
So what's next from BMW? Bangle, who isn't involved with anything closer than a 2009 launch, said: 'When you start getting up to 2012 or 2015, then we start seeing major architectural changes. And with anything beyond 2015 to 2020, you're looking at radical, fundamental changes to the car as we know it.'
Will clean-running powertrains affect car design? 'As a company, we really take these ideas seriously. We really believe in building products that are more fun and provide more driving pleasure, but with less consumption and less emissions. So we're looking at all the routes in which those things, which are seemingly in conflict, can be made compatible.
'All these systems are about how you store energy. So the challenge for us is to find space for that energy - and provide more space for the passengers.'
And what does Bangle think we'll be driving in 2009, 2012, 2015?
'Ask me what we'll be driving in 2090. Seriously cool cars. I think the future of these things is dependent on how we keep to the idea of the car as your own personal transportation - and so far the signs are good.'
BMW Hydrogen 7
