As you may recall, I went to a car design event in Munich last week, rather cleverly named Car Design Event. I was wined, I was dined, I was chauffeured in a Bentley Bentayga from the airport (surprisingly knobbly ride on the autobahn), and generally had an agreeable time all around mixing and meeting designers and auto journalists not as fabulous as me.
I also had the opportunity to get up close and personal with some gorgeous machinery, some being of it being stored or displayed for sale as part of Motor World, right next to where the event was held at the Drivers and Business Club. Some of it was concept models that a couple of manufacturers had bought along, especially for the occasion. I’ve already shown you some of the interesting cars in and around the venue, and now I’m going to give you a personal guided tour through some of the concepts.
It used to be if you saw a concept car at a big international motor show it would be behind a velvet rope or up on a stand so the filthy public was kept at arm’s length because they’re fragile models not built to withstand being poked, prodded, groped and generally destroyed by thousands of slack-jawed gawkers every day. These days manufacturers show off their priceless ideas at smaller events to create maximum buzz on social media usually without the public present, so they don’t have to worry about on-the-fly repairs using duct tape and superglue overnight.
Sometimes a model is never meant to be seen by the public. These could be exterior models used as part of the design process, or they could be proposals for something the studio has come up with that it wants to show off to the decision-makers. These models don’t have to be built to quite the same level of detail, but the general construction from handmade detail parts, fiberglass panels, and Perspex glazing remains the same. I got to see great examples of both, so let’s have a look.
Marcello Gandini Cizeta Propsal
Ah, the eighties, the era of mobile phones that ran off a car battery and gently fried your brain with every outrageously expensive call, staggeringly inventive synthesizer-based music filling the still-analog (and free) radio airwaves, regular bouts of supercar one-upmanship, and cocaine for dessert. In the early eighties, ex-Lamborghini engineer (and I Can’t Drive 55 video star) Claudio Zampolli wanted to build his own supercar, so he commissioned wedge-meister Marcello Gandini to come up with a proposal. That car above was the result.
Zampolli didn’t like it and teamed up with Giorgio Moroder to help finance his dream for what became the Cizeta Moroder V16. After the whole thing imploded in bankruptcy, Zampolli hid this model in a custom-built shed so creditors wouldn’t find it. When I first saw the wedge I wasn’t 100% sure what I was looking at, so had to emergency message Autopian contributor and Italian car whisperer Andrea Petersen to confirm I was seeing what I thought I was seeing, and indeed, it was the Gandini model.
Needless to say, over thirty years in a wooden shed in the Modena countryside haven’t been kind to the Gandini Cizeta proposal. It’s a bit cracked and forlorn, but shows how these static models used to be constructed. Like a bad diecast it only has the bare minimum of interior detail – you can see the tub is basically boarded over (although this is still common today as we will see). What this model also shows is the liberties you can take in fiberglass and plastic – that glazing would be hell to make in real glass even today.
Genesis X Speedium Giro Concept
This is a car that’s been seen before, but this version was a world premiere. While I do think the brand differentiation between Kia and Hyundai is a bit murky, there’s no question Genesis has come up with a compelling identity and is leveraging it extremely well across their range. Although I can do without the Pet Shop Boys branded peasant transportation mounted on the back, the Genesis X is very compelling, presented here in satin white and wheels that demonstrate the possibilities of parametric digital modeling.
But I wouldn’t be me unless I had a nit to pick. I didn’t ask for this superpower, but I try to use it constructively. If you look closely at the rear light element, because the clear part has a sharp transition around the corner, the lit part appears broken. It’s not, it’s just how the light is refracting similar to how a pencil looks broken when you put it in a glass of water. Another smarty pants did tell me the name for this phenomena, but I don’t remember it because this reveal took place in the evening and there was free beer. Despite what you may think I’m not made of stone.
Mercedes Benz Concept One Eleven
Harking back to the C111 series of experimental cars built in 1970, this is another concept we are familiar with, but it was my first time seeing it in the flesh. When I saw the flash of orange under the cover on Monday evening I knew exactly what was underneath, and was looking forward to a close-up look at some of the interior detail. Sadly, that didn’t happen because, well you can see for yourself.
Yep, it’s another half-board interior. Disappointing. I don’t have much cause to get on my knees these days but in service to my loyal readers and because I’m a pain in the ass I did so around the back of this concept because I caught another mistruthin’ going on besides the lack of interior detail.
Does that make this the first eight-wheeled Mercedes Benz?
Kia PV1 & PV7
The Kia Platform Beyond Vehicle idea is a push into the slightly nebulous mobility space but the basic idea is for a range of modular, AI-equipped EV commercial vehicles that be tailored to individual business needs. The PV1 and PV7 represent the top and tail of the range. The PV1 is a small, urban-focused last-mile vehicle, and the PV7 is a future EV delivery van, much like a Transit. All the PV vehicles use an adaptable internal storage system that is compatible with all models in the range.
One of the reasons it’s much better to see cars in the flesh is that you notice details that you don’t necessarily see in press photos. I particularly liked the way the rear view cameras are integrated into the headlights on the PV7.
We talk a lot about how using the driver as part of the crash structure has led to the death of cab-over commercial vehicles. So the question becomes how best to utilize the real estate in front and next to the driver. A chest of drawers allows you to store different coveralls so you can grind between Taskrabbit during the day and Uber Eats in the evening on your way to becoming a millionaire. Or just managing to pay the rent. There’s even a nineties early internet desktop for your five minutes of downtime between hustles.
The Cool Cars Of Motor World: Bonus Round
Here’s a little photo dump of other cool things I saw.
Still no fast European Fords though. Sorry Matt.
- The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Is The First Electric Car That Feels Like It Belongs On A Racetrack
- Kia’s Modular Vehicle Concept Is Like The Nissan Pulsar EXA Of The Future
- What It Was Like Staying At A Car-Themed Hotel With An Epic Museum You Can Visit At 3AM
- Genesis Just Showed An Electric SUV With Heated Floors Instead Of Air Ducts
I chortled at the nineties desktop reference as that whole dash reminds me of the heyday of IT product beige.
Want to have a LAN party when all these kids have gone to bed?
I’m not sure if my dialup honed reflexes can keep up with that lack of latency.
It’ll be great. Well put on Headbangers Ball and drink Jolt Cola until 3am.
Never heard of Headbangers Ball, we didn’t have it out here in the colonies. I will have to use late night Rage as my substitute.
I’ll tell mum to not pick up the phone so I don’t drop out.
The Mercedes has lettering on the back that says “one eleven” and not einhundertelf or ein elf.?
Interesting.
Anytime I see one of Adrian’s pieces, I’m super happy because the level of detail, experience and snark makes for such a delightful read.
Now this time, he’s gone beyond and pleased me to no end with a wonderful little jab, referring to the bike on the back of the Genesis as “peasant transportation”. Thank you kind sir, thank you.
I once heard the phrase describing a bike as “the trifling conveyance of a child” and have been pleased ever since.
I blame GenX for taking the interests of their (our) childhood and dragging them into adulthood. In this process we’ve made simple hobbies wildly expensive or over complicated. This is why a $350 bike for a child is a piece of junk that falls apart after a season and now you have to spend $900 for something that will last a few years. My people, please stop playing with Legos and Star Wars toys. We are adults now and we can have adult interests like expensive watches, nice cars, fancy booze and well-made leather goods.
Gen Xer here chiming in on bikes. I hated riding my first bike as a kid because my parents bought me an cheap BSO (Bike Shaped Object). It was super heavy and we lived on a steep hill and it was no fun. Once I got my first proper bike from a shop I realized the false economy in purchasing a cheap bike. A decent bike will retain its value pretty much forever, I have restored 1980’s and 1960’s bikes that are still in use. If you need to buy your kid a bike and don’t have a lot of money, a used decent quality bike will be rideable for years after the cheap unrepairable one is rotting in a landfill.
My god I can’t think of anything more boring than what you just listed as the “adult” interests.
Plywood and plexiglass. Sigh. Now all the Tesla owners will brag they are driving concept cars.
Man, a manual 1er hatch was one of my forbidden fruit cars for years. The FWD 1ers can go to hell, but the ones before that? Hell yeah, buddy. Send it to me.
Uummmmmm, excuse me, but I still love the Pet Shop Boys, I’m so old and stuck in the 80s ha ha. What gets me is how they can do the lighting so well on these new concepts. Those Genesis concept lights looks so production. What was really laughable though, was the vaporware concept Jason covered for that Cybertruck wanna be competitor from that CA show he went to. On that mess, even the lighting was obvious home depot led stick on lighting strips. I think that was the event that made Jason’s heart thingy explode. They dared to mess with the king of tail lights with their stuck on home depot looking shit. It was too much for the Torch and damm near killed him. What bastards! For the love of God he’s restored VW’s for old ladies for free, look it up on you tube. I wanna know how many idiots lost money on that supposed new start up cybertruck killing company. Great article BTW
I love them as well. It’s been forty years since West End Girls so the BBC has been running PSB programming all week.
I have to see the Mercedes Concept One every time I open the Mercedes EPC at work and I can’t say I’m a fan. I like the color and that’s about it. It was much nicer to open my phone and see a message with a breathtaking Gandini wedge.
it’s SO GOOD
The Cizeta-Moroder is a Very Good Wedge. The Merc is a Very Bad Blobbybean.
I, farting enthusiast, am here for the bean
Score one for me. When I saw the thumb nail, I thought to myself, “That thing looks like a Cizeta.” I guess it really did.
C’Mon Man! Thirty seconds with a black maker on those white lumps on the Bentayga would have fooled even Adrian. Well perhaps not unless they were the right -shade- of black.
I asked Robin Page (Bentley chief designer) about this and he sort of shrugged and laughed. This was a Mulliner (so custom color and trim) but it does show how things can slip once outside the design studio.
That being said for a car being shown to press and influencers at a car design event it’s still unforgivable. Someone should have caught it.
I would have seen that in an instant and covered it with black gaffers tape.
I think it really highlights that not even the people who work at Bentley can raise up a brace of BMs for the toffs who buy these rolling monuments of bad taste
I’m trying to figure out what the end game was for the giant windshield on the Gandini model. It’s hard to judge something from bodged in and decaying plexiglass but it seems like it would be a really complicated piece of work for no clear benefit.
No clear benefit? For the windshield? There should be a joke here but I can’t see it through.
That Kia PV7 driver’s seat looks like fancy city bus. The way console walls of the seat and the passenger side storage looks straight out of Neoplan or Van Hool.
Otherwise it seems like a cool idea to have stuff normally done after market. The Cizeta concept is interesting history although it’s worth noting Giorgio Moroder came to his senses and bailed early, so production cars were simply branded Cizeta.
Gotta agree regarding the bicycle on the back of the Genesis. You’re supposedly trying to show off it’s sleek shape and cool lines and then you screw it all up with a bike. Why? It’s not like there are many cars you can’t put a bicycle on. Looks kinda like one of those nature things where the male insect is 1/100th the size of the female but he still has to get in there and hump her, anyway.
So did the powers-that-be at The Autopian get together and decide “Hey wait a minute, it actually -works- to let Adrian be an arrogant ass”?
I’m for it, shit cracks me up. I mean, with all due respect.
Every wrestling show must have a heel.
I’m kinda digging that Hanomag.
wooden wagon wheel compliance! dreamy ride! keep a spare wheelwright in the passenger seat on track day
Found Torch’s alt.
Is that the Beetle prototype?
No VW roots, though it sure looks like it could’ve been a progenitor. It’s the Hanomag 2/10, Zweisitzer Limousine (two-seat limousine) that came out in 1925. The rounded front/rear gave it the nickname Kommissbrot because it looked like a loaf of Army bread. Up until that time, Hanomag was best known for its locomotives and tractors. They made cars up until WW II, then switched to military vehicles (trucks, armored personnel carriers, tractors, trailers). After the war, they went back to tractors and commercial trucks and trailers, but abandoned cars. The Hanomag 1.3, introduced in 1939, had unibody construction and was studied by Volvo and influenced their PV444 passengers car design.
I would have attended but my invitation was lost in the mail. Thank goodness we see the crowd that free beer attracts. Is it me but does the name of the vehicle sound like a disease and it’s cure? Side effects may include anal leakage. The cheap Home Depot plastic outside furniture in the van makes 1970s Interiors look plush. I would have loved it.
Oops this event interfered with the airing out of my castle in Prevanse anyhow.
Finding out about an unknown Gandini is awesome. By there’s a freaking Pagani Huayra Codalunga hiding in the background that I want to see more pics of.
I’ll drop them in the Discord.
Thanks!
I @ you in the members channel so you can find them.
Citroen Ami!
We were on Martinique last month – where someone had a small fleet of Ami’s and Fiat Topolinos available as beach buggy rentals for tourists.
I knew I should have snapped a photo -but I was sunburnt and had sand in my speedo…
I saw a few on the road while in France last week — and let me tell you, pictures do not do them justice. They make a Smart car look positively DECADENT.
I was watching the Monsieur Spade series on Amazon. Not Clive Owens’ best work but he drives a Citroen Ami, which is awesome.
Hyundai Staria is giving off BIG Olds Silhouette vibes.
You know, the Cadillac of minivans?
I saw a Staria in Asia last year. Love the look, too bad it’s not available in the US.
I love the idea of this guy hiding his mockup cars from creditors like a squirrel stashing acorns for the winter. I hope the next GTA edition includes this as one of their cars, preferably with a name that rips off both Lamborghini and Ferrari. Thank you for the cool and funny story.
Much as I love utility, I see lots of concepts for configurable cars and trucks. It could go to the beach! It could haul your furniture! bBut I rarely see them for sale. And when they do get to the market, I don’t know that they sell. Car, truck, van. Bigger or smaller, enclosed or convertible. Geared for speed or hauling. That’s what we seem stuck with.
I didn’t want to go too hard in the article, but I’ve seen this sort of idea touted for decades. The reality is this sort of thing looks good on paper (and in the model) but totally falls apart when you apply some critical thought. Where are the modules stored? What’s the business model? How is it implemented? Even Kia’s own press release is vague on the specifics.
Also, who are they keeping in the cryo pods? And why do they have to wear those weird his & hers pink outfits when they get reanimated?
Asking the tough questions. Also a light colored interior on a commercial vehicle. That’s going to have more skid marks than turn 1 at COTA after 12 hours on the first job.
It’s like the Nissan Pulsar Sportback. Yeah, I guess you can change from a tiny coupe to a tiny wagon. But where do you keep the other roof? Just hanging in the garage?
Ask anyone who has had to store a convertible hard top.
Both my R107 and 996 hardtops have wheeled racks. But it takes two capable people to remove either one.
Hung mine from the rafters above where I parked the car. But now the plastic interior pieces make sense put in the van when needed put around the pool or on the patio when not needed.
Or has anyone experimented with inflatable car interiors?
Yes I know “Real men of Genius”
At least one example of the Quasar-Unipower City Car was built with colorless, transparent inflatable seats, even though it seems most were not:
https://d2uzer0pyv83wf.cloudfront.net/Pictures/1024×536/2/7/8/268278_cdn_cube14_655915.jpg
This was, in general, a topic of interest for Quasar Khanh:
https://somethingcurated.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5-1.jpg
Man the combined knowledge of the members on this site is frigging incredible.
It’s almost as much as I have on my own. KIDDING
I take that back. Saw the pictures not sure what that was maybe a poor man’s pope mobile. Certainly not a car.
I think it qualifies as a car but admittedly I think this about a lot of things.
Apparently most of the fifteen-ish produced went to France but I’d like to know what happened to the one that was spotted in New Brunswick in the 1980s:
https://live.staticflickr.com/8202/8285223514_47a5814dbf_o.jpg
It looks like it might be fun.
Masturbating is fun, I know I tried it, it isn’t a car. But your advice was true so great. I recently saw an article that for on campus purposes even skateboard theft qualifies as motor vehicle theft. When is enough enough? A crime against someone is a crime. Does it matter why? If you kill someone is it any different if it is for live or hate or money? I don’t think the victims family cares. But politics cares. WHY?THEY ARE USING YOU.
While on the topic of concepts, to me Quasar makes me think Peugeot. (Late 80s? Early 90s??). I learned Quasar was a car before knowing it was Space-something. Still have that Matchbox at my folks’ place.
Also, I have to agree with Sarcastic, the knowledge on random car stuff is incredible here. Those inflatable seats in that square aquarium on wheels -wild!
Smoking while sitting in an inflatable chair . . . this can’t go wrong, ever!
Some MB dealers did quite the trade in storing client’s SL hardtops – putting them on and removing them when required.
You can tell when such a car was treated that way – as they’re low-mileage, from certain zip codes and lack the gashes and dents that are found on many other examples.
The factory would even crate up hardtops and ship them to the US separately for clients who took European Delivery and wished to tour Europe topless.
I have the official Mazda Miata hardtop storage pulley system in my garage. Works a treat.
I’ve seen people use a rack high on the garage wall, or an overhead winch/pulley system if the top is heavy.
It was a neat idea and it’s cool that they actually produced it even if just a little familiarity with the typical human should have resulted in that idea staying on the ideation sketch table. When you have something like a 300SL roadster with a hardtop, money makes it no problem to store properly and attach/remove, but a Pulsar owner is less likely to have the space to store and, besides, how often is someone going to switch the heavy, awkward things out? I frequently see people driving around with empty noise-making, fuel-using removable roof racks they’re too lazy to remove and those take about a minute to take off, maybe 5 to reinstall and doesn’t require a second person.
This is quickly becoming pertinent to me: I stored the top on the car through the winter, and I don’t have a garage….