Concept Lab Volvo
Building a futuristic, wildly styled concept car that is full of eye-popping gizmos and electronic wizardry is almost impossible to bring to market, or so you think. However, visitors to the 2003 New York International autoshow now running will have the unique opportunity to do just that at ‘Concept Lab Volvo’, a unique computer-based interactive design experience that gives the consumer a chance to offer their input on possible future Volvo cars.
“Volvo has always cared about the people who drive our cars,” commented Vic Doolan, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. “With Concept Lab Volvo, we are taking it to the next level. We want them to tell us how Volvo cars of the future should look. Concept Lab Volvo only reiterates what we’ve been saying since the launch of the XC90: ‘You think, and then you build.'”
Concept Lab Volvo includes five highly interesting concept studies of how an entire range of small Volvos could look. Models of these cars will remain on display throughout the show and include:
• A yellow sport sedan: A study that explores how dynamic a compact sedan can be. Ultra-light construction is utilized for outstanding fuel economy and many of the visible and structural and suspension parts are derived from motorcycle design.
• A sports coupe: A blend of retrospective shapes from earlier Volvos and a futuristic view on a compact two-seater sports car. It also includes a zero emission powertrain with a hybrid battery pack.
• A small SUV : Demonstrates how the expressive ruggedness and flexibility in a large SUV can come in a compact size with an efficient footprint. It allows off-road use as well as urban convenience. The load fixation system is integrated in the roof design.
• An “Urban Jungle Rider”: An extremely compact 4WD roadster with a flexible roof set-up. The glass roof may be removed, exposing the aluminium structural frame.
• A 4-seat hatchback: Maybe the shortest Volvo ever, with extremely short front and rear over hangs. It could be a three-or five-door design. The strong shoulder section emphasizes the modern Volvo heritage combined with stunning couple-like lines.
Next to each scale model is a touch-screen computer monitor on which visitors can view various pages, answering questions about each vehicle from design to safety features that will help Volvo determine how these potential future models should be brought to market.
Via the company’s dedicated internet site, customers throughout the world also have direct contact with the heart and brains behind Volvo Cars. Visitors to the site can ask questions and put forward their views on these latest models and concept cars directly to the key persons behind current and future Volvo cars.
“As designers, we are employed to set trends. But we can’t sit in the design studio in Sweden and decide what the rest of the world should drive,” said Volvo Car Chief Designer Henrik Otto. “We need to know what people think about our ideas and our visions of the future. Concept Lab Volvo is an unfiltered pathway between the company and the individual, and the Internet gives us contact with people who don’t go to motorshows or read car magazines. Personally, I think that Concept Lab Volvo appeals to a younger audience that we have a hard time reaching through more traditional channels. And we are very keen to know what young people think about our future and visions. After all, they are the ones who are going to buy these cars.”
“Our concept cars are not simply one-off dreams,” said Mr Doolan. “They feed the development of our production cars. In fact, two of the concept cars previously shown became production vehicles. The Adventure Concept Car (ACC) became the XC90 and the Performance Concept Cars (PCC1 and PCC2) turned into the exciting new S60 R and V70 R.”
