Supplier Magna Steyr Creates Oddball MILA Coupic Concept [Geneva Auto Show]

Austrian manufacturer-for-hire and supplier Magna Steyr is bringing a concept car called the "MILA Coupic" to the Geneva auto show. Magna assembles cars for automakers such as Mini, Peugeot, and Mercedes-Benz, but it doesn't sell a single car under its own name. So why did Magna create the MILA Coupic? It's a showcase for its engineering, manufacturing, and supply capabilities. The Coupic is the sixth MILA concept created by the company. The Coupic packs its features and concepts in a high-riding crossover coupe body wearing a bright two-tone paint job. Magna calls the Coupic a three-in-one car, because the two key technologies on display—a trick folding roof and reconfigurable interior—help it to offer multiple packaging options. The roof consists of an unconventional combination of glass and cloth panels; there are front and rear sections that can be opened independently, and each section is itself comprised of several slats. With the panels closed, the Coupic is a five-passenger vehicle with a stylishly rakish roofline. When either the fore or aft section is opened, the slats stack up accordion-style at one end of the roof opening. Open both the front and rear sections, and you get a pseudo convertible. For its final trick, the Coupic's rear seats fold up and move forward to close off the front seats from the rest of the vehicle; at that point, the aft roof panels can be opened to create a small pickup bed. We're looking forward to seeing it in action; at this point, we're thinking of the Coupic as the two-door spawn of a BMW X6 and a GMC Envoy XUV. However funky the Coupic's collection of tech may be, it doesn't actually preview an entire car. It's unlikely the roof design, weather-sealing folding rear seats, and Transformer-style pickup-bed mode will ever live together on a production vehicle. But Magna's current and potential clients may like what they see, so you could see individual elements of this concept in future products wearing more familiar badges. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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