Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.
In Geneva last week, I sat down with Thierry Metroz, Citroën's chief designer. He confirmed three more DS models on top of the current DS3, DS4, and DS5 range. Despite its designation, which recalls the 1955 DS fastback sedan, Citroën's DS sub-brand is far from retro. "It is important to be proud of your history and keep a brand's DNA in mind, but it is all about keeping the spirit, not the styling." The only retro elements Metroz accepts would be "small details, perhaps a color." But there's more behind it: "It is important for the customer to acquire a piece of brand history, a country's history, and we can capitalize on this." With greetings to Korea: "Kia and Hyundai, they all do great design. The difference is heritage." Metroz also hints that the era of angularity could be over. "Round design is a very strong trend, and we will emphasize clean, round lines with Citroën. With the DS line, it is a bit different. These cars are more structured, more sculpted and more playful with lines." Lexus Gets Aggressive After Detroit and Chicago, the Calty-designed Lexus LF-LC concept made a third appearance at the Geneva show. It's more than a good-looking sports car: "We were asked to come up with a new vision of L-finesse [Lexus's design language] for the LF-LC," says the concept's exterior designer Edward Lee. The LF-LC features many innovative and surprising elements, such as a much more sculptural front grille, and three-dimensional taillights inspired by jet engines. I like the exterior, but I could do without the bright raspberry paint and the too-shiny wheels. The interior, styled by Ben Chang, is equally impressive. The display technology is futuristic, while the dashboard is unusually emotional and sporty for a Lexus. The steering wheel and instrument cluster are daring, but the flat wood layers are definitely Lexus in their cool and unpretentious elegance. Chang says that "interiors should become lighter and warmer, like on this concept." Lexus's new styling direction is mirrored in the technology, says Koji Sato, chief engineer of the new GS. He says, "The GS shows the direction of the brand: more aggressive, more uniqueness, and more fun to drive. It is a message of the new Lexus. That vehicle is the beginning." Sato notes that the U.S. market loves comfort and a good ride, but "the U.S. customer is changing and becoming more like the European customer." In fact, U.S. customers have increasingly told Lexus that fun-to-drive is an integral part of a premium brand. "This area is getting more important, and it means that we are strongly focusing on driving feel." Sato speaks about the plug-in hybrid and its potential to be part of a "smart-grid society." He cautions that "we need to keep the customer benefit in mind. But if technology meets customer demand, then powertrain systems could change dramatically." His very personal favorite, however, is not a hybrid, but the GS350 F Sport, which coincidentally also would be my own choice. If Sato had his way, I suspect he'd fit that car with a manual transmission. And that would be the perfect GS. Concept Winners and Losers A personal favorite of mine was the Kia Track'ster concept (it was unveiled in Chicago but I saw it for the first time in Geneva), not only for its 250-hp powertrain but also because it shows how to skillfully evolve an iconic design. This car was done by Italian-born designer Massimo Frascella, who has since left Kia for Land Rover. Nevertheless, the concept gives strong cues to the next-generation Kia Soul. I hear from various sources that VW Group chief Martin Winterkorn is more than a bit unhappy with the styling of the Bentley EXP 9 F concept, which, due to a logistics problem, wasn't seen by group executives until it was far too late to fix. Now everybody is watching the damage control in Crewe, while Lamborghini is preparing for a spectacular launch of its SUV concept at the Beijing auto show next month. The Lambo SUV concept's debut was delayed to avoid interfering with Bentley's show in Geneva. Manual News The manual transmission appears to be losing more ground. I hear that Mercedes-Benz will stop manufacturing manual boxes for its rear-wheel-drive cars and buy them from ZF in the future. One of the reasons? Sales numbers are getting lower and lower. The transmissions will be based on the same architecture that is used for the manuals supplied to BMW. But it's too early to declare the outcome of the battle. Audi engineering executive Heinz Hollerweger says that the manual is here to stay, citing its superior real-world efficiency. Dual-clutch and torque-converter automatics often fare much better in the official European cycle than three-pedal setups because the test uses set shift points for manuals; the automatics, of course, change whenever the software decides. Some in the industry argue that the cycle-testing protocols should allow manuals to be shifted as soon as an indicator light in the dashboard comes on. That would only be fair, and the outcome would reflect the natural order of things again. So if the manual survives, will it remain a five- or six-speed, or will the industry follow Porsche's lead with the seven-speed manual? The latter scenario is unlikely. Interest in seven-speed manuals is virtually nonexistent, I hear from transmission experts. Porsche's gearbox, which is derived from the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, doesn't even offer much of a weight advantage. It's a good thing the latest Boxster keeps a six-speed, and hopefully the next GT3 also will be allowed to retain the entirely sufficient and far lighter six-speed box. Forced Induction Turbocharging has become a huge business, with Europe the leading adopter and the U.S. and China close behind. The traditional players—Honeywell (Garrett), BorgWarner, IHI, and Mitsubishi—have very recently been joined by Continental/Schaeffler and Bosch/Mahle. Conti is launching with inexpensive, low-inertia turbos for gasoline models, but I am told the company is working on a turbo-diesel concept that could be ready by 2016 or 2017. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com | |||
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Friday, March 16, 2012
The Continental’s Geneva Notepad: A Changing Lexus, Bentley and Lambo SUVs, and More Turbos
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