2004: China.
Full Size Vehicle on Display at Michelin Challenge Design™
Biography:
I.DE.A. Institute was founded in Moncalieri, on the outskirts of Turin, in 1978 as a design and engineering company to supply its services to the world’s car manufacturers. Since 2002 it is 100 percent owned by the Swiss multinational Rieter Automotive Systems. I.DE.A. Institute is today a full cycle design Company with 25 years experience in the automotive field working on projects for carmakers all over the world.
Over the years I.DE.A. Institute has built up the know-how and experience to also supply its services to clients in the two-wheeler and industrial product sectors in addition to its core automotive business. The Company’s operating results are in constant good growth also thanks to a number of large turn-key projects which I.DE.A. has undertaken in the Chinese emerging market. As a result of this success, the leading Chinese car manufacturer Changan Automobile Group inaugurated last October 2003 its unique representative office in Italy at a unit of I.DE.A. Institute.
Description:
Jiexun, which in Chinese language means “National Hero”, is a new concept for a vehicle, which combines characteristics of station wagons and MPV’s with rather sporty lines. Thus its height is lower than most MPV’s and slightly higher than most station wagons. Its flexible arrangement of interior permits its customer multiple use accordingly to his needs, like:
– A roomy limousine with 4 seats and ample luggage space for businessman as a mobile office
– a 6 seater it is ideal for families
– a people carrier for young people traveling together for sport, holydays, etc. or with two people can be used for traveling with a lot of luggage.
Its styling proposes harmonious combination of sharper lines and soft surfaces, both converse and concaves anticipating future production cars shapes. It has sculptural form combining the aggressive look of a sports coupe with the simplicity and functionalism of station wagons and MPV’s. Its one box shape makes it look more compact than station wagons yet less massive than MPV’S.
Jiexun has an arrow shaped top plan view inspired by stealth aircrafts but also dictated by practical reasons like less obstruction in tight turning maneuvers and improving performance in offset crash.
The front is characterized by a high bumper divided in three parts for easier repair, pointed delta shaped front hood and slim highly located headlamps improving protection in case of crash and are composed by six small lenses connected through fiber optics with main central light source actively tracking movement of steering wheels providing illumination also inside tight road turns. At the rear the same system is used for taillights. Additional novelty features are:
– Solar cells on the roof panels captures solar energy and feed up small air conditioning unit “preparing” right climate for passengers when the car is parked: cool in hot days and warm in cold ones, and also helping in driving conditions to save energy.
– Front and rear video cameras for easy parking maneuvers.
This variety of body types create possibility of making very suitable for future Chinese market, keeping investment cost low but covering wide range of vehicles satisfying different customers using synergies among various models.