Concepts come alive at recent Frankfurt motor show
By Alastair Doak
CAR, boat or joke? Actually, its the Peugeot 806 Runabout and it easily took top honors as the weirdest concept car at the Frankfurt motor show.
What makes this concept even more amazing is that it is based on the 806 people mover which is perhaps one of the most boring- looking one-box people movers on sale in Europe.
According to Peugeot, the Runabout is "reminiscent of the classic design of a motorboat".
It combines "the balance of the European people carrier, the practical approach of the U.S. pickup and the open-air spirit of the cabriolet.
"The extensive use of teak in the vehicle interior, combined with stainless steel, illustrates the affiliation sought with top-of-the-line yachts and motorboats.
"Ideal settings for the Runabout include the French Riviera, Italian and Swiss lakes and the sailing harbors of Florida and California."
Presumably, Sydney harbor would also be appropriate for this V6 powered "caboat".
However, its is strictly a black-top only mode of transport which features a cord-wrapped steering wheel, a passenger door- mounted fridge, dual air bags, automatic transmission and seating for four.
Fold up the rear seats and there is room to store a jet ski. Life jackets and sick bags we presume are on the options list.
And no, it's not going into production.
Mitsubishi took the wraps off three concepts, which included the Technas, described as a four-wheel drive wagon for the 21st century.
It featured a direct-injection petrol engine and constant electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system with fuzzy logic to help control power spread.
However, it was the HSR VI that captured most people's imaginations.
This is the sixth generation Highly Sophisticated transport Research (HSR) concept, with the first one appearing in 1987.
Its sharply creased panels and underbody design help cut drag to a slippery 0.25 and the front-engined, four-wheel drive car has a direct injection 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It drives through as CVT continuous variable transmission.
Highlights of the car include an automated driving mode, which lets the car's computer system and a laser radar system do the driving.
In this mode, the seats recline and the steering "handle" and switches slide into the instrument panel.
In addition to the automated driving mode, the HSR VI incorporates a myriad of electronic gadgetry to help the drivers who wish to control the car themselves.
These include an interactive information display that can provide information on road and weather conditions, navigation, and access to the Internet, fax, phones, television and movies.
Mazda's two concept cars were probably the closest to real- life transportation, with the MS-X offering pointers to the next generation 626, and the SW-X, a new entry into the small-segment people-mover market, based on the 323 platform.
The advanced styling is part of Mazda's new design theme, rather ominously described as "Contrast in Harmony".
The seven-seater SW-X has a low, flat floor and all but the driver's perch can be removed, or tilted or folded.
The angular interior design theme, shared with the MS-X, uses high-grade plastics, not imitating leather or wood for a change.
Switches are transparent plastic, illuminated from within.
The SW-X uses the 1.8-liter 323 engine with a four-speed automatic transmission.
The MS-X sedan has an accentuated notchback trunk and a raised floor because the fuel tank is located under the front seats, not the rear, as is more usual.
The spacious interior benefits from adjustable individual seats.
The angular instrument panel retracts into the dashboard when not in use, possibly to allow easy dusting of the interior.
The navigation and audio functions are voice activated.
The MS-X uses a V6 2.0-liter engine.
The doors are unlocked using a smart card which tells the seats and mirrors who is getting in and resets the positions accordingly.