Alfa Romeo Concept Pandion [Reviews]

After two years of absence from the international stage, Bertone, returned to the Geneva Motor Show, revealing the concept car Alfa Romeo Pandion: an aggressive yet beautiful coupe designed as a tribute to Alfa Romeo, "an anniversary one hundred years.

Alfa Romeo Concept Pandion: an extreme and controversial Bertone, the typical sports car fashion. The whole concept car (4620 mm long, 1971 mm wide, 1230 mm, 2850 mm wheelbase) is a compact sports car, the exterior dimensions of a great sense of sports car design interior, all powered by a 4.7 liter, 450 bhp 8 - cylinder Alfa Romeo engine.

Alfa Romeo concept Pandion is the first car produced by Mike Robinson in his new role as design and brand manager Bertone. "Dream Car" A pure concept of Pandion Alfa Romeo takes his rightful place as a member of the family stories Bertone Alfa Romeo cars have always been style icons, the influence of the history of Italian craftsmanship and quality car in excellent design, showing themselves as the undisputed benchmark in the world of automotive design.

The name comes from the animal world, as Pandion haliaetus is the scientific name of an osprey, a sea hawk nesting and living in coastal areas. The designers, led by Mike Robinson, was inspired by the wing of this predator to invent mechanisms spectacular opening of the door, and facial markings hawks project a sense of the traditional family in the new Alfa era of design.

In nearly a century of tradition Bertone is not the first time that the natural wonders that have inspired the name of concept cars. Just think of the Corvair Testudo (1963) and, coincidentally, the Alfa Romeo Babysitting (1964), Carabo (1968) and Delfino (1983).

Design: The original concept of

Muscular body Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept is the result of an original interpretation of the Alfa Romeo badge, where the man-eating snake photographed representing the attraction of style (what we call "skin") and the cross symbolizes the aristocratic the rigor of rational thinking, technological aspects (what we call "context"). Under this interpretation, the design of Alfa Romeo Concept Pandion, like any Alfa Romeo, a perfect synthesis of "skin and frame," an ideal balance as a result of a tension between opposites: the technology and sensuality, rationality and instinct, architecture and sculpture, structuralism and organicism, industry expertise and excellent craftsmanship.

Alfa Romeo Pandion design concept is based on the concept of Robinson called "Skin & Frame" - a new interpretation of the nature of duality, a 100 year old Alfa Romeo logo. "Skin" logo means the snake, which represents the famous Italian excellence in a beautiful, seductive forms, and the "frame" refers to the logo of the cross, which represents the mechanical excellence, high-performance Italian racing cars. The combination has become a dynamic line looking for the perfect balance between the tension between opposites: the technology, and sensuality, the rational and the emotional, the architectural layout and contoured shape, structure and organic excellence industrial and craft of excellence.

Under this interpretation, it is the vibrant energy of each Alfa Romeo represented by "the spinal structure (or" Pandion Framework ") that crosses the length of the car from the V-shaped radiator grille in the nose of the car bumper bumper V-shaped back of the car crosses inside a visual aesthetic that structural supports surrounding the shell (or "skin").

Design: The details of the average

Alfa Romeo Pandion forward concept has a long sculpted hood and the creation of what is pending, for all practical purposes, a mask, like the ancient warriors helmets. "Family Feeling" The Alfa Romeo, instantly recognizable at first glance, does not allow even a hint of nostalgia and retro look in the future with the elegance and revolutionary romanticism. There is no doubt that this is an Alfa Romeo with a look that has never been seen before. Alfa quad headlights typical depth in the outer edges of the grill and T-shaped, with emphasis on the reduction of wonder out of position. Four white bars of light strikes the curiosity of observers, two lights above and below the two lights, creating a virtual bi-plane of light at night. The five horizontal bars on each radiator grille typical Alfa Romeo rarely seen here, with reference to the historical identity of the brand.

The grid is filled with thousands of tiny leaves that contribute to the interlocking design of new algorithms in the car.

Alfa Romeo Concept Pandion is the profile of a true sports car, no room for compromise. The architectural design is "behind the cabin," which means that the cabin is located at the rear of the car and the long hood pushes the visual center of the car back. The side of the body visually connects the front sensual the razor sharp edges of the rear side window using a very long flowing arch that extends from the front wheel on the back, improving the accessibility of this great little sports coupe bodied. Since the sports cars are traditionally difficult to get in and out of, this important activity ergonomics has become easier with an extra large door to compensate for the low roofline. This new formula not only adds a graphical hit new visual division between the upper and lower body, but it also offers an incredible panoramic window for passengers inside.

The back has a surprising range of the crystal blades that are woven in various widths and lengths, projecting into space. Rear of the car is actually the body, or look "pixelated", he-of-the-comet metaphor, so to speak, the sheer speed of the vehicle is pulled, technical background "frame" back, away from the sensual, flowing "Skins" above. This phenomenon of "dematerialization" in the car has created a natural form of the business, which means that the car looks like you are moving, although it is still standing.

There are also two small solid white shields under the rear bumper that keeps the quad exhaust pipes, creating a visual continuity of the side panels that appear white wrap around under the car.

The rear lights are completely integrated into the fabric of organic leaf and disappear when turned off. The feeling is the new Alfa Romeo family once again visible in the rear of the car with the same V-shaped shield is in front of the vehicle traveling along the length of the body, forming a powerful Alfa Romeo virtual backbone.

Doors, like many other Bertone designed masterpieces (such as the Alfa Romeo 1968 carabot, 1970 Lancia Stratos 0, the Lamborghini Countach 1972 and 2007, the Fiat Barchetta), open a way of great visual impact. Almost hinged around the axis of the rear wheel, the Alfa Romeo Concept Pandion open doors by turning back, finishing with a perfect 90 degrees at the center of the rear wheel lifts the entire body side of the front fender and rear fender. When fully opened are more than 3.6 meters high. This is a great solution is designed primarily glamorous, bringing the factor 'wow' in the automotive industry banal today. This mechanism brings futuristic looks is also practical. Since all the "extreme" sports cars are literally impossible to enter and exit, the Alfa Romeo Concept Pandion is designed to take advantage of the horizontal space in the car because the vertical space is so limited.

If an accident that causes the 'roll over' the doors off of the car chassis, so that passengers can exit the car.

Interiors: Minimalist glam

The figures, which makes the spring Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept to life is the result of a design study to create an organic whole, without the use of shortcuts in order to ensure continuity between inside and outside A perfect balance between architectural rigor and spectacular forms of living organisms.

Body language is used to create the cab has resulted in a fluid environment, the equipment, which seem to grow spontaneously, without ever having been either designed or constructed. We have the name of this code is an expressive, never before seen in a car in the field to date, algorithmic design. The concept, which has taken the world of mathematics, says a biological alternative to the traditional design and is "the addition of random shapes." And 'as if the design would be the following types of complex development, which is not linear and geometric form to produce "self-organization" to "natural growth" algorithms such as "swarms" or "lives".

Looking at the interior of the Alfa Romeo concept of Pandion, the first things that attract attention are the front seats. Car design is typical of Alfa Romeo cutting, ie 2 +2. While the two rear seats are "blanks" classic, the two front seats are incredibly thin (30 mm), ergonomic chairs, chaise longue. They have a carbon fiber cover (mimicking the style of the car's exoskeleton or "skin") covered Technogel ® and backlit with light ® fabric that conforms to the shape of the body of the driver or passenger. The principle that has inspired the designers was "zero gravity", ie, a warm and welcoming, bringing a sense of quality of life, at first, but ... zero gravity.

In fact, all the furniture inside the cabin, all have a tendency to float visually break the magical blue light. Behind the minimalist choice, however, lies in the study of ergonomics: the seats are the result of a perfect synthesis of performance, flexibility and lightness. Clear the floor is illuminated in the same "pool blue" color of the place, which offers a splendid view of the continuing voluptuous seats, the 'boundary flows, where the driver and passenger can feel truly protected by a shell magic.

The steering wheel is clearly that of a sports car, while the controls are similar to those of Alfa Romeo racing cars, with two analog clocks placed directly on the steering column. Three of the four LCD screens offer a view into the cabin (two faces, one on the windshield) and that are directly connected to external video cameras replacing the mirrors is usually placed outside the car. The largest screen in the center (9 ") in the center console - and available to passengers and the driver - also displays information about vehicle systems (air conditioning, sound system, Sat Nav etc... ..)

The strong diagonal dark light division in the rear of the side view accentuates the powerful rear wheel drive configuration, and draws particular attention to the opening mechanism is hidden.