Carfreax

TOKYO MOTOR SHOW PART III

Are you ready? Damn right we are! This is the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show and we are here to soak up the energy. Japan, a country with a positive and sympathetic attitude. The tsunami earlier this year had a major impact. Still one can feel the the aftermath of the catastrophe reverbing. The annual motor show as a kind of catharsis.

I have always thought of Japan and France being the most creative cultures to push new concepts of mobility. Playful, full of humor and daring. The Tokyo experience seems to underline this hypothesis. For hours we bump from one strange thought dressed up as means of mobility into the other. An eclectic mix of style and technology.

After the obvious we move to the west halls for some haute couture. Projects seen somewhere else before perfectly tangent to the asian thought of mobility. Off beat, out of sync, over here, nothing is impossible.Wooden cars, a link to tradition, strange packages. The olympic games of the industry. Let's go crazy and be proud of it.

This is your usual press days hectic, but with a different taste. The difference is in the detail. Why do we so many wind deflectors on cars over here. The use of the climate controls is local and so is the atmosphere. Breathing masks, eye for detail, taking pictures with a strange perspective. We adapt as we move on.

After a long day I am loaded with impressions. Japan, the country of the hybrid, the mould breaking approach, the friendly and the technological, the robot and the  manga. It is all summed up at the motor show. It is five o'clock as we call it an automotive day. Let's hit the streets of Tokyo to inhale reality while we still have time.

-Matt.

TOKYO MOTOR SHOW PART II

A stroll over the Tokyo Motor Show. What is served by the big three of Japan? I have a soft spot for Honda. This is the brand of the spaghetti exhausted '67 Formula One racer, the Monkey motor cycle, the groundbreaking Jazz and the Senna inspired NSX. The  asian brand can be seen as the BMW of the east, innovative and still independent. A spyder concept loaded with carbon, a foldable scooter, a mobility concept and a racy livered motor cycle. A range of heritage dressed up for today. Inspiring.

Suzuki shows a bunch of rather quirky concepts, based on tomorrows  needs and sustainability. The green car is classic, strange, organic and pixelated at the same time.A blend of efficiency and nu-tech. I have to get used to my cup of tea with a chai flavor.

Toyota. The biggest player on a global scale seems to have re-invented itself from a rather dull overall brand to a more lively identity. The Tokyo Motor Show as a reset button. Positive, colorful, playful and human. Fun to drive again, Jean Reno included. We stand in front of a concept with projected graphics on a body side, waiting for a change. After five minutes we give up, realizing this innovative idea is rather static. Reborn? Not yet.

-Matt.

TOKYO MOTOR SHOW PART I

I have never been here before, and yet I feel at home. The Tokyo Motor Show, it has always been on top of my list since I was a kid. One of the grand slams of automotive car shows and probably the most exotic in the pack. The Asian view on things. Finally a check mark after all those years. Hardly I have put this event in context before we hit the floors of the quiet compact compound. With a group of colleagues we have touched down on Japanese ground and are still lost in translation.

To get in contact we start with the oblivious. The German side of the show. The Audi corporate identity suits the location. Clean, professional and with a local touch. Love the graphics on the soccer edition Audi A1. Neat colored detailing inside of the head lamps.

Tokyo seems to be a good opportunity to take a second and more intense glance at concepts I have seen in Frankfurt before. The rounded and also edgy Smart concept feels more at home in this urban environment. Formed in a different medium, plastics can be formed so precise and crisp, inside and out. This compact car is loaded with innovative ideas. The big and blobby Mercer fits the Tokyo approach. Let's show a crazy vision of the future.

We walk the floors of the show as we hear the touching speech of the European biggest CEO, addressing the power and innovation of Japanese car culture and its role in the automotive industry. Put aside all the novelties this is also a kind of resurrection of a country after the Fukushima disaster. The team from Wolfsburg surprises with a cross over coupe, based on a new platform. It looks great in overall stance and detailing. One of my Tokyo high lights. 

Another Wolfsburg premiere is a special edition Beetle, featuring a rather rock and roll in your face theme. Volkswagen goes guitar hero with the Stratocaster. The wood inlays are fake, but hey, this is Tokyo!

-Matt.

FRANKFURT PART FIVE

These are my final five cents for this years Frankfurt show, part five. An Escher-esque perspective on the status quo, the end is the beginning. We enter the fair at the south side and stumble into the BMW show. The first impressions of the day, we are excited and glare at the displayed products. The Bavarian brand puts us into to the automotive loop, visitors at a circus full of energy rather than consumers of metal dreams. Is Frankfurt all about metal or is it the story telling, the car culture, what it's all about these days?

Next to the all new One series the guys from Munich have enough stories to tell. Conceptually it is all about dotting the i, and yes I dig these fairy tales. Two cars, two book ends. Siblings with their own character, but connected by a strong formal formula. One is soft and fluent, the other more industrial and pragmatic or functional.  Respect goes out to the underlaying blueprint that must have been the starting point of this adventure, design inside out, a throughout vision of what might be the future. And yes, I really like that I3 steering column for its smart and optical light weight appearance.

Free form butterfly glass doors anyone? We will have to see and wait what will reach the market. In a  far corner of our first hall we see a clean stand of BMW Individual. Clean lights and lots of reference from the world of design. Eames here, B&O there. Window dressing or philosophy? First lesson in Frankfurt; it is all about context!

-Matt.

FRANKFURT PART FOUR

Surf's up dude! In the German media landscape the brand from Wolfburg has drawn a lot of attention during the weeks ahead of the Frankfurt show. A new small car for the folks, compact, efficient  and affordable, the real new beetle? A bold move back to the roots. Many thought  the name would change from Up to Lupo, following the strategic sneaky peaky hocus pocus way the new Sc-Iroc-co made it to the market. This time the friendly, almost Pixar-esque name will stay, Up! Plus one so far. And yet, at introduction time Volkswagen displays a wide array of possibilities. Love the tucked down GTI version. The urban Nils car is a welcoming side kick, very producty, nimble and white.

Surf's up and some unforeseen guests join the waves. Greenpeace bashes the party. We never before have seen political statements unfold during an auto show, this year it all comes together at the VW stand. The dark force enters the stage for the big pay back. Is this easy money? The peeps from V dub take it this chin in cheek positive, knowing that they have redrawn the big picture .....of a small car.

- Matt.

FRANKFURT PART THREE

The end of a short day in Frankfurt. Final show down at the heart of the compound. If the IAAF would be Wimbledon, we just entered the center court for the finals.

The Audi pavilion, an impressive endless loop of temporary architecture. Moebius would have been proud of this inviting inside out pleasure dome.  A roller coaster ride packed in a black and white skin. Peek holes everywhere. Cars drive by, stop for a moment and then continue their loop on this full scale Carrera Bahn.

Inside the temperature rises. A slightly tight place for an exhibition. We wonder how cramped this room might feel during the normal days. Audi has brought three concepts to Frankfurt, the Urban twins and the A2. It is always good to meet up with colleagues who have put months of intense work into these objects, the love for detailing finally pays off. I manage to get a close look on the interior of the A2. It has a minimal approach, but there is a lot of subtlety and finesse to discover. 

- Matt.

FRANKFURT PART ONE

Frankfurt once again. My third show this year. After Geneva and Shanghai the big home run in Germany. One wonders if you really have to travel all the way up to F-Furt for the real deal. We have been teased and pleased way ahead with tantalizing pictures, slide shows and print media. It turns out to be a very long day, most of the hours go down in the book as traveling time. To cut it short: a first step at the show around lunch time, 360 minutes left and counting.

Too little time for a 360 look around. Let's cope with it and walk the floors, sniffing up the ambiance. We came with the whole team, but soon we are scattered around the halls. I end up with two colleagues with a different view on cars. Sharing views, teaming up with others, jumping from one car into the other. Macro micro. 

My personal highlight? The eclectic mix of impressions. A spectrum between urban and super sport. Normally one needs an aspirin after a long day at the Frankfurt fair, check marking the "to see list". We have a good alternative. Let's throw it away and go for a spontaneous beer! Carfreax Bavaria meets CFX NL, shortly after joined by our guy from CFX China. This is what it is all about!

More to come soon.

- Matt.

SHANGHAI REVIEW PART TWO

So you think you are a carfreak hu? A stroll over the Shanghai Auto compound will teach you something different. I, at least, never felt so overwhelmed and confused visiting a car show. An eclectic mix straight out of Car Magazines GBU. First of all the diversity of models at display. An endless list of car brands one has never heard of. I gave up trying to feed them into my personal matrix, no chance! And yes, I could have taken photos of all the company logos, but who cares. The Shanghai experience beams you back to the early 20th century when Europe had hundreds of car manufactures. I guess we have to wait and see who will survive the big shake out that will come eventually. 

In this trial and error process many times help comes from abroad, be it in cooperations or copy machines. One thing is for sure, the Chinese manufacturers are eagerly and amazingly quick in learning the job and adopting design languages seen somewhere else. A Hyundai Curb Concept (Detroit 2011) body side on an unbalanced sedan, combined with a Gandini-esque wheel arch, no problem. A Mazda Shinari look a like? Yes we can! 

On average the surfacing quality is not bad at all. TIme after time you see stands with three concept cars lined up, all of them with completely different design directions. The red Brilliance a delight, and next to it its ugly sister. Confusing. Later I hear the limousine with touches of Skoda meets Ford has been conceived in Turin, the other car in Tokyo. More is more. Spread your wings and fly, we worry about the landing when we'll get there. The one component that is missing is brand identity. This will be the next challenge for Chinese manufacturers.

The Japanese have come a long way and the Korean are getting there. A quick look at Kia will show you how you can positively transform a brand in a couple of years. The work of Peter Schreyer and his team has started to pay off. The Chinese will follow soon, learning by doing.They might even set their own standards. Who needs Euro NCAP if you can create your own label, five stars within reach. 

Two days at the Shanghai chicken run. The music has been too loud, my ears are deafened and my mind is soaked. A look inside a start up circus. Where can we find the golden egg. Definitely have to come back in a couple of years. Put Shanghai on your short list, it will broaden your horizon!

- Mattijs.

SHANGHAI REVIEW PART ONE

Once upon a time a trip to Amsterdam was an adventure, Essen was pure walhalla and Brussels an experience. Frankfurt was miles away from home, but eventually we got there over the years. Our horizon widened and we aimed at the stars. A short list of places to visit, the Grand Slam of car shows. Geneva, Paris, Detroit, Tokyo. Who remembers Bologna as the epicenter of Italian flair? Obviously the forces within the automotive world have shifted.

Who could imagine ten years ago that Porsche would debut a four door limousine in China? The local auto show has grown into an important international event. More and more cars see the light at the far end of our Western perspective. My short list is full of check marks. Tokyo is still untouched, but these days I find myself on an Audi stand in Shanghai.

Hectic press days once again. After Geneva Audi presents the A3 Concept in a slightly different form and color. Etron is the badge, hybrid is the talk. New detailing and changes in detail. The car looks good and so are the reactions. Mobile phone cameras up close. Yet the big world premiere at the Audi stand is given to the Q3. Four years ago the show car has been shown here and now it is ready for production. Dressed in bright orange and with a serious grinned facial expression the mini SUV looks good in the flesh. Full wheel arches and plenty of detailing. Dig the relief wood trim in the fully specced edition.

On day two the brand from Ingolstadt is hot. The air conditioning is broken as Audi of China has taken over responsibilities of the event. A tailor cut local ball game. Music, dance, models with endless legs. Vorsprung durch show, five times a day. It seems to work. After the floor has been opened once again masses of people swirl around, cameras ready to catch the atmosphere. I am a witness at the home base, but use the chance to take a look around.

A very white stand at the neighbors. Volkswagen presents the Beetle. Not "new", but updated. Beefier and with a more dynamic tucked down stance. The little kick  in the roofline is a reminiscence of the original and makes the difference. A big car that might do well in the States. Want to see it outside of the arena though. The stand is smart. The blackened out second floor is a perfect spot to watch the action at the floor. All is very 2.0. Mobility concepts with scooters and special projects, projected at Chinese mega cities. I like.

A look at Mercedes. The brand from Stuttgart is here with a fresh concept, previewing the upcoming A class. Sketch on wheels approach. Unfortunately it is hard to see the inside of the three door hatch.  The interior sculpture, shown earlier this year in Detroit, is a welcoming chance to take a glance at what is coming. Let's wait for Frankfurt to see the real deal.

Citroen reveals the DS5, a big car somewhere in between a van, a estate and a MPV. Before I take a closer look at the thing I am attracted to the DS corner. The French brand is keen to promote its individualization  possibilities with its sub brand. The German have their power houses like AMG, the French continue to put the focus on color and trim, offering unlimited options. Porcelain anyone?

Strange enough, a couple of halls further I find another Citroen stand. A copy, a duplicate, a co-op, who knows. The Sur Volt revamped, wrapped in a colorful graphic. Next to it the Lacoste thing. A kind of Mehari for the 21st Century, seen in Paris. Three i phones as GUI docked onto the dash.

Psychedelic lava lights snake dance over the big Volvo. In some elements the car obviously hints to its P 444 ancestor that is positioned in the background. Heritage or retro? The front end a bit too heavy in my opinion, but with a neat concentric theme. The basic architecture of the volumes work really well. Two intersection volumes connected in a sculptural way. Still swedish or already chinese?

- Mattijs.

NOW OR NEVER

Car designers of the world, unite!

Surely there must be a way... to keep the 'numero uno' dreamcar of all time out of the stone cold hands of the next billionaire automotive investor-collector...

Why am I writing this with such urgency?

The 1970 Bertone Lancia Stratos 'Zero' is going to be up for sale - very soon. And with it, the Lamborghini Marzal (yes, one of your favourite Matchbox cars, indeed), Bravo and Athon. Absolute landmarks of automotive design, and -all four of them- so 'Bertone' that I find it hard to believe this is actually happening. The Stratos and Marzal are estimated to bring between 1 and 1.8 MM Euro each into the ailing carrozzeria's cash register.

The venue: Villa d'Este, 21st May. Mark your agendas. What if each of us gets a small additional mortgage, and we add it all up?

- Geert.

Geneva Review - The Final Chapter

Geneva was the scene and Green was the theme. Everybody was talking Lightweight and Hybrids. Everything presented in an explosion of Orange, Carbon and White and if you didn’t have an i-pad somewhere on your stand you just weren’t hip! Who would have imagined this several years ago? But it wasn’t all just tree hugging! Lamborghini, Ferrari, Zonda and Porsche were all there in force with new beasts.

This is what makes Geneva so special the variety of cars on show, from the crazy to the boring, small manufacturers fight with the big dog’s to get your attention. But the best part? Apart from the girls of course, is that it’s all so accessible, all in one large hall, yes your feet still hurt at the end of day, but it’s worth it.

High points for me this year; The VW Bulli, the hippies favourite re-invented, an MPV you’d actually want to buy? The Bertone B99, nicely proportioned and surfaced coupe, inspired by the Seventies XJ. The Lamborghini Aventador, sharp suited V12 with a full Carbon chassis, the things dreams are made of. 

 

The Ferrari FF, über cool shooting break with four-wheel drive! The Range Rover Evoque, Bold, the TT of the SUV’s? (The rear window is the size of an A4 piece of paper, honestly!) The Porsche 918 RSR, first shown in Detroit, I’m still Lovin’ it! and finally Renault, who always manage to produce influential showcars.

Unexpected High point? Taking a break to get some fresh air outside behind the Lamborghini stand, I discover the highly polished corporate limos waiting to whisk away their VIP’s. Lines of shiny A8’s, Bentley’s, Panamera’s and the odd SLS contrast starkly against the industrial exhibition hall and a wall of blue containers, fantastic photo opportunities.

GENEVA REVIEW- PART 19

Show time!

Why are we blocking our agendas way ahead of March? Why do we anticipate the Geneva show each and every year with such thrills? Yes, it is the real start of the season, the location and settings are perfect , a turbo charged compact overview of the automotive sector. Most of all we come back for show time!

Walking the floor, skimming the surface, digging for details, scanning the atmosphere, watching the theatre. Big names of the industry are here and so are old friends and colleagues. Geneva is on fire.

GENEVA REVIEW- PART 17

Carbon Copy

Carbon as a choice of material is obvious in the ongoing light weight race for smaller carbon foot prints. Slowly it trickles through into mass production, be it for the status quo at the super car end of the spectrum. And yes, there were a lot of new super cars in Geneva this year. Visible carbon parts everywhere to communicate tthat he the industry has been to the weight watchers. The old trick of digging a hole still works as well. The future is light, let's wait and see.

- Mattijs.

GENEVA REVIEW- PART 16

Retro?

At the eye of the Geneva storm there is a little stand where probably the last independent British brand releases a new product. Hello and good morning, we are still here! Morgan succeeds in a fast moving industry by deliberately sticking to its roots. Can something be retro in this perspective? Wood structures, three wheelers, light weight and simple. Where is the cup holder? Is this progress? Definitely British indeed with tongue in cheek. Low profile and happy faces. Someone's cup of tea.

- Mattijs.

GENEVA REVIEW- PART 10

Pad Sounds

Blue, clean, green, sustainable, we have all seen it the last couple of years. Big splashes of animated graphics all over the Geneva floor thanks to LED technology. It is all still there and growing in numbers. The 2011 show might go in the books as the year of the i pad. Everywhere you look you will notice the ultra thin media device, be it on display, in cars or carried by hostesses. Click, click, swoosh. Forget folders and carrying bags filled with press material. Geneva 2.0. And yet, in the midst of all this high tech, it is the view at an analogue classic exhaust pipe without any fringes that puts a grin onto our face. 

- Mattijs.