Concept Car from Continental Demonstrates Creative Versatility of Surface Design for Vehicles
- Mirror film with diamond structure instead of conventional paintwork
- Color concept and material arrangement make interior feel larger
- Comfortable seating thanks to new air permeable material
Hanover, June 2017. Innovative materials, sophisticated design. With its concept car, "The Pioneer", Continental is presenting the complete spectrum of surface competence in interiors and exteriors from recently acquired surface specialist Hornschuch. The equipment and choice of materials are based on the "New Business" concept. The interior is enhanced by the combination of high-quality surfaces like wood optics, diamond stitching, and high-gloss applications. It thus has a business lounge character. On the exterior, the designers have replaced conventional paintwork with a mirror film. The overall concept opens up a broad spectrum of design options to automobile manufacturers. The surface design innovations in the vehicle interior will be discussed at the IAA 2017 in Frankfurt am Main (hall 5.1. booth A07/A08).
Dynamically mirrored exterior
The concept car is based on the Citroën C4 Cactus. The crossover character, which has features of an SUV, a van, and a station wagon, offered the design team a number of opportunities. The bodywork is decorated with a mirror film which is digitally printed with a diamond structure in night gray. The special aspect of this is a double progression structure. On the one hand the color in each diamond itself shows a progression, while on the other hand the diamonds increase in size from the front to the back. The air bumpers, which are so typical of the Cactus, on the flanks as well as the front and rear, are retained, but are provided with the modern design of skai Diamond in the color copper rose. The artificial leather was developed specifically for the vehicle and takes up and implements the diamond theme in a different way. The accent color on the outside is highly polished copper. The color is used on the roof line and on the C-pillars, mirrors, at the front in the area of the fog lights, and as a logo on the wheel rims.
Innovative material, sophisticated design in the interior
The interior is enhanced by the combination of high-quality surfaces. Wood optics, diamond stitching, and high-gloss applications transform it into a business lounge.
Hornschuch
Inside, the instrument panel is covered at the top with a TPO artificial leather material. This is adjoined by the skai Diamond with its particularly high-quality look and feel. It has the same copper rose color as the air bumpers on the exterior. The dashboard is also decorated with striking seams. The same materiality and coloration is used on the door sills. As a result of the color concept and a horizontal material arrangement, the vehicle appears to be larger inside than it actually is. Beneath the instrument panel, in the central part of the tower and on the floor, an expressive gray wood decor is used, which is made from digitally printed artificial leather and the TPO material skai Porto. The surface stands out with its elegant, bright, high-quality natural wood look, while the material is also robust and easy to look after. The mats in the floor area are also produced from TPO material, and there is also a wood decor. The black edge binding with a copper-colored decorative seam rounds out the overall picture at floor level. Highlights in the interior are provided by the use of the color copper rose.
Business-style seating
The front and rear seats are designed to invoke the image of a suit, shirt, and tie. The material of the seats is permeable to air and water vapor and makes sitting more comfortable than ever before.
The concept car's business character is most obviously expressed in its seats. They are designed to invoke the image of a suit, shirt, and tie. This is based on the combination of various materials and colors, including a particularly soft PU material with a delicate leather grain or a fine textile structure. The seat surfaces and lower side sections of the backs consist of the breathable material laif VyP, an innovative hybrid material made of vinyl and polyurethane. It is permeable to air and water vapor and makes sitting more comfortable than ever before. The material has been refined with a high quality diamond stitching.
The roof liner in "The Pioneer" is also breathtaking. Behind the PU material, a high-gloss, self-adhesive film in copper rose has been placed, which shines through the small diamond cutouts in the material. The effect is a veritable starry sky. In the trunk of the vehicle there are two travel bags made using high-quality workmanship. The material and color combination of the accessories corresponds to the design concept in the interior. They are made, among other things, from copper-rose-color artificial leather as well as digitally printed material with a wood effect. The material skai Putura Nappa in the color white was used for the handles and belts.
Wolfgang Reinert
Head of Media & Public Relations
ContiTech