Car design trends from Geneva Show 2011

There is a certain feeling of confidence returning to international car shows. This wasn’t necessarily the case a couple of years ago when the financial crisis teamed with environmental concerns cause a little uncertainty, even perhaps self-doubt, amongst carmakers which manifested itself in rather awkward exhibitions.

The renewed confidence was very much in evidence at the latest and one of the most important car shows, the Geneva Motor Show, an annual event held in March with a strong focus on design and conceptual thinking.

Clean zero-emission driving is now a reality. The technology is there, the cars have been designed. It’s just a question of seamless co-operation between the various organisations and governments that make mobility possible.

What is interesting now is how car designers are experimenting with finding relevant visual forms to complement the clean powertrain that lies beneath the metal – it is a question of finding a design language (or languages) that fits this new form of mobility.

At Geneva this manifested itself in the desire to show how electric cars can be fast and sexy for fun driving, as well as small and flexible for the city mobility.

Read the full report with interviews with some of the key car designers published in Wallpaper*.

Have a look at BMW’s latest video on its Vision ConnectedDrive – a very interesting concept that connects the driver, vehicle and the outside world. Watch out for our interview with design director Adrian Van Hooydonk at the Geneva Show which explains the thinking behind this car further.

Also check out our Cars & Mobility section for interviews with car designers and the latest design thinking in this area.

Nargess Shahmanesh Banks