Posted by Nargess on October 14, 2010 · 5 Comments
The former BMW design director Chris Bangle once told me he believes at times form needs to follow fantasy. ‘For the future of car design, function is the last refuge of the unimaginative,’ he concluded. The Japanese are masters of fantasy – reflected through their imaginative, virtual worlds of animation and comics, anime and manga. Bangle may have said this to ruffle the stiff collars of the automotive world, but can car design learn... Read More
Filed under car culture, insight & interviews, latest thoughts · Tagged with Anima, Art Centre, Art Centre College of Design, Caricature, Cars, Cars & Mobility, Clean Car Design, Comics, François Bancon, Future Car Design, Gallardo, Ghost in the Shell, Graphic Art, Green Car Design, Honda, Infiniti, Japanese Animation, Japanese Car Design, Lamborghini, Luc Donckerwolke, Manga, Miura, Murciélago, Nissan, Nissan Design Europe, Science Fiction, Seat, Victor Nacif, Virtual World
The Microlino is a tiny electric vehicle imagined entirely for city commutes and short distance travel. Its shape is inspired by the bubble cars of the 1940s and 50s – think of the brilliant L’Oeuf Electrique by French industrial designer Paul Arzens or BMW’s Isetta – with its single front door design which allows you to step right onto the pavement when cross parked.
The Microlino can transport three adults and their luggage, will speed up to 56mph and there is an option of a 77 or 124-mile range battery. Essentially, this bubble will make city commutes easy and (I suspect) hugely fun. It would be hard not to smile if you saw one drive by. To me, it represents a simple and relevant design idea.
I’m interested in a change in the narrative of what cars can do – their relationship with humans, how they interact with cities and buildings, where they fit in with nature and ultimately the planet. There will always be room for beautiful sculptures-on-wheels. But as the energy transition progresses, these will increasingly become luxury items – precious gadgets we take out for a ride on special occasions. The motor car of the golden olden days…
For the remaining 95% of our journeys, I believe there is still lots of room to push the notion of personal transport, invent vehicles that care for the environment, and not just ecologically but rather add value to the world as opposed to the individual. How amazing would that be!
This is a super exciting time in the story of transport. And I’m happy to report many in the design and tech communities are rethinking its possibilities. Take a look at what some of the leading creatives in transport are saying:
Chris Bangle and his radical rethink of the motor car, the anti-poaching Cake Kalk AP, Komma’s fresh look at urban transport, Pix Moving’s reinvention of cities as mobile flexible units.
nargess@me.com
