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From YourSITE.com Saab Every year the public is subjected to a endless parade of concept car projects. Most qualify only as meaningless, unfocused cocktail doodles, at most, offering shock value. Almost never to see production, we hope the Aero X is not to suffer this fate. This year the team at SAAB however struck an original chord of excellence, whose tone rings true as a singular note of innovative design success. Yes, the team headed by Anthony Lo dramaticly raised the bar for both SAAB and other GM company designers. Or more directly the Aero X is concept of singular originality that nails the combination of function, simplicity, elegance and real performance. The New York is the latest stop for public display for the Aero X. In all great automotive concept projects the final result looks almost effortless. The SAAB Aero X again supports the minimalistic foundational theme that "less is more". Dynamic is a good key adjective for the AERO X. Why? The Aero X is a new path of stylistic performance car design that in all honesty SAAB has not ever seriously devoted any effort to in many, many years. Also the automotive designers were allowed to craft the Aero X outside the convention of industry guidlines. The company's advertising agency has only recently been allowed to use the aviation history of SAAB to help consumers understand the difference in approach of SAAB cars to automotive design. In the aviation world aircraft were not designed to look cool or even fast. Never have been, and never will be. Why. Aircraft are crafted around the phyiscal riggers of g-loading required of the task assigned, and the mandated speed, and distance for the mission. Most often aircraft were always redefineing performance based soley on engineering breakthourghs. Streamling as it was called back then, was based on the understanding, that the smallest phyiscal amount of frontal area was only to be considered. Pilots were and are still required to accept the smallest amount of space in any cockpit. The Aero X has as a main theme that it like purpose built aircraft, no doors, or windshield pillars. That is due to the cockpit style entry, with a canopy section that moves out of the way of it's pilot. However we need to stop and remind the folks at SAAB that 99% of aircraft canopys move backward. Which would again simplify the actual canopy actuation process and add speed to entry and exit. The classicial examples are P-51, Spitfire, F-86 Saber and many others. In most cases these function on rollers and a single release handle. When the jet age arrived then like the F-86 Sabe the tilt rise canopy needed the hydrolic system. The Aero X reminds me of the elegant Mig 21 which had a tilt forward single section bubble canopy. Lets look at the purely technical aspects of the Aero X. Here I have included the four view diagram provided in the Aero X press kit. The Aero X has a interesting combination of rising hip line that helps accent the aggressive basic road stance of the Aero X. Next is the coke bottle profile which again helps lend to streamline the airflow around protruding fender wells. The low roofline again supports the aviation design theme. The Aero X has a nose section that lends to both airflow both over the hood, but also lends to a perception of speed. The wheels are a direct effort to simulate the induction fan blades of classic jet engines. While also adding brake cooling. I really enjoy the side mirror design. A clear style link to current F1 stalk mirrors, but again a uncontrived elegance that fit with Aero X, without creating a conflict to the line of the body. Because of the blunt rear end shape a spolier system will need to added. Also this would enhance actual perfromance. We at Motorsports Center.com also interviewed Anthony Lo for a future segment of AutoStyle TV. Mr.Lo was very happy offer his time to expand on the many aspects that have been incorprated into the Aero X project. The Aero X has very special interior aspect of Scandinavian design heritage. This infulence is seen in many special interior treatments. The cockpit of the Aero X has a very clean interior. This eleminates all convential dials, buttons and handles. We see the final result of this Scandinavian treatment in what is again the less is more / minimalist approach. Weaving curved space into a pilot & passenger enviorment that is lacking the tense and meaningless busy gadgets of current trendy "interactive" generation projects. Anthony Lo and the design team at SAAB took another really original idea and create a sharper concept of instrumentation. SAAB applied techniques from traditional Swedish glass, and used these lighting techniques in creating display data instruments with a lime green glow 3D graphic images. That as the Aero X goes faster the become brighter, as well as larger on the display face. A very smart and simple method to gaining driver awareness. These display style instruments are very similar to what you see on "heads up" displays in modern aircraft. All of the exterior and interior lighting is via LED ( light-emitting diode), this opens up a whole new area of options that can be exploited the compact assembly packaging in both size and weight. This technology has not been employed in the automotive mainstream to date. The Aero X is benefiting from additional materials technologies, like carbon fiber bodywork. Anthony Lo is GmE's Director of Advanced Design, he and his team also added a lightweight power train, electronically controlled suspension system and all wheel drive. The next major difference between the Aero X and other performance car projects is a 400Hp twin turbo engine that is expected to be powered on Bio-power fuel. Computer simulations show a expected 0-60 Mph of about 4.9 seconds. The top speed is limited to 250 Kph. The goal was to create idenity design concept that would allow SAAB to have a stand alone branded perfromance product. We see the Aero X as a must build project. To SAAB appears to be the smarter Swedish car company is an understatement. We will keep in touch with Anthony Lo and the SAAB team to track the progress of the Aero X. © Copyright 2001 by YourSITE.com |
