Concept Estate wins multiple ‘Car of the show’ awards in Geneva:
Volvo Cars’ third concept car completes the hat-trick
Volvo Cars has won a coveted ‘hat-trick’ of awards after its new Concept Estate concept car was named ‘Car of the Show’ by several international media.
Autoblog.com, the respected automotive online commentary site, stated: “You don't have to be a crazy car guy to appreciate that … Volvo is in the middle of a new golden era of automotive design right now." Publications in the UK and the Netherlands reserved similar praise on the Concept Estate, further cementing the car’s status as one of the stars of the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.
The award in Geneva follows Volvo Cars’ Concept Coupé being named ‘Car of the Show’ by a leading German automotive magazine at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and the Concept XC Coupé receiving the prestigious ‘Eyes ON Design’ award at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show.
Global attention on Volvo’s concept cars has been intensifying as they provide the first significant clues as to how the all new and much-anticipated XC90 SUV and subsequent cars will both look and feel. The XC90 is due to be launched later this year.
The three consecutive awards underline the dramatic transformation currently underway at the Swedish car maker, overseen by Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Cars. The transformation is inspired by the simplicity, functionality and beauty that has become the hallmark of Scandinavian design.
The Volvo Concept Estate’s most striking interior design feature is its simplicity. Gone are the buttons of yesteryear to be replaced by a large tablet-like touch screen control panel in the centre console, bringing the interior firmly into the 21st century.
“The basic idea is to organise controls and information in a perfectly intuitive and user-friendly way. Everything is exactly where you expect it to be, making the drive more enjoyable, efficient and safe,” says Thomas Ingenlath.
“Not having to deal with buttons and controls for a growing number of functionalities is like being freed from a pair of handcuffs,” says Robin Page, Design Director Interior at Volvo Cars. “This has made it possible to build a beautiful interior architecture around the portrait screen. The concept car showcases how this user interface will be integrated in our new car generation.”
Apple and Volvo join forces
Building on the unveiling of Volvo’s new interior design and centre console display, Volvo Cars and Apple Inc. announced in Geneva that the companies are joining forces to offer Volvo drivers full access to Apple’s widely-used and hugely admired operating system in their own cars.
Via Apple CarPlay, the alliance enables the driver to experience and use the content of their Apple device through Volvo Cars’ centre console touch screen display. The first Volvo to offer Apple’s operating system will be the all-new XC90 which will be introduced later this year.
