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Vauxhall recently revealed a brand concept that will signpost its design direction across all models in future, while creating a close link with its core values – British, Ingenious, Progressive and Approachable.
We recently reported on the Vauxhall GT X Experimental, it's a five-door, all-electric, coupe-style compact SUV, measuring just 4.06m in length. The car bristles with fresh innovation, and is the first physical representation of how Vauxhall’s production-vehicle design will evolve in coming years.
Democratisation of technology core to Vauxhall’s values
SUVs currently represent the fastest-growing sector in the UK car market (Vauxhall predict that 40% of sales will be SUVs by 2021) and Vauxhall is keen to make its models more efficient, and even more accessible than before. For that reason, the GT X Experimental is built on a lightweight architecture with a reduced footprint (length: 4.06m; width: 1.83m; height including antenna: 1.528m).
Reflecting Vauxhall’s promise of an electrified vehicle in each of its ranges by 2024, the GT X Experimental is a fully electric car with power delivered by a 50kWh, compact next generation lithium-ion battery with inductive charging. And while it doesn’t offer fully autonomous driving (Vauxhall’s focus is on making innovation accessible in the near-future), it does have Level 3 autonomous driving functions, meaning that it can handle all aspects of driving, but the driver must be able to respond to a request to intervene.
One further highlight to note is the GT X Experimental’s wheels, which appear to go down the usual 20-inch-plus concept-car route, but clever design hides the fact that they’re 17-inch rims, therefore maximising road comfort.
Pure and bold: the future of Vauxhall design
Vice President of Design, Mark Adams, and his team have developed an entire philosophy around Vauxhall’s specific, British design, blending purity with emotional boldness. Mark’s team questioned every function and module of the concept from the outset, with the aim of achieving purity of design by removing all unnecessary elements. It’s something his team called a ‘visual detox’.
The end result shows bold proportions, coupled with beautifully structured, pure flowing surfaces. Its strong silhouette is accentuated by the bold graphic identity separating the upper and lower areas. The lower section is painted in a luminous light grey, and the whole upper body – including the bonnet, glass and roof – are in a dark, night-blue. Between these is a bold yellow signature accent that flows through the car to give it structure and dynamism.
The GT X Experimental welcomes passengers with spacious, unobstructed access, thanks to rear-hinged rear doors and all four doors opening to 90 degrees. The sweeping panoramic windscreen/roof reaches back to the rear seats, further enhancing the car’s sense of spaciousness.
Vauxhall designers have also reduced the traditional cut-lines in the bodywork, normally associated with door and bonnet openings. The upper cut line of all doors is hidden in the yellow accent, and the one for the rear doors combines with that of the opening of the boot. Smoothing the body’s surface still further, door handles and exterior mirrors have been removed, with rear vision for the driver provided by small cameras embedded in the yellow graphic lining, which pop out at each side of the bonnet.
In counterpoint to the ‘visual detox’, neat graphic details energise the GTX Experimental’s appearance. Cropped triangles are engraved along the sill under the driver’s side rear door. One of them contains a small, hexagonal LED screen that shows the electric charge level of the battery. The 17-inch wheels look much bigger, thanks to robust rubber covers that flow over the rim to visually enlarge the size of the dark blue tyres. Yellow graphic lines on the rim echo the yellow signature accent of the body and surround the electronic Griffin emblem that stands still as the wheels rotate. Underlining the SUV character of the car, protective cladding wraps around the lower body, giving the GT X Experimental a robust stance and rugged look.
“The Vauxhall GT X Experimental embodies the spirit of our core brand values,” said Mark Adams. “It’s an approachable concept that people can identify with. It confidently combines a pure and bold design execution with progressive technology that makes life easier. Clearly, this vehicle signals a very exciting future for the brand.”
