For the first time in...
For the first time in the history of the event, visitors will be able to park their vehicles under the display areas and get to the expo direct. The six-month project provides 1,600 bays.
A former student of...
A former student of the RCA in London, Wouda spent six years in the Czech republic designing for Skoda. Between 2000 and 2006 he worked on projects such as the Roomster and the forthcoming Yeti, before moving to Germany to head up exterior design at the Volkswagen Design Center in Potsdam, near Berlin. Wouda is head of exterior design and team leader for the VW Concept BlueSport project.
What are the defining characteristics of the Concept BlueSportò€™s design?
The car has a relatively simple architecture ò€“ itò€™s defined by only a few key features such as the prominent wheel arches. Much of the design is horizontal, that is to say there isnò€™t a significant wedge shape to the profile so it stays connected and parallel to the road.
Does it point the way for the design of other future VWò€™s?
There are clearly similarities in the front end between the BlueSport and the MK VI Golf, as well as the new Scirroco and the UP! concept. Itò€™s certainly a design language that will be applied across the VW range eventually.
What platform is it based on?
The engineers created and entirely new modular platform to accommodate the mid-engine layout, so itò€™s not based on anything. In fact, the mid-engine layout is a designers dream, because it allowed us to create a beautifully proportioned shape, with a low bonnet, short overhangs and the passengers seated in the middle of the wheelbase.
Why did you opt for a manual-folding roof?
From the very outset, the BlueSport was designed to be a dream car that was also affordable and kind to the environment. There was massive emphasis therefore on optimising the aerodynamics and keeping the weight down, and a manual roof is much lighter than an electric one. Itò€™s a feeling of getting back to basics and only including the things you really need ò€“ much like famous British roadsters of the past.
How likely is it to make production?
We would never show a car that didnò€™t work or wasnò€™t feasible to produce. However, whether the BlueSport makes it into production or not will depend entirely on the publicò€™s reaction at Detroit ò€“ which I hope will be positive!