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The Fiat Idea
had its world preview here in Geneva one year ago. Today, the same stage hosts
the debut of the Fiat Idea '5terre', a show car whose most distinctive feature
is its 'transversality'. The model combines the dynamic, functional look of an
SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) with the modularity and internal flexibility of an
MPV (Multipurpose Vehicle). The Fiat Idea '5terre' forges a link between the
elegant line and personality of an 'off-road' vehicle, and styling and design
trends which are developing interesting solutions for the future, and
particularly for the SUV and MPV segments.
The model's name reflects this striving for balance between form and content.
The Cinque Terre is one of the most famous Mediterranean coastal areas, a strip
of land suspended between the sea and the sky where uncontaminated nature has
coexisted for centuries with the work of man. And for one thousand years these
small villages in Liguria, perched on sheer cliffs and surrounded by green
hills, have taught us that the balance between opposites is not only possible
but often produces results of stunning beauty and extraordinary harmony.
The show car presented in Geneva can therefore be seen (and enjoyed) in the
narrow streets of a European metropolis, but also on desert tracks and in
frontier landscapes. In fact, since its launch, the Fiat Idea has shown that it
aims to do away with the accepted historical limits of conventional cars,
reconciling apparently contrasting characteristics: roominess with compact
dimensions, easy handling with a large loading area, practicality, versatility
and a fresh, carefully appointed interior with a modern, attractive design.
This means that the show car is the ideal solution for a modern motorist who is
part of a society in which technology has accustomed him to see the
'multipurpose' value of objects. As a result, the car becomes a versatile
product that can adapt to different activities: from work to relaxation, culture
and leisure time. In other words, the car must evolve with the motorist who does
not accept compromise. Which is why the Fiat Idea '5terre' is a perfect mixture
of the intelligent solutions of rational architecture and all-Italian design
whose strong personality retains an elegant line and fluid forms inside and out.
Derived from the basic model, the '5terre' prototype stands higher and has
distinctive two-tone bodywork, combining 'sunny' Rainbow Gold (three coats of
paint with warm iridescent tones) and the Moss colour of the side rubbing strips
(a colour with a granular effect that recalls the Mediterranean scrub). The side
strips underscore the lines sculpted into the sides, urging dynamically
forwards. The front itself has a trapezoid shape, where the two lateral 'claws'
highlight the tapered wings, embracing the bumpers and the lower air intake with
a strong three-dimensional effect.
The drop-shaped, oblique headlights fit modular hi-tech optics, mounted without
frames in a kind of eyelid with a winged profile, which act as the direction
indicators. And finally the grille, which merges dialectically with the other
styling features to produce the ridge at the centre of the bonnet. The Fiat Idea
'5terre' has generous glazed surfaces which enhance the luminosity and
visibility in the interior, lightening the car's compact, sturdy shape, an
effect underlined by the upper pane that extends the windscreen dynamically onto
the roof. The sensation of solidity is repeated in the protective metallic
mouldings in the lower part of the front and rear bumpers. This is a distinctive
styling feature which is designed to protect the sophisticated 4x4 engineering
of the car. The tail end has a simple, rounded shape, from which the cylindrical
light cluster modules emerge.
From the exterior to the interior. The passenger compartment is furnished with
the same warm welcoming colours as the bodywork, using natural materials like
the woven coconut matting that covers the floor and the rear luggage
compartment. The upper lid of the facia is treated with a moss effect that is
soft and porous to the touch, while all the controls have a 'metallic' finish
similar to molten steel. The Moss colour returns in the door panel inserts,
upholstered in soft, marble-effect 'Maktub' which also covers the seats. It is
an Alcantara® ultra-microfibre specially developed for the car by Trend Design
Alcantara®. The effect is completed by the napped Dove Grey leather inserts of
the head-restraints and lateral containment of the seats. |
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