This added up to demonstrate an expressive potential and interesting application to the banal substitute of the common automotive light bulb. At the rear of the car the belt re-emerges as two straps, closing off the hollowed out tail and emphasising the wheel arch volumes. The Sportiva Latina’s shape is almost defined by a process of dematerialisation, which is echoed in the cabin. The architecture of the interior was characterised by the adoption of drive-by-wire, and from the requirements of the dynamic Occhiocentro driving position.

These exigencies resulted in developing an interior based around the concept of open space, expressed beforehand in the Lancia Dialogos and Nea concepts, eliminating the dashboard and introducing a hi-tech steering control resembling a computer rather than an automotive console. In fact, whilst not only containing the classic automotive instruments, it also contains the infotelematics system through a mono-command and display, as well as the command for the Occhiocentro driving position.

Due to dematerialisation of the technical components, the instrument binnacle is made from transparent plastic. It contains not only the traditional gauges, but also two rear-view telecamera displays. Sure, the total result is contrary to the current trend of ‘neo-classicism’, which has resulted in many reinterpretations of classic models, not only displaying old shapes but also old names.

With the Sportiva Latina the designers’ intention was to coherently recall the great tradition of the Italian Granturismo, adopting some of the architectural typology without using elements from the past. A past which we often forget was characterised by the great ferments of innovation, the classics today being highly innovative and modern cars at the time of their launches.
 

The split-frame chassis for Sportiva Latina: a modular multi-material solution for niche cars

The journey of innovation over time follows many similar paths, relived again but with new spirit, matured and evolved by the experiences gained: this is the case of the split-frame architecture used in the Sportiva Latina. At the beginning of automotive history, at the turn of the 20th century, the first cars were produced by bolting the bodywork onto a chassis made of wood or steel. Only in 1922, with the innovative Lancia Lambda, did the concept of a self-supporting structure arise. After the Second World War, the production of the car body became a crucial factor in the cost reduction of fabrication, in a market with breathtaking development and constant production level increase. This solution, which is extremely effective in mass-production, decidedly becomes less attractive when the production figures for a model are reduced. This problem is particularly existent today, with niche vehicles such as the Spider, Coupe, MPV and cabriolet.

A double structure allows the possibility of low-volume production with low-cost investment. In order to understand how this concept works, it can be imagined by cutting the car into two parts: a modular chassis, which allows personalised positioning of mechanical parts (engine, gearbox, suspension), and an advanced body frame supporting panels that give shape to the volume of the car. 

Centro Ricerche Fiat began with the development of the split-frame chassis concept in 1998, and over the course of time they have constantly improved the design. Over the past five years, CRF have produced two running prototypes based on the Lancia Kappa and Thesis model. Both of these prototypes have displayed a drastic improvement in acoustic comfort, with a reduction of 5 to 7 Decibels in noise transmission from the road and engine. This result makes the interiors 50% quieter over the interiors of the standard production cars which the prototypes were based on.