Sofia is the latest concept
car project to be developed by the I.DE.A Institute, a
luxurious high performance sedan which follows on from the
ERA small sports car concept which the Turinese design
studio presented at the Geneva Motor Show last year.
Following last year’s success, I.DE.A
Institute has returned to Geneva for the 80th International
Motor Show to present a 4-seater sedan designed to be
powered by a hybrid engine. This concept car is symbolic of
I.DE.A Institute’s continued drive to renew the company,
which began in 2007. The styling by the new Design Center
and the workmanship of the model makers and show car
builders have together created this new “all-Italian” model,
aptly named Sofia. The concept is a concentration of sportiness
and elegance. The curves are graceful, the lines smooth and
supple, the shape and profile are as enchanting and alluring
as a female figure. The front and rear light clusters convey
a captivating and inviting look.
“We are once
again present at the Geneva International Motor Show with a
model designed and built entirely by I.DE.A Institute,”
Chairman Pietro Lardini emphasisef. “We are again confirming
our own design philosophy and gearing ourselves to work even
more closely with our major customers in Europe, Asia and
South America,” he added. This latest concept car is Italian to the
core, says the I.DE.A Institute: its shape, its look, its
elegance and name are instantly recognised as being
synonymous with Italian styling and beauty.
Last
spring, after a ten-year absence, the I.DE.A. Institute
returned to the Geneva Motor Show where it presented ERA,
its latest concept car, on a dedicated stand, a sports car
that was first previewed in Turin the previous summer, and
symbol of an invigorated I.DE.A Institute. The ERA, which
had been revised since its first showing and the Geneva
appearnce, featured gull-wing doors and an interior with
a simple, essential tubular structure and wraparound seats.
With around 400 employees, since 2000
I.DE.A Institute has been part of the multinational Rieter
Group with its headquarters in Winterthur Switzerland and a
2009 sales figure of 1.95 billion CHF. Following 30 years of
activity and growth, I.DE.A. Institute now has branches in
Europe, Asia and South America.