| Japan is a nation obsessed with design where new
trends come and go in a flash - but for a culture so into its visual language,
it is surprising that it has not to date revealed a similar confidence
in its car design, or has it, asks Nargess Shahmanesh-Banks.
The Imas interior works in harmony with the exterior to highlight the clean body lines |
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Olivier Boulay, design director at Mitsubishi, told me at the Geneva
Motor Show that Japanese carmakers have finally found confidence in their
own design heritage. In fact this has been evident in the last year or
so, most notably voiced at the Tokyo Motor Show where the likes of Toyota
and Honda, with CS&S and Imas respectively, oozed masses of self-confidence
in their unique take on Japanese design.
Imas is the second generation hybrid car for Honda, which made its European
debut at Geneva. In charge of the design project was Argentinan born Jose
Wyszogrod. "I began by working alone, making some sketches," he recalls. As soon as the ideas were formulated he gathered a group together,
developed the prototype further and presented it to the board of directors
who agreed to go ahead and the car was completed in just over seven months.
Aerodynamic requirements essentially determind the shape of Imas. Wyszogrod
notes that the car is more dynamic from the inside, which in turn works
in harmony with the body, accentuating the exterior lines. "The whole
interior is based on a bycicle frame, which is very lightweight, but at
the same time can hold so much," he explains.
Inside the navigation system and other electronic functions are mounted
on a transparent structure that is both stylish and adds to the unclutterd
feel. Japanese supplier Tokyo Seat helped with the seat design, which
are lightweight and made of material Wyszogrod says inspired by Italian
fashion label Prada's sports shoes. This adds to the feel of weightlessness
inside and gives a touch of style.
There is room for four adults in the Imas with clever hidden legroom for
rear passengers under the front seats. "Everything is functional
and ready for production," adds Wyszogrod.
You cannot pin point what exactly is Japanese about Imas. Perhaps it is
in the clean lines, or maybe in the clever use of space, the techie material
or just in the way it modestly wispers modern design.
"Our main challenge was to create a car that looks futuristic, can
fit in four people and have a new powertrain," says Wyszogrod. Most
importantly it had to look like a Honda. "The proportions are Honda
and it definately looks like a Honda." he notes confidently.
"Show cars are the only way we can try out new ideas," says
the Honda designer. He explains that these design ideas are implementable,
but at the end of the line they get hacked for the fear that the customer
may not approve, though on a more positive note most of the solutions
here will be seen on the market in the next five to ten years.
Perhaps a car like Imas is only possible in a country like Japan where
aparantly people drive very strange cars. Coming from another culture,
but speaking the language, Wyszogrod has made some thoughtful observations
about the Japanese.
"With some things they are very conservative. For instance they wear
simple grey suits to work, but when they buy a car they want to show their
true personality," he explains. Japan's main cities like Tokyo are
overpopulated with people living in tiny flats, so in a sense the car
is an extention of their homes. Or as Boulay says, you cannot just come
up with a pretty car in Tokyo, you need something that is a trend setter.
"Tokyo is so populated, everything is packed together," explains
Boulay. "Therefore if you don't have any colour in the streets, nice
shops, or nice things that are in a way extensions of the people's apartments,
then life could become extremely boring over there.
"This is why constantly you have this movement of new things and
people. If you were to open a new restaurant in Tokyo you are extremely
lucky if you can keep it for five years. People get bored, same for cars,
fashion everything. In Japan we say that we are trend slaves."
Working in Japan was initially very difficult for Wyszogrod, but then
he says you learn the ropes. "I initially thought that people would
be very conservative in the studio, but they said make whatever you want.
They are so open about strange concepts." he adds. So perhaps designing
a car like Imas is only possible in Japan.
The Japanese are relatively new to car making. They learnt the skill a
bit like an apprentice, first by copying the Americans in post war years
for dynamism, then the Europeans for technology, but now they have perhaps
reached a stage and calibre where they can experiment with various interpretations
of Japanese design heritage.
Cars like Nissan's Cube, the Mitsubishi Se-ro and "i" concepts,
Honda's Imas and Toyota's CS&S are clear visions of where the future
lies not just in Japan, but perhaps with other carmakers. After all we
live and work in Japanese inspired environments, wear Japanese minimalist
fashion, eat Japanese fusion food, so why not drive Japanese designed
cars.
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