Ford 021c

The Ford 021C urban concept vehicle was created by one of the world's most acclaimed product designers to appeal to a group of consumers who are mostly too young to currently own a car. Aged 21 years and under, these consumers are highly brand literate, extremely technologically aware, and want quality products which express their individuality.

"The Ford 021C is an honest, simple, engaging car, and these are values which resonate with this important group of emerging automotive consumers," said Ford's Vice-President of Design, J Mays.

Mays said the project has helped change the way Ford designs new vehicles. "As car designers we tend to approach everything from an automotive perspective," Mays said. "The Ford 021C treats the car as a cultural icon. We have created a distinct point of view with this car and if you don't get it, don't worry - you're probably not meant to."

Mays said the philosophy behind the 021C lays the foundation for new generation of Ford vehicles which will appeal to a new generation of consumers into the 21st century. "This is all about making that vital connection with customers, no matter how different their world view and life experiences might be from our own."

The carbon fibre exterior features simple shapes and clean surfaces with no superflous decoration. The doorhandles, for example, are simple aluminium buttons surrounded by a translucent plastic ring which is illuminated as the remote central locking is activated.

The glasshouse is light and airy, with thin pillars all round and clamshell door frames to ensure the widest possible apertures. The front and rear views of the Ford 021C are dominated by single light lenses and a wrap around bumper.

Every element of the Ford 021C has been designed by Marc Newson, apart from the mechanical and electrical systems. Newson even designed the instrument panel graphics, all the switches, the wheels and the tread on the specially produced Pirelli tyres. "It's easily the most comprehensive design job I've ever done," he said. "It was like designing 500 products at once."

Newson, who owns a classic Aston Martin DB4 and has designed everything from glassware to furniture to restaurant interiors, said he wanted to design a car that wasn't intimidating. "I wanted to create a car that was light, likeable and fun," he said.

"Ask children to draw a car and they'll draw something like this, so in many ways the 021C is a familiar and comfortable object," Newson said. "But it doesn't use many typical automotive design cues, and while it does incorporate some interesting technology, it's not technology used simply for the sake of it."

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Citroen C-Cactus

C-Cactus is an ecological car. It includes a significant proportion of recycled or recyclable materials and, like the plant it is named after, it is low on consumption. Weighing just 1,109 kg and featuring a hybrid HDi drivetrain, C-Cactus consumes 2.9 l/100 km for CO2 emissions of 78 g/km.
At the same time, C-Cactus is no more expensive than a mid-range family car. Its low production cost can be attributed to the use of new materials and to a rational design process using a smaller number of parts. The cabin is made up of just over 200 parts, i.e. almost half the number used by a conventional hatchback of identical size. An attractive and modern vehicle

C-Cactus is an essential car, with sharp styling and attractive features. Its curves give it a fun look and strong appeal, while the angles and rounded lines of the bodywork underline its dynamic character.
C-Cactus sets high standards of onboard comfort with a roomy interior that is worthy of a family car. It is 4.2 metres long and 1.8 metres wide with a wide range of equipment including air conditioning with automatic temperature control, a high-quality audio system, a panoramic glass sunroof, cruise control and a speed limiter.

The economic and ingenious solutions adopted for C-Cactus keep production costs down and make it possible to fit a diesel hybrid drivetrain, all for the price of an entry-level C4. To achieve this result, C-Cactus places the emphasis on equipment that is essential to passenger comfort. At the same time, it explores new design processes in order to show that economy and ecology need not be synonymous with a rough ride.

New avenues in design

C-Cactus is the result of an intelligent design process pursuing new objectives. By exploring new forms of expression and new technical solutions, Citroën's engineers cut the number of parts required to build the car.

To achieve this objective, the engineers:

- simplified a number of parts and mechanisms to the extreme,

- grouped several functions in a single part,

- removed all parts that are non-essential to the running of the car or to the comfort and well-being of its occupants.

The dashboard has gone, and its usual functions are now grouped on the central console and the fixed hub of the steering wheel. The central console thus includes the active loudspeakers, gearbox controls and tactile screen giving access to the onboard computer, navigation system and air conditioning controls. The controls for the indicators, lights, wipers, horn and cruise control/speed limiter are on the fixed hub of the steering wheel, as are the tachometer and lights for the indicators, headlamps and warning signals.

Another example of simplification: the part used for the front bumper, which includes the headlamps and chevrons is the same as the part making up the lower part of the tailgate at the rear. This contributes to the assertive design of C-Cactus while bringing economies of scale in production.

This simplicity is also reflected in the design of the front end, which comprises just two parts: a fixed bonnet comprising the front wings, and a flap giving access to the vehicle maintenance functions (oil, windscreen washer, etc.).

Reflecting a similar approach, using the air conditioning makes it virtually unnecessary to open the windows. A simple sliding mechanism is therefore provided, since this is sufficient in normal use. Engineers were thus able to get rid of both the window frames and the opening mechanism.

At the same time, a number of monoblock units are used for C-Cactus to reduce the overall number of parts.
The door panels, for example, are made of two parts, compared with twelve in a conventional hatchback.
The seats also comprise two parts: a highly comfortable, moulded, coloured, integral-skin foam part for the seat, and a solid monoblock frame to hold the foam in place and fix the seat to the floor rails. The ergonomics are excellent and – here again – the number of components is limited.

Advanced ecological features

To achieve real environmental impact, Citroën's objective has always been to market technologies and vehicles that are affordable to the greatest number. The objective with C-Cactus is to go one step further, by bringing out a car whose hybrid HDi drivetrain makes it truly ecological car, but that can be sold at the same price as an entry-level family car.

With its diesel hybrid drivetrain combining a 70 bhp DIN HDi diesel engine with a particulate filter and an electric motor providing additional power of 30 bhp DIN, C-Cactus consumes just 2.9 l/100 km with CO2 emission levels of 78 g/km over a combined cycle. In urban use, ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mode provides silent, all-electric operation. On journeys involving successive acceleration and deceleration, the hybrid system limits fuel consumption by using both types of energy.

Other points also help to make C-Cactus a car that respects the environment.

The solutions adopted for the design of C-Cactus also contribute to bringing down fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Using fewer parts makes the vehicle 15% lighter than a C4 Hybride HDi for a total weight of 1,109 kg.
The tyre width has also been kept down (205/45 R21) on C-Cactus, which adds to environmental performance.

Fewer parts also means smaller quantities of raw materials. In additon, a significant part of the materials used are recycled or recyclable. The windscreen and windows, for example, are made of recyclable glass. The tyres are also recyclable, as is the crude steel used for the door panels. This metal is unpainted and unvarnished but has been treated for corrosion.
The protective mats are made of recycled leather, taken from leather cut-offs that cannot be used by conventional tanneries. Many parts are made of cork, a natural material made from the bark of oak trees. The felt used for the door panels and fascia stowage compartments is made from wool. This material uses no chemical additives and is both recyclable and biodegradable.

The top speed of C-Cactus has deliberately been capped at 150 kph. This choice not only contributes to the car's good environmental performance, it also reflects Citroën's efforts to develop a green vehicle illustrating a new approach to the car, in which the motorist is in harmony with his/her surrounding environment.

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