Mazda Shinari Concept Car

Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept Car 2010

2010 Mercedes CLS Shooting Break Concept

Press Release


Decision for serial production: CLS Shooting Brake will be built in the Mercedes-Benz Plant Sindelfingen
The CLS Shooting Brake will go into serial production: As of 2012, the sporty four-door Coupé with sloping tail end based on the CLS will roll-off the assembly line in the Mercedes-Benz Plant Sindelfingen.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board Daimler AG and H ead of Mercedes-Benz Cars: "In 2004, Mercedes-Benz established a new vehicle segment with the four-door Coupé CLS and created a design icon. 170,000 customers around the globe show how enthusiastic this car has been received by the market. The decision to build the CLS Shooting Brake underscores the leading role of Mercedes-Benz in regards of innovative passenger car concepts and design – and that is exactly what the customers expect from us."

Sindelfingen, as largest production location of Mercedes-Benz globally, will add another model to its manufacturing portfolio. Currently, the plant is building the C-Class Sedan, the E-Class Sedan and Estate, the S-Class and the coupés CLS and CL as well as the Maybach models and Mercedes-Benz Guard vehicles. Recently, the plant started to produce the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and a small series of the B-Class powered by a fuel cell. As of 2014, the Mercedes-Benz SL will also be manufactured in Sindelfingen. The decision for the CLS Shooting Brake also reflects the flexibility of the plant: The new model will be build on the same production line as the CLS and the E-Class Sedan.

Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG for Production and Procurement Mercedes-Benz Cars & Mercedes-Benz Vans: "This new model with its high emotional appeal is another highlight for the Sindelfingen plant. The location decision is an evidence for the significance of the plant as competence centre for the luxury class. The CLS Shooting Brake will contribute to a sustainable capacity utilization in this core location of our production network."

The fresh and exciting interpretation of the emotionally-appealing Coupé-based design had its premiere as a show car at Auto China in April 2010. Now, this insight by Mercedes designers into the possible future development of the Coupé concept will become reality. In 2012, the CLS Shooting Brake will be launched to the market.

Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars: "The CLS still makes waves with its fascinating design and wows customers for our brand. With the new generation of the CLS we expand our pioneering role in this segment. We aim to extend this success story with the CLS Shooting Brake and complement our product portfolio with another appealing model. This car is based on the great tradition of a stylish, cultivated sportiness which has always characterised the great Mercedes Coupés, and it takes this unique legacy an exciting step further. At the same time it points the way towards the future design idiom of Mercedes-Benz."

The proportions are clearly those of a coupé: the long bonnet, narrow-look windows with frameless side windows, and dynamic roof sloping back towards the rear. It is only when taking a second look that it becomes clear that the Shooting Brake actually has four doors and a large rear lid. The model features some astonishing proportions which at the same time are clearly reminiscent of another design icon - the CLS.

It's all in a name: the origins of the name "Shooting Brake"
Break, or the homonym Brake, was the name once given to carriages used to "break" in wild horses and also to restrict (or "brake") their urge to move, so that they could be put to use as work horses. Since the carts could easily be broken as part of this process, people tended not to use ones which they may have urgently needed for other purposes. Where necessary, "Brakes" were often fitted out with variable bodies, which were only really used to carry along anything that may have been necessary for the hunt, for example. Any such vehicle which was used when going out shooting was called a Shooting Brake or Shooting Break. In the 1960s and 1970s motorised Shooting Breaks were popular in Great Britain – exclusive cross-over vehicles, which combined the luxuriousness of a coupé with extended space on offer and additional variability.

Renault Dezir Concept

2014 Lotus Elite: The hybrid convertible supercar

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento In Detail

Alfa Romeo Pandion

Eterne - The GT Sedan by Lotus

“a statement of intent”

Long hood, smooth surfaces. The voluptuous shape hides the future of Lotus. After the Aston Martin Rapide, it was the Hethel-based firms's turn to open the rear doors. The 620 hp 5.0 V8 four-seater hybrid concept with optional KERS is a direct hint to the future. This statement of intent is the intent of Lotus planning to enter this segment in 2015.  

“We truly believe that there is a market for the Eterne. There is nothing else like it out there in terms of design, capacity and performance.”  

CEO D. Bahar

Press release

Enter the Eterne, the four door super saloon from Lotus. If the Elite is elegance incarnate then the Eterne is elegance redefined.

The Eterne is a true four door, four seater sports GT. It’s the ultimate expression of refined style, sophistication and grace. But wait. An elegant, graceful sports car? Surely not.
A sports car by definition can’t be graceful. Powerful, exciting, aggressive yes, but not graceful. Yet here it is, the ultimate paradox - the Eterne. Power and grace, performance and elegance, beauty and strength all in one stunning package.

With a 5.0 litre pressure charged V8 engine delivering up to 620 PS the Eterne is aiming for best in class performance and efficiency.

In keeping with the rest of the new line-up, the Eterne will benefit from hybrid technology.
Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus, said: “The Eterne is sensational to look and as with the rest of the range it also over delivers in all other aspects as well. Similar to the Elite, it’s a car of perfect contradictions, it’s compact yet spacious, high performing yet low emitting, relative lightweight yet still reassuringly solid.”

“We truly believe that there is a market for the Eterne, there is nothing else like it out there both in terms of design, capacity and performance. The biggest difference between the Eterne and it’s class competitors is that it’s not an evolution of an existing two-door model, it’s a deliberate and considered stand-alone creation. It’s the ultimate four door sports car.”

Sometimes there are no rules to be broken, so it is time to define them instead.

Specifications

• Layout  4 seater, front-mid-engined, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive is optional
• Engine Petrol, hybrid optional
• Hybrid Technology Hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors and KERS
• Cylinder V8
• Capacity 5.0 litre
• Power/Torque 620 PS / 720 Nm
• Rev limit 8,500 rpm
• 0-100 km/h 4.0 seconds
• Top speed 315 km/h
• CO2 approx (CO2/km) 220 g/km**
• Weight 1,800 kg
• Seats 4
• Transmission Full Hybrid transmission
• Drive RWD, AWD optional
• Start of production Early 2015
• Enters the market Spring 2015
• Price indication Circa £120,000

Jaguar C-X75 concept

Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept

Named for a fierce sea hawk, the Pandion has spectacular 12-foot-long doors, inspired by the flying predator’s wings.

"The skin refers to the snake, for Italy’s seductive auto beauty, the cross for the country’s excellence in tech advancements"

Press Release:

PANDION

A DREAM ALFA ROMEO BY BERTONE

The Pandion: a summary

After a two year absence from the international scene, Bertone returns to the Geneva Motor Show, unveiling a concept car that makes its world premiere here: the Pandion, an aggressive yet beautiful coupé designed as a tribute to Alfa Romeos’ one hundred year anniversary.

The Pandion: an extreme and controversial sports car in typical Bertone fashion. The size of the concept car (4620 mm in length, 1971 mm wide, 1230 mm high, 2850 mm wheelbase) offers a compact sports car external dimensions with a large sports car interior feeling, all powered by a 4.7 litre, 450 CV 8-cylinder Alfa Romeo engine.

The Pandion is the first car produced by Mike Robinson in his new role as Design and Brand Director at Bertone. A pure “˜dream car’, the Pandion takes its rightful place as a member of Bertone’s historic Alfa Romeo family: cars that have always been style icons, influencing the history of the automobile and Italian craftsmanship in their excellent design quality, proving themselves to be undisputed benchmarks for the entire world of car design.

The name comes from the animal world, as Pandion Haliaetus is the scientific name for an Osprey: a sea hawk that nests and lives in coastal areas. The designers, led by Mike Robinson, have drawn inspiration from the wings of this predator to invent the spectacular door opening mechanisms, and from the hawks’ facial markings to project the traditional Alfa family feeling into the next era of design.

In almost a century of Bertone tradition, it is not the first time that natural wonders have inspired the names of concept cars. Just think of the Corvair Testudo (1963) and, by no coincidence, the Alfa Romeo Canguro (1964), Carabo (1968) and Delfino (1983).

Design: the initial concept

The Pandion’s taut and muscular body is the result of an original interpretation of the Alfa Romeo badge, where the man-eating snake depicted there represents the attraction of elegance (what we call the “˜Skin’), and the aristocratic cross symbolises the rigour of rational thought, the technological aspect (what we call the “˜Frame’). According to this interpretation, the Pandion’s design is, like every Alfa Romeo, a perfect synthesis between “˜Skin and Frame’, an ideal balance resulting from a tension between opposites: technology and sensuality, rationality and instinct, architecture and sculpture, structuralism and organicism, industrial excellence and excellent craftsmanship.

The design of the Pandion is based on a concept Robinson calls: “Skin & Frame” – a new interpretation of the inherent duality in the 100 year old Alfa Romeo logo. “Skin” refers to the snake in the logo, representing the world renowned Italian excellence in beautiful, seductive forms; and “Frame” refers to the cross in the logo, representing the mechanical excellence in high performance Italian race cars. The combination of the two has now become a dynamic dial searching for an ideal balance resulting from the tension between opposites: technology and sensuality, rational and emotional, architectural layout and sculptural form, structural and organic, industrial excellence and artisan excellence.

According to this interpretation, the vibrant energy in every Alfa Romeo is represented by Pandions’ spinal structure (or “˜Frame’), which crosses the length of the car from the V-shaped grille in the nose of the car to the V-shaped bumper in the tail of the car, crossing the interior as a visually aesthetic structural element which supports the surrounding shell (or “˜Skin’).

Design: details that count

The Pandion’s front end features a long and sculpted sloping bonnet that creates what is, to all intents and purposes, a mask, almost like the helmets worn by ancient warriors. The Alfa Romeo “˜family feeling’, immediately recognizable at first glance, does not admit even a hint of retro nostalgia and looks to the future with a revolutionary and novel elegance. There is no doubt it’s an Alfa Romeo with a look that has never been seen heretofore. The typical Alfa quad headlights are buried deep in the outer-most tips of the T-shaped grille, highlighting the wide stance of the impressive coupé. Four white bars of light strike the observers’ curiosity, two position lights above and two fog lights below, creating a virtual bi-plane of light at night. The typical five horizontal bars on every Alfa Romeo radiator grille are just visible here, offering a reference to the marque’s historic identity. The front grille is full of thousands of tiny intertwined blades which contribute to the new Algorithmic Design throughout the car.

The Pandion has the profile of a true sports car, with no room for compromise. The architectural layout is “˜cab rearward’, meaning the passenger compartment is positioned towards the rear of the car and the long bonnet pushes the car’s visual centre rearward. The body side visually connects the sensuous front end with the razor-edged rear by means of an extremely long flowing side window which stretches from front wheel arch to rear, enhancing the excellent accessibility of this low-bodied sports coupé. Since sports cars are traditionally difficult to get in and out of, this important ergonomic activity has been facilitated with an extra wide door opening to make up for the low roofline. This new graphic formula not only adds a striking new visual division between the upper and lower parts of the body, but it also offers an incredible panorama window for passengers inside. The strong diagonal dark-light division in the rear of the side view accentuates the powerful rear wheel drive layout and draws special attention to the hidden door opening mechanism.

The rear end features a striking array of crystal-like blades which are intertwined in various widths and lengths, protruding out into space. The rear of the car in fact has a disembodied or “pixilated” look, representing a tail-of-the-comet metaphor, as if the sheer speed of the vehicle is pulling the underlying, technical “Frame” rearward, away from the sensuous, flowing “Skin” above. This “dematerialization” phenomenon of the car is generated by the intrinsic motion of the form, which means the car looks like it is moving even when it is standing still.

There are also two small fixed white shields below the rear bumper which hold the quad tailpipes, creating a visual continuation of the white side panels which seem to wrap around under the car.

The taillights are fully integrated into the organic tangle of the blades and disappear when turned off. The new Alfa Romeo family feeling is again visible in the rear of the car with same V-shaped bumper found on the front of the vehicle, which the travels the entire length of the body, forming a powerful virtual, Alfa Romeo backbone.

The doors, as in many other Bertone-designed masterpieces (such as the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo, the 1970 Lancia Stratos 0, the 1972 Lamborghini Countach, and the 2007 Fiat Barchetta), open in a visually striking manner. Virtually hinged around the axis of the rear wheel, the Pandion doors open by rotating backwards, ending up a perfect 90 degrees above the center of the rear wheel, lifting up the entire body side of the vehicle, from the front fender to the rear fender. When fully open they are more than 3.6 metres high. This spectacular solution is design mainly for glamour, bringing back the “wow” factor to today’s lackluster automotive industry. This futuristic door mechanism also has a pragmatic side as well. Since all “˜extreme’ sports cars are literally impossible to get in and out of, the Pandion is designed to utilize the horizontal space in the car since the vertical space is so limited.

In the event of an accident that results in a “˜roll-over’, the doors detach from the car body so that the passengers can exit of the car.

The interior: minimalist glamour

The shapes that make the Pandion spring to life are the result of a design study aimed at creating an organic whole, without resorting to short-cuts to ensure continuity between the interior and exterior, a perfect balance between architectural rigour and the spectacular shapes of living organisms.

The design language used to create the passenger compartment has resulted in a fluid environment, due to the fittings that seem to have grown spontaneously, without ever having been either designed or constructed. We have named this expressive code, never seen before in the automotive sector until today, algorithmic design. The concept, taken from the world of mathematics, indicates an organic alternative to traditional design and is the “˜propagation of random forms’. It is as if the design were following a kind of complex development which is neither linear nor geometric, generating an “˜auto-organising’ shape, with the “˜spontaneous growth’ of algorithms such as “˜swarms’ or “˜vines’.

When observing the interior of the Pandion, the first things that draw our attention are the front seats. The car’s layout is typical of Alfa Romeo coupés, i.e. 2+2. While the two rear seats are the classic “˜extra spaces’, the front seats are two incredibly thin (30 mm) ergonomic chaise longue chairs. They have carbon fiber shells (that mimic the style of the car’s exoskeleton or “˜skin’) covered in Technogel® and backlit with reLIGHT® fabric, that conforms to the shape of the driver’s or passenger’s body. The principle that inspired the designers was that of “˜zero gravity’, i.e. a warm and welcoming environment that would convey a sensation of enhanced quality of life inside at first sight, but… with zero gravity.

In fact, all the furnishings inside the passenger compartment all tend to float visually, suspended in the magic of the blue light. Behind these minimalist choices however lies a careful study of ergonomics: the seats are the result of a perfect synthesis between high performance, flexibility and lightness. The clear floor is illuminated in the same “swimming pool blue” color of the seats, offering a spectacular visual continuation of the voluptuous seats, with its’ flowing contours where the driver and passenger can feel protected in a truly glamorous shell.

The steering wheel is clearly that of a sports car, while the controls are similar to those of Alfa Romeo race cars, with two analogue dials placed directly on the steering column. Three of the four LCD screens offer a rear view inside the passenger compartment (two on the sides, one on the windscreen) and they are directly connected to the external video cameras that substitute the rear view mirrors normally placed outside the car. The larger screen placed in the centre (9″), in the middle of the console – and within reach of the passenger as well as the driver – also displays information on the car’s systems (air conditioning, sound systems, Sat Nav, etc…).

Conclusion

“We are walking in the footprints of giants" 

That is the Bertone company motto. The giants referred to are Giovanni and Nuccio Bertone. However, following in their footsteps does not mean copying them, on the contrary. It means applying their teachings and using them as guidelines for further advances. We ask our designers to follow a total creative method, where they observe phenomena that are apparently unrelated to each other and try to apply them to the automotive world.

However design research is not enough. At Bertone we study concepts, and therefore each design is the result or a spinoff of an innovative idea or a new phenomenon. Mike Robinson, Design & Brand Director at Bertone, comments: “˜Cars are like films: they must tell a story to win people over. The best car designers are necessarily excellent narrators and their products, whether they are concept cars or mass-produced products, reflect their creators’ ability to gather fascinating ideas from every field, from all over the world, to bring them together and transform them into new and great stories. This is what we have attempted to do with the Alfa Pandion.’

Dissecting the Lotus Metamorphosis: The Cars

by Jonathon Ramsey on Nov 24th 2010


Lotus' gave us an in-depth look at both what the company wishes to become and how the cars it builds will drive them there. In our previous installment we looked at the Lotus Group as a whole. Here we'll break down the vehicles Lotus hopes will make it a global success and discuss the two cars that are conspicuously absent from Lotus' next great renaissance. Follow the jump to find out what they are and how Lotus' line-up is set to undergo a massive evolution.

Whither the Exige and Evora?

Lotus plans to have a full range of product from 2015 onwards, but two of the cars – the much-loved Exige and recently introduced Evora – haven't featured at all in the 2015 spotlight. With talk of Lotus' enthusiast audience painting the automaker into a corner we wondered if these other E-cars might be left to wither.

"It would be wrong to abandon the Lotus customer," said CEO Dany Bahar. "There will always be an Elise and Exige for that Lotus customer, and the Evora will always have its place."

The company is working on a new Exige and hopes "to have something to announce soon." There are two life cycles planned for the Evora at three-year intervals, as well as different variants, so the horizon for that coupe extends to about nine years out.



The New Lineup

The Design

In terms of size, the five new cars run from smallest to largest in this order: Elise, Elan, Esprit, Elite, Eterne. Their exterior design is where the company started, attempting to create a new corporate face for Lotus that carries the company's aspirations and wedges their way into the wallets of sports car and supercar buyers.

Lotus design chief Donato Coco made the move from being Ferrari's design head and before that he had a two-decade tenure at Citroën.

He said the question of a new direction was, "What were we going to do with Lotus, that had been living for the last 20 years with products that have not really evolved?"

His team sketched out ways to give the brand's designs "more strengths" while maintaining Lotus' traditional values. They took inspiration from and the 2D grille opening of the old Lotus Elite, which still lives in the face of the current Elise, and the 3D graphic of the shovel nose of the 1972 JPS F1 car that Emerson Fittipaldi drove, which Donato said inspired the original Esprit.

In back are slightly different treatments on the horizontal containing the quasi-floating taillights, and variations of bold diffuser designs.

After that they had to go big, since going home wasn't an option. In design-speak the growth was to "change size perception to gain dignity, authority on the road," and yet "remain light and compact."

The new Esprit, for example, is seven inches longer, four inches wider, and three inches higher than the model that disappeared in 2004. The coming Elise is almost nine inches longer and 3.2 inches taller than the vehicle currently on sale.

The cockpits will be tailored to the intentions of each car in form, texture and material, from the highly mechanical look of the Elise's long dogleg gearshift lever that juts between two floating center console spars, to the Esprit's patterned cloth, carbon fiber and aluminum laced mission-control ambiance.

Lotus also plans to lead the way in in-car interaction. The dash cluster is 12-inch screen that is left whole or broken up into sections depending on the application. In the Esprit, for example, there are three pods, the one on the left being entertainment, the center displaying tach, speedo and warning lights, the right hosting navigation. The screens will be configurable for driver preference.

The HVAC controls for the dual climate zones are mounted on each door, while the center console is lorded over by a huge red button to start the engine, beneath which is a pad with a few directional keys. Control of the car's major functions is managed by the buttons on the steering wheel, the few buttons on the IP to the right of the dash cluster, like ESP, and the directional keys on the console.

Only the design of the Esprit has been set, since it will be out first and rather soon. The other cars, both outside and inside, could evolve based on events over the next five years.

The Engineering
When Lotus Chief Technical Officer Wolf Zimmerman asked, "What is a Lotus?" the elongated answer plastered across his presentation slide was: a lightweight structure for an extreme power-to-weight ratio with high performance, high efficiency engines, hybrid technology and double-clutch transmission technology providing two-pedal solutions for driving dynamics, and fully integrated car and information control systems. That DCT will be a seven-speed unit.

The Lotus frame is fastened with structural bonding, and body panels will be carbon fiber except for closures like doors and hood, and where sharp angles best achieved with aluminum superforming are needed.

Zimmerman wouldn't be drawn out on the hybrid solution Lotus is developing, other than to call it "innovative." It uses batteries that will be mounted in the trunk, and in the case of the Elite he said it provides a 40-percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to its non-hybrid equivalent.

Suspensions will be feature computer-controlled variable-rate dampers, and stopping power can be provided by optional ceramic disc brakes.

The Cars
The range represents five well defined entries with which sports car buyers can experience the brand, from the £35,000 Elise to the £120,000 Eterne. Of the five brand new cars the 316-horsepower, 2,409-pound Elise is the only one to claim a six-speed manual. The Exige and Evora will live in the price gap from the Elise to the £75,000 Elan, while the £110,000 Esprit occupies the middle ground as far as price is concerned, but at 3,190 pounds and 612 hp it is the quickest of them all with a 3.2-second run to 62 miles per hour. Get the details on each below.

Elise

Mid-engined - 2,409 pounds - Four-cylinder - 316 horsepower - 244 pound-feet - mild hybrid (stop start)
Six-speed manual - 0-to-62 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds - 168-mile-per-hour top speed
£35,000 on-the-road - Production in early 2014

We got the feeling that the Elise was the hardest car to deal with, Bahar saying "The Elise has a bit of a wide space to fill. This new one is 20 centimeters longer, and it still has to outperform today's Elise. Big OEM's are getting into this segment, so the car should slide into a wider segment, and be more feminine."

The feminine bit is meant to be especially noted with the interior, which remains mechanical in look but is softened up by veneer and materials treatments, "technical but more suggestive of lightness and sportivity."

---

Elan

Mid-engined - 2,849-pound convertible - 4.0-liter V6 - 444 hp - 343 lb-ft
Seven-speed DCT - 0-to-62 mph in 3.5 seconds - 193-mph top speed - CO2 emissions of 215 g/km
£75,000 on-the-road - Production starts Summer 2013

Described as a two-seater with best-in-class performance and superior dynamics and versatility. Design inspiration said to be from Mario Andretti's 1979 Lotus F1 car, "particularly the concave section in the rear to suggest that there were just the essential bits of the car to protect the occupant and make the car work." Has an Esprit-like cockpit with a bit less sophistication.

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Esprit

Mid-engined - 3,190 pounds - 5.0-liter V8 - 612 hp - 531 lb-ft
0-to-62 mph in 3.2 seconds - 205-mph top speed - Optional KERS system - CO2 emissions of 250 g/km
Convertible option - £110,000 on-the-road - Production to begin end of 2012

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Elite

Front-engined - 3,630 pounds - 5.0-liter V8 - 612 hp - 531 lb-ft
0-to-62 mph in 3.7 seconds - Hybrid transmission with epicyclic hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors - 215 g/km
£115,000 on-the-road - Production in early 2014

A 2+2 GT coupe with retractable hardtop, this one was also qualified as a difficult effort. Coco said, "Doing such a car for Lotus you have to be very careful. Your competitors have reached a very high level, and this seems to be a rupture for the Lotus brand but the 2+2 has been a part of Lotus history. The car had to look different than a DB9, 599 or California, and a Jaguar."

The interior has a cockpit treatment for the driver that practically closes him in, and which we'll probably see more of – "I believe that with this car we have reached a personality that belongs to Lotus."

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Eterne

Front-engined - 3,960 pounds - 5.0-liter V8 - 8,500 RPM redline - 612 hp - 531 lb-ft
0-to-62 mph in four seconds - Five meters long (16.4 feet) and five doors
Hybrid transmission with an epicyclic hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors
£120,000 on-the-road - Production in early 2015

A "four-door super saloon" to take on the Panamera and Rapide – "We just tried to make the best thesis between those two products" – that appeared quite late in the planning and so is still being fleshed out.

---

The Joker

Lotus didn't offer any details, but below the Elise the company has a city car concept in mind that is still purely a concept. The company has yet to make a production decision.

Autoblog

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento to be produced

According to Automotive News Lamborghini will put the Sesto Elemento concept into limited production. There will be 5 to 10 units built, and like usual the exclusivity has a big price: 2,5 million Euro (almost $3,500,000 at the current exchange rates). Now that the Murcielago is out of production, Lamborghini’s sales will have to suffer, and this decision was made in an attempt to improve the company’s profit that has been hit hard by the global economic crisis.

Press Release

Lamborghini is redefining the future of the super sports car with a unique technology demonstrator. Boasting an extremely lightweight construction thanks to advanced carbon-fibre technology, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento has an overall curb weight of just 999 kilograms (2,202 lb) – including V10 power unit and permanent all-wheel drive. This makes the Sesto Elemento a unique demonstration of the technological expertise of Automobili Lamborghini. Innovative carbon-fibre technologies are being used here for the first time in an automotive application. As a 100 percent subsidiary of AUDI AG, the Italian carmaker also benefits from the undisputed expertise of the German manufacturer when it comes to lightweight construction.

With its amazing output of 570 hp, sensational power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per hp and 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of only 2.5 seconds, the Sesto Elemento guarantees unparalleled driving fun. At the same time, fuel consumption also drops because of the extreme lightweight engineering applied throughout.

The name of this technology demonstrator is derived from the periodic table, where carbon is classified as the sixth element. Thus, the Sesto Elemento demonstrates the worldwide leading expertise of Lamborghini in carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) technology. The super sports car brand from Sant’Agata Bolognese is the only vehicle manufacturer in the world to have mastered the complete CFRP process across a range of technologies, from 3D design through simulation, validation, production and testing – all in a state-of-the-art industrial process that stands for the very highest quality standards.

Lamborghini drives the technology development in its two research centers the ACRC (Advanced Composite Research Center) and the ACSL (Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory) through collaborations with organizations such as Boeing, with the resulting technology secured under a host of patents.

“The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento shows how the future of the super sports car can look – extreme lightweight engineering, combined with extreme performance results in extreme driving fun. We put all of our technological competence into one stunning form to create the Sesto Elemento,” 

comments Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “It is our abilities in carbon-fibre technology that have facilitated such a forward-thinking concept, and we of course also benefit from the undisputed lightweight expertise of AUDI AG. Systematic lightweight engineering is crucial for future super sports cars: for the most dynamic performance, as well as for low emissions. We will apply this technological advantage right across our model range. Every future Lamborghini will be touched by the spirit of the Sesto Elemento.”

Groundbreaking technology package
With the Sesto Elemento, Lamborghini’s R&D engineers have put together a groundbreaking package. As a pure and radical concept, the Sesto Elemento is the unique synthesis of an extremely low curb weight of less than 1000 kilograms, enormous 570 hp output, the sensitive and prompt responsiveness of the high-revving, naturally-aspirated V10 engine and the superior traction and stability of permanent all-wheel drive – there has never been a super sports car as thoroughbred as this. Sesto Elemento delivers an unbelievable degree of driving fun, concentrated on absolutely sensational dynamics.

Systematic use of carbon fibre
The basis is an extremely solid, stiff, safe and lightweight carbon-fibre structur: the monocoque cell of the Sesto Elemento. The entire front frame, the exterior panels and crash boxes are also made from CFRP. The Sesto Elemento’s major suspension components and the rims are made from carbon fibre. The tailpipes are made from Pyrosic, which is an advanced glass-ceramic matrix composite, able to reach and stand very high temperatures up to 900° celsius. Even the propeller shaft is made of CFRP.

Amazing power-to-weight ratio
The Sesto Elemento demonstrates the outstanding expertise of Automobili Lamborghini in all areas of carbon-fibre technology. Carbon composite materials are a key technology for the automotive engineering of tomorrow, especially for high-performance sports cars. These materials made from carbon-fibre reinforced plastics combine the lowest weight with excellent characteristics – they are extremely stiff and highly precise. Lighter cars improve fuel consumption and CO2 emissions: above all, however, it improves the power-to-weight ratio – the crucial factor for a sports car – and thus the performance. A super sports car built using CFRP accelerates faster, has outstanding handling and better braking.

Extreme lightweight engineering delivers extreme performance
The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento offers the ultimate proof; thanks to its sensational power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per hp, the concept car delivers unparalleled performance. From a standing start, the Sesto Elemento catapults itself to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a sensational 2.5 seconds. In the interests of completeness, it should also be mentioned that the top speed is well over 300 km/h. What the figures cannot convey, however, are the Sesto Elemento’s razor-sharp handling, its voracious turn-in and its huge braking power. Extreme lightweight engineering and extreme performance come together in the Sesto Elemento to create an all-n

Design:
Technology in a progressive form

Uncompromising dynamics from the very first glance: the design of the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento displays the sensuality of high performance and possesses the elegance of pure, unadulterated power. The Sesto Elemento lifts the design DNA of the Lamborghini brand to a new level and integrates the functional consistency of carbon-fibre technology into its design language. A clear strength of the CFRP technology is the reduction and integration of components – something that has been used to its full extent in this innovative technology concept.

The hi-tech material is visible everywhere. The Sesto Elemento is finished in a new, matt-shimmer clear coat, meaning that the CFRP structure can be seen throughout. Yet the Sesto Elemento is not just black; during the final stage of production the carbon fibre parts receive a newly developed and patented coat. Nano-Technology makes it possible to add fine crystals with a red shimmer. Surfaces covered with this type of finish glow red and deliver an outstanding effect. Further, the surface is particularly robust.

Consistent in form and function
On a Lamborghini, every single line has a clear function; the two vertical ribs at the front, for example, improve the stiffness of the component and guide the cooling air directly to the radiator behind them and to the brakes. This guarantees the thermal wellbeing of the components even under the toughest race track conditions.

The cooling air flows through two red triangular openings in the hood beneath the front windscreen and through large outlets in the side panels behind the front wheels. Sharply cut headlamp units complete the front end. Reduction is the name of the game here, too – alongside the bi-xenon lamps, there are four LEDs in each unit. The low front end looks incredibly dominant, with the partially double-lipped front spoiler pushed way out front and distinctively formed air intakes.

Precise lines, sharp edges
The entire side profile is cut like a sharp wedge, with the power center of the car unmistakably just in front of the rear axle. A distinctive sideline starts at the front wheel arch, rises along the door towards the rear and ends at the broad shoulders above the rear wheel. The triangle – like the one around the door handle – is a recurring design theme, defined by the precise contour edges in the Sesto Elemento’s CFRP body. The points of the air outlet triangles in the hood are carried through into lines along the roof.

The extremely wide sills form a connection between the air outlets behind the front wheels and the large air inlets in front of the rear wheels. These compartments house components such as the radiators for cooling the engine and transmission oil. The rims have a five-spoke design and are made entirely from carbon fibre. They offer a clear view of the high-performance brakes with carbon-ceramic discs.

Perfect aerodynamics
The Sesto Elemento’s rear overhang is extremely short and, again, defined by optimum aerodynamics. The generously dimensioned spoiler is perfectly matched to the diffuser and a further air deflector in the center, thus guaranteeing maximum downforce for extreme cornering speeds and excellent high-speed directional stability. The Pyrosic tailpipes are directed upwards through the engine cover panel, which also incorporates ten hexagonal openings and two air scoops behind the roof for delivering fresh air to the V10 power plant.

Complex structures in one component
A major strength of carbon-fibre technology is that complex structures can be integrated into one single component. This improves quality and reduces weight. On the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, the front and rear of the body-shell are each manufactured in a single piece. Engineers call this “cofango”, created by combining the Italian word “cofano” (hood) with “parafango” (fender). The large components are attached by using easily removable fasteners, in order to have fast component disassembly. The “cofango” is also reminiscent of an icon from the brand’s history: in 1966, the legendary Lamborghini Miura was unique as a mid-engine super sports car – and its rear cover, too, could be opened in one piece.

Interior – pared to the bone
The minimalist approach has also been applied to the interior, starting with the seats. Lamborghini has dispensed completely with the conventional seat frame. In fact, the whole internal structure is obtained and defined directly from the Forged Composite tub, that on one side plays a functional role and on the other side is the base for the optimally formed seat cushions, upholstered in hi-tech fabric, which are affixed directly to the carbon-fibre monocoque. The correct ergonomics are provided by the steering wheel, which can be adjusted for height and reach, and by the pedals, which can be electrically adjusted longitudinally. Of course, the designers of Lamborghini Centro Stile also dispensed with interior trim in the classic sense. The dominant visual feature throughout is the functional CFRP material – on the floor and roof of the monocoque, on the doors and also on the cockpit and center console. Even the electronic control unit for the engine is mounted in plain sight – a very special kind of hi-tech aesthetic. The triangular cut-out is also evident as a design feature – wherever material can be removed in the interest of weight reduction.

The controls are presented in a highly concentrated format. The instruments provide information primarily on engine and road speed, as well as all parameters relating to engine condition. Only three piezoelectric buttons grace the center console – one to start the engine, one to shift into reverse gear and another one for the lights.

Technology:
Ambitious target reached with ease

The Sant’Agata Bolognese engineers had set themselves a target that was more than ambitious – despite the ten cylinders and 570 hp, despite the exceptionally fast-shifting e.gear transmission and even despite the permanent all-wheel drive, the Sesto Elemento still had to stay below the 1,000 kilogram mark. And that target was achieved; at a curb weight of 999 kilograms, each hp produced by the V10 power unit has to accelerate only 1.75 kilograms – a sensational figure.

This was made possible by the systematic and intelligent use of state-of-the-art carbon-fibre technologies. Lamborghini possesses extensive experience in the field of lightweight engineering, gathered over many years: something clearly demonstrated by the brand’s series production vehicles. The current Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera has a dry weight of only 1,340 kilograms, marking a competitive best in this category of super sports cars. Compared with the already extremely lean Gallardo LP 560-4 Coupé, this represents a further reduction of 70 kilograms, resulting largely from the use of carbon fibre in the body-shell, interior and technical components.

Lamborghini engineers stuck firmly to this approach for the Sesto Elemento. Its structure consists almost entirely of carbon fibre and is built using the monocoque principle. Monocoque means that the vehicle’s load-bearing structure is manufactured as a single shell, with the physical properties of one component, and thus makes optimum use of the extreme stiffness offered by CFRP materials. Formula 1 racing cars have been built using CFRP monocoques for decades – and regularly provide clear evidence of their collision safety. The monocoque in the Sesto Elemento, however, is made using innovative Forged Composite technology – the first time this has been done in an automobile. The advantage of the Forged Composite is that the monocoque is obtained through a one-shot process.

Carbon-fibre crash boxes
In the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, the monocoque forms the complete passenger cell. Connected to it are the front subframe – incorporating the suspension points – and the crash boxes, both also made using specialized carbon-fibre technologies. The extreme stiffness of this assembly guarantees not only a very high level of safety, but also unparalleled handling precision. The rear subframe with the engine mount and rear axle suspension points is made from aluminum – another lightweight material with which Lamborghini has a great deal of experience.

An important element in optimum construction using CFRP technology is the maximum integration of functions. Thus, the body-shell exterior is made up only of the roof section, which is part of the monocoque, the two “cofango” covers front and rear with integrated aerodynamic components and the doors. Each door consists of only two elements, the exterior skin and the interior cladding, both of which are also permanently bonded to create one component.

Carbon fibre even in the suspension
The suspension and the area around the engine have also been optimized with lightweight engineering. Alongside aluminum components, there are also carbon-fibre control arms: innovative Forged Composite technology is also well-suited to this kind of high-load part. These components are around 30 percent lighter than comparable aluminum parts. The propeller shaft is also made of CFRP by using Wrapping technology. 

This solution allowed the Lamborghini engineers to get rid of the central joint, bringing an important weight saving. The rims are also made from CFRP, while the brake discs are from carbon-ceramic composite material. A similar composite material is used for the tailpipes on the exhaust system – the compound of ceramic powder and synthetic resin makes this carbon material extremely heat resistant. A large number of screw fastenings feature a special titanium alloy and joining technology from the aviation sector.

Based on the form, function and operational demands of the individual Sesto Elemento components, engineers from Lamborghini’s R&D selected largely from three CFRP manufacturing techniques within their technology tool kit:

Forged Composite: Here, materials with short carbon fibres are hot pressed in a mould. The process facilitates complex structures and is used for parts such as the underside of the monocoque and the suspension arms.

Prepreg: The carbon-fibre mats are soaked in a thermoset liquid resin. They are pressed in moulds and cured in an oven under heat and pressure. Prepreg components have a very good surface finish and are therefore the preferred choice for use in visible areas.

Braiding: This is a method to manufacture composite filament derived from the textile industry. Each thread is diagonally intertwined on different levels.

Drive:

Concentrated power and amazing sound

The fascinating heart of the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is familiar from the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera. In the Sesto Elemento too, the V10 unit is mounted “longitudinale posteriore” – longitudinally behind the driver. The 570 hp output equals 419 kW, all of which is available at 8,000 r/min. The pulling power is just as impressive – with the torque curve peaking at 540 Nm and 6,500 r/min.

The V10 offers 5,204 cm3 of displacement, delivering a specific output of 80.5 kW (109.6 hp) per liter of displacement. The highlights of this long-stroke engine with an aluminum crankcase include dry sump lubrication and a cylinder angle of 90 degrees. Both solutions are an integral part of the lightweight engineering approach, as well as serving to lower the center of gravity and thus tighten the handling characteristics. Ideal combustion chamber fill comes courtesy of a switch-over induction system and continually variable, chain-driven camshafts.

Best traction with all-wheel drive
The Sesto Elemento is equipped with the e.gear transmission, controlled in race car fashion via shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The automated system with electronic management shifts smoothly through its six gears much faster than a human being would be able to.

Every single kilometer in the Sesto Elemento is sheer fascination – due in part to the relentless traction delivered under practically all conditions. This is largely attributable to the permanent all-wheel drive system. It incorporates a central viscous coupling and a self-locking differential for the rear wheels with 45 percent lock. Thanks to this superior traction, Lamborghini drivers can accelerate earlier out of a curve than those in rear-wheel drive cars.

Competence:

New development center for carbon-fibre technology

Lamborghini possesses many years of experience with carbon-fibre reinforced materials. As far back as 1983, it produced the first prototype CFRP chassis for the Countach, with the first series production parts appearing in 1985. The current Lamborghini Murciélago is made largely from CFRP – its body-in-white contains 93 kilograms of carbon-fibre materials. The engine cover panel of the Gallardo Spyder is one of the largest CFRP components with class A surface quality in the automotive world.

The company is now working steadily to expand its worldwide leading position. The new Advanced Composites Research Center (ACRC) at the company headquarter in Sant’Agata Bolognese is working on innovative construction and production methods for carbon-fibre elements in automobile design.

The Advanced Composite Research Center in Sant’Agata Bolognese secures leading-edge research on innovative materials and production methods for carbon fibre elements for small production volumes. Here, over 30 experts develop vehicle components of all shapes and sizes. They build prototypes and the associated production tools while developing optimized production technologies. Sophisticated systems largely developed in-house allow extremely high precision levels as engineers simulate manufacturing processes as well as carry out crash tests on complex carbon-fibre structures. Thanks to the extensively patented “RTM Lambo” process, Lamborghini can use minimal pressure and relatively low temperatures to manufacture carbon-fibre components to the highest levels of quality, precision and surface finish, from small parts to complex vehicle structures. Further benefits include higher process speeds, lower costs, and extremely light tooling.

The Lamborghini Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory (ACSL) at the University of Washington uses experimental tests to define the mechanical behavior of the different materials and technologies using methodology from the aviation industry. The team of research engineers in Seattle works with very specific instruments and methods in close cooperation with the R&D headquarters and the ACRC in Sant’Agata Bolognese.

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