photo credit: mcgmatt
Whenever a new reader joins this blog it looks like we are total supporter group of Germany but this is not the case. The advertising claim as “Germany technologic supremacy” used some years ago is not our bible. We are only people focused on the reality of facts and following this focus it is not avoidable to notice new ideas, projects and proposals currently coming out from Germany.
For many years the “German car product” has been always stereotyped as being a merely Spartan, attractiveless, simple and not fashionable product, but today that is different. Nowadays Volkswagen Brand (the bigger car producer in Europe and potentially in the world by the end of this current year 2011 looking at the latest excellent market performances) seems have more attention not only on elegance and style but also on “glamour”.
This intangible element (for many years just associated to Alfa Romeo cars manufactured in the Arese factories) becomes the new leit motif to lead the current production of this people’s car producer who in 1938 created one of the most beautiful car in the world: the VW Type 1.
Under the Martin Winterkorn’s Leadership and Walter de Silvia’s Style and Design responsibilities, the new Volkswagen cars are now using a new horizontal front on, breaking in line of the general trend of other car makers that propose their model with a big shark mouth like an Aston Martin. This is not the unique innovation. From 1999 inspiration launch of New Beetle, Wolfsburg’s producer is ready to present the last revamping project on a great missing product (from its dealers point of view) from nine years. Its name is Golf Cabrio.
Some few important elements will characterize this new model. A new front, a more aerodynamic windscreen without vertical supports, a roll-bar less, a tissue roof (like new mini and fiat 500) can be a synonymous of a good job.
To imagine the success of this new model version we can certainly rely how much charming is still today the oldest Cabrio version of VW Type and VW Golf. After everything, we said we regret there aren’t some other models to revamp even but the K 70 have not been a significant product.
Volkswagen (following other car makers success on Fiesta and Ibiza) is proposing on his catalogue the synthesis of its historical excellence, in strong contrast to Renault activities that decided to challenge the product that have created the people-carrier market: The Espace.
Now, what other successes are feasible to pursue?
The answer is easier looking the VW stand on Genève Saloon. The Bulli prototype (the revamping version of the minivan sold in 60’s) is a very interesting proposal of the 3+3 internal asset creating a very beautiful product on the same market where only Fiat Multipla and Honda FR-V tried to perform without reaching excellent results. This new idea is more interesting because it is noticeable how the Wolfsburg people have created a very amazing product. They put on the melting-pot only three elements: the ability to look proactively on their short story, their designer capabilities, a not-new 3+3 car’s idea. The result will be undoubtfully another VW success story we can tell in the next few years.
(Translated by Matteo Ceronetti)
