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Carte Blanche
Range Rover - Carte Blanche
With " Carte Blanche " I decided to create a new segment direction for the Land Rover brand. An interpretation of what could be an exiting City car with the badge of Range Rover.
THE C SEGMENT IS STILL THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SEGMENT IN TERMS OF SALES IN EUROPE AND IT IS THE SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL IN THE WORLD, JUST AFTER SUVs.
CONSIDERING BIG CITIES ARE STILL GROWING FAST AND BIG CARS ARE NOT VERY USABLE IN SUCH HOSTILES PLACES. DESIGNING A CITY CAR FOR RANGE ROVER COULD BE VERY VALID HYPOTHESIS.
The first step I followed in this process was to find a problem that applies to most
metropolitan drivers. As I lived in a big and crowded city I realised there were many issues
such as finding parking spots and sneaking in heavy traffic. Such issues prevent most
citizens from buying more than one car and forces them to acquire a practical and small city car.
Unfortunately, city cars do not suit other environments - and usually, they are not the cars
people dream about.
This situation led me to imagine a car that could be used in the city, on tracks and off-road.
Cars that are able to cover all these fields at the same time do not excel in any of them.
My goal was to design a vehicle that could face the best competitors for each category:
city, race and safari.
BEING INSPIRED BY PHONE APPS AND GAME PATCHES I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF A CAR THAT CAN BE COMPLETELY ADAPTED TO THE OWNER'S NEEDS, MAKING IT THE BEST IN EVERY ENVIRONMENT DEPENDING BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
TO ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL OF PERSONALIZATION I LOOKED WHAT PARTS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED BETWEEN THE THREE CATEGORIES AND I HAD TO FIND A FAST AND EFFICIENT WAY TO SWITCH FROM ONE CUSTOMIZATION TO THE OTHER.
Today new apartments must be built with underground garages, solving the problem of parking space but still not allowing us to buy more than one car.
I thought to include in these garages industrial robots that would let the owner change his
car configuration in minutes. By means of an app or a touch pad in the house he will be
able to choose to drive a race car, go on a safari or go shopping.
In the last few years thanks to technology evolution, drones and many other devices became
cheaper and affordable to all of us. This could be the same for industrial robots.
I decided to use Range Rover because is a brand of luxury and desirability. My decision was also enhanced by the lack of a city car model in the Range Rover brand leaving freedom to my creativity. After this choice, I researched the Range Rover DNA, studied the evolution of the other models and applied these principles to the creation of my design.
AIMING AT YOUNG METROPOLITAN PEOPLE, " CARTE BLANCHE " IS A SMALL ELECTRIC HATCHBACK THAT HAS A POWER OF 350HP.
CARTE BLANCHE IS 4250mm LONG, 1800mm WIDE, and 1400mm HIGH.
I was not looking for a futuristic design but for a modern and pure design, something beautiful that would not shock but impress. With three keywords in mind: Fun, Presence and Continuity
I came up with many design ideas. I finally designed a car that unified all these three inspiring
elements.
As an homage to the Range Rover Discovery, Carte Blanche plays with asymmetry on the front, highlighting the brand badge. The general proportions are dramatic and eye-catching: the long bonnet and the small side window give the car a more aggressive look. All the lines and surfaces play on the philosophy of continuity, flowing and running around the car
Like software updates and game patches, the system of changeable parts is a way to ensure consistent and large income with a sustainable development: upgrading products and reducing waste.
TO CONSERVE A SUSTAINABLE PHILOSOPHY, THE PAINT OF CARTE BLANCHE IS THERMOCHROMIC ALLOWING GREAT ENERGY REDUCTION. THUS, THE CAR WILL BE WHITE DURING SUMMER AND BLACK DURING WINTER TO DISSIPATE OR ABSORB THE EXTERNAL HEAT IN A VERY EFFICIENT WAY.
As a symbol of modernity and personalisation, the front is covered by many small OLED screens that allow to change the car personality and to display welcoming or farewell images. The small screens between the front lights, that appear as one from distance, can open and close to cool down the electric engines.
The final design of the car is pure and plays on surfaces and a few key lines. Compared to the first sketches, the car still aim to young people, even though the final design look more refined and less childish than the first design ideas.
The idea of continuity and fun stay in its spirit, together with the will of realising dreams. The design outcome reflect by all means what Range Rover would be if it realised a hatch back. The car results cheerful but remains present on the road thanks to the use of circles and round shapes.
LIKE I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT, EVERY GOOD DESIGN NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZABLE BY THREE LINES ONLY. ON CARTE BLANCHE WE CAN FIND THESE LINES ON THE SHOULDER, SHAPED AS A WAVE, AND ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WHERE TWO PARALLEL LINES JOIN TO CREATE A PERFECT HALF CIRCLE.
The small size of the side windows are compensated by the large glass roof in order to provide light and comfort to passengers. The rear is characterised by two big round red lights as a tribute to old exhaust and the main lights are just formed by a pure and classy laser line.