Ford Mondeo
James Bond might have picked up a new Mondeo as an airport rental last year, but for the rest of the world Geneva was the first time we'd seen the car.
Based on the same platform of the Galaxy and S-max, the Mondeo is the first Ford Europe design to have been designed from start to finish under Martin Smith, Executive Design Director Ford of Europe and Asia Pacific, and thus the first car wholly shaped under the new 'Kinetic Design' approach that he has established and that was previewed by the Iosis concept in 2005.
Although dimensions have not yet been released by Ford, it is clearly larger (taller in particular) than the previous generation Mondeo which itself was one of the largest cars within the European D-sector. This size is not immediately apparent because the designers have worked hard to imbue this large family car with a more dynamic flavour than cars such as the Passat or Vectra. They have reduced some of the new car's visual height with a single sweeping upper line to the DLO, with three side windows, and with a tall recessed surface just above the rocker. The car also has a prominent body side swage which reduces the bulk of the flanks. Other Kinetic Design elements include the visually reduced overhangs from front lights that are more on the side of the car than the front, and the prominent lower grille that means that the front aspect is read as lower to the ground.
The new Mondeo truly has a dynamic design language, but it is no sports sedan. Conventional family sedan proportions that afford it so much interior space put up a good fight with the exterior aesthetic and ultimately are responsible for the consensus view amongst the many designers we spoke to in Geneva that this is just another Mondeo.
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Ford S-Max - Geneva 2006
Ford Mondeo Wagon - Paris 2006
Design Review: Ford Iosis
Design Development: Ford Galaxy/S-Max
The Mazda 2 has an unusual series of predecessors - the 121 went from a conservative and short but functionally innovative hatch, to an unusual curvy sedan, to a badge engineered Ford Fiesta. And then the first Mazda 2 of five years ago was a handsomely sober hatchback that was rather tall. The new 2 is different again, and looks like it might be the first small Mazda to hit the sweet spot of the European B-sector.
The design theme for the new car is clearly more dynamic than its predecessors and the rest of its competitors in fitting with the sports car, 'Zoom Zoom' theme that the Mazda brand has been taking since the introduction of the 6 in 2002. This is most evident in the very steeply diving body side crease and DLO. The DLO also tapers rearwards which means that the roof rolls down the sides more than on most cars, but although this has some impact in ingress and egress it also gives a secure, enclosed feel. The front aspect has a dynamic feel from an emphasis on the lower grille and an RX8 derived crease over the front fender which also makes for an innovative A-pillar to fender surface solution.
Inside the 2 progresses established Mazda themes with a new and handsome centre stack that incorporates the gear shift, and with simple but rather innovative door inners.
Also of particular interest is that the new Mazda 2 is not only 70mm lower than its predecessor, but 35mm shorter, only 15mm wider and weighs less at a slight 954kg.
With the 2, Mazda are showing that their impressive product offensive over the last five years is moving up a gear. The 2 is a very impressive design: distinctive, modern and perfectly targeted. It makes the new Fabia seem rather dour.
Related Stories: Mazda 2 (2002)
Hyundai i30
The i30 is one of the most significant new cars launched at Geneva. Replacing the Accent, this car is the first to properly target the heartland of Europe's car sector: the C-sector as defined by the Golf.
At Paris last year the Arnejs concept car previewed the i30 and we thought then that the concept car's dynamism would be toned down for production, which is has, but not by the margin we expected. The fast DLO graphic, body side feature lines and relatively raked rear are preserved, as is the BMW 1 Series style tailgate. But it is still quite a conventional design, similarly so to the Toyota Auris, and it lacks a distinct Hyundai design identity. As well as the 1 Series style rear there are hints of Opel Astra at the front and Mazda 3 in the side view, and overall the car is very similar to the Kia Cee'd with which it shares much of its under-the-skin hardware.
Inside the car is also quite conventional and similar to the Cee'd, but this is less significant than the fact that it is a huge advancement over its predecessor and has much the same level of perceived quality as many of its European and Japanese competitors.
Whilst the i30 does not move the most mainstream sector of Europe's car market forward, it has moved to a very central position within it. In design terms there are now few reasons why most mainstream C-sector buyers will not consider a Hyundai. Although still conservative and derivative, this is a huge advancement from its predecessor and likely to sell very well.
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Kia pro_cee'd concept
Hyundai Arnejs concept - Paris 2006
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