The concept is the Sofia sedan from the I.DE.A Institute. The design firm is based in Moncalieri on the outskirts of Turin and has grown to become a supplier of a whole range of new vehicle development activities, from styling to full scale model building, engineering, running prototype construction and manufacturing engineering.

The Sofia is a four-seater sedan with couple-like styling and is designed around a hybrid powertrain. Influences have been taken from past Italian cars as well as the curvature of the female body but sadly, the concept is purely a design exercise and isn’t headed to production in any form.

According to the I.DE.A Institute’s chairman, Pietro Lardini, the Sofia shows the firm’s unique design philosophy as well as the talents its employees. Lardini also revealed that the I.DE.A Institute is now in preparation to start working closely with major automakers in Europe, Asia and South America.

Source:motorauthority.com

Following on from 2008’s striking GTbyCitroen concept car, French automaker Citroen has unveiled a brand new concept car designed for the compact sports car segment. The latest concept was developed in partnership with the fashion experts GQ magazine and has been designed to provide “the ultimate gentleman’s drive”.

The new concept is called the GQ by Citroen and it’s powered by an advanced plug-in hybrid drivetrain consisting of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. Few details have been revealed thus far but according to its designers the car can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

Key people who worked on the car included GQ editor Dylan Jones and interior stylist Patrick Grant.

The Citroen GQ concept will be unveiled at a special event in London next week so stay tuned for an update.

Source:motorauthority.com

2009 Mini Coupe Concept

Mini has been celebrating its 50th anniversary for most of 2009, with special editions–even a Rolls-Royce custom Mini–multiplying like rabbits. But the next few weeks are set to be very busy for Mini as the company is set to showcase a pair of all-new concepts, the first of which has just been revealed in the form of the 2009 Mini Coupe Concept.

August 26 is the actual 50th anniversary of the Mini brand, and to celebrate the occasion, the company has unveiled the startling ‘Coupe Concept’ which is set to go on display next month at the Frankfurt Auto Show alongside a rumored open-top speedster concept. Furthermore, the new Coupe Concept previews what could possibly be the next Mini variant destined for production and the by the looks of it we sure do hope so.

Mini is calling it a prototype for now but its John Cooper Works-tuned 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with 211 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque (206 pound-feet with overboost) is entirely plausible for a production model.

It’s based on the regular Cooper Hatchback but sports a lightweight aluminum roof to help lower its center of gravity. Strictly a two-seater, the low roof line, compact dimensions, perfect axle load distribution and lightweight construction are all trademarks of a genuine sports car. Other unique elements include a body colored grille and matching inserts on the wheels and rear diffuser.

The muscular stance of the car is a result of carefully calculated exterior dimensions. The Mini Coupe Concept is 1,356 mm high and the steep rake of the A-pillars is accentuated by the high waistline common to every Mini. Sat on 18-inch triple-tone finish light alloy wheels, the concept is 3,714 mm in length and 1,683 mm wide.

Inside, sports seats with strongly contoured side supports feature, as does a three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with multi-function controls. Two Chronoswiss clocks to the right and left of the rev counter provide a close link to earlier concept cars by Mini, bridging the gap between the analogue age of the classic Mini and the digital age of new Mini. One acts as a stop watch and the other a standard clock.

A luggage capacity of 250 liters is offered and can be accessed at the rear by a tailgate which is hinged above the roof spoiler, meaning easy access to goods stowed in the rear. The bulkhead between the passenger and luggage compartments comes with a lockable opening, giving passengers access to the rear section at any time.

With a Crossover model in the final stages of development and Hatch, Clubman and Convertible models currently on the roads in nearly 80 countries worldwide, Mini aims to offer a varied range of compact premium cars in the coming years. Hinting that the latest Coupe Concept may eventually enter production, Mini states that it offers a “vision” of how the company’s lineup may continue to grow.

Source:motorauthority.com

2009 Audi R8 ePerformance preview

Audi currently sells two versions of its R8 supercar, the original 4.2-liter V-8 model and the recently revealed 5.2-liter V-10 version, but there are several more versions in the works, two of which may be on display at next month’s Frankfurt Auto Show. The two new versions are the R8 Spyder convertible, as well as the long-rumored electric R8 ePerformance concept car.

News earlier this year claimed Audi would present an electric concept version of the R8 at the upcoming Frankfurt event, though it wasn’t clear whether it would have been some kind of hybrid or an all-electric version. Audi has since tried to downplay suggestions that an electric R8 is in the works but with Mercedes-Benz already confirming development of an electric version of its upcoming SLS AMG sports car and BMW set to reveal a new environmentally friendly sports car concept Audi would be left as the odd one out.

If the ePorformance concept is in the works, it’s expected that to feature significant changes to the standard R8 bodywork, as this computer generated rendering suggests.

This year’s Frankfurt event will be very busy for Audi as the event is also expected to see the debut of the new A5 Sportback model, which you can read about by clicking here.

Source:motorauthority.com