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Luxury pick-ups and high-style minivans
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| The new approach to automotive interior design |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:31:20 |
| Rating |
 45 ( -7 -15.55% ) | | Author | Meghan Searles |
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Description:
Luxury pick-ups and high-style minivans:
The new approach to automotive interior design
Chrysler calls the interior "clean, precise and machined." Translated from marketing speak, that means that the new Crossfire is not your grandfather's automobile.
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Forget cupholders. Think bigger. The latest automotive interior designs are taking passengers beyond convenience, offering inviting, luxurious and ingenious features that fit the lifestyles of busy parents, hip scensters, and everyone in between.
Imagine buying a car in which the kids can spill juice in the back seat without staining the carpet. A pick-up with enough style to elicit "Cool car!" comments from friends. A minivan whose keys a teenager will actually ask to borrow.
The latest innovations in automotive interior design aim to provide all of these surprising outcomes. For the 2004 model year, we're seeing trucks with upscale appointments, luxury sedans fitted with the latest technological wizardry, and soccer mom-mobiles featuring slick styling and conveniences.
The 'inside' scoop
In the past, automotive interior design was pursued mainly by luxury brands whose customers demanded premium features and trim. That trend is changing now, with car companies putting more effort into the interiors of cars both at the top and further down the automotive food chain.
Volkswagen is credited with helping foster that change by focusing on interior refinement in their entry-and mid-level Golfs, Jettas and Passats throughout the late 1990s and into the new millennium, a strategy which helped boost the company's sales from fewer than 50,000 units in 1993 to 355,000 in 2002.
Recognizing that VW's efforts have hit the mark with car buyers, companies like GM and Ford have also overhauled their approach to design both under the hood and inside the cabin. At the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, Ford executives announced that they had tripled their investment in interiors, while GM brought on an executive director whose main mission is to improve the quality and appeal of GM car interiors.
This shift in emphasis translates to more diverse choices on the dealer lot. Whether shopping for an SUV, a sedan or anything in between, buyers can expect the unexpected in the cabins of their new cruisers.
Interior showcase
Examples of vehicles with innovative, luxurious and clever interior design details are cropping up across all price ranges, in domestic and import models, from trucks to coupes. Here are several models whose features stand out from the crowd.
Audi A8: Technology for the new MMI-llennium
In the luxury sedan category, Audi's new flagship, the A8, displays innovation that is more than skin deep. In addition to an all-aluminum frame, V8 engine that goes from 0-60 in 6.3 seconds, and sophisticated air suspension system, the car features Multi Media Interface (MMI), a driver information and control center that links to everything from the radio/CD player to climate control, the navigation system, ride dynamics and suspension height.
MMI is designed so that the driver can control and monitor all of these systems without taking eyes off the road or hands off the wheel. Anyone who has driven a vehicle while trying to use a cell phone, navigation system, CD player and cruise control knows that this sort of centralized management could help reduce driver distractions significantly.
Here's how it works: The MMI operating terminal sits in the center console behind the shift lever but well within reach, with a center knob surrounded by keys that are identifiable by touch and control the menus.
For example, the upper left key opens functions for the radio and CD; the lower left key accesses controls for hands-free mobile telephone systems; the upper right key produces controls for navigation; and the lower right key opens controls for ride and drive dynamics, including driver preference settings and the air suspension system. Thumb-wheel controls for basic functions also are mounted on the steering wheel for hands-free use.
MMI includes two display screens. The larger of the two, a seven-inch color screen, is located in the center dash and angled toward the driver. The screen folds away when not in use. The smaller screen is placed in the instrument cluster with the speedometer and tachometer and shows a more limited amount of data.
Base price for the new A8 with MMI is $68,500. Additional interior trim options are available such as the cold weather package with heated steering wheel and ski rack, convenience package with rear vanity mirrors and tire pressure monitor, and 19" 12-spoke wheels with performance tires.
GMC Envoy XUV: Versatility defined
GM's mid-sized near-luxury SUV is a cross between a truck, an SUV and a convertible, with a reconfigurable interior that, like the Cadillac Escalade, fits cargo from potting soil to antique furniture. The vehicle features the next generation of GMC's Midgate system with a power window, which converts the rear seat into cargo space and works with a retractable roof panel and tailgate
Midgate works like this: with the window raised, the passenger compartment seats three and is sealed off from the rear cargo area. With the glass lowered and the seats folded flat, the Midgate can be flipped down to create 95.2 cubic feet of stowage space and an extended bed. The new Envoy also has a retractable roof, enabling storage of tall and wide items at the same time.
Another interior innovation is the all-weather cargo area, which has a QuickDrain system that channels up to 32 gallons of water per minute out of the cargo bed. In addition to providing drainage, the feature allows owners to hose down their XUVs after transporting messy items.
The Envoy XUV starts at $31,890 for the base model with 2WD, dual-zone climate control, HomeLink transponder and AM/FM/CD audio. Top-of-the-line models are in the $40,000 range and include 4WD, automatic climate control, steering wheel mounted controls, rear passenger audio and climate controls, leather trim and power seats.
Chrysler Crossfire: Ultra-modern cockpit
The Chrysler Crossfire is an all-new model with an interior that wouldn't look out of place in a modern furniture showroom. Aimed at customers with an average annual income of $150,000, the two-seat roadster is pricey, but even for those with a more practical car buying agenda, Crossfire is worth a longing look.
This machine has an exterior center 'spine,' a ridge that runs the length of the hood and continues through the diminutive trunk area. Inside, this spine repeated in matte metal, stretching through the interior center console, shifter and instrument panel. The effect is to make the cabin into a twin cockpit, with a joystick-like shifter between the two seats.
Chrysler calls the interior "clean, precise and machined." Translated from marketing speak, that means that the new Crossfire is not your grandfather's automobile. The look is modern, from the metal trim on the doors, gauges and steering wheel to the white-on-black gauges and dash-mounted ignition switch.
This roadster hasn't gone completely Bond, however. Creature comforts include a telescoping steering wheel, heated bucket seats with power adjustment controls and even a few cubbyholes for storage. True to its convertible roots, the new two-seater has a small trunk, but it comes stocked with a matching three-piece luggage set. Dual-zone semi-automatic air conditioning is standard, as is a six-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo and universal garage door opener. A cigar lighter also comes standard for Macanudo aficionados.
Chrysler has embossed its crest on the two-tone leather seats, which have the look of luxury and the support of bolstered sport buckets. Front and side airbags are standard equipment, along with security system, keyless entry and a tire pressure monitor.
Owing to its status as part of DaimlerChrysler, the new convertible has many Mercedes components, including its 218-hp, 3.2-liter V6 engine. Only 8,700 Crossfires will be sold in 2003, but buyers can expect at least double that number on dealer lots in coming years. The starting price is $34,495 with a six-speed manual transmission; models with a five-speed automatic start at $35,570.
Nissan Quest: the un-minivan minivan
Soccer moms, Little League dads, and anyone else with a commute, kids and a carload of groceries know that minivans have never been hot, but they've always been able to handle the daily demands of family life. Now, suburbanites can have their van and their style, too: the new Nissan Quest is roomy, capable and good-looking.
In the parlance of famous parents, this new kidmobile is less Carol Brady, more Judy Jetson. Called an 'urban loft' environment by its designers, the interior has a black and rouge-red color scheme, wide, flat dashboard with center-mounted vehicle information center, and a big oval carved through the center that holds large air vents, controls for the stereo and heat/air conditioning, and a centrally-placed shift lever.
The available SkyViewâ„¢ Roof consists of four sunroofs over the back passenger areas that get this vehicle as close to convertible as any minivan could dream to be. Top-of-the-line Quests get the first-ever Bose stereo system developed for a minivan, and a DVD navigation/entertainment system with two or three screens is available. Quests also can be ordered with rear audio system controls.
True to its roots, Nissan's new minivan has lots of cargo space and cubbyholes for storage, along with cupholders and a 12-volt power outlet. But it also has a 240-horsepower engine, which puts a little more oomph under the hood than you'll find with most minivans.
Pricing for the new Quest is between $24,600 and $33,000.
Ford F-150 pickup: style finally meets substance.
Towing power. Carrying capacity. Winch hook-ups. These are the things that many pick-up truck buyers look at closely when considering their next purchase. For the 2004 model year, Ford is offering another item to that list: beauty.
Ranking as the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for 25 years, the F-150 has established its place as a popular, dependable truck. Now, the F-150 line-up has undergone serious plastic surgery, resulting in a collection of vehicles that are as capable as their predecessors, but more attractive. Buyers can expect to pay between $19,125 and $35,570 for 2004 models, but may find that the price increase is offset by the gains in style and functionality.
Describing the entire family of Ford's best-seller would take pages, so here's a quick summary: F-150 comes in three bed lengths, three cab sizes, four trim levels and two box styles, all in either two- or four-wheel drive. Two engines are available: a 4.6-liter V8 producing 231 horsepower or a 5.4-liter Triton V8 making 300 horses.
Every model, at every trim level, has been made more spacious, comfortable and stylish. At the basic XL trim level, round vents and gauges give the dash a spare, clean, modern look. The upholstery is either vinyl or cloth, and the steering wheel tilts for comfort. STX models, next up the trim ladder, are available with a 6-disc CD changer, an unusual option for a workhorse. Both these trim levels are available with either a Regular Cab (which seats three) or a SuperCab (with room for five); these cab sizes are six inches longer for better interior cargo space.
XLT, one more move upscale in the F-150 range, has premium cloth upholstery and a chrome-trimmed instrument panel. Front seats can be ordered as captain's chairs instead of the standard 40/20/40 split bench. XLT models with the SuperCab and SuperCrew cabs power windows for rear seats - a pick-up truck first.
Buyers on the hunt for a slightly more aggressive and sporty-looking truck might look twice at the FX4 version, which is sleek and cool, with a center console that extends from the dash and includes an upright, chrome-tipped shift lever. The dash has a long strip of brushed steel with circular vents and carbon-colored mesh trim that matches the exterior trim. Captain's chairs are available and can be upholstered in leather or cloth.
Where the FX4 model has metal, the Lariat-trimmed F-150 has woodgrain accents and an in-dash vehicle information center. This top-of-the-line pick-up can be ordered with heated dual power leather captain's chairs and comes standard with steering wheel mounted audio and climate controls, automatic temperature control and power seats and pedals with memory function.
Within the F-150 line-up, the possibilities may seem endless and downright confusing to shoppers who have to decide between cab sizes, trim levels, powertrain options and bed lengths. But the under-the-skin overhauls make this truck worth careful consideration by those in the market.
---Story by Meghan Searles
--Photos Courtesy of Audi North America, GMC, Chrysler, Nissan North America, and Ford. |
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