“Radiantly pure, precious as a pearl”. It is no coincidence that the SAIC brand Roewe has named its latest concept car, a luxury super saloon with a commanding but elegant design, the Pearl. The model was unveiled at the latest Shanghai Auto Show to showcase Roewe’s interpretation of the future of luxury mobility.
“Underlying this car is a new philosophy that blends perfectly with our brand: during their travels or daily commutes, every individual and every family should always feel elegant and pampered by the unparalleled comfort of our cars”, said Jozef Kaban, Vice President of SAIC Design.
The showcar has a completely closed front end – anticipating the adoption of a 100% electric powertrain – to enhance aerodynamics, inlaid with a LED lighting strip combined with the Roewe logo (this too backlit): “Our styling decisions make this concept car instantly recognisable”, says Kaban, but there are also numerous nods to the brand’s British heritage, including the side profile of the car, which echoes the classic lines of a British cigar.
To lighten the profile, the A-pillar is the same shade as the body, while the roof profile has a contrasting colour to create a floating effect. These are small tricks to bring the Pearl concept closer to the world of coupés and to streamline its design. However, there is no lack of details to denote a certain opulence, such as the decorative gold stripes on the mirrors and at the front part of the roof.
The interior has been designed to make journeys as comfortable as possible. Passengers are surrounded by quality materials and technology, while the cabin layout features four independent seats with integrated headrests and a host of possible configurations. The LED lighting effects on the exterior are also reflected in the interior, which features orange light strips in the door panels and around the air conditioning vents.
The elliptical steering wheel and huge floating display in the centre are particularly striking, but the real “wow” moment is guaranteed by the coach doors, which open without a central pillar. “It’s a feature that sharpens the perception of a car and is perfect even for ceremonies”, say the Saic design centre people, pointing out that the doors are all frameless, once again recalling the architecture of high-performance cars. Will these solutions be appearing on future production models? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Full article in Auto&Design no. 273
