Volvo design

The upcoming trend
Mr. Ancona explained to me that we're now witnessing the return of curvy lines. We'll see oversized wheel arches that add more character to a car.

(Photo: Amyot Bachand, Auto123.com)

Interiors will have more and more importance: textures and colors will evolve to create an environment that really appeals to the passengers. That's quite a challenge for designers. Passengers want more space and more storage, so they have to integrate those needs in their sketches while making sure to meet technical requirements. For instance, the doors: after the window mechanisms and the steel beams, designers have to find a way of incorporating compartments and pockets to store maps, bottles and other small items.

In addition to creating attractive lines and shapes, it's important that the trims, textures and colors unite in a way that makes occupants feel right at home. Dark, cold interiors are no longer allowed. Lively, colored cockpits will finally reappear. With the new C30, for example, buyers will be able to choose from various seat and console colors.

Where do ideas come from?
Most of the time, from the designers themselves or from a new vehicle platform. Engineers also have their requests. Francisco Villafanez, designer/stylist at the Barcelona design studio, mentioned that he finds his inspiration in nature, architecture and life in general. When you look at the C30, you'll notice that it borrows its shape from the Volvo P1800ES and several "shooting breaks" (hatchbacks) of the '60s and '70s. This bodystyle is regaining popularity thanks to its versatile nature enhanced by edgy design cues. Volvo will never make dramatic styling changes to its cars; it's more of an evolutionary process where design and shape are front and center. The company's basic values have always been and will always be durability, safety and convenience. That said, since the turn of the 21^st century, new shapes have begun to emerge. In the next year or two, we'll see four all-new models influenced by Volvo's designers. No further details are available. The team was wise to hide the many sketches and drawings during our visit and they kept their mouth sealed shut.