The students of the long established Istituto Europeo di Design, have responded with a strong performance to the challenged launched to them by the European design centre of Hyundai. In case of need the signature is to be found of the bright orange colour of the body painting, which perfectly match the one to be seen in another show-car unveiled in Geneva by Hyundai.
The partnership will be showing in Geneva the full scale model named “PassoCorto”, Italian for Short Wheel Base”, SWB, a very famous acronym often used by Ferrari and other supercar makers of past times
It is the work of the graduates of the other top-ranking design school in Torino (the other being IAAD) that have been working on a briefing proposed by Hyundai designers. Design your dream-car, the ultimate sport car for the Y generation. Now under 23. The students had to put themselves in two shoes: those of the potential car buyer and of the actual designer. It is obvious that the benchmark was the Alfa Romeo 4C. Carbon fibre monocoque structure, all-at-rear powertrain, with a compact turbocharged 4 cylinder engine with a potential output of some 200 kW and, above all low weight and top dynamics.
Consequently, their PassoCorto sits, low on the ground, on a relatively short 2450 mm wheelbase for a total overall length under 4.1 metres. It vertical extension is said to be limited to 1160 mm.
The overall dimensions are perfect and real, however visitors they should not expect to see a real carbon fibre monologue, or a working powertrain. As usual IED will display a full-scale mock-up, the tenth produced by the school that is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its courses in Transportation Design, which has attracted to Torino hundreds of students from all over the world.{jcomments on}