First Interior Photos of Lancia’s Version of the Chrysler 300, the 2012 Thema

Even though Lancia's press site still has only one exterior photo of the Thema (who needs more when you can take a look at the Chrysler 300?), the Italians went straight to posting the first interior pictures of their American-sourced flagship sedan. If you like drama, don't read on, this isn't for you. Believe it or not –ahem- the 2012 Lancia Thema's interior looks exactly the same as Chrysler's.

Our “spot the differences” approach led to the conclusion that, Lancia logo aside, everything else in the cockpit is identical to what one can see in a Chrysler 300. Except of course the different leather upholstery and trim color scheme chosen for the photo shoot. The two sister cars share the blue-tone instrument panel lighting and the analogue clock as well, however, in this color and trim setup the Thema looks a bit more refined than its American counterpart.

It's not like we weren't expecting the interior of the Thema to look exactly like the 300's, but it's still worth a post. So, which trim do you like better?

By Dan Mihalascu

2012 LANCIA THEMA

_______________________________________________________________________

2012 CHRYSLER 300

Test Drivers' Suggestions "Blamed" for the Re-Design of the Toyota FT-86 Coupe

Toyota's FT-86 II pre-production concept car displayed at the Geneva Motor Show last week attracted a lot of attention, with many viewing the car's styling as a step back from the FT-86. However, as Toyota explained, these changes were not imposed only by designers, but by the company's test drivers and safety regulations as well.

More precisely, the feedback received from the test drivers after the early development stages had the biggest influence on the look of the FT-86 II. The most important change requested was to move back the A-pillars by around 100 mm at the base, which led to a more vertical windscreen.

“We had feedback from drivers who felt that the angle of the A-pillars created a type of ‘tunnel vision’,” Akihiro Nagaya, head of Toyota design division, told Autocar. “This could sometimes make the car hard to place on the road, particularly at higher speeds. The theory behind this car remains that of the ‘86’ (the original Corolla AE-86), which was easy and pure to drive, so we had to change it,” Toyota’s official added.

Another important change from the original FT-86 Concept is the taller nose, adopted in order to comply with pedestrian impact regulations, a modification which alters the sharp profile of the original concept. Toyota's designers complicated things even more with overly aggressive styling on the front and rear ends.

So, how many of these changes will we see on the production car? According to Nagaya, the road car will share around 50 to 70 percent of its looks with the FT-86 II. Another interesting statement made by Nagaya was that Subaru's version of this car will look very much like the Toyota, with the approach being similar to the S-Verso/Trezia rebadging work.

By Dan Mihalascu

Source: Autocar

TOYOTA FT-86 II CONCEPT

_______________________________________________________________________

TOYOTA FT-86 I CONCEPT

Geneva’s Words from the Wise: Greener, Prettier and Pricier

With gas prices going up and car owners downsizing from V6’s to four cylinders and from luxury models to economical subcompacts, the question for automakers becomes; how do we remain profitable? As the automotive big wigs descend on Geneva with their latest and greatest models, this issue is weighing heavily on many minds. So, how does one do it?

Well, there are a few answers to this conundrum, one of which is move your subcompact cars upmarket. MINI has done it, Toyota is sort of doing it with the iQ and no doubt many of the world’s other automakers would very much like a piece of that pie. The answer lies very much in the look of a car: its design and the ambiance it gives off.

Ex-Fiat Chairman and current Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo puts it succinctly: “Today, if you make small cars you cannot make poor cars. Even cars that are not expensive are making a big effort to present nice, good design, with accessories and color.”

Look at the radical design Mazda and Ford have taken with their otherwise staid Mazda2 and Fiesta models respectively, or compare the slab-sided Fiat Cinquecento of the 1990s with the current generation 500. Like that old adage says, “Sex(y) sells,” and even more so when it comes to cars.

Nissan cites the Juke as the perfect example of “form over function”; the small, youth-orientated SUV-wannabe commanding a hefty (for what it is) price tag of €18,000 (US$25,000). Then there’s the Range Rover Evoque, a car that goes against the company’s grain so much it seems like it came out of an alternative universe.

As an alternative to prettying up your smaller cars, car companies can make their bigger cars more appetizing to fuel price conscious buyers by making them more efficient. Automakers spend millions making subtle improvements in vehicle efficiency and investing in hybrid and EV drive systems.

Still, it will be an uphill challenge for many automakers attempting to make small and green the buzzwords of American car buyers. In the country that gave us the Cadillac Eldorado, the International CXT and the Hummer H1, can small, economical cars ever be more than an unhappy concession made by penniless motorists? Only time will tell.

By Tristan Hankins

Sources: NY Times

PHOTO GALLERY