Written by Sarah Danielson, a contributor for Boston Garage Equipment where you can find a comprehensive range of cutting edge automotive equipment that is manufactured to exact standards over many years
The idea of crossover cars is nothing new, and the same can be said for the slate of upcoming automobiles set to integrate new technologies with the driving experience. French automaker Renault seeks to do both with the latest in their lineup of concept cars, known as the Frendzy. While the name is clearly being marketed to the Facebook generation, the car itself seems to be geared towards more mature drivers: those with money to spend, a job to do, and a family already in the works. Hyped as “the fourth step in Renault’s design strategy based on the different stages of the human life cycle” (following the sexy DeZir, the fun-loving Captur, and the straight-up family-oriented R-Space), this car seeks to bring together two spheres of life (work and family) into one driving experience. It may sound strange, but it could just be the most interesting car to hit the market in coming years. Here’s what consumers can expect.
First off, there is the exterior to consider. It’s unlikely that anybody would call this car stylish at first glance. It is similar in appearance to the Nissan Cube (not surprising considering Renault’s ties to the Japanese automaker) in that it is boxy and low-slung. Features include a hatchback for easy storage of larger items and a sliding rear door on the passenger side that practically begs owners to shuffle car seats and groceries (not to mention work paraphernalia if you happen to take your job with you). There’s also a monitor embedded in the exterior window on the sliding rear door. Apparently this oddly-placed bit of technology is aimed at the professional on the go as it is touted as a state-of-the art message board that can deliver missives like “Back in 5” or “Gone to Lunch”. With no real video capabilities, though, it’s more of a novelty than a truly useful feature.
But the interior is where this car really starts to get interesting. Not only is there a lot of space to play with; there are a number of ways to rearrange it. The rear bench seat folds into the floor for extra cargo space and the front passenger captain’s chair (which rests on a movable pedestal) folds all the way forward to the dash. Could you haul an armoire in the back of your car? Probably not. But you could definitely squeeze in a mountain bike and some camping gear.
There’s more, though. This vehicle is intended for the driver that loves technology. Not only is there a touch-screen pad for the kids to play with in the back seat (it slides out of the driver’s chair), but the center console in the front is designed to sync up with BlackBerry’s tablet, the PlayBook, which is said to “configure itself into the Renault environment”. Again, this is a feature made for those who would use their car as a work vehicle, since the tablet could easily provide for a mobile workstation (storing client info, schedules, work orders, and so on). It can also be used to mobilise your media (like playlists, movies, and more).
Although Renault’s latest EV concept car has not even premiered yet (it is set to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month), the automaker has apparently decided to forego the strategy of non-information used by other car companies to drum up interest in their wares. Instead they have simply created a unique vehicle and given the world a sneak peak. The car itself seems pretty amazing, but actually letting potential customers get a look at it before the debut is almost unheard of these days, and far more endearing.
Click here to read this article in the September issue of Manufacturing Digital!
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