Car design round-up: Jeep, Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin
Car Design News takes a look at some of the stories that may have gone under the radar this week. Read on for the latest from Jeep, BMW, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce and more
The world premiere of the first AGTZ Twin Tail car
The AGTZ Twin Tail car made its debut at the Rétromobile exhibition in Paris this week, one year after the announcement of the joint project developed by La Squadra and Atelier Zagato.
Taking inspiration from the late 1960s racing icon, the A220, the AGTZ Twin Tail features a removable rear body section so the driver can switch between the long tail and short tail configuration effortlessly.
This collector’s car may look familiar to the currently produced A110, as it is built around the A110’s underpinnings. The AGTZ Twin Tail will be crafted at the Milan-based Atelier Zagato, and only 19 units will be produced.
Full release here.
Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar unveiled
As the only hypercar born from the road contesting the WEC/IMSA championships, Aston Martin’s Valkyrie hypercar is built for endurance.
Developed by Aston Martin Performance Technologies and THOR, the Valkyrie hypercar has a carbon fibre chassis and a 6.5-litre v12 engine. It meets the challenges of racing with quick-change front and rear bodywork, runs on 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport tyres that are mandatory under Hypercar regulations and has a single-point rapid refueling coupling.
Designers, chief creative officer Marek Reichman and Adrian Newey, developed the aerodynamics of the hypercar to meet the regulation criteria, which naturally dictated key design decisions.
Full release here.
BMW iX1 and BMW iX2 Shadow Edition
The introduction of the new BMW iX1 and BMW iX2 Shadow Edition has expanded BMW’s electric SUV offering.
The new trim option adds to BMW’s sporty styling features. The Shadow Edition sports Shadow Line Adaptive LED headlights, red M Sport brake callipers, 19-inch alloy wheels and M Sport Pro Package styling features.
This comes alongside a wider range of exterior paint colours for the BMW X3 M50, xDrive and BMW Z4 from April, with 490 BMW individual paint colours – including Frozen Black, Daytona Violet and Sao Paulo Yellow.
The BMW M40i with Handschalter Pack will also benefit from an expanded range of exterior paints with options including Skyscraper Gray, Thundernight Purple and San Francisco Red.
Full release here.
An ‘Ami-zing’ retro conversion
Italian coachbuilder Caselani has revealed the Type-Ami, a complete conversion kit for the Citroën Ami to bring a neo-retro charm to the vehicle.
Not a car in the traditional sense, the Type Ami is a two-seater quadricycle with an electric powertrain (which can even be driven by 14-year-olds in certain parts of Europe).
As a collaboration between Caselani’s designer David Obendorfer and a team from the Citroën Style Centre, supervised by Pierre Leclercq, the vehicle clearly resembled the iconic Citroën HY van from the post-war era.
The kit itself is made up of fibreglass body panels in a choice of 6 solid or three metallic colours (or custom), brackets and screws which can be fitted to both new and used Citroën Ami Quadricycles.
The production-ready Type-Ami will be on display at the Retromobile show (5-9 February) and is Caselani’s fourth product joining its nostalgic vans collection.
Jeep Wagoneer S Limited
Powering ahead after the launch of the electric Jeep Wagoneer S, the Jeep brand has launched the Jeep Wagoneer S Limited.
The limited trim presents a new Hydro Blue exterior colour and Arctic Gray interior colour. The 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S is offered at a lower entry price than the launch edition due to the lack of massage seats and McIntosh stereo system.
However, the limited edition does offer a contrasting black roof, mirror caps, low-profile exterior badging, dual-pane panoramic sunroof and 10-way heated front seats.
Rolls-Royce adds a whiff of luxury
A cologne for your car? When it’s Rolls-Royce, why not.
Patented technology releases the scent of Amyris, Cedarwood, Rosewood and Iris in suitably timed doses, with the fragrance composed by an in-house perfumer of the Bespoke Collective.
The fragrance has initially been introduced within Phantom and designed to complement the natural aromas of the materials used within the car – showcasing the brand’s meticulous attention to detail.
Testing included analysing the fragrance in a range of temperatures and humidity extremes, with 30 iterations developed before the team were satisfied.
Full release here.
Volkswagen goes electric
Volkswagen has released an ambitious three-stage plan up to 2030, with the entry-level electric model marking a key step in the ‘catch up, attack and lead’ scheme.
Employees had a first glimpse of the new electric model in a works meeting in Wolfsburg, with the plant remaining at the centre for innovation and production.
The entry-level model will be presented to the public at the beginning of March, with the world premiere scheduled for 2027.
Full release here.
