Zeekr teases new MPV
Zeekr, the fresh face under the Geely umbrella, has teased new images of its 009 minivan. Car Design News caught up with head of interior design, Sergio Loureiro da Silva, to discuss the design brief and how it balances high-tech with minimalism
Think “luxury” and the humble minivan may not be the first silhouette that comes to mind, but Zeekr says its upcoming MPV – the 009 – offers just that. Built with the demands of business travel in mind and following trends seen in east Asia, the futuristic looking minivan competes not with family favourites like the Chrysler Pacifica or Honda Odyssey, but with premium sedans more closely associated with the travelling elite.
On the outside, the silhouette is typical minivan with a high roofline, sliding rear door and long wheelbase. A short rear spoiler adorns the back of the roof, along with a shark fin aerial. There is a little more flair than might typically be expected of an MPV, with lightly flared wheel arches and chunky front and rear bumpers to create a chiselled look. Like most new cars today, Zeekr’s design team have used lighting to inject personality. The N-shaped headlights consist of five individual oblongs, almost creating a tiger scratch effect. Below these sit thin, horizontal strip lights.
Elsewhere, pops of chrome – some more obvious than others – are a nod to the car’s luxury intentions, but the overall design is understated and modern. A metal rail runs the length of the roofline, while decorative gills separate the second and third rows of seating. Up front is where subtlety takes a back seat, with a highly polished grille that bleeds into the lower mask. Multi-spoke wheels in a concentric circle pattern completes the look.
What becomes immediately obvious is the sheer size of the passenger area. A cavernous greenhouse supports not one but two sunroofs – a smaller window for the front row while the rear passengers get a double size opening. A series of recent teasers leave plenty to the imagination in terms of layout and styling, but Car Design News caught up with Zeekr’s head of interior design, Sergio Loureiro da Silva, to find out what’s going on behind those tinted windows.
“We wanted to create something that makes you feel special. To feel like Elvis Presley when you step inside,” da Silva explained. To do this, the team ensured that efforts were directed more toward the second and third rows of seating. This may once have resulted in more leather, more wood and more brushed metal. And in all likelihood, more buttons, A/C fans and screens. Instead, it was about finding a middle ground between going overly tech heavy and hyper minimal. All the usual creature comforts are available but are cleverly integrated or hidden when not required. This means that unsightly buttons, air vents and other bulges are replaced by smooth, clean surfaces.
“It is very difficult to remove content and make something look more expensive. Some cars have become a little too simplistic, almost as if you are sat in a dentist’s office”
“The plan very early on was to keep things minimal and warm while still attracting a slightly younger tech-savvy buyer,” da Silva explains. “We wanted something a little purer than some of these tech heavy interiors you often see today.” MPVs are particularly prone to clutter – and especially in the headliner where things like air conditioning and reading lights are located. “When all the features in the roof lining are on display, I often say that there are more islands in the ceiling than in Indonesia,” he jokes.
This approach extends elsewhere in the cabin, with inspiration drawn from certain consumer electronics devices. “When you look at product design, electronics and furniture, they are starting to integrate together. A Bluetooth device usually has a fabric finish that hides the ambient light, switches and buttons underneath. It comes alive when we turn it on, but all of that technology is otherwise hidden,” da Silva explains. “This is the trend we are also going for. For example, we would usually have a panel on the upper part of the rear door, either in wood or aluminium. In the 009, you don’t really see it until you turn it on, with the touch panel and ambient light coming alive when you need it. We really moved the money towards the second row with the 009.”
It is tough to understate the significance that da Silva places on balancing content with minimalism. Just as a cluttered interior can be overpowering, he says, some brands have gone too far the other way. “The more content you put in, the more expensive something will look. As such, it is very difficult to remove content and have the same effect. With some cars, I don’t think they have succeeded as it all became a little too simplistic, almost like you are sat in a dentist’s office,” he observes. “We wanted to bring an element of warmth to the simplicity.”
Da Silva recognises of course that luxury minivans are nothing new. They have been a booming market in east Asia for many years, and more recently have been eroding the share of traditional long wheelbase sedans. All that interior space can either serve as a relaxing retreat for solo travellers, or a rolling conference room for multiple riders. “In Europe the MPV is more of a large family commuter, whereas in Asia it sits more in the premium segment,” he explains. “This is a high-end vehicle that, when you’ve had your meetings, will pull up and take you to the airport or hotel. And because it is much larger than a sedan, you can more comfortably carry multiple businessmen.”
By tempering the amount of tech that is immediately on display, the expectation is that riders will feel more relaxed – almost as if they are in an extension of a hotel. And like some recent concepts, the ambient lighting and screens throughout the interior can combine to create different moods. Various themes will come pre-programmed, while other more timely themes – such as the Chinese lantern festival – will be on offer.
As the latest brand in the Geely family, Zeekr models are currently based on legacy platforms and the design language is still evolving. Da Silva advises that the next wave of Zeekr models will have more of a distinct look and feel. “We are still in this transition phase, but in the 009 interior we can already see how things have become more pure compared to other brands out there. It is much warmer and comfortable looking.”
The official reveal of the Zeekr 009 is scheduled for 19 September, but there are whispers of an earlier public reveal that may take place in China at the end of August. Car Design News will keep an eye on proceedings.
