SMMT event highlights pros and cons in modern car design

It is not often that we cover ride-and-drive events at CDN, but there is rarely a better chance to get a sense of how the market is developing than a visit to the SMMT’s annual test day.

Occupying the expansive Millbrook Proving Ground in the midlands and feeling more like a festival at times than a professional test day, the event lays host to effectively all the major car manufacturers and a handful of more niche names. Here are the key takeaways from our writers on site, some of which are good, others less so.

James McLachlan

Cars driven: Alpine A110, Volkswagen ID. Buzz, BMW Z4

Joys of the Alpine road

It is always nice to revisit older CDN articles and see how well our instincts for good design have stood up over time. I was reminded of this when I took a spirited turn in the Alpine A110. CDN’s initial assessment suggested that, with the concept launched in 2016, designer Antony Villain had channelled the essence of Michelotti’s original but added a sinewy muscularity that helped it swerve a retro-shaped pothole in the road.

Where we got it wrong was in suggesting the chunky geometry of the A310 might have been a better, or at least less obvious, jumping off point. The A110 is, as it was when it first launched, defined by a strong DRG, which nods to the original, planted stance and beautifully resolved rear mask. It is, of course, an absolute riot to drive – a swift, sure-footed handler backed by a hugely enjoyable soundtrack. More on soundtracks further down the page.

Getting a buzz from the campervan

While sportscar designers have some work to do in replacing the thrills provided by the combustion engine, there are none such worries for the team behind the ID. Buzz. The campervan was never exactly a twinkle toes. Understandable. In its new electrified form, the ID. Buzz is nimble, surprisingly so given its not inconsiderable dimensions, which removes the chore of guiding it. As with all EVs, throttle response is immediate – in an uncharacteristic rush of blood moment, CDN dusted off a BMW Z4.

Medium-velocity thrills aside, the most impressive element of the ID. Buzz is the interior, which is bright, spacious – a lovely place to be. One might even describe it as premium, albeit of a functional kind. A world away from the workaday surfer wagons that the originals have now become. Interesting, though probably fruitless to speculate, whether a similar destiny awaits other retromod variants.

Mark Smyth

Cars driven: Dacia Jogger, Volkswagen ID. Buzz, BMW i7, BYD Atto 3, DS 3 E-Tense, Volkswagen Amarok

Balancing form and function

For me the SMMT Test Day highlighted the difference between honesty of design and the temptation of technology. The exterior styling of the Dacia Jogger might be a bit ungainly, but inside it has a level of honesty that these days is refreshing. It might have cool styling, but that honesty is also present in the interior of the Volkswagen ID Buzz. Admittedly the UX is terrible, but the interior design team have achieved a great balance of style and functionality.

Flimsy, faffy interiors

That contrasts with the nightclub interior of the BMW i7 with its interaction bar, although it was good to see cohesion in the interior styling lines, something that is often missing these days. The BYD Atto 3 has a trick rotating screen but around it are styling elements that seem to lack a theme and materials that feel loosely fitted. That quality issue was present in the DS 3 E-Tense too, which had plastic buttons in the instrument panel that felt as loose as pieces of a Rubiks Cube.

Freddie Holmes

Cars driven: BMW iX, Cupra Born, VW ID. 5, VW ID. Buzz, Citroen C5 X PHEV, Mini Cooper S convertible

EV critics are right, but for the wrong reason

As would be expected from a collection of new cars, almost all were electric. Range anxiety never crossed my mind and those that we drove were quiet, comfortable – in some cases exceptionally quick – and often well-trimmed inside. But all shared a similar trait: a lack of defining character, the intangible facet of car design that puts a smile on the face of drivers and passengers alike. This became clear when taking an ICE-powered car for a spin (stick with me: this isn’t an “old man yells at cloud” moment).

An engine resonates through the steering wheel, foot pedals and seat, and beyond the audible noise there is a haptic element that an EV does not yet replicate. You feel it in your hands, in your back. It is not to say that engine drone or harsh vibrations are desirable – but EVs deserve better on the sound design front. It feels like a dentist’s chair.

CDN has heard of work being done to integrate speakers in specific areas of the driver’s seat for this very reason. This is of course an awkward argument to make when EVs sail so gracefully and are generally nicer places to be over long periods – I’m just not sure today’s drunken accordion soundtrack is the way to go.

CMF as a brand differentiator

On a more conventional (and positive) note, the work being done by CMF designers today is superb and my pick of the bunch came as a complete surprise. Although the BMW models we drove were clearly more luxurious, I was impressed by how Cupra’s team was able to differentiate itself from the rest of the brands under the sizable Volkswagen Group umbrella.

Jumping straight from the ID.5 into the Born you might expect to feel a sense of deja vu, but the bronze accents and distinctive badging make the interior immediately recognisable as “Cupra”. It is a strong example of where the car is defined by CMF choices and – despite sharing switchgear with other VW models – it really does feel like an independent brand. To crowbar in a totally separate point, a simple and clear HUD is really all that is needed in my opinion, and ultra-wide touchscreens do not live up to the hype.

Editor’s note: Driving the Porsche 911, or the 928 for that matter, was nigh-on impossible unless you were prepared to make an undignified sprint across the proving ground in the manner of an EasyJet passenger circa 2010. Take from that what you will.