Master in Transportation Design – a.y. 2003/04

X 1/99

A concept car for Fiat and five concept projects inspired by Jaguar Design

“X 1/99” is the protagonist of the IED stand: a “see-through” model, in real scale – length 4.060 mm., width 1.790 mm., height 1.293 mm., distance between the anterior and posterior axles  2.570 mm. – developed from the platform of the Fiat Punto. During the development of the whole project, the students were supervised by Lowie Vermeersch, Pininfarina Designer and Coordinator of the Master’s Degree, and monitored by Michael Robinson, Fiat Brand Promotion, and Gianni Frigatti, Fiat Marketing. The project is a coupé-cabriolet car, with 2+2 seats: sporty, versatile, designed for a dynamic target market, suitable for everyday use both in and out of town. A multi-functional vehicle, combining characteristics of the segments B and H: practicality, a reasonable price, a special appeal, fun and playfulness. A car that can induce in the potential buyer the desire to own it.

The name of the car is significant, since it intentionally recalls the Fiat “X 1/9” of the seventies, whose characteristics have been taken again and considered as the starting point in the development of this project.

The project develops an innovative concept of  car convertibility, one of the most followed trends at the moment by the major car companies. “X 1/99” gives the option of a multi-functional roof that can be opened, a project carried out thanks to the contribution of Webasto, a world leader in opening devices, and the cooperation with Cecomp.

This concept car IED-Fiat is therefore accompanied by new conceptions and characteristics, which is further evidence of  the open approach of this Turin-based company. In fact it is paying more and more attention to innovation, style and, last but not least, ideas developed by young minds, with the aim of promoting what Fiat Auto always wants to beknown as: “A car manufacturer with a fresh and lively style, expressed through an Italian design and ingenious creations which make life easier”.

“FUNction” has been the key word in the development of all the students’ planning suggestions. “Since the beginning the project has been based on a single conception – the students of the Master’s say unanimously – a basic idea that we like to sum up with this thinking: fun and function should be one”.

These are the main characteristics of the concept car, the arrival point of a project started in March 2004 which has been developed through various stages: briefing to the students by Fiat (March 2004); research stage lasting for about two months and aimed at defining the project target more accurately; beginning of the planning stage; presentation to the commissioner of seven proposals with reference to concept and package (end of June 2004); advanced presentation of seven models in clay with a scale of 1:5 (mid-October 2004); selection of two models out of seven, on which the students ,divided into two teams, worked until the final project was chosen (beginning of November 2004).

“X 1/99” was conceived by: Fabio Bisson, Christian Cudly, Tony Gatta, Luis Hertas, Cristiano Nishimura, Michele Salvatore, Josè Hernandez Wong, students of the Master in Transportation design at IED Turin a.y. 2003/04.
Other contributions to the project: Josè Maria Alonso Garcia, Andrea Loi, Carlo Palazzani

Special thanks: Cecomp
Technical partner: Webasto