Thursday 26th February 2009

I.D.E.A. ERA Roadster

New concept will be at Geneva

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Italian design house I.D.E.A. is hoping to reassert its credentials with a new ERA roadster concept that will be revealed at Geneva.

The new model is said to be an evolved version of the ERA roadster that was revealed to mark I.D.E.A.’s 30^th anniversary in May last year. At Geneva the car will sport a more heavily sculpted side profile, scissor-type doors and a tubular frame chassis apparently intended to promote the firm’s design and engineering capability.

Last year’s car was a door-less ‘barchetta’ design, conceived, rendered and produced in a 30 day design and construction blitz that was instigated to show-off I.D.E.A.’s skills for the benefit of automotive industry clients. At that time the car had no drivetrain, and we’re not yet sure whether the Geneva show car will be a runner or not – although the original ERA concept was designed to be easily adapted for a number of powertrain configurations.

‘This prototype is only the first of a series of models we are working on to reassert our own line of design,’ says Lardin Peter, president of I.DE.A Institute.

 

[viperdude1996]

good looking car!

[Steve126]

It would be nasty if you managed to roll it.

[viperdude1996]

yeah really nasty

[viperdude1996]

i would think it wouldnt be too easy to roll it though

[deccer]

I'd guess it would have integrated rollbar hoops somewhere if they managed to get it on the road... but of course that would be boring, so can I have a look at the concept car again please?

[Wadeski]

Mr. Melling, the car for your engine is ready

[CypherP]

I swear i just flicked through the homepage and read 'IKEA Roadster'.. got a bit worried there for a second.

More on the topic in question, very nice looking car..

[scubadude]

viperdude1996 said:

i would think it wouldnt be too easy to roll it though

....on a flat road.

You can roll anything with the help of a kerb, soft verge, ditch, cliff, another car to hit... something people on the road seem largely unaware of.

Back on topic- pretty but nothing special.
It faintly amuses me how all the design houses love to flash as many 2 seat sporty supercars as possible yet the real genius is in making small,, efficent 4 seater city cars but then who would get excited about that?

[ZesPak]

scubadude said:

viperdude1996 said:

i would think it wouldnt be too easy to roll it though

....on a flat road.

You can roll anything with the help of a kerb, soft verge, ditch, cliff, another car to hit... something people on the road seem largely unaware of.

Back on topic- pretty but nothing special.
It faintly amuses me how all the design houses love to flash as many 2 seat sporty supercars as possible yet the real genius is in making small,, efficent 4 seater city cars but then who would get excited about that?

... I think I fell asleep by the end of your post

[GSE99]