Autoblog

Click above for a full high-res gallery of the Italdesign Quaranta concept

Italdesign Giugiaro has been releasing teaser images of its Quaranta concept at an agonizingly slow pace for weeks now, but has finally dropped all its got on the car just days before it will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. The Quaranta is actually inspired by the 1968 Bizzarrini Manta concept, and the two take the wedge shape to an extreme. The Quaranta's claim to fame is that it houses a mid-mounted hybrid powertrain supplied by a Toyota. The 3.3L V6 combined with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive produces a combined 268 horsepower and 212 pound feet of torque, which Italdesign claims is good for a 4.05 second run to 62 mph in the lightweight and perfectly balanced Quaranta. At the same time, its pair of fuel tanks integrated into the frame can hold nearly 16 gallons of fuel, good for a 621-mile range. The entire opaque roof is also comprised of solar panels, which run the interior electronics and charge the batteries. The concept can employ two- or all-wheel-drive depending on the conditions, and can also raise its ride height up to a maximum of 9.17 inches. The cockpit of the Quaranta is also a study in far out design, with a 1+3 seating arrangement that places the driver front and center, with two more seats on either side and further back, and a small child seat directly behind the driver.

The Quaranta is a well thought out concept with every aspect of its design backed by a reason and a function. From its shape to its powertrain to its interior ambiance, it will debut in Geneva as a rolling resume for Italdesign's services. And after reading through the lengthy press release that describes every complex system contained in the Quaranta's wedgy shape, we'd be happy to be listed as a reference.


[Source: Italdesign Giugiaro]

Click on the images to view in high resolution

The seemingly endless stream of teasing on part of the Italian design houses continues as Giugiaro's Italdesign releases two more preview shots of its concept, now revealed to be called the Quaranta in commemoration of the studio's 40th anniversary, which will be presented at next week's Geneva Motor Show.

The pair of additional images, which accompany the three shots trickled out until now, all but completely reveal the concept's design, all angular and sharp creases, in stark contrast to the swooping curves of arch-rival Pininfarina's Sintesi show car. Of course, we'll be on hand at the show to bring you the best shots in true Autoblog style, but feel free to check out the growing gallery below to see what's been revealed so far.

[Source: Italdesign]