Vauxhall admits openly and emphatically that it is not a prestige marque. Neither is it a ‘me-too’ brand. However, it is a manufacturer recognised for its approachability, design ingenuity, progressive styling and excellent value for money. The GT concept, in which the ‘X’ stands for ‘Experimental’, as many of Vauxhall’s design studies have been over the years, explores a number of future trends that demonstrate the company has its finger defiantly on an automotive pulse.
Measuring just over 4.0m in length, it is a five-door, all-electric, coupe-styled SUV. Reflecting Vauxhall’s promise of an electrified vehicle in each of its ranges by 2024, the GT-X’s power is delivered by a 50kWh, compact (next generation) lithium-ion battery, with inductive charging. Interestingly, it does not offer fully-autonomous driving, because Vauxhall’s focus is on making innovation accessible in the near-future, but it does have Level 3 autonomous driving functions, meaning that, while it can handle all aspects of driving, the driver must be able to respond to a request to intervene.
GT-X’s alloy wheels may appear to go down the usual 20.0-inch-plus concept-car route but clever design hides the fact that they are only 17.0-inch rims, which maximise road comfort. The company’s design boss, the highly talented Mark Adams, and his team have developed an entire philosophy around Vauxhall’s specific, Great British design, blending purity with boldness. They questioned every function and module of the concept from the outset, with the aim of achieving purity of design by removing all unnecessary elements. The team calls it a ‘visual detox’.
The car offers spacious, unobstructed access, thanks to rear-hinged rear doors and all four opening to 90-degrees. The sweeping panoramic windscreen/roof reaches back to the rear seats, further enhancing the car’s sense of spaciousness. Smoothing the car’s surfaces, door handles and exterior mirrors have been removed, with rear vision for the driver provided by small cameras embedded in the yellow graphic lining, which pop out at each side of the bonnet, while shut-lines are ‘concealed’ by the graphics.
“The Vauxhall GT-X Experimental embodies the spirit of our core brand values,” says Mark Adams. “It’s an approachable concept, with which people can identify. It combines confidently a pure and bold design execution, with progressive technology that makes life easier. This vehicle signals a very exciting future for Vauxhall.”
LED matrix headlights, wing-shaped daytime running lights, as well as various cameras and sensors used to control the autonomous driving functions, are all housed under a tinted Plexiglass visor that stretches across the front of the car. It is another design element to be seen in all Vauxhalls going into the 2020s.
The car’s airy interior adopts the same ‘visual detox’ principle as its exterior. Surrounded by the panoramic roof and uninterrupted side-windows, the cabin disguises artfully the raft of innovations contained within it. A standout feature is an instrument panel encased in a module that is called the ‘Pure Panel’. A wide, single screen welcomes drivers and removes the need for a multitude of smaller screens and buttons, as seen on many production cars today.
Simplifying the occupants’ driving experience, two screens on the far left and right of the front panel display the exterior side views from the small pop-out cameras. Elsewhere, the steering wheel’s design has been simplified, while its central module mirrors the shape of the aforementioned visor. Like the centre-logos on the alloy wheels, the LED Vauxhall Griffin remains upright, no matter what the steering wheel position.
Its four seats appear to be floating, while removable speakers nestled under the headrests also allow an out-of-car sound experience. Graphic details reinforce the interior’s purity of design, with a cropped triangle theme repeated on the seat backs and the accelerator and brake pedals.
In 1963, Vauxhall built what was to become the UK’s leading automotive design centre, at its Luton headquarters. Under the guidance of legendary car designers like David Jones and Wayne Cherry, Vauxhall produced some of the first genuine concept cars seen in the UK. Some were pure fantasy, such as the 1970 SRV (an example of which exists in Vauxhall’s classic car collection), while others, like the 1966 XVR, were designed with production in mind. An on-going run of concept models highlights the innovative thinking that still exists in Mark Adams’ team today.
In recent years, three concepts have aligned closely with the development of the Vauxhall brand. The 2013 Monza concept reflected Vauxhall’s quest for more efficiency, especially in its weight, packaging and powertrain, which were wrapped in an ultra-sleek design. In 2016, the GT Concept took efficiency to the next level, with a design based around the core ideas of approachability, simplicity and purity. The GT-X Experimental brand concept develops this still further, with its focus on pure and bold design.
