The Concept You, which was revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, is a next step in the evolution of the Volvo’s upcoming large luxury sedan.
Working on this project, the designers have striven to create an exclusive luxury car with Scandinavian design. While the most car designs today seem to be quite similar and based on complicated designs, the designers of The Concept You decided to look into the Volvo’s design history and then went forward with a simple and minimalistic Scandinavian design.
Volvo’s design history have contributed to a number of design cues that are most visible in the front – the bonnet of The Concept You was inspired by the Volvo PV44, the lower air intakes by the Volvo Amazon. This Scandinavian heritage results in a design that is based on simple and solid surfaces.
The exterior design of The Concept You is very sculptural. The roofline stretches all the way back to the tail lamps, creating a dynamic fastback-look silhouette. The car doesn’t have a traditional shoulder line. The shoulder line of Concept You runs diagonally although this is not always evident. From the front it appears as a wedge. From the rear it is quite laid back where the front is higher, similar to a horse and carriage.
The main vision for the design of Concept You’s interior was the notion of ‘designed around you’. The design of the interior reflects an intuitive and user-centred approach. This was achieved by going back to an old idea of creating separate interior zones – one for the driver in the front, and another for the passengers in the rear. The interior is sporty and dark in the front, while the passenger environment is like a lounge: light, soft and smooth.
‘Well-dressed gentleman’ – that is one of the visions for the interior design. Simple, clean and elegant forms. Forms which are suitable for materials. The wood panels are large and not purely decorative. The leather fits the forms with padded soft leather. The back doors are sweeping and, when closed, attach and integrate with the back seat.
The driver’s seat is made of suit material from Swedish suit maker Oscar Jacobson which gives a luxurious upper-class gentry type feeling. The interior design is based on Volvo’s Scandinavian heritage founded on simplicity and purity – this results in an interior completely without buttons.
The design of the wheels, the grille, the innovative headlamps and elements of the steering wheel was inspired by the works of Georg Jensen, a famous Danish design house. Their designs represent uncluttered, organic surfaces and superb craftsmanship that radiate timeless luxury.
