The Fiat Trepiuno
Published: 18th February 2004
Fiat Trepiuno
All this makes it possible to reconfigure the interior to suit the car's various applications and also to accommodate tall people in the back. In a normal 3+1 configuration, the front passenger seat is moved so far forward that it is almost swallowed up by the facia. The facia can be deflated by means of a conversion process to leave room for the front passenger's legs. This makes more room available for people in the corresponding rear seat.
New material technology has made the 'Fiat Trepiùno' the first car to transcend the classic '2+2' arrangements of certain coupés or open-topped sports cars and also the configurations of many city cars that limit passenger room to just two seats in the front. The prototype has thus made it possible for the 3+1 concept to be introduced for cars with little room in the back. This has been achieved through an innovative structure, able to adapt to the most common transport needs and satisfy the greatest number of users: 2 seats, 3 seats, 3+1 emergency seat. To sum up, the Fiat prototype joins the boot compartment to the facia by means of a set of possible conversions that effectively make the interior fully reconfigurable.
The facia deserves a section of its own due to its shape and functional potential. In fact the 'Fiat Trepiùno' proposes an innovative solution that can incorporate the structure and equipment of a present-day dashboard.
The upper area therefore accommodates 2 drawers while the controls on the central console are under a film. All you have to do is brush them with your fingers and a light will follow your movements and receive your input. A liquid crystal display extending from the same console shows the menu of another one-touch multifunction control. This control is located between the front seats so that it can be used in intuitive, simple manner without dropping your gaze from the road. Light is also used to ensure the driver obtains a response to any operation: air conditioner temperature or main service activation. Night-time driving and night-time passenger compartment perception are also aided by lights through the use of LEDs concealed in the floor and door pouches.
An original design, then, to meet a new post-modern consumer trend that reworks retro shapes and styles to meet present-day needs. It is evident in fashion, music, furnishing and lifestyle: the term 'post-modern' surfaced at the end of the Nineties and inspired designer collections throughout the world. A look that juxtaposes retro smells and colours with up-to-the-minute symbols, objects and styles. A mixture of past and future, a style and construction movement that moves away from mass production to create a unique object.
Fiat Auto thanks the following for their help in the production of this concept: Bosch, Ficosa, Hitachi, I.D.E.A. Institute, IXFIN Magneti Marelli, Johnson Controls, Pirelli, Rieter and Toora.
