AV
Design Forte
The
2007 AV Design Forte from third year Coventry Transport Design student Andrew
Varnish was a concept sports coupe inspired by the character of the Auburn,
Cord and Duesenberg luxury sports cars of the 1930's.
The
Forte is a carbon fibre bodied, front-mid engined urban sports car powered by a
bio-fueled V8 engine mated to a 6-speed manual, or 5-speed automatic
transmission driving the rear wheels. Access to the engine compartment is easy
thanks to an aluminium bonnet hinged on both sides and opened from the left or
right. Helping to keep the Forte's engine cool are hidden air vents underneath
the protruding front arches which also hide the slit-like LED headlights. Hot
air in the engine bay is then extracted by ducted electric fans blowing out
either side just forward of the doors. The exhaust is a center-exit titanium
unit set into the smooth underbody.
Influences
for the AV Design Forte came from a variety of sources. The front end is
derived from the form taken by an arrow head and the wraparound windscreen is
inspired by aircraft cockpits.
In
order to keep the 20 inch rims wrapped with low profile whitewall tires in
close proximity to the wheel arches, the top section of the front arches move
in conjunction with the front suspension, although dampers help keep the
movement fluid.
Innovative
features can be found all over the car. Set into the nose of the Forte on
either side are small color video cameras which, at the flick of a switch,
relay footage to a screen in the dash to help the Forte's driver at low
visibility junctions and exiting driveways. A photo sensitive roof adjusts its
opacity depending on the amount of direct sunlight to help keep the cabin cool.
Built in hydraulic jacks make changing wheels a breeze, and the rear brake
lights illuminate in a circular fashion, starting from the top towards the
center and rapidly running out along the top and then back in along the bottom. Access
to the two-seat luxury interior is though the conventional opening doors which
cut into the roof aiding entry.
The
AV Design Forte is a concept car which is just that, a concept, designed to
promote interesting ideas and alternative design styles as well as exploring a
new market segment, the urban sports car. There is currently no plan to put the
car into production however limited.
