Pininfarina promised two new debuts for the Beijing
Motor Show this year, and true to their word, they didn’t let us down.
Following earlier teasers, the Italian design house
showcased two more concepts for the Hybrid Kinetic Group. One takes the form of
a sedan, the other, a crossover. And they both look pretty damn slick. Rendered
in a deep shade of gold, the H500 sedan is envisioned as a smaller counterpart
to the earlier H600 unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.
Its cabin features four individual seats and a
proliferation of touchscreens for all, plus a bright white upholstery. The K350
crossover on the other hand is designed to slot in below the five-seat K550 and
seven-seat K750 showcased in Shanghai last year. With white bodywork and a
contrasting black roof, it features a black interior with orange highlights and
free-floating seats.
Both concepts are motivated (in theory at least) by
range-extended electric powertrains. Or in other words, plug-in hybrid systems.
They produce in excess of 402 hp, propelling the H500 to 100
km/h in 4.5 seconds and the K350 in 4.7. They also promise top speeds of 250 km/h and a range of over 1,000 kilometers.
The two concepts were designed by the Italian
company’s studio in Shanghai, which gives Pininfarina a unique foothold in the
burgeoning Chinese auto industry.
In addition to Hong Kong-based HKG, the
design house has also lent its talents to AviChina (Hafei), Chery, Changfeng,
Brilliance, BAIC, and JAC, among others.
