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Holden's talented young design team is justifiably proud of its latest creation, a funky little sport utility concept vehicle with plenty of attitude. It's called the YGM1 and will feature on the Chevrolet stand at this month's Tokyo Motor Show. The production-based concept vehicle is the striking result of a collaborative effort between General Motors, Suzuki and Holden's design team.
"It's a truly international car - designed in Australia on a Japanese platform, using American design cues," says Michael Simcoe, Holden's executive in charge of design. He was present in Tokyo last week where strategic alliance partners GM and Suzuki previewed the vehicle.
"Holden is uniquely situated within the Asia Pacific region as the only GM affiliate with fully fledged automotive design capabilities," Michael Simcoe continued. "Our brief was to come up with a distinctive concept car for Chevrolet, based on a Suzuki platform, that could have particular appeal to Asia Pacific consumers."
He said the fact such a complete design exercise was finished within a very tight, two-month time frame highlights Holden Design's major strengths. "We're good at looking at what the rest of the world is doing, interpreting trends and applying particular brand characteristics - Chevrolet, in this case. Creating differentiation between models on the same basic platform has always been a Holden specialty. That kind of versatility and adaptability will see us taking on increasing numbers of specialist design projects like this," Mike Simcoe concluded.
The YGM1 was designed as a "youth culture, niche market, snowboard-carrying, jet ski-towing, look-at-me machine" by a Holden design staff team led by Peter Hughes and comprising such specialists as Jenny Morgan-Douralis, chief designer, colour and trim and chief designer Peter Nankervis.
A contract design house, Melbourne's Future EDAG, fabricated the YGM1, which is finished in a bold, Shanghai Red and brilliantly set against an outstanding black interior treatment featuring red leather, cloth-accented seats and anodised metallic translucent red highlights.
Traditional Chevrolet design cues - apart from the famous blue 'bow tie' brand symbol - include the grille treatment, teardrop fenders and specific vertical lamp and tail light graphics. The hatchback, 1.5 litre four-seater sits on massive 17-inch, heavy spoke wheels on a wide, 1,440mm track front and rear. Body length is 3620mm, width 1720mm, height 1930mm.
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