Opel Zafira Tourer Concept - modern train
When city cars or even crossovers want to look like vans, where does the poor stylist working on a van draw inspiration from? The designers of the new Zafira prototype react according to the train. Not from a traditional steam locomotive, of course, but from rounded super-express trains with interiors in style superior to those of a business jet.
After the launch of the fourth generation Astra, it's time to try on the next generation Zafira - after all, this is a compact van, technologically related to the Astra. The compact body has styling and many elements associated with the fourth-generation Astra, while the aerodynamics are modeled after bullet trains. The nature of the front of the body is largely determined by the unusual combination of headlights and lower halogens in one boomerang-shaped or arrow-shaped recess of the body and bumper. This form is a new trademark of Opel. It is in the headlights of Astra IV and Insignia. We can also find it in the front and rear lights of the Zafira prototype. However, stylists also admit to using side scallops borrowed from the Astra Sports Tourer.
As for the interior, it's hard to decide whether it resembles the cabin of a super-luxury passenger jet or a modern studio apartment. The massive upholstered seats are upholstered in caramel leather, as are the upper dash and door trim. The rest of the interior is made in cocoa color. This combination creates a warm, almost homely atmosphere.
The rear seat is a repeat but also an evolution of the Flex7 concept that debuted in the current generation Zafira. New is the shape of the leather-covered seats, as well as the use of automatic folding and unfolding of the second row of seats. The two third-row seats fold and fold to form a flat floor in the luggage compartment. The second row of seats consists of three independent seats. The place in the middle is narrower. They can be folded and transformed into an armrest, and at the same time removed and moved the outer seats a little inward. Only two passengers can sit in the back, but they have more space.
Electrically adjustable head restraints are a very interesting solution. The three-part structure can be rotated around the central part and thus positioned vertically or horizontally. The end elements can be bent to wrap around the head and increase comfort. This solution is borrowed from the seats of some passenger aircraft. By adding folding footrests, we get a very comfortable and even relaxing travel environment. The driver's seat headrest remains upright while driving. Probably, the designers were afraid that the driver would fall asleep in too comfortable conditions. The rear surfaces of the front seats have movable tablet mounting brackets that allow passengers to use the Internet or multimedia equipment in the car. The central element of the center console is the touch screen. Above it, there is a storage space that can accommodate a tablet, and below it is the air conditioning control panel. It is also a touch panel with two additional temperature control knobs.
The novelty is the drive used in the prototype. This is Opel's latest downsizing dimension, a 1,4 turbocharged petrol engine cooperating with the Start/Stop system. Among the modern systems used in this car, there is an adaptive suspension FlexRide. Large seats with electrically adjustable headrests and automatic reclining won't likely come standard on the car, but the engine or car body line and instrument panel will most certainly be on the production version of the new Zafira soon.
