Innovations of Italdesign’s Parcour Concept
Auto shows are full of plenty of flashy new vehicles and all types of concept cars not ready for mass production that are meant to showcase new styling and technology features. Most seem to surface once, never to be seen again, but once in a while the ideas behind the machine continue to gain momentum long after show season has passed. ItalDesign Giugiaro debuted an incredible concept car at this year’s Geneva Auto Show fittingly called the Parcour, named after the “urban sport” in which people run and jump unconventionally over all sorts of obstacles.
The 2013 ItalDesign Giugiaro Parcour Concept is a 2-seat sportscar that combines a Lamborghini’s power with off-road SUV ruggedness in a stunning design. Called the first all-terrain GT, it’s not hard to see why the car’s been winning the hearts of critics and the general public since it was introduced. It was only a year ago when company Vice President Fabrizio Giugiaro presented the idea for the Parcour to the CEO of Volkswagen, then it took till mid-October to blend the proportions of a sports car and SUV, with the shape finalized by the end of November. It was finished just before being unveiled at the Geneva show in both coupe and roadster forms to universal awe.
ItalDesign said they wanted to do something new and it was accomplished by making a fusion of several types of automobiles. The mid-rear-mounted 550-hp, 5.2-litre Lamborghini V-10 engine enables the Parcour to accelerate to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds, reaching a top speed of 320 km/h. The underbelly of the body is flat with the exhaust pipe up top to prevent snags when off-roading. The suspension is where things really get interesting for an auto technician. The Parcour features a hybrid of pushrod-actuated coil-overs and dual-shock setups, with vertically mounted shocks performing suspension duties on-road and horizontal units unlocking for hydraulic adjustment from 8.2 up to 13 inches. The lockable rocker arms provide maximum suspension versatility, bringing all eight shocks in to play when the car raises its height.
The Parcour is massive for a 2-seater, with 22-inch wheels and a hefty 81.5 inch width. Weight is kept down somewhat by carbon-fiber and aluminum construction, but quirky autobody features like handmade fenders and taillights made from a single piece of glass keep it heavier than a theoretical production version. The car features many visually striking elements, including a detached A-pillar wind deflector, octagonal fenderwell openings, and luscious red automotive painting.
Instead of mirrors there are side cameras, which display views on one of the three screens behind the steering wheel. The other screens have typical navigation and infotainment as well as a drive-mode selector. Comfort, Sport, Off-road and Ice each bring unique driveline and suspension settings to roar over canyons or zip around a racetrack. The black-and-white interior has a view designed to resemble the perspective of wearing a futuristic helmet and is reportedly very cool.
Concept cars like the Parcour may never see the assembly line but they provide a glimpse of what is possible. The Parcour is a quirky supercar with an abundance of crazy features but it is also very easy to drive, and drive anywhere. It’s good to see people with long automotive careers making cars fun.
See the Parcour in action here!
