The Waku Suzuki concept gives us an intriguing picture of what can
Suzuki unveiled the Waku SPO concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, where it immediately stood out with its retro, compact design and Honda's touch of e about it.
But it was a much more interesting feature: the ability to transform into different shapes. In Waku free style property, but while talking to the designer's car on stage, someone pressed a button somewhere and it turned into a coupe.
Designer Takafumi Ogisu explained, “First it's a van model, but then it transitions into a coupe model. If it's a coupe model, you can enjoy driving. If it's a station wagon, then rear seat space is much more for a family.”
This is the idea of the novel, if possible, a little flawed in execution. There hasn't been enough time to ask about the storage solution, but the manor's roof is falling down into the loading space, suggesting there may be no storage for the family at all.
Still, it's just a concept and there are no production plans - though Ogisu said he'd like to see details like the side view of the camera, headlights and front grille on other Suzukis.
The front of the car and the digital screens inside are two elements that could change the concept of Waku. For example, Ogisu said the headlights can be swapped depending on driver preference. Such changes seem much more real than coupe/property ideas, as they are about software rather than hardware.
But nonetheless, the idea of shape-shifting means is an interesting one, given two opposing themes in the automotive industry: free, autonomous vehicles built for comfort and space, and the true driver of cars that remain engaging behind the wheel.
The idea of a model that could combine the two - relying on some very smart engineers to solve obvious problems (weight and safety, to begin with) - would solve many of today's auto dilemmas.
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