Meet the Quintessenza, a brand new study model from the Italian design house Italdesign. The Quintessenza is actually several body styles in one and therefore appears to be a straight crossover.
Nowadays, the label ‘crossover’ is mainly applied to high-leg models, because such a high car is a combination of several body styles. A Renault Captur is of course not a real SUV, but more of a mixture of a compact hatchback and the adventurous aspect of an SUV. This Quintessenza from Italdesign is really a mix of various body styles. It has the shape of a coupe, stands high on its legs, but is also a pick-up!
The Italian design house Italdesign calls the Quintessenza with many dreamy phrases a car that ’embodies the relationship between man and nature in multiple forms’. There have undoubtedly been extensive discussions about this around the marketing tables. It will be even more beautiful. Italdesign continues: “The design is created by people for people. The vehicle features an Italian design that serves as a universal, limitless form of expression, a design that seamlessly combines technology and human-machine interaction and brings elements of nature into the project while simultaneously connecting the car’s occupants with the outside world.” Clear, right?
Italdesign Quintessenza
Without being lame: the Quintessenza is a special appearance. The no less than 5.56 meter long Italian has a steeply sloping roofline, flat windows and stands high on its legs. Italdesign has used large black parts around the front and rear screens to emphasize the crossover content. They are made from what Italdesign describes as ‘a composite of natural fibers.’ The wheelbase of the car is an impressive 3.24 meters. The overhang at the front is over one meter and measures as much as 1.32 meters at the rear. Not ideal for off-road use, of course. With its headlights peering slyly into the world, the Quintessenza has a face that wouldn’t look out of place on a sports coupe. Yet the study model is much more practical than such a traditional muscle bundle. It offers space for four adult occupants who gain access to the interior through enormous doors hinged at the A-pillars.
Sit comfortably.
Active aerodynamics? Of the party, as well as a large one frunk, 24-inch wheels, off-road rubber and a set of cameras that replace the traditional side mirrors. What also makes the Quintessenza a pickup? Well now. The rear part of the body can be removed as if it were a hardtop. Anyone who does that suddenly has an open loading platform. The bottom of the tailgate hinges downwards, which makes it easier to fully load this cargo box. Nice detail: the rear seats can be rotated 180 degrees, which makes it possible for rear passengers to peer outside.
Italdesign envisions the Quintenzza with an 800v EV architecture and a 150 kWh battery pack. This powers three electric motors with a combined power of almost 790 hp. On paper, the Quintessenza reaches a speed of 100 km/h in less than 3 seconds. The electric range should be 750 kilometers. A car derived from the show car may go into small-scale production in the future.
