Mitsubishi Motors' SST Spyder Previews Next Generation Open-Air Sports Car Design
9 April 1998
Mitsubishi Motors' SST Spyder Previews Next Generation Open-Air Sports Car Design
`Tangerine Dream' Colored Roadster Has Geo-Mechanical Styling Theme
NEW YORK, April 9 -- Mitsubishi Motors' SST Spyder concept
car, making its world debut at the 1998 New York International Auto Show,
previews advanced styling for roadsters in the next millennium.
A roadster version of the Targa-topped coupe shown earlier in the year,
the SST Spyder was designed and built at the Mitsubishi Motors Research and
Design of America (MRDA) studio in Cypress, Calif. The SST series embodies a
"geo-mechanical" theme that is expected to appear in future production
vehicles from Mitsubishi Motors.
"The geo-mechanical styling of the SST Spyder is inspired by common shapes
and forms that represent strength, power and motion," said Dan Sims, chief
designer at MRDA and lead stylist for the sports car concept. "We
incorporated elements from classic architecture, sleek high-speed trains, even
the flexed human bicep to create a strong, solid styling statement for SST
Spyder that can be best described as 'metal in motion.'"
Purposeful and Deliberate Exterior Design
Indeed, every design aspect of the SST Spyder has a purpose. Its ribbed
sides add structural integrity while housing the side guard door beams. A
series of grilles provides cooling for the engine and brakes and creates a
consistent design element. The tail lamps, rear turn signals and reverse
indicators are made from neon and florescent lights to have higher intensity,
despite their small size, than conventional units. And, to further carry out
the functional theme, even the single exhaust outlet has become a significant
and purposeful design element.
Yet even the most playful elements of the SST Spyder have a purpose, too.
Taking a cue from the arachnid that prompted its name, the SST Spyder's
exterior mirrors, billet aluminum roll "hoops" and interior door handles --
even its massive, 20-inch aluminum wheels -- mimic the jointed legs of a
spider.
As part of geo-mechanical design philosophy, the SST Spyder is constructed
of materials -- including composites and carbon fiber -- which are in their
rawest, purest form. In fact, even the SST Spyder's iridescent "Tangerine
Dream" exterior color mimics the cadmium look of tooled metal. Its cloth
convertible top is an indigo blue which serves as a drastic yet pleasing
contrast to the Spyder's bright, deep orange.
Perhaps, however, the most dramatic design element of the SST Spyder's
exterior is its exaggerated, spherically-shaped quarter panels, designed by
Sims to "appear as if the wheels were ball bearings being thrust through the
surface."
Simple, Uncluttered Interior
The interior of the SST Spyder is as unassuming as the exterior is
extroverted. One of the simplest and uncluttered designs of any concept car
in recent memory, its interior incorporates only what is necessary for a
spirited, open-air driving experience.
Similar to the roadsters of the 1950's, the SST Spyder has a waterfall
valence which allows the rear deck to visually flow behind the seats right
into the center console.
The large, electroluminescent gauges, which surround a large tachometer,
take center stage in front of the driver. Yet the focal point of the SST
Spyder interior design was inspired by the ergonomic simplicity of a computer
mouse.
"Working on my computer, I realized its functions were entirely controlled
by simply moving and clicking the mouse, while my eyes remained on the
monitor," said Sims. "I began to think how this same idea could be used in
the SST concept car series so that drivers could focus on the road while
having the ability to easily activate the vehicle's entertainment and comfort
functions."
Bringing this concept to reality, conventional switches for the SST
Spyder's automatic climate control and Mitsubishi/Infinity(R) 650-watt audio
system have been incorporated into a single, computer controlled interactive
device. A large color monitor in the center console displays "virtual knobs"
that are activated by an articulating disc-shaped control on the floor
console. The interactive device also includes communication, satellite
navigation and entertainment functions.
And, to continue the geo-mechanical theme of its exterior, the SST
Spyder's indigo blue leather interior features billet aluminum accents. The
seats, which feature the special tangerine-colored SST Spyder logo, are
specially contoured for spirited driving as well as long-term comfort, and,
distancing itself from conventional sports cars, there's plenty of storage
capacity.
Not Just for Show
Unlike many other concept vehicles, the Mitsubishi SST Spyder is a fully
driveable car. Powered by a turbocharged, 250-horsepower 4-cylinder, the SST
Spyder is designed to accept the full range of Mitsubishi Motors' engines,
including the 3.5-liter V6 that powers the flagship Diamante luxury
performance sedan and top-of-the-line Montero luxury sport utility vehicle.
The SST Spyder's four-speed automatic transmission can be operated
conventionally, or as a manual through its sports mode and a flick of its
billet aluminum shifter.
A sophisticated, multi-link four-wheel independent suspension helps carry
out the spirited performance that the exterior and high-performance powerplant
promises. And, when its time for the fun to end, the SST Spyder's enormous
racing brakes with multi-piston calipers provide exceptional stopping power.
The Cypress, Calif.-based Mitsubishi Motors R&D Design Studio is one of
three design studios worldwide contributing to the interior and exterior
designs of cars and light trucks built by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.
Among its many projects, the Cypress studio was responsible for the designs of
the current-generation Eclipse sports coupe and convertible, updates for the
3000GT grand touring sports car, as well as the interior of the upcoming 1999
Galant.
Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. was established in 1982 by
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a full line of vehicles,
including coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles.
SOURCE Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc.
