Upon its debut at the Paris Motor Show earlier this month, the Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso stunned onlookers with its slinky design and superb proportions – to say nothing of the exciting Giulia Quadrifoglio running gear under the surface. But while some of its styling details may not make it to a future Italian sports sedan, it sounds like the minimalist interior has a fighting chance. That’s because Head of Alfa Romeo Design Alejandro Mesonero-Romano thinks that large infotainment screens are on their way out.
He even goes so far as to say that those who love screen technology should consider buying something besides a future Alfa.
The ‘War Of Centimeters’ Has Gone Too Far
Speaking to Autocar at the French auto show, Mesonero-Romano said that he thinks the automotive industry has reached a tipping point when it comes to in-car entertainment and technology. Pointing out that even today’s most advanced technology will be obsolete in a few years, the designer said that the overkill approach to touchscreens and interfaces isn’t a sustainable long-term solution. Nor is a very pretty one, since screens occupy so much space inside a car.
We’re in a kind of war of centimeters for the screens, and to me, it doesn’t make any sense, because they become huge. They are designing the dashboard for you, basically.
–Alejandro Mesonero-Romano, Head of Alfa Romeo Design
Mesonero-Romano also pointed out that there’s lots of distracted driving that is associated with touchscreens and infotainment systems. The screens are nice when you’re parked in the car – built-in streaming video is pretty nice when you’re waiting for something – but when it’s time to hit the road, Alfa’s chief stylist intimated they cause more problems than they solve. That’s why, he said, the Cuorerosso’s design ethos was “in search of emptiness” when it came to cabin technology.
Nowhere is that more evident than the novel “cannocchiale” instrument cluster, named for the Italian word for telescope. In normal mode, it has two round digital displays with a design and layout that apes Alfa Romeo greats like the Spider and 1750 GTV, only modernized in that one screen can be dedicated to real-time navigation or audio, if desired. But there’s also a minimalist setting that hides one of the gauges behind the other, reducing distraction and providing only the most essential information to the driver.
Alfa Romeo CuorerossoAlfa Romeo
What Will Future Alfa Interiors Look Like?
Although the Cuorerosso is a concept, there are rumblings that it does preview the next generation of Alfa Romeo design and styling. Mesonero-Romano hints that the cabin, in particular, could be coming soon to a new product for the Italian sporty car brand. He doesn’t seem to back down from the minimalist design, either, suggesting that those who disagree would be better off purchasing something besides an Alfa Romeo.
“I’m aware that a big part of the public wants to have big screens, but then don’t buy an Alfa, buy something else,” he told Autocar. “I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who think like we do. There’s a lot of people that will be happy with this experience.”
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
The war between Luddites and tech junkies has officially descended on the automotive theater. There are strong advocates in both camps, with automakers like Mazda even insisting that its new touchscreen-intensive interface in the CX-5 is actually better at reducing distraction than physical buttons would be. It sounds as though Alfa Romeo will present an alternative for those who disagree, and we can’t help but be intrigued.
If nothing else, Mesonero-Romano’s comments that huge screens are overwhelming fashionable design are plainly accurate, because the minimalist Cuorerosso is flat-out gorgeous.
Source: Autocar
