The Felicia convertible is one of the most handsome cars Škoda has ever produced. Perhaps we will agree on that. But how would you like it in this modern form?
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The original Škoda Felicia was manufactured at the plant in Kvasiny between 1959 and 1965, during which time less than 15,000 copies were created. And you may remember that a few months ago we tried to design a modern interpretation of it.
The new – and “official” – vision of Felicia of the future was created by the French Škoda designer Martin Leprinec. In the Czech carmaker, where he has been working since 2017, he focuses on interiors and participated in Vision X, Vision RS or Vision iV studios. He deliberately chose the convertible to design a modern interpretation. Just because of the interior.
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“Choosing a convertible was important for me, because with such a car you can see the exterior and interior at the same time. People buy cars because of the exterior, but then most of the time they see its interior, both are beautifully connected in a convertible, ”says Leprince.
The most interesting element he gave his Felicia is probably the “floating” windshield, which floats in a space a few centimeters above the body and is curved into the interior, where it forms the instrument panel and infotainment display.
According to the designer, thanks to this, there are no boundaries between the outside and the inside of the car. According to him, the upholstery, which extends to the body panels, also contributes to the connection of the two worlds into one.
“I call this car Bohe Vita because it evokes bohemian life in me, a kind of Czech variation on the dolce vita,” says the designer, who inherited several features from the original, such as the location of the cabin, long rear overhang, fins on the stern or hood length. A reference to history is also the plastic logo of the car manufacturer, which seems to form the entire steering column.
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However, Leprince emphasizes that he did not want to create a retro study. “I tried to use the current pure design language of the Škoda brand and make a more modern and unique interpretation of the model at the time,” he says.
Leprince began working on the project with small sketches, on which he tested the basic proportions, then switched to drawing on a tablet and for details. The first sketches took him half a day, and the next four he fine-tuned the other details. Like the floating glass.
“I studied glass sculptures and in their photographs and paintings I figured out how to draw a 3D glass object so that the whole was understandable and realistic. It took me quite a few days of work, “he explains.
So what do you say to his study?
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