MITSUBISHI MOONSTONE: HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Mitsubishi Moonstone - IED introduces the brand-new prototype vehicle developed by the Master Course in Transportation Design students in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors, an electric crossover created with careful consideration for the environment.

In the not-too-distant future, an electric crossover with astounding speed will travel through cities and uncharted areas. Its aerodynamic shape and stillness blend into a scene that seems to be frozen in time. This vehicle is outfitted with cutting-edge technology, making it an environmentally friendly and dependable companion for risky excursions.

Introduction

To introduce the topic of their thesis project—designing the Mitsubishi Crossover of the future—the Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors gave these pictures to the 17 students enrolled in the Master of Transportation Design program at IED Torino for the 2021–2022 academic year. A zero-emission concept vehicle that is highly focused on performance and prepared to reach standards of excellence in design and 4x4 performance, to navigate challenging terrain both on and off the road, while also being effective and reducing its impact on the environment.

The students rose to the occasion by creating unique plans that took into account the requirements of the Japanese brand. Mitsubishi Motors narrowed down the 17 ideas that were submitted to three finalists, and one of those was chosen as the prototype's foundation. The young designers next collaborated to create and develop the Mitsubishi Moonstone, a fully electric crossover that combines performance and fun while placing a strong emphasis on the environment and safety, just like in a real style centre.

The Design story

The Mitsubishi Moonstone symbolizes the curiosity and audacity required to face new obstacles. A future in which the concept car's interior was digitally developed by the pupils using cutting-edge three-dimensional virtual design technology. The renderings showed drive-to-wire technology being used to automate car control. The interior is made distinct and unexpected by the deconstruction of the dashboard, which features an intriguing interplay of full and empty areas.

The Master Course students' capacity to collaborate across functional lines and share skills and values to create the most significant project of their studies is demonstrated by Moonstone, according to Paola Zini, Director of IED Torino. This task, which was also made possible by the collaboration with a multinational organization like Mitsubishi Motors, "allowed the students to realize their vision not only from an automotive point of view but to contextualize it in terms of mobility and current needs, looking to the future with a broad and open perspective, goals that have always been at the heart of IED education."

A step towards a new era

Mitsubishi Moonstone is a fully electric Concept Crossover SUV with a sporty appearance that bridges the distance between Italian design and Japanese auto manufacturing (length: 4660 mm, width: 2000 mm, height: 1680 mm, wheelbase: 2700 mm). The item is made more streamlined by the surface treatment, which also includes colour blocking that highlights the design's distinctive elements. A dynamic sculpture that doesn't hide its technical components but rather emphasizes them, beginning with the lidar (obstacle radar detectors) on the bonnet and the visible fog lights that give the car its distinctive look.

The door shape revisits the canons of sportiness and is here used ergonomically to ensure enough room for the four occupants. The combination continues with the completely closed painted grille to convey the electric four-wheel drive.

In collaboration with Lechler, OZ Racing, and Pirelli, tires, wheels, and paint were created. Presented on Tuesday, March 28^th in a live streaming broadcast from OGR-Officine Grandi Riparazioni in Torino, Moonstone will be exhibited to the public at MAUTO - Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile di Torino from Wednesday, March 29^thto Saturday, September 30^th, 2023

Design Team and Partners

Hsu Yung Chun(Taiwan), Samuel Aguilar Martin (Spain), WILLIAM BARBOSA GOMEZ (Colombia), Vincenzo Dimitrios Lamattina (Italia), Ram Komawar (India), Antonio Mazza (Italy), Stefan Syarov (Switzerland), Jason George Pereira (India), Manoj Sunderrajulu (India), Rohit Singh (India), Andrea Saba (Italia), Yawei Fu (China), Xiao Wang (China), Siddhant Sanjeev Aggarwal (India), Samarth Handa (India), Augusto Fuchs