The brief for GAC Sophon was started a couple of months ago, and the only target was to push our own boundaries to the next. This is the story of creating a moving futuristic sculpture by three friends who found a book with an uncovered journey.

Exterior

Inspired by the “cosmos pod”, mentioned in the book, we started designing the speed form of our concept. The surface language comes from the cosmic universe, we call it the “Dynamic Energy Surface” which is full of dynamism and power even in still form. Aesthetically, GAC’s design philosophy shares common ground with modern, clean, and minimal styling.

The GAC SOPHON explores new motion aesthetics with “dynamic light”. it is a source of inspiration in an attempt to capture the exquisiteness of light, rather than building volumes. The clean, minimal, and modern styling is inspired by the “cosmic pod” in the sense that the glass interior pod is integrated into an aerodynamic wing-form body shell. A distinctive design feature is the glass canopy extends from near the front of the hood to the rear. The Sophon is also characterized by a dynamic stance, sculptural surfaces which give excitement and a sensation of freedom.

Sophon is reinventing the crossover romance in a new and exciting way. The all-glass panoramic window panels, definitive front design, and stylish rear with sharp, edgy aesthetics speak volumes of the amount of thinking that’s gone into penning this concept. The next-generation e-Connect connectivity system is said to offer an immersive visual experience, providing on-demand driving information, advanced driver assistant system details, and infotainment control. The concept also features a large augmented reality-enhanced head-up display with advanced live-view navigation and Sophon’s next-gen voice assistant system.

Interior

The Sophon concept looks equally futuristic inside, with the lack of A  and B pillars creating an airy and well-lit cabin. The Interior is filled with multiple features for the young, passionate, and digital generation including a large curved display, a retractable steering wheel, and floating seats, and a multipurpose lounge in the back that creates a visual effect of zero gravity.

Additionally, the copper-gold trim surrounding the cabin and cool trim in the interior is said to replicate the atmosphere of outer space. A concealed air-conditioning system, ambient lighting, and an electronic rearview mirror are also a part of the package. The main aim was to develop a sustainable interior with a focus on circular economy and uses of natural and recycled materials like linen, wool, wood, and recycled plastics and fabrics.

About Designers

Vishal Kumar Singh, Sudhanshu Pathak, and Bravin Balid are the minds behind the project. They all are recent graduates from UPES, Dehradun, India with a bachelor's degree in Transportation Design. They believe in creating concepts that will touch people's hearts and organically fill the atmosphere. They all had one year of industry experience and multiple internships and freelance work for electric start-ups. Currently, they are looking for new opportunities.