A sleek, curvaceous SUV from Pininfarina and a small, nippy roadster from Caterham show two sides of the concept car coin, while Toyota revives the Land Cruiser nameplate.
Pininfarina Pura Vision
At first glance, the Pura Vision concept from Pininfarina seems to blur the boundaries between SUV, shooting brake and supercar. The team behind the design describes the model as “a new animal” with “unbalanced proportions”. Gullwing doors open up to reveal a sleek interior that carries the exterior colour theme into the cabin, mixing luxurious soft finishes and furniture pieces with bucket seats and a simplistic, driver-centric UX. There is a futuristic feel formed by the ultra-clean steering wheel that includes two haptic controllers, as well as the sharp graphics on the screens and the curved IP. A new wool-polyester textile can be found on the centre console, upper seatbacks and headlining, with an attractive melange herringbone finish. Charcoal leather is found on the dashboard and wraparound accent band, while aluminium waste created when milling the car’s wheels is used for protective kickplates on the doorsills. The entire interior is flooded with light courtesy of a giant panoramic sunroof.
Caterham Project V
Caterham recently revealed Project V – a fully-electric coupé concept that could arrive on the market in late 2025. Chief designer Anthony Jannarelly was tasked with creating a small but powerful and stylish vehicle, keeping the inside minimalist to ensure the focus sits squarely on driving. There is room for four occupants, but most of the space is taken up for the front two seats, the narrow back bench possibly suited better for luggage rather than passengers. The colour scheme is muted with greys and whites, though a splash of colour can be added to the rather retro central textured IP piece. This is fitted with some circular dials and air vents, as well as a small touch screen above the centre console. The top of the IP and the bucket seats are clad in a grey suede material, as is the lower door panel, while a slice of chrome here and there breaks up the surfaces.
Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota has brought back its Land Cruiser nameplate after a short three-year hiatus. The new model is a clear evolution of its rugged, practical predecessor, focusing on functionality but with a handful of added mod cons to boot. The interior has a distinct no-frills feel, with hard-wearing and sturdy materials used throughout. Most of the pieces are square or rectangular, giving the IP and centre console a chunky and substantial appearance. The wide 8-inch centre touchscreen connects seamlessly to the driver display, while a large collection of switches line the bridge and centre console, with some also present on the giant steering wheel. There are plenty of spacious storage compartments and bins, plus two big cup holders for the front occupants. Brown leather seats are available on the upper trim selections, and a touch of gold is placed on the gear stick surround, the steering wheel and the middle IP panel.