Volvo unveils ‘the ultimate executive accessory’ in Shanghai
It could be the laziest, smelliest motoring innovation in recent times: the Volvo Lounge Console which is being shown off at the Shanghai Motor Show this week.
Billed as ‘the ultimate executive accessory’, the Lounge Console essentially replaces the front passenger seat with a foot-rest and adds some fancy technical features.
Pity the poor chauffeur though, trying to make an honest buck while some business-type plonks two stinking feet mere centimetres away from their nostrils.
“Yeah, you just make yourself at home,” thinks driver. “I’ll cart you to wherever you wish, as long as I don’t choke to death on your sweaty loafers before we get there.”
These pictures feature a clean-looking female model whose feet obviously smell fresher than a newly-mown field, but if this concept ever made a production car, I think we all know the reality will be worlds away from this sterile environment.
Volvo says the Lounge Console has been designed to enhance the in-car experience. It features a large rotatable work table which opens to reveal an illuminated vanity mirror. There’s also a large 17-inch media screen for a full in-car theatre experience, a lockable storage box for valuables and below the cushioned leg rest is a space for shoes.
Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Car Group, explained that the concept was around the chauffeur driven executive’s perspective and needs.
“A key element in our thinking was how to make the available interior space work for the occupants in an optimal and luxurious fashion,” he said.
“Removing the passenger seat enabled us to create an open space that dramatically changes the dynamics of the interior and led to a firework of ideas and new possibilities.
“People who are on the move and have a hectic lifestyle going from event to event or meeting to meeting need some space, some luxury time, and the opportunity to relax and refresh themselves for the next engagement. This is ultimately what the Lounge Console is designed to facilitate.”
Also on display on Volvo’s Shanghai stand is the super-luxury XC90 Excellence which sacrifices three of its seven seats for extra interior space. More on that here.