Mitsubishi Motors' SST Spyder Previews Next Generation Open-Air Sports Car Design

`Tangerine Dream' Colored Roadster Has Geo-Mechanical Styling Theme

NEW YORK, April 9 -- Mitsubishi Motors' SST Spyder concept car, making its world debut at the 1998 New York International Auto Show, previews advanced styling for roadsters in the next millennium.

A roadster version of the Targa-topped coupe shown earlier in the year, the SST Spyder was designed and built at the Mitsubishi Motors Research and Design of America (MRDA) studio in Cypress, Calif. The SST series embodies a "geo-mechanical" theme that is expected to appear in future production vehicles from Mitsubishi Motors.

"The geo-mechanical styling of the SST Spyder is inspired by common shapes and forms that represent strength, power and motion," said Dan Sims, chief designer at MRDA and lead stylist for the sports car concept. "We incorporated elements from classic architecture, sleek high-speed trains, even the flexed human bicep to create a strong, solid styling statement for SST Spyder that can be best described as 'metal in motion.'"

Purposeful and Deliberate Exterior Design

Indeed, every design aspect of the SST Spyder has a purpose. Its ribbed sides add structural integrity while housing the side guard door beams. A series of grilles provides cooling for the engine and brakes and creates a consistent design element. The tail lamps, rear turn signals and reverse indicators are made from neon and florescent lights to have higher intensity, despite their small size, than conventional units. And, to further carry out the functional theme, even the single exhaust outlet has become a significant and purposeful design element.

Yet even the most playful elements of the SST Spyder have a purpose, too.

Taking a cue from the arachnid that prompted its name, the SST Spyder's exterior mirrors, billet aluminum roll "hoops" and interior door handles -- even its massive, 20-inch aluminum wheels -- mimic the jointed legs of a spider.

As part of geo-mechanical design philosophy, the SST Spyder is constructed of materials -- including composites and carbon fiber -- which are in their rawest, purest form. In fact, even the SST Spyder's iridescent "Tangerine Dream" exterior color mimics the cadmium look of tooled metal. Its cloth convertible top is an indigo blue which serves as a drastic yet pleasing contrast to the Spyder's bright, deep orange.

Perhaps, however, the most dramatic design element of the SST Spyder's exterior is its exaggerated, spherically-shaped quarter panels, designed by Sims to "appear as if the wheels were ball bearings being thrust through the surface."

Simple, Uncluttered Interior

The interior of the SST Spyder is as unassuming as the exterior is extroverted. One of the simplest and uncluttered designs of any concept car in recent memory, its interior incorporates only what is necessary for a spirited, open-air driving experience.

Similar to the roadsters of the 1950's, the SST Spyder has a waterfall valence which allows the rear deck to visually flow behind the seats right into the center console.

The large, electroluminescent gauges, which surround a large tachometer, take center stage in front of the driver. Yet the focal point of the SST Spyder interior design was inspired by the ergonomic simplicity of a computer mouse.

“Working on my computer, I realized its functions were entirely controlled by simply moving and clicking the mouse, while my eyes remained on the monitor," said Sims. "I began to think how this same idea could be used in the SST concept car series so that drivers could focus on the road while having the ability to easily activate the vehicle's entertainment and comfort functions."

Bringing this concept to reality, conventional switches for the SST Spyder's automatic climate control and Mitsubishi/Infinity(R) 650-watt audio system have been incorporated into a single, computer controlled interactive device. A large color monitor in the center console displays "virtual knobs" that are activated by an articulating disc-shaped control on the floor console. The interactive device also includes communication, satellite navigation and entertainment functions.

And, to continue the geo-mechanical theme of its exterior, the SST Spyder's indigo blue leather interior features billet aluminum accents. The seats, which feature the special tangerine-colored SST Spyder logo, are specially contoured for spirited driving as well as long-term comfort, and, distancing itself from conventional sports cars, there's plenty of storage capacity.

Not Just for Show

Unlike many other concept vehicles, the Mitsubishi SST Spyder is a fully driveable car. Powered by a turbocharged, 250-horsepower 4-cylinder, the SST Spyder is designed to accept the full range of Mitsubishi Motors' engines, including the 3.5-liter V6 that powers the flagship Diamante luxury performance sedan and top-of-the-line Montero luxury sport utility vehicle.

The SST Spyder's four-speed automatic transmission can be operated conventionally, or as a manual through its sports mode and a flick of its billet aluminum shifter.

A sophisticated, multi-link four-wheel independent suspension helps carry out the spirited performance that the exterior and high-performance powerplant promises. And, when its time for the fun to end, the SST Spyder's enormous racing brakes with multi-piston calipers provide exceptional stopping power.

The Cypress, Calif.-based Mitsubishi Motors R&D Design Studio is one of three design studios worldwide contributing to the interior and exterior designs of cars and light trucks built by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.

Among its many projects, the Cypress studio was responsible for the designs of the current-generation Eclipse sports coupe and convertible, updates for the 3000GT grand touring sports car, as well as the interior of the upcoming 1999 Galant.

Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. was established in 1982 by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a full line of vehicles, including coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles.

SOURCE: Mitsubishi