Not many other companies have been able to show this continuity of presence at a world fair. In 2018, for the 40th time on the shores of Lac Leman, Rinspeed will bring its novelty – this time the Rinspeed “Snap” – into the limelight. The first time a turbo-charged and personalized Golf I with sunroof was exhibited in the old halls in the Plain-Palais – in white. Even then, white was one of the fashionable and trendy colors. In between lie many color cycles and dozens of novelties and world premieres. One of the highlights was certainly the “sQuba” which in 2008 attracted the visitors as the first diving car in the world – James Bond said hello.
Geneva Motor Show 2018: Rinspeed Snap – the sum of its parts is greater than the whole
Snap – Let it click!
Self-driving cars, stuffed full of short-lived IT components, will help solve the transport problems in urban areas in the foreseeable future – and not just there. To this end, Swiss powerhouse of ideas Rinspeed has designed an elaborate and unparalleled mobility ecosystem in its latest concept car, the “Snap.” Rinspeed boss Frank M. Rinderknecht makes the hardware and software, which is bound to be outdated quickly, part of the high-wear chassis (“skateboard“) – and separates it from the durable passenger safety cell (“pod”). From now on, they both will go their separate ways – whereby the pod can even be useful when stationary: it can be anything from a variable shopping pod or a spacious camping pod to a cozy cuddling pod and even provide a breathtaking, fully connected user experience for the occupants of the passenger cabin. The sky is here the limit for the possible applications.
The Swiss mobility visionary uses an ingenious trick to disentangle the different lifecycles of various automotive components: The skateboard carries the durable mechanical and the fast-aging IT components. They are recycled after a few years of intensive use once they have reached the end of their design life, while the much less stressed pod is able to remain in service for much longer, before it also must be sent to recycling. This benefits the environment, because it plays a significant role in conserving natural resources.
No question, when it comes to the Snap, the name really says it all, because everything fits together perfectly and can be snapped together. In keeping with a tried and proven tradition, the twenty-fourth concept car from Rinspeed was again designed at Swiss company 4erC and technically executed at Esoro. An extensive study of the Snap ecosystem conducted by EY shows its (virtually) unlimited possibilities. The electric vehicle – as always when Rinderknecht is at work – is chock-full of technical and visual finesse, contributed by a reputable network of global companies. The two steering axles along with the integrated electric powertrain come from ZF. They allow the Snap to turn practically on a dime and produce no emissions in urban traffic. The Snap runs on weight-optimized and stylish 7×18 Borbet alloy wheels shod with tires of size 225/35-18, which are optimized to minimize fuel consumption. By the way, all adhesive bonds in and on the Snap are realized with innovative adhesives from Sika Automotive.
