Since its creation in 1919, Citroën has been a brand recognized for its continuous technological innovations. Some of its milestones include the development of the front wheel drive and hydropneumatic suspension. But there were also many others that did not come to light.
The French brand was the first to digitally design a vehicle: the Citroen Éolea prototype that was also characterized by being the first connected car in the sector.
While it may not seem surprising today, the Éole was built in 1985 and presented a year later at the Geneva Motor Show. And not only has it set a trend to be the first machine with a computer real, it was also a revolutionary in terms of design.
The car that set the trend
Citroën called it Éole in reference to Aeolus, god of all winds. And not least, since his aerodynamic figure offered the least resistance to the wind.
The vehicle was based on success Citroen CXbut the bodywork had been redesigned in such a way as to reduce the drag coefficient (Cx). almost half (0.19).
They were in charge of making a vehicle that anticipated the future roberto oproncreator of the Citroën CX and renowned for its disruptive designs, and the Nordic Carlo Olsen. They were also innovative because they designed the vehicle using an unconventional method at the time: digital.
This technological solution allowed the car to be ready in a few weeks, since by combining the base of the production CX with the digital design of the Éola, used fewer scale models.
Although it had some resemblance to the CX, especially in the decline at the rear, the bodywork had such a fairing hidden the wheels and that it was able to turn simultaneously with the direction thanks to a complex hydraulic system.
interior of another planet
The best was in the cockpit, whose habitability seemed to be enhanced by the huge glass surface that covered it. There were as many buttons and keys in that study as there were in the cabin of an airplane. Also an new removable CD player with a tablet or iPad design, which allowed the user to continue using it anywhere.
For their part, the rear passengers had a computer between the seats with two joystick-like controls and a small screen – the largest size available at the time – to play games. video game.
Mechanically, the concept was equipped with the engine 2.5-liter 138 hp of the Citroën CX GTi. Furthermore, the brand has used this prototype to develop and test its latest advances in hydropneumatic suspension.
The Éole never saw the light of day because it required so much technology that its price tag would have been ridiculous. However, it was the spearhead for changing the way a vehicle was produced.
Source: Clarin
