Rover’s future product design thinking is embodied within the lines of the
Rover TCV (Tourer Concept Vehicle), which forms one of the central attractions
on the company’s stand at the Paris Motor Show. Painted in Monogram Nocturne
Blue Supertallic – one of twenty exclusive colours available to all Rover and MG
customers.
TCV is shown as an external full size model, with the ability to house
ingenious interior. It has been created to show the company’s styling and design
vision for its new vehicles. Although this concept is innovative and
free-thinking, it has been designed for genuine production feasibility.
Recent developments in world car markets reflect a growth in new categories
of cars, such as MPVs, van-based estate cars and various ‘cross-over’ hybrid
vehicles. The Rover TCV demonstrates a new way of combining luxury, style and
driving enjoyment with exceptional practicality and adaptability.
Summing up the TCV project, Rob Oldaker, MG Rover Group product development
director, said: "This concept car gives a strong indication of the way that our
Design team, headed by Peter Stevens, is developing a bold new personality for
Rover. The TCV shows the kind of all-round versatility and luxury that we
believe a Rover should offer. Judging by the response awarded the car in Geneva,
we’re most heartened by the positive reception TCV has produced."
As a starting point, the TCV fulfils the normal Tourer role - a stylish
modern ‘lifestyle’ estate car with a roomy five-passenger cabin.
Key features include:
A highly adaptable seating plan - the three rear seat squabs all fold
individually to lie flush with the normal rear load floor, and the front
passenger seat squab also folds to this plane. This allows several combinations
of passengers and loads, and any folded seats can also be used in ‘table-top’
mode for business or leisure purposes. Very long items of up to 3.1 metres can
be accommodated. The centre rear seat squab can be replaced with various
‘slot-in’ modules, including a child seat, an entertainment centre, a
fridge/food warmer or a business desktop unit.
To cope with the practical side of life, an ingenious dual configuration for
the rear loadspace area has been developed. In addition to a special hatch door
hinged well forward to give excellent access to the loadspace, the lower bumper
section also hinges open, revealing a large secure box-shaped underfloor stowage
compartment for a host of associated items. Current and future developments in
puncture management (Instant Mobility Systems and run-flat tyres) will
inevitably render the spare wheels redundant.
For even greater versatility, the main load floor is designed so that it can
be removed from the normal position and stowed on the floor of the lower
compartment, thus creating an exceptionally deep cargo space with full-depth
access from the rear. One packaging objective was to stow a normal front-loading
washing machine in the upright position. Rover’s rationale for this was not to
create a dedicated washing machine ‘delivery van’, but to provide a universally
recognisable demonstration of TCV’s remarkable flexibility.
To help with the loading and removal of bulky and heavy items, the lower
drop-down bumper has been engineered to form a flush loading platform when open.
Having such a ‘basement-level’ load floor reduces physical effort and gives the
lowest possible centre of gravity for the installed load, to minimise its effect
on vehicle handling.
TCV has also been designed with extra ground clearance, appropriate wheels
and tyres, robust finishes for the lower body and wheel arches, and can
accommodate advanced traction control technology. Adding further to the outdoor
lifestyle benefits of TCV, are the special longitudinal ‘Alpine Light’ windows
set into the roof panel.
