JAC Vision IV concept

The Vision IV is the latest concept from the Turin-based design team of JAC and showcases both a hybrid powertrain and a new A-segment chassis that houses a lithium ion battery in the center tunnel. The styling is meant to convey both a sense of 'natural electricity' and the fluid, natural strokes of Chinese calligraphy, best expressed in the wavy beltline, the blade line linking the shoulder to the sill, the rear door shutline and the wave movement across the front header area that separates the screen from the solar roof panel.

The three-plane front has a short hood, widely-spaced LED lamps and simple closed grille with acrylic cover, while the small range-extender petrol engine is cooled by the lower intake slot. Seen in the flesh, the design has a confident European stance to it, helped by the 19-inch wheels but the design of grilles and lamps is done in a purely 2D way, and would have benefited from a little more 3D treatment to add some refinement. "The program was tight, we just started in November and had to freeze the design within a few weeks," commented Design Director Lou Tik.

The interior design is a mix of fluid, sculpted surfaces and technical structures with 3D graphics, best seen in the center console that is comprised of a series of vanes illuminated by a deep blue light that indicates the vehicle charge status. The wave-like flow theme is continued in lines across the passenger upper IP, while the driver displays are housed in a deeply curved OLED screen. The mushroom beige front seats are suspended from the center tunnel, with the deeply scooped rear seat riding over the tunnel in a wave saddle-like movement.

Overall, we liked the Vision IV, and JAC appears to be maturing its design capability nicely. And this maturity is evidenced in sales too: although it's still a small player in China, sales growth is amongst the fastest - up 111 percent last year to 123,000.