A case in point is Italdesign Giugiaro’s Clipper MPV concept car, which was unveiled last week at the Geneva Motor Show. The four-wheel drive, six-seater with fully independent all-electric drive sports a design that's based on a study of future cities, and is billed by the maker as a “veritable automotive research design lab.”

 

At first glance, the Clipper doesn't look like much to write home about. Its very understated lines would almost be conventional if it weren't for the lack of a grille and the fact that the wing mirrors have been replaced by camera stalks. Based on the MQB modular platform developed by the Volkswagen Group and seating six in three rows of two, it’s deliberately functional with a layout designed to make the most of the interior space, which ended up as an exercise in putting as many passengers as possible into a not very large car.