Chinese grasshopper car...

Yes, more LA Design Challenge madness for you.

Words Neil Briscoe Published 29 November 2013

What's the news?
This is the La Brea, Chinese car maker Chongfeng's entry for the LA Auto Show design challenge, which supposedly mimics grasshoppers in the way it moves about. Presumably not by actually hopping, but, says Chongfeng, by being "capable of running, jumping, climbing, swimming and also the ability to squeeze between narrow openings." To do that, the La Brea also seems to take inspiration from the human muscle system, being made up of semi-rigid intertwining panels and struts that could, theoretically, allow the car to flex and stretch as you needed it to.

Other innovations include a gel-based material for the driver's seat, which can take care of the cooling and heating functions that normally need a bulky, heavy HVAC unit to, get this, holographic EMOJI icons that keep the driver up to date on traffic conditions. All clear ahead? Smiley face...

Anything else?
The La Brea is the work of former General Motors and Suzuki designer Daniel Darancou. It's a heck of a long way from the 1999 Astra, isn't it?

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