Italdesign Quintessenza Is A Piece Of Italian Overlanding Art

Italdesign has unveiled a bold electric concept at the Beijing Auto Show called the Quintessenza. Meant to represent a significant step forward in modern-day automotive design, the concept aims to create a deeper connection with humanity and the natural world by way of a high-riding off-road sedan perfect for your next scenic getaway or the protagonist’s vehicles in the next futuristic film by Zack Snyder.

These futuristic renderings are par for the course for Italdesign, as the company routinely unveils painfully cool concepts that only ever see an auto show or two, or never see the light of day at all. Ever since the company released the limited-run GT-R 50, we’ve been yearning for another limited series by the company, and we wouldn’t be too upset if it took the form of this awesome 2024 Toyota Crown sedan on steroids.

Futuristic Italian Overlanding

The design house wanted the vehicle to embody the Italian concept of la dolce vita – the sweet life – by offering a vehicle that caters to both the practical needs of urban life and the desire for adventure and connection with nature. The company says the vehicle represents the duality of man, but really, we think it’s speaking to the current human desire to escape without having to forgo the comfort and luxury we’ve grown too used to.

The vehicle has the sleek lines of a GT influenced by a rally car and an Australian ute. The front end looks ready to pounce with bold aero and aggressive styling, while the rear is more reserved, hiding a secret once the top hatch is removed. When this back glass is ditched, you’re left with either a pickup bed or rear-facing seating. We love how clean the design still looks with or without the glass, and it makes us wish one company would still make something like the Subaru Baja here in the US.

Since these are just renderings, there’s no real mention of performance, but the company does say the design is built on a 150 kWh battery with three electric motors, which is more than enough power to do the concept justice.

An Interior Built For The User

Inside, the Quintessenza is a haven for modern minimalism. There are quite a few converging lines, but overall the look is clean and premium looking. There is an obvious focus on the driving experience, as all other controls are neatly tucked away on a few surfaces that don’t pop out the same way the yoke steering wheel does. Italdesign emphasizes that the concept utilizes an innovative user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design that seamlessly integrates the navigation with its occupants’ surroundings, providing real-time information and guidance in a way that feels “intuitive” and “organic”. Buzzwords anyone?

By far the best part of the entire design is the awesome tent setup that integrates neatly into the rear of the sedan, much like the one the Pontiac Aztek innovated, and the Cybertruck underdelivered. We think the success of one’s concept off-roading sedan/pickup depends solely on how cool the tent setup is, and for that reason alone, we hope some company decides to take this ridiculous thing to market.