Patac 'ALAS' (action life activity sedan) aka 'Chiang Yi'

PATAC (Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center Co., Ltd) is a little known Engineering and Design Center with 30-35 designers near central Shanghai that was established in 1997 to support GM's marketing strategy in China. This year the studio has come into its own by unveiling a totally fresh and intelligent concept car for the Shanghai Auto show called ALAS, action life activity sedan, or Chiang Yi, which means 'happy driving experience' in Chinese. ALAS is 100% designed in China, inspired by a combined East and West design theme (see our extended Shanghai report coming soon). From the inside out ALAS is full of contrasts mostly inspired by RU YI, which is a Chinese kind of swoosh sign, echoed in the roof line and the center console on the inside.

This mini-crossover is a mix of multi-activity vehicle and today's status symbol in China, the sedan. The emphasis was on incorporating what the designers had been immersing themselves in: how to visually express Chinese design and culture on an international level of style and quality. A tough task for designers, Ning Huang, Chenwei Gao, and Elsia Su led by a veteran of corporate automotive design, Mr. Riaz Sherazee.

source: www.businessweek.com / www.cardesignnews.com