One of the more versatile concepts to come out of last year's Geneva Motor Show was the Magna Steyr MILA Coupic. The concept used a unique retractable fastback-style roof to facilitate a three-for-one: convertible, sporty crossover and pick-up car. For this year's show, Magna Steyr packaged the concept in a more realistic skin, equipping the View Top roof to the Peugeot RCZ.
Magna Steyr isn't really a household name to those that don't follow the industry closely, but the Austrian contract manufacturer works with many of the world's largest auto manufacturers in building components, systems and complete vehicles. One such vehicle is the Peugeot RCZ, which Magna Steyr has built more than 50,000 examples of.
"The inspiration for this concept car stems from Magna Steyr’s MILA concept series, which demonstrates the unique product design and engineering capabilities that we can deliver to customers," explained Günther Apfalter, President Magna Steyr. "We are excited to take our original View Top design concept and bring it closer to reality by showcasing it as a concept on a sports car production vehicle."
An industrialized successor to last year's MILA Coupic roof, the sliding View Top is a mix of glass panels and textile material. It extends from the windshield all the way back to the trunk lid. It opens to the rear, stacking the glass panels one atop another on the rear shelf. The process takes just 12 seconds and the stacked roof measures less than 8 inches (200 mm) high. It doesn't interfere with the two rear passengers any more than the RCZ itself already does.
Magna Steyr chose the Peugeot in part to showcase how the View Top roof could seamlessly adapt to a vehicle's existing shape. The curved glass panels maintain the RCZ's typical round, double-bubble rear window and arched roof line.
Magna Steyr does not mention production plans for the View Top, so it's unclear if Peugeot has any plans to commission it for a convertible variant of the RCZ.
Source: Magna Steyr
