One of the many unusual concept cars on display at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show is called the Kangaroo, which Italy’s GFG Style describes as a “hyper-SUV.” Founded in 2015, the Turin-based design company is relatively unknown, but it does have two famous names behind it: Automotive Hall-of-Famer Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son, Fabrizio.
At first glance, the GFG Style Kangaroo follows in the footsteps of most other supercar concept designs: wide and low-slung, with 22-inch wheels and just two seats beneath the glass canopy. But special adjustable hydraulic suspension is said to give the car the ability to transition between sports car and off-roader stances, with ride heights able to vary from 5.5 inches in “Racing” mode to 10.2 inches in “Off-Road” mode. The car’s front splitter can retract in the latter setting to improve approach angles on rough terrain. As a result, GFG Style says the Kangaroo can be used on any surface, from pavement to sand to mud.
Sure, it looks like a low-slung supercar, but adjustable suspension can apparently turn this into a “hyper-SUV.”
Andrew Hoyle/Roadshow
Like many similar supercar concepts, the Kangaroo is designed around an aluminum space frame with carbon-fiber bodywork. Its doors open upwards, in tandem with hatch-like openings in the roof, and unique styling touches include turn-signal lights embedded in the giant mesh grilles at the back of the car.
Motivation comes from two electric motors, each of which is rated at 180 kilowatts or 241 horsepower, with combined output listed at 482 hp and 501 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel steering helps make for a tighter turning radius, too. The powertrain and chassis were developed in partnership with CH Auto, a “professional automotive R&D service company” from Beijing. A 90-kilowatt-hour battery pack is said to give a driving range of more than 280 miles on a charge.
Multiple screens dominate the car’s interior design.
Andrew Hoyle/Roadshow
The inside of the GFG Style Kangaroo features cupholders that can apparently accommodate cans of Fanta (good to know), and three screens. The first is an ultrawidescreen setup atop the dash that serves as the rear-view mirror, showing output from a rear-facing camera. The second serves as the car’s instrument cluster, and the third is mounted on the center stack to control infotainment and navigation functions. The dash features aluminum accents breaking up its orange leather.
We look forward to seeing what becomes of the GFG Style Kangaroo, especially as the company says it plans to show off a version wearing tracks so that it is “usable for fun on impervious snow-covered terrains.” As for seeing the Kangaroo enter production? Well, we’re not exactly holding our breath.