Swiss Rinspeed Senso with Natural Gas Porsche Engine

If, upon turning to this page, you thought for a second you had inadvertently picked up a copy of the Flying Saucer Digest instead of Green Car Journal, you’d be forgiven. The Rinspeed Senso blurs the line between green cars and little green men.

The Senso is much more than a study in outlandish design. Rinspeed, the Swiss automotive design shop widely known for its wild Porsche conversions and concept cars, is rethinking the entire driving experience. This car responds to its driver, but not just in terms of handling dynamics or throttle response. Lights in the driver’s field of view change color according to the driver’s mood, interior paneling fills the whole cockpit with ambient light, the stereo emits specially composed sounds, scents emanate from the ventilation system, and electric motors in the driver’s seat vibrate if the system senses that a driver is drowsy.

How does the Senso do it? An elaborate array of sensors – including a biometric Polar watch to measure the driver’s pulse and a camera that records driving behavior such as lane changes and proximity to other cars – all feed into a kind of digital central nervous system. This central computer uses special algorithms to evaluate the driver’s state of mind and responds accordingly with various sensory stimuli. All this is intended to keep the driver relaxed and alert while driving.

The Senso promises to be a responsive performer in the traditional sense as well. A lightweight body made of fully recyclable composite materials sits atop a custom-built chassis that can be adjusted for ride height and firmness. The 3.2-liter, 250 horsepower flat-6 is pulled from the Porsche Boxster S, in this case modified to run on both gasoline and natural gas. Power is routed through a six-speed manual transmission to the rear axle, turning 19-inch wheels that are an inch wider than those up front.

This car’s natural gas capability is a nod to the environmental concerns of the21st century, but the exterior design seems geared toward drivers in the 22nd. Rinspeed claims the interplay between smooth curves and sharp edges evokes industrial architecture, but we’re not sure which buildings they’re talking about. Nevertheless, the seating arrangement with the driver in the center and two passengers behind allows for exceptional driver visibility. That, combined with the Senso’s concern for its driver’s condition and its clean-burning engine, makes for a surprisingly responsible concept vehicle.

Despite the merit of some of these ideas, the Senso premiered on the inter-national auto show circuit as pure fantasy. In other words, don’t expect any Senso sightings around the neighborhood anytime soon.