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A train designed for the future
Designed for very high speed, the AGV is influenced by the laws of aerodynamics
The first design sketches of the AGV were drawn to meet the guidelines in the project’s technical specification. Inspiration was to come from the world of aerospace, and especially from military fighter aircraft - the absolute expression of very high speed. In early 2005, when the design was chosen, Alstom’s team of 20 designers and model artists came up with four different concepts and already, the powerful outlines of the AGV were becoming obvious.
Using car industry design processes
The train’s sharply drawn out features instantly convey the vision of tomorrow’s very high speed travel. In order to cut development times and costs, Alstom used the process design methods from industries with short product cycles, such as the car industry. From start to finish, the AGV was almost completely designed using digital design tools.
‘Alstom’ branded front end
The final design of the AGV conveys both simplicity and power, with its combination of clean lines, fluid forms and structured space. The front end of the train, with its Alstom badge, almost embodies by itself the train’s ‘personality’. Head on, the front of the AGV, in a single piece with twin dual lights and a huge canopy, clearly evokes the cockpits of fighter aircraft.
Aerodynamics-influenced design
The train’s broad shoulders, marked out by the air deflectors on the bogies, and its long nose, are characteristic elements of its appearance. With an impressive shape, the AGV is a very handsome looking train. Designed specifically to achieve very high speeds, the AGV’s appearance has been dictated by the laws of aerodynamics. The livery of the first prototype, in metallic grey and deep blue, emphasise the train’s pedigree: cutting-edge technology.