Webasto Light Concept revealed ahead of Geneva

German automotive parts supplier Webasto has given us a preview of its latest concept car just weeks away from its Geneva Motor Show debut. Webasto is a specialist in roof and convertible systems for cars and as such its latest concept features an innovative folding soft-top that adds just 13kg to the weight of a car.

One of the problems of current convertible systems is the added weight and size of the design. Webasto hopes to show that a convertible roof doesn’t need to weigh any more than a simple a stereo system and that it doesn’t have to invade the trunk when folded (the new design neatly stores the roof on top of the trunk lid). Despite its light weight, the roof still includes a heated rear window and provides adequate sound insulation. The design features an innovative honeycomb structure for added strength and is constructed in a process known as compound spray molding, reports Auto Motor und Sport.

The actual concept car was designed by students from Italy’s famed Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), whose task it was to create a modern interpretation of the Fiat 124 Sport Spider from the early 1970s. You can see an image of Webasto’s concept car from last year’s show, a Mercedes CL500 converted to feature a new ‘PanAirama’ roof and convertible folding mechanism, by clicking here.