If you thought Faurecia’s flat-seam stitch was something special, get a load of this hinge seam featured on the new Volkswagen Multivan Alltrack Concept — it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.
The Multivan Alltrack’s seats don a baffling French seam. The top and bottom stitch lines are ordinary, but the center seam doesn’t look stitched at all. In fact, it looks like the fabric is somehow hinged. Here’s a high-resolution photo.
Admittedly, I’m baffled.
Is there thread running through the center of the hinge holding both panels together? If so, what kind of machine can make that stitch and how does it do it? How durable is this seam in comparison to a traditional one? And, most importantly, what’s the purpose of this stitch? Is it strictly aesthetic or is there some other purpose for it?
Round Table Discussion: We’ve reached out to Volkswagen for some answers and we’ll let you know as soon as we hear back. Until then, please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
Warranty issues from day 1. Guaranteed. Raw leather at every 1/4″….come on, you know how it’s going to wear!!
It sure does look pretty. But you’re right, it’ll likely wear quickly. Especially the front seat, which sees a lot of action.
It is probably a welt cord. Fold and stitch cut and weave your cord through it. If it’s leather it should stand up.
Not a fan at all, looks uneven and sits terrible around the corner.
Saying that its something new and I bet it coursed some one a lot of headache!
I doubt it will ever make production
From what I can tell, it doesn’t look like a hinge to me. It looks like each leather flap is flat out and stitched under the other sides top stitch.
I agree with you Jeff. Definitely a hinge type cut, but a cord would make it to bulky.
It will not make it to production but all prtotype cars come with some wild and prototype interiors. I applaud them for pushing the bounderies and I think it looks cool but I agree with Gjudd it does look a little sloppy.
Man hours will keep it from production…..the machine used to cut the notches and the person to fold each flap while holding the welt cord centered is lot of time…..cost of the option may make it available….but that’s “concept”
It’s cut with a clicker and an engineered die, the hinge is then folded. It’s attached with a cord though its probably not welt cord, I don’t think welt cord would have the tensile strength! In a production environment it should be competitive cost wise with other types of assembly.
I would like to applaud the trimmer who had the strength to put something different out there. He opened himself up to praise and criticism. But, new ideas have to start somewhere. Right now the stitch is ripe for
show cars that have little daily use. Perhaps there is a solution out there that can make it more consistent and less prone to wear. There is art in this trade. It is so easy to forget that.