The combination of these technologies, which is unique to Alstom, contributed to the performance of the train which set the world rail speed record on 3 April 2007.
Once the mix of technologies to be used on the AGV had been determined, the next step was to work on the train’s form. The initial sketches of the AGV were drawn in keeping with the guidelines laid down in the project’s technical specifications. The train’s external appearance was to be influenced by designs drawn from the field of aerospace, and specifically military fighter aircraft, which epitomise high speed.
In early 2005, Alstom Transport’s team of 20 designers and model artists came up with four alternative design concepts, which already sketched out the outlines of the now familiar powerful appearance of the AGV. The train’s sharply drawn out features instantly project an appearance of futuristic high speed. In a bid to cut development times and costs, Alstom drew inspiration from the process design methods used in industries with short product cycles, such as the car industry. The AGV was almost completely designed, from start to finish, using digital design tools, which enabled Alstom to save on the costs of creating physical mock-ups. In 2005, the first mock-up of the train was showcased at the Eurailspeed trade fair in Milan, Italy. Its design was subsequently fine-tuned and developed until it was finalised in mid-2006.
With its combination of clean lines, fluid forms and structured volumes, the final design of the AGV projects simplicity and power. The front end of the train, with its Alstom badge, epitomises the personality of the train. Looked at head on, the front of the AGV appears to have been cast in one piece, and with its twin dual lights and huge canopy, it clearly evokes the cockpits of fighter aircraft. The train’s broad shoulders, marked out by the air deflectors on the bogies, and its long nose, are characteristic elements of its appearance. The AGV is not only impressive in terms of its shape, it is also highly glamorous. 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, underscores the train’s pedigree of cutting-edge technology.