“Alpina has always represented a very specific idea of performance and refinement, where speed and comfort are complementary ambitions. Our role as the new custodians of this brand is to preserve this distinctiveness and shape it in a contemporary context.” Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of Design at the BMW Group, presented the Vision BMW Alpina at Villa d’Este on the evening of 15 May at Villa d’Este, a traditional event for the German group.

“For a designer like me, it’s always great to be in Italy, on Lake Como, and admire amazing cars. They are always a source of inspiration, regardless of the era they belong to. Unique vehicles, sometimes truly unrepeatable. For 10-15 years we have been trying to enrich this panorama, to continue the tradition of the Competition by presenting some unique new cars that perhaps in 50 years will be invited to participate again. Recently, as you know, we were able to make some of these unique concept cars, like the BMW Skytop and the Speedtop, which we were able to produce in limited numbers, which was quite special for me as a designer as well, because BMW produces thousands of cars a day. So convincing the company to produce 50 units was a real challenge, but we did it.”

The Vision Alpina concept indicates the stylistic direction of the brand that the BMW Group has recently acquired to include it in its portfolio between its BMW and Rolls Royce brands. Like all Vision concept cars, it will not become a production model as it is, but communicates how the typical Alpina character will evolve into a contemporary, elegant and sophisticated look. Isn’t there a risk of overlapping with BMW and BMW M?

“Alpinas have always been bought by people who like to drive. So there is already a strong overlap with BMW customers in general. The Alpinas were always going faster than a normal BMW, we are talking about 300 kilometers per hour, but from the outside it was not noticeable. So Alpinas attract people who want a fast car, want a sporty driving experience, but don’t go to the track and don’t want to tell the rest of the world that they’ve bought a fast car. The M product is very different, it attracts those who love to go to the racetrack, it is for a customer who loves to show everyone that he has a very fast car. And recently M products have become more and more expressive, with louder colors, more air intakes, spoilers and various elements. Alpina doesn’t do this, it’s another way of understanding driving pleasure. When you acquire a brand with a 60-year history, the first thing you want is that the traditional customers come with you. So we’ve done a lot of talking and meeting with traditional Alpina customers”.

The shapes of the Vision BMW Alpina are dynamic and elegant. How did you manage to make a 5.2-metre-long car look so compact?
“The secret lies above all in the play of light and shadow on the sides. With a few lines we sculpted the volumes, while the design of the front and rear visually reduces the perception of length. The large 22 and 23-inch wheels also help to make the car appear more compact. In practice, on paper it is long, yet in person it does not seem so. But don’t tell the other designers…», van Hooydonk jokes.

The design story of the Vision BMW Alpina will be published in Auto&Design n° 279, July/August 2026.

Forget the classic Ferraris crafted by Italian coachbuilders, the sinuous lines drawn by Pininfarina in the 1950s and 1960s, or the wedge-shaped forms of the following decades. It bears no resemblance even to the creations produced by Ferrari Design, the company’s in-house design center, over its more than 15 years of operation. With the Luce, the watchword is “disruptive.” A new chapter is opening for aesthetic and design research, breaking away from established conventions and as entirely unprecedented as the car itself: the Prancing Horse brand’s first all-electric model and first five-seater, featuring all-wheel drive, four motors, a 122 kWh battery pack, and built on a dedicated platform, with every single component designed in Maranello, where the Luce will be produced in the coming months.

The design, however, originated much further afield, entrusted to the LoveFrom studio led by Jony Ive and Marc Newson, with offices in San Francisco and London—a collective that brings together creatives from various disciplines, ranging from architects to product, graphic, and interaction designers. And the product design approach—rather than an automotive one—is clearly evident on the Luce, in an unexpected silhouette consisting of two parts: a large “glass house” that extends from front to rear, encased in a monolithic aluminum body whose front and rear ends act as floating spoilers. The tall, massive rear volume is striking, emphasized by the 24-inch rear wheels (23-inch front wheels).

“When we received the project brief for a four-door, five-seat electric car, we took on the challenge by choosing to separate the elements,” explained Marc Newson at the unveiling in Rome (who, incidentally, had already worked on an automotive project in the past, the 1999 Ford 021C concept car). “We wanted a spacious passenger compartment that was clearly distinct from the exterior bodywork, and this presented a series of problems to solve, such as the windshield wipers, given that the glass area extends forward all the way to the top of the radiator.” Together with Ferrari’s engineers, a vertical arrangement along the front pillars was devised, which does not significantly disrupt the vehicle’s aerodynamics. “I’d like to dispel the misconception that designers and engineers are always at odds; we, too, have an engineering-oriented approach, and the collaboration to achieve the final result was excellent.” Aerodynamics is precisely one of the aspects on which Ferrari’s specialists worked most intensively, with 6,000 hours of wind tunnel simulations using scale and full-size models—more than double the time dedicated to the Purosangue project at the time, the engineers note.

LoveFrom’s product design approach is best expressed in the interior, in the instrumentation and user interface (the “multigraph” is particularly impressive, with physical hands and a virtual dial that transforms from a clock to a stopwatch to a compass), where physical controls inspired by precision mechanics and digital graphics come together in elements that are deliberately kept—here too – well-separated. A successful way to distinguish the Luce’s “full electric” identity, which is activated by inserting the key—a glass rectangle—into a dedicated compartment in the center console, next to the gear selector, bringing the vehicle to life. Essential information for the driver is housed in a “binnacle” integrated with the steering column so that it remains visible at all times regardless of steering wheel adjustment; this too is a well-designed element in its organization of control modules. The two side paddles are made of anodized aluminum, as are the three spokes that evoke the past without replicating it, much like many of the graphic choices throughout the interior. The control panel is a separate element, mounted at the center of the dashboard on a swivel joint that allows it to be adjusted via a handle at the base, while the overhead control panel housed in the roof lining features an additional set of controls, including Launch Control, which initiates the performance launch procedure.

For Ferrari, however, the key focus was on integration, keeping the driver at the heart of the project and prioritizing functionality. While the results achieved in terms of efficiency are impressive (see the 1,050 horsepower of maximum power), what mattered was not the absolute value of each technical specification but rather how the Luce responds to commands, within a system designed to work in synergy for maximum driving pleasure while always maintaining control of the vehicle. For both the R&D division and industrialization, Ferrari engineers had to tackle uncharted design and manufacturing territory, involving new suppliers and experimenting with solutions and methodologies unprecedented for the company. This know-how goes beyond the Luce experience and is invaluable for future projects.

It is reborn electric and five-door, yet unmistakably Twingo in its shape and cheerful and lively spirit: we tested the new Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric for the first time on the streets of Ibiza, an opportunity to appreciate its pleasant driving even on routes that are not exclusively city. It is precise in steering, efficient in regenerative braking – the “one pedal” function is also available – and reasonably well cushioned for a city car 3.79 meters long and with a wheelbase of 2.49 meters. It offers a single driving mode, but with the possibility of activating the Eco function to further save the already low consumption of the 82 hp engine powered by the LFP battery pack with a capacity of 27.5 kWh.

It immediately catches the eye, and Laurens van den Acker explains why: “At first glance you understand right away that it is a Twingo, the one that everyone has in their hearts: the first generation, with its unmistakable monovolume silhouette, born at a time when Renault was experimenting with new and courageous shapes such as the Scenic and Espace. Bringing that idea to the A-segment was a revolutionary choice, and today that spirit returns in a compact car with balanced proportions, especially with 18″ wheels, and the bold colours such as red, green and yellow enhance its character and presence on the road.”

Looking at it next to the original model, you can immediately recognize that link: it is exactly the image that people associate with the Twingo. Yet, the new version is anything but nostalgic, “it is a different animal, more modern and almost futuristic, capable of looking ahead without losing the soul that made it iconic,” continues the Chief Design Officer of Renault Group, who has his own personal historical relationship with the model: “I remember well when the first Twingo came out in 1992, I was still a student and it was the first time I went to a Renault dealer to test a car. It was a kind of UFO, such an unusual object. Today for me it is a bit like closing a circle.”

So, here is the funniest part of our test: discovering the many design details, from the most obvious to the most hidden, that make this model so captivating and unique in its personality. It starts with the “monospace” silhouette enlivened by the typical “frog eyes”, the protruding arched headlights (a shape also taken up by the charging flap) with a black frame; the rear ones are curious, on which a small fin stands out, “the devil’s little horns”, jokes van den Acker, useful for aerodynamics. The side window seals are hidden, a treatment of considerable refinement on a small economy car, while the rear window with the large frame that also acts as a spoiler is reminiscent of the TV screen of the past.

In the passenger compartment, which can be modulated in space thanks to the two sliding rear seats, the list of well-kept and fun details goes on and on. The dashboard with car-colored insert stands out, a historical yet very modern reference; it is in the same color as the key, also a small design object. On the surfaces – from the roof to the carpets, to the bottom of the storage bin – the characters of the name Twingo break down and reshuffle to become a graphic pattern. It is a very original lettering, made up of symbols that deceive the eye to be read as letters of the alphabet (the G is nothing more than the icon of geolocation).

The container-armrest positioned vertically between the front seats, which opens with a zip like a computer holder, is unexpected. The “lipstick” gear selector (already tested on the recent R5 and R4, the other two “Legendary Icons” created by Renault design) is decorated with colorful graphics. And there is no shortage of messages that welcome users when they open the car: from the writings inserted in the door sills to the slogan mediated by the original Twingo, “À vous d’inventer la vie qui va avec” (invent the life you like), as well as “Ouvert d’esprit” (free spirit), which is discovered by lifting the tailgate. A declaration of intent for a car with an affordable price and all to be interpreted.

The successor to the DS 7, the best-selling model that historically accounts for almost half of the brand’s volumes, changes its name and strategy. It is called DS N°7 and bids farewell to the plug-in hybrid in favor of a purely electric range (with the E-Tense versions offering up to 740 km of autonomy) and mild-hybrid gasoline, without sacrificing a design with a strong connotation, as Gilles Vidal, Head of Design for Stellantis’ European brands, pointed out during a preview:  “The C segment is fundamental, especially for premium SUVs. You have to distinguish yourself, to stand out from the crowd. That extra step was needed. For DS, the mission is to continue to produce stunning charismatic icons.”

Faithful to the aesthetic-formal language of its big sister DS N°8, with its mix of sharp lines and fluid volumes, the N°7 is inspired by the explorations carried out by the design team led by Thierry Metroz with the DS Aero Sport Lounge concept and its “Aerofficiency” theme, particularly in the elegant curvature of the long roofline, further extended by the spoiler above the backlight. “It’s the effective formula to get the best aerodynamic coefficient,” Metroz observes about the Cd of 0.26. “The second advantage of this line is a roomy second row, as well as a large luggage compartment.” The latter boasts a volume of up to 560 liters, depending on the type of engine (and net of any trims, such as the enhanced audio system).

Built – like the DS N°8 – on Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform, with its 4.66 meters in length and a wheelbase of 2.79 meters, the N°7 grows by 7 centimeters compared to the outgoing model (while width and height, respectively 1.90 and 1.63 meters, are practically unchanged) and it is positioned at the heart of the premium compact SUV segment. Visibility to the outside is remarkable, compared to the previous generation, the rear doors see a 30% increase in the surface area of the side windows, while the optional panoramic roof has been expanded by 40%.

ph: ©greg

Advanced on-board technology – from the adaptive Pixelvision headlights to the Level 2 driver assistance system with predictive cruise control, up to the Iris System 2.0 interface with ChatGPT integration – and an even more spacious cabin with sophisticated and exclusive materials complete a proposal with which DS aims to regain ground in the competitive European premium landscape. 89% of the car is “made in Europe”, engines and batteries are produced in France, while assembly takes place in Italy, in the Melfi plant.

In the next issue of Auto&Design, the complete story of the work done by Thierry Metroz and his team at the DS Style Centre – don’t miss it.

“It’s a capable all-rounder that takes you out of your comfort zone. A compact, nimble SUV that expresses the character of new adventures and unlocks the possibilities for an active urban lifestyle”. That’s how Karim Habib introduced the EV2 Concept, unveiled last year in Spain. And the head of Kia Global Design confirms this description now that the model has gone into production: “The initial briefing was to create an affordable EV for those wanting an everyday companion for the city and beyond. The goal was to create an unapologetically desirable entry EV”.

Proposals from all the design centres
The EV2 plays a key role in Kia’s full-electric range. Which is why the project launch involved the brand’s entire international team, namely the design centres in South Korea, California, China and Europe. Everyone came up with at least a couple of proposals. “We were asked to design a car smaller than the EV3, with a length of just over 4 metres, but with plenty of room on board”, says Oliver Samson, head of Kia Europe’s Frankfurt-based studio, who was responsible for the basic exterior styling theme (although he is quick to point out that he found the project there waiting for him when he arrived in April 2024).

The height worked to advantage the designers
The dedicated EV platform made the designers’ task easier: “It allowed us to position the wheels at the extremes, extending the wheelbase as much as possible and thus obtaining more interior space. Part of the architecture is obviously also determined by the presence of the batteries in the floor, which means extra height, but in this case it worked to our advantage because we wanted a decidedly upright body configuration”.

Specific taglines
Samson says the project had to deliver on specific taglines. “One of these was “Picnic in the city“, i.e. the vehicle had to be ideal for exploring the urban environment and driving in traffic, but could also be used as a private space, for having a snack or talking with friends, exploiting the versatility of the interior”. This is confirmed by the numerous storage compartments, some of which are modular (one is refrigerated), the split, sliding rear seat offering more space to passengers or to the luggage compartment, and the smart solutions available once on board.

“Pocket SUV”
Another tagline focused on the concept of “Pocket Suv”: “It had to look rugged and solid, and the vertical architecture helped us a lot. This is evident in the angle of the windscreen as well as in the rear view and the sides. We wanted to avoid overly dynamic elements. Verticality is something you expect in larger SUVs, such as the EV9, and we tried to condense similar features into the EV2 as well”. The result is a two-volume vehicle with a bold stance, wraparound glazing and two prominent wheel arches on to which a cabin with perpendicular walls is grafted.

A tagline for the interior too
The tagline for the interior was based on a proposal from the Korean design centre, “Press pause to play”, as explained by Jochen Paesen, now head of Kia Future Design but at the time of the project responsible for interior design and CMF, the colour and trim division: “That tagline implies that the vehicle is not just for getting from point A to point B, but is part of what happens on the journey, with ample space on board compared to its compact exterior and lots of smart solutions for every situation. An ideal place to be, playful and capable of standing out from other products on the market”.

(Full article in A&D no. 277)

Attached to the January issue of Auto&Design is a special monographic that celebrates ten years of Genesis design, retracing the stylistic evolution of a brand that in just one decade has been able to build a strong and recognizable identity in the global premium scene. A path that today finds a natural extension with the official debut of Genesis on the Italian market, bringing a vision of luxury in which design is not ornament, but substance.

Founded in Seoul in 2015, Genesis is the first high-end automotive brand born in South Korea. At the heart of his approach is the traditional hospitality concept “Son-nim”, which considers the customer as a guest of honour. A principle that translates into a complete, coherent and deeply well-being-oriented premium experience, from the showroom to the product, up to the service. The brand’s identity can be summed up in the “Disruption, Refined” vision: questioning the consolidated codes of the premium segment and shaping change with elegance, respect and awareness. A philosophy that takes shape in the “Athletic-Elegance” design language, the heart of Genesis design. The surfaces are clean, the proportions balanced, the lines taut but never aggressive. The result is a style that constantly dialogues between elegance and athletic character, capable of transmitting dynamism even when the car is stationary, without resorting to formal excesses.

The same attention is found in the interiors, conceived as natural spaces to be experienced. Carefully selected materials – leathers, fabrics and soft surfaces – are combined with a refined management of colors and lights. Every detail, even the least visible, is designed to be pleasant to the touch and contribute to a widespread sense of comfort. Advanced technologies are discreetly integrated, accompanying the experience without ever overpowering it. For the debut in Italy, Genesis offers a range of three 100% electric models: GV60, a compact and sporty C-SUV with a strong stylistic personality; Electrified GV70, elegant and spacious D-SUV; and Electrified G80, a representative sedan that fully expresses the brand’s vision of sober luxury. 

“The arrival of Genesis in Italy is a great opportunity to introduce customers in our country to a new concept of premium experience. From the point of view of the product, certainly, with a range of models that represents the quintessence of Korean quality, but also from the service, from the attention we want to dedicate to the customer throughout the duration of the possession. We Italians are attentive to design and style and certainly with Genesis we have a lot to tell them. A range of products that stands out for its personality and that satisfies in daily use. Great attention to detail and innovations that concretely elevate the user experience.” said Francesco Calcara, President & CEO Genesis Italia.

“I want to challenge your perception of what a luxury brand can be.” Simon Humphries, Chief Branding Officer and head of design in the Toyota group, thus introduces “Discover”, a journey to explore the new aesthetic and formal direction of design for Lexus. The creation of Century – that has become a brand at the peak of the Japanese group – allows for unheard-of explorations for Lexus, that Humphries does not hesitate to define “adventurous and innovative with the explicit goal of helping our customers discover a new luxury lifestyle”.

Luxury sedan
Much more than a declaration of intent: this is demonstrated by the models unveiled by Lexus at the Tokyo Mobility Show, fruit of the joint effort of all Toyota design centres worldwide. Surprising above all others is the LS Concept, a hypothetical flagship model of the marque. Since the first LS was launched, in 1989, the acronym has always meant ‘luxury sedan’, “it was the age in which executive sedans dominated that market segment – now they are fighting a losing battle against SUVs and people desire different experiences”, Humphries explains again.

The changement into a people carrier
And so the LS becomes Luxury Space. With a quantum leap into modernity, the flagship of the range changes into a people carrier dominated by geometrical forms inspired by urban architecture. A living space on wheels (these are actually six, with the rear ones of small diameter to reduce the interior encumbrance and allow an easy on-board access), that opens laterally to teleport the occupants into a private space, a home extension with bamboo walls and mother-of-pearl inlays.

Japan-France collaboration
The request to come up with such a vehicle came directly from Akio Toyoda, chairman of the Toyota group, and whose indications guided the research of the team led by Koichi Suga, general manager of Lexus design, operating in Japan at the Shimoyama technical centre, with the help of the Toyota Europe Design Development (EDD) studio, located near Nice, France, and directed by Lance Scott.

Calty’s concept cars
The other three Lexus novelties in Tokyo – the LS Coupé Concept, the Lexus Sport Concept and the LS Micro Concept – were instead created in collaboration with California. Ian Cartabiano, President of Calty Design Research, Toyota/Lexus Advanced Design, explains how innovation guided each project, starting from the super-identifiable Lexus “spindle grille”. “We designers always try to make it evolve. On the LS Coupé Concept we used light to mark it with highly graphic instances, pushing the day lights to the corners of the front. Personally I also really love the rear view with the lines of the light that frame the tail”, he says whilst indicating the rectangle from where the boot is extracted like a drawer.

A challenge to conventions
The inside offers the space of a luxury sedan furnished with a contemporary taste: “The dashboard is extremely clean, we have avoided the accumulation of screens in favour of a beautiful sculpture”, says Cartabiano. Even here, the environment is made welcoming by the bamboo, a signature material for the new Lexus, sustainable and with an oriental touch. Access is through a dome that slides upward along a diagonal, “we were inspired by a jewellery box”, he concludes.

(Full article in A&D no. 276)

We meet Klaus Zyciora, Vice President and Global Head of Changan Design, at the headquarters of the Design Center Europe in Turin, on the occasion of the Italian launch of the Changan Deepal S05 and S07 models, developed right in the studio that the Chinese group opened in Italy over twenty years ago. He tells us about his experience at Changan. “I joined Changan in October 2023. A little more than two years, although it seems six: in China everything happens at an extraordinary speed. It has been an adventurous and very inspiring journey so far. I am a member of the board, and my first task was to build a large design team within our global creative layout, spread across several countries, with the aim of creating great quality cars. At the same time, I also bring a European perspective on broader issues, such as brand positioning and the development of commercial networks. For me it is a big learning curve, which goes beyond design and touches many other disciplines.”

How is the Changan design center network organized?
“If we look from east to west, we start from Japan, then we have Shanghai with our new Next Lab, then Chongqing, which is the headquarters with about 450 people. In Europe there are Munich, with Avatr Design, and Turin, which is one of our largest hubs, with about 320 professionals. Overall, the network is extremely international: people of over 30 different nationalities work with us. It is a huge added value and shows how Changan has long understood the strategic importance of design.”

Changan operates several brands. What is their identity?
“Electrification and digitalisation have opened up new mobility territories and attracted new technological players. Changan, however, is also one of the oldest OEMs: founded in 1862, it entered private mobility in the early Eighties and has already delivered over 30 million vehicles worldwide. In this context, brands must reinvent themselves. Avatr is our most advanced brand in terms of vision: it is positioned as “Emotional Luxury”, with a strong focus on hi-end technology, connectivity, ADAS and construction solutions such as gigacasting. They are highly iconic and emotional cars, developed in Munich under the leadership of Nader Faghihzadeh, in close collaboration with Huawei and CATL. Deepal, born in 2022, is a young, technological and highly commercially successful brand. It already has a wide portfolio – sedans, SUVs, of different sizes and configurations – and is particularly appreciated by an under-30, tech-savvy audience, looking for fresh and distinctive products. Finally, Nevo is the mass-market brand: balanced proportions, a good mix of dynamism and functionality. Here too we are talking about very recent products. The Nevo A06 sedan, for example, sold 30,000 units in the first months, thanks to a very competitive value proposition, based on the new SDA platform, great roominess and high safety standards.”

Where are the cars designed?
«Avatr is mainly developed in Munich, while Deepal and Nevo were born mainly in China and here in Turin. But the key point is the continuous collaboration between the style centers: we exchange concepts, ideas and visions. This internal competition, which I have experienced throughout my career, is extremely healthy and leads to better results.”

What are the sources of inspiration for these brands?
“They are global, but always adapted to individual markets. One of the features that sets Changan apart from Western OEMs is the huge focus on the voice of the customer. In China, there are digital platforms that allow a continuous exchange between customers, engineers, service and management, up to the highest levels. Feedback on an OTA feature or update comes in real-time, and changes are implemented within hours. It’s an approach based on agility and speed.”

Would a similar model be possible in Europe, given privacy regulations?
«I think it is above all a question of cultural approach. In compliance with regulations, it is also possible to build platforms for direct dialogue with the customer in Europe. It is something that we also want to export to foreign markets: today, in many countries, you buy a car and the relationship with the brand is practically interrupted. We want a continuous connection.

Design development times are getting shorter everywhere. What is the situation like in Changan?
“The speed is partly due to a greater commitment: in China people work more, with fewer days off. But digital tools and work distributed over time zones also count a lot, which makes the activity almost continuous. Then there is a fundamental generational factor: the average age of engineers, designers and managers is very low, around 25-26 years old. They are digital natives, they work immediately, everything happens in parallel. It’s a very different approach from Europe, and I personally find it exciting.”

What is Changan’s vision for the future?
“We want to offer attractive, high-quality mobility to customers all over the world. The role of design will grow further, because technology is becoming more and more complex and opaque, almost a “black box”. Design is what makes this complexity understandable and desirable. In China, moreover, the relationship with the car is very different: the car is also a living space, a mobile living room. Users customize it, add objects, take care of materials, air quality, comfort, atmospheres. This radically changes the way we design. And this is where design becomes central in defining the mobility experience of the future.”

In the global car design landscape, China is no longer merely following established models but is asserting its own design language. This maturation process was at the heart of the International Automotive Design Forum, organized by Geely Design and held in December within the striking setting of the Shanghai Golden Furnace — a former industrial site transformed for the occasion into an auditorium and multiple exhibition spaces. In a carefully curated, contemporary display, Chinese art artifacts, research on graphic patterns, and projects from transportation design schools came together, offering a broad and coherent vision of the evolution of Chinese automotive design.

Under the theme “Chinese Design – Global Aesthetics”, Forum 2025 also marked the presentation of the third edition of the White Paper on Research of Chinese Automotive Design Discourse System, in collaboration with academic and industrial partners. The event reflects the synergy between Geely Automotive Group, Geely Talent Development Group, the Geely Innovation Design Institute, and Geely University, combining research, education, and innovation to define the guiding principles of Chinese automotive design.

Highlighting the role of design as the primary interpreter of the brand, Chen Zheng, Vice President of Geely Automotive Group, opened the workshop with these words: “Authentic Chinese design must be rooted in its cultural origins, define an original value proposition, and develop distinctive characteristics. The roots lie in the unique cultural genes of each region; the value proposition arises from the principles expressed by that context; and the characteristics emerge through the product’s functional logic and aesthetic language. Only the integration of these three elements allows for a coherent, complete Chinese design that unites thought and practice.”

Among the research showcased at Forum 2025 were the Nine Guiding Principles of Geely Design, conceived as a value compass to unify creativity, methods, and standards, and Chinese Color – Geely Qing, a project that systematically explores China’s color heritage to integrate color as a foundational element of automotive design language. Complementing these were Geely Patterns and China Radius, which translate traditional Chinese symbols, craftsmanship, and aesthetic concepts into contemporary design specifications, giving the products a deep and recognizable cultural identity.

A key contribution also comes from the research on the “Chinese Comfortable Cockpit” experience, developed in collaboration with Hunan University. This initiative introduces the first cockpit dimension system specifically designed for the Asian body type, overcoming the limitations of Western standards and redefining comfort as a concept centered on the car serving the human body, aimed at preventing compensatory postures. Completing the picture is the Geely Galaxy Typeface, a proprietary font that integrates Chinese aesthetic principles with Western alphabetic structure, reinforcing the coherence of the brand experience.

The International Automotive Design Forum also serves as a platform for dialogue between leading academics and international industry experts, following an advanced model of industry-research integration. This journey began in 2023 with the 10th anniversary of Geely Design, under the theme “Good Design: The Power to Change the World”, when the first edition of the White Paper on Research of Chinese Automotive Design Discourse System was presented. That document laid the theoretical foundations of Chinese automotive design, marking a shift from a purely industrial manufacturing logic to a broader vision of “industrial civilization.”

The path continued in 2024, again in Shanghai, with the forum “Chinese Design – Global Aesthetics” and the second edition of the White Paper. This evolution integrated theory and practice, strengthening the research system and proposing design solutions that combine global perspective with Eastern wisdom. It represents a crucial step in the transformation from “Made in China” to “Designed by China”, with the declared ambition of influencing the aesthetics and values of contemporary automotive design.

“The mission of this project? To transform a hero into a superhero.” This is how Laurens van den Acker encapsulates the Renault design team’s approach to the sixth generation of the Clio, launched at the Munich Motor Show. A pivotal model and historic success for the French manufacturer, with over 17 million units sold worldwide since the first series hit the market in 1990. “We pushed for sportiness, an even more emotional design, technology, and diverse powertrains. Above all, however, it had to remain a Clio.”

Sportiness and technology
This premise explains the sculpted silhouette, featuring a steeply raked rear window that evokes a coupé, a front end with a grille thrust forward to cleave the air, and concave and convex surfaces that create visual tension, seeming to capture light to accentuate its dynamism. This strong dose of sportiness is complemented by a transformed role for technology, continues Renault Group’s Chief Design Officer: “For a long time, it was an almost invisible presence, considered a complication.”

The charm of contrasts
“Today, technology – continues Van den Acker – is seen as an aid that simplifies life, connecting you with the world; it needed to be made visible and celebrated. This gives rise to the dichotomy between the car’s sculptural, sensual appearance and the technology that, when encountered in the light clusters or dashboard, has a precise, sharp look. From this contrast between craftsmanship and technology, between past and future, reason and emotion, the new Clio’s appeal and strength are born. We know cars are becoming increasingly expensive, so we must offer customers new reasons to buy.”

Vision inspired by the cycle of life
Since he joined Renault in 2009, the French manufacturer has initiated a profound stylistic revolution, rethinking the entire range according to a vision inspired by the cycle of life and its universal values: love, family, leisure time, Van den Acker reminds us. “This philosophy gave birth to models with a strong and immediately recognizable character, especially in the front-end design.”

“Design à vivre”
“With the arrival of Luca de Meo in 2020, the brand took another leap forward: with his non-dogmatic approach, he asked us for more personality, innovation, and a visual language capable of creating authentic connections. The concept of ‘design à vivre’ took shape, where style becomes a means to tell stories of experiences and connections, not just to design cars. This led to the maturity of the latest generation of models, such as Rafale, Symbioz, and, indeed, this new Clio.”

Legendary and Future Icons
Renault’s design strategy therefore continues on a dual track: “On one side, the Legendary Icons, like the R4, R5, and new Twingo, which reinterpret our past classics in a contemporary key, and on the other, what we call Future Icons, like the Clio. It’s on these that we can surprise, explore, and offer answers to those who prefer more progressive design.”

(Full article in A&D no. 275)