Retaining consistency even at times of seismic change and transformation has always been a signature feature of Mazda, a brand which over the years has managed to innovate and reinvent itself while keeping a tight grip on its identity. The transition towards an era that will inevitably be more “electric”, as well as towards a truly global market presence, represents a new chapter in which creativity and that very same proverbial consistency will be truly put to the test. The CX-6e embodies the vision of this delicate transition.

Purest vision form
It is not Mazda’s first fully electric car, nor even the first created on the back of the fruitful collaboration  with Chinese partner Changan, which has already produced the Mazda 6e saloon: but whereas the latter, the spiritual successor to the Mazda6, had to carry forward a legacy while introducing many new elements, with the CX-6e the team led by Jo Stenuit, Design Director at Mazda Motor Europe, has been able to give shape to its vision of the near future in its purest form.

Bolder and progressive
Designed at the European style centre in collaboration with the Japanese team, the CX-6e was conceived as a global project, though targeting primarily the Chinese and European markets. “It was important to create a design strong enough for both markets”, explains Jo Stenuit. “Chinese customers often expect a more futuristic and technological design language, which is why the car is more “edgy”, bolder and more progressive than what people normally expect from Mazda”.

Emotions and experiences reinterpreted
This intention is apparent first and foremost in the proportions, those of a mid-to-large Suv that highlights the sporty nature without over-stating it, evoking cues inspired by European grand tourers, with a long bonnet and an interior that seems to taper towards the rear, athletic yet graceful. And without any desire to imitate a specific model, as Bahram Partaw, Lead Exterior Designer, points out: “What interests us is the feeling an object manages to generate. We always try to capture an emotion or an experience and reinterpret it through our own design language. The CX-6e is clearly futuristic and technological, yet it retains elegance and a grand tourer spirit through its almost coupé-like proportions”.

A tauter language
An approach that is immediately apparent in the closed front end, the most radical ever created by Mazda, with its suspended light signature and the clean design that breaks with many conventions of the past. While continuing to pursue the fundamental principles of Kodo Design, the CX-6e introduces “a tauter, sharper and more technological language that pushes Kodo into territories we had never ventured into before”, Partaw continues.

The catamaran as a source of inspiration
The result is a silhouette that remains elegant and visually light while conveying presence and solidity. The quest for this balance stems from an unusual source of inspiration: the catamaran. “For me, it perfectly represents the relationship between power and lightness”, explains the designer. “When you’re looking for a strong road presence, you usually end up creating heavy volumes. We, on the other hand, wanted to maintain a sense of elegance and slenderness”.

(Full article in A&D no. 279)

The Spanish brand’s new compact electric pushes the boundaries of automotive design, opening up an entirely new interplay between additive technology and sensory perception. Jorge Díez, Chief Design Officer, and Francesca Sangalli, Head of Colour & Trim at Cupra, take us inside a cabin conceived as a manifesto for sustainability and emotional engagement.

Identity and formal attitude
Jorge Diez reflects on how the brand’s identity is bound up with its geographical roots: “In designing the Cupra Raval, aligning with Spanish culture was essential. We are intrinsically more emotional and expressive; when you bring the soul of a country to bear on a car, something authentic emerges. We are not after a static or restful design: we want a formal tension that speaks to the ambition of pushing boundaries, the hallmark of a young brand unconstrained by a long history.”

A reverse path
That determination is written into a silhouette that defies the physical limitations and roof lines typically dictated by electric platforms. “From an engineering standpoint, we worked hard on the proportions”, continues Díez. “The production Raval sits 48 millimetres lower than the Urban Rebel Showcar, which runs counter to standard industry practice. To achieve an aggressive, muscular silhouette we worked on the lower body surfaces, introducing cladding defined by a taut, angular line that lends visual stability and a purposeful stance within a compact footprint.”

The triangle motifs
The Raval’s visual language is governed by iconic geometric motifs. “We wanted a signature that was recognisable from a distance,” says the Chief Design Officer. “Where the square conveys solidity and is suited to SUVs, and the circle reads as friendlier, we chose the triangle as the brand’s defining element. For us, the headlights are the eyes of the car, and we sought a humanistic approach inspired by muscular anatomy: when they activate, the illumination starts from the inside outwards, as if the car were waking up.”

Aerodynamics solutions
Aerodynamic efficiency is woven in as a sculptural opportunity too. “Managing airflow is always a complex challenge,” admits Díez. “We integrated solutions such as the rear spoiler, which creates graphic tension whilst optimising flow separation, and the front air intakes that channel airflow through the wheel arches. The wheels feature enclosed lenticular surfaces to reduce turbulence. We have kept the emotional character of Cupra’s DNA intact, delivering a car with a total range of 446 kilometres.”

A three-dimensional cabin
The dynamism of the exterior finds its answer in an interior layout designed to wrap around the driver. Francesca Sangalli describes the development of the cabin: “Everything orbits around the architecture of the cockpit, conceived to enclose and focus the driver’s attention. When you design a driver-oriented dashboard to communicate control, the materials have to follow that logic. On the Raval we established a material hierarchy: the upper section of the dashboard is soft, whilst the lower section is structural, rigid, and dominated by parametric patterning.”

(Full article in A&D no. 279)

Denza’s arrival on the European market is a direct challenge to the luxury paradigms that have taken hold on the Old Continent. We discuss this with Stella Li, Vice President of BYD – the group the Denza brand belongs to – and Wolfgang Egger, Head of Design of BYD.The Denza Z9GT stands as the ambassador of this revolution, a vehicle that does not seek to imitate the past, but to invent a future where technology is the primary source of elegance.

Creative synthesis
Wolfgang Egger heading up design means that Denza is guaranteed an aesthetic and styling language familiar to Europeans, whilst retaining a deeply innovative technological spirit. The choice of the “shooting brake” silhouette for the Z9GT is the result of this cultural fusion. “In the Denza, we do not view design and engineering as two separate or conflicting worlds”, explains Egger. “Quite the contrary, we see them as a single, unified expression of the principle that technology drives elegance. The Z9GT reflects this philosophy perfectly”.

Functional environment
As for the human-machine interface (HMI), an immersive, intuitive system has been developed for the Denza, dominated by a floating central display and a dedicated passenger screen, designed for natural interaction. The stated aim is to create an environment that is not only functional but capable of offering a relaxing, deeply contemporary experience.

Vertical integration as a competitive edge
While many manufacturers work with third-party companies for technologies and components, one of Denza’s strengths lies in its total control of the value chain. This approach translates into a fluid driving and user experience that Stella Li identifies as the true watershed compared to the competition. “The Denza Z9GT is the most advanced embodiment of our philosophy of vertical integration, brought to life under the banner of technological elegance. What makes it profoundly different is the level of systemic integration”. However, the European market has been tied historically to the concept of heritage and prestige associated with established brands. To compete in this context, Denza does not aim to replicate the language of traditional luxury, but to offer an alternative and coherent vision

Interiors blending craftsmanship and immersive HMI
While the exterior is designed to convey power and dynamism, the interior of the Z9GT has been conceived as a sensory sanctuary, where the silk-inspired concept of ‘softness’ guides the choice of every material and interface. “The cabin has been designed as a space where high technology and sensory comfort merge”, explains Egger. The Z9GT, therefore, is not intended to be an isolated exercise in style or a product for its own sake. Stella Li and Wolfgang Egger agree in describing it as a true manifesto: the first step in a broader journey aimed at establishing a solid and consistent presence in the global premium segment.

Manifesto for a global future
The arrival of the Z9GT in Europe is just the beginning of a broader strategic journey. The challenge to legacy brands is not based on nostalgia, but on consistency and modernity. “Authenticity comes from coherence”, concludes Egger, reflecting on the competition with historic brands. “We have worked tirelessly on proportions to achieve a visually balanced look that is instantly recognisable, but also on perceived quality through finishes that convey refinement”.

(Full article in A&D no. 278)

In the transformation journey undertaken by BMW, the Neue Klasse is much more than a new platform: it is a statement of intent, a paradigm shift articulated primarily through its visual identity. The new i3 leads the charge with a cleaner, back-to-basics aesthetic that is still deeply distinctive.

Less complexity
“We have retained the muscularity and emotive surfaces, but have modernised them by reducing complexity”, explains Oliver Heilmer, head of design for the brand. “It is a return to our roots: the first BMWs of the Neue Klasse and the first Series 3 were sporty, dynamic and muscular, but never overly complex”.

A front end between tradition and innovation
The most delicate work was concentrated on the front end, which has always been a signature feature of BMWs. Two key themes come together here: the reinterpretation of the double kidney grille and the return of the “shark nose”, the forward-sloping front. “The biggest test was reinterpreting the double kidney grille”, says Heilmer. “We combined the DNA of the 1960s with modern technologies: sensor integration, lighting elements and a new visual signature”.

Minimalism becomes an experience
Inside, the new i3 takes a further step towards dematerialising the interface. The almost complete absence of physical buttons gives way to an environment dominated by seamless surfaces and projection systems. “We’ve drawn inspiration from the BMW Vision Next 100 concept”, explains Heilmer. “Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” is the guiding principle. Information is organised architectually across three levels: “The first is the central display with controls on the steering wheel. The second is Panoramic Vision, visible to all passengers. The third is the 3D head-up display, dedicated to the driver.”

Luxury through Circular Design
The sustainability theme is incorporated into the project through what is known as Circular Design, which goes beyond the choice of materials to redefine how they are perceived. “One example is the new Veganza material”, says Heilmer. “We use it in the doors and dashboard as well as on backlit surfaces”.

Valuable recycled materials
Thanks to the focus on tactile quality, the result is a far cry from the traditional idea of recycled material. “It is soft, refined and exclusive. And it offers great freedom in terms of colour customisation”. But the key point is another: “The customer must not perceive it as being recycled. What matters is the aesthetics, the quality and value it conveys.”

(Full article in A&D no. 278)

A tribute to the original Honda NSX, but also to the man who made it famous: Ayrton Senna. If it is true that every project is born from a convergence of reasons, those behind the Honda NSX by Italdesign are very clear-cut. According to Andrea Porta, Business Development Manager at Italdesign, it was “The need for a new project that would showcase our capabilities, finding a marque and a car that represented a certain prestige, and continuing along the Japanese thread”.

To celebrate as not to disappoint
The choice fell on the NSX as a homage to the first series, while integrating the hybrid technology of the second generation. But when working on a tribute, the important thing is not so much to celebrate as not to disappoint. The work of exterior designers Cristiano Fracchia and Gaspare Conticelli and interior designers Alessandro Trombin and Alessandro Rota originates precisely from this awareness. The starting point of the project was clear from the outset: “To try to unite Honda’s heritage from the earlier models with the stylistic evolution that has taken place over the years”, the designers explain.

The parameter car
The donor car was the parameter within which everything had to work. The pop-up headlamps of the original could not be replicated, and in their place came a moving eyelid that opens and closes to the same dramatic effect, able to “conceal the headlight and give it greater importance once opened”. The fins that rise from the flanks towards the roof derive from the need to integrate the large lateral air intakes of the 2016 NSX, yet they become one of the most recognisable elements of the silhouette.

The reference abounds
The front end reprises the H-shaped configuration of the first generation, just as the rear recovers the spoiler connected to the light cluster, reinterpreted through a luminous ring. The references abound: the Championship White paint; the red Type R badges; the roof scoop from the NSX-R GT. Rota explains, moreover, that the team worked to divide the bodywork into several layers: the aerodynamic elements low down, the body shell kept as clean as possible in the middle, and a pared-back cockpit on top on which the two fins rest.

The work inside
Inside, the scope for intervention was even narrower. Seats, steering wheel, airbag and ergonomic layout were untouchable, so the work concentrated on a few high-impact elements: the air vent that runs the full length of the dashboard and wraps around the door panel, the twin-cockpit architecture inspired by the first NSX, and the central H motif.

The key word was respect
The fixed elements were handled through colour to reduce their visibility: “We tried to show what we wanted to display and hide what we could not change”. On the materials front, the project calls for aluminium, carbon fibre and Alcantara in various finishes, with some versions reviving the red of the historic Type R cars. In Trombin’s words, “the key word in this project was respect”. Respect for the design and for the history of the model that dared to challenge Ferrari.

(Full article in A&D no. 278)

“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)

A one-off that reinterprets Ferrari’s heritage without nostalgia. Flavio Manzoni and his team describe a project that mixes up sculpture, graphics and technical discipline. A potential ambiguity underlay the SC40: evoking the F40 without becoming a replica of it. “There was no way we could pay tribute to an icon like the F40 for just one client”, Flavio Manzoni says. “It would have looked like an exercise in nostalgia. Instead, we chose to work on a few evocative elements – the fixed wing, the embossed lettering, the kevlar – while building a totally new language”.

Consistency with the brand
According to Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, the project does not consolidate a style, but challenges it. “I am interested in creating a fusion between sculptural form and graphic elements. This contrast generates something fresh, almost disruptive”.
Johann Lemercier, Head of One-Off Design Projects, sets out the role of custom-built cars: “The one-off is an outsider. It is not intended to preview the future lineup, but to explore a very personal vision together with the client”. This freedom does not mean isolation: “We work with the same team at the Style Centre precisely because these cars must remain consistent with the brand”.

Solids, voids and performance
In formal terms, the SC40 works by subtraction. “We start with solid volumes, almost fused together, which we then hollow out”, explains Riccardo Angelini, Exterior Lead Designer. “The air intakes, the side NACA ducts and the rear louvres are not decorative details: they arise from specific cooling and flow requirements”.

Intuition and simulation
The most obvious compromise involves the rear wing. “In the early sketches, it was lower”, says Manzoni. “But aerodynamics requires a certain distance from the car body to work best. These are compromises that we accept, because performance is part of Ferrari’s identity”. On the relationship between intuition and simulation, Manzoni is uncompromising: “It is correct to say that a Ferrari is designed by aerodynamics, but that does not mean styling is sacrificed. Even on extreme projects such as the 499P, we have demonstrated that beauty and performance can go hand in hand”.

Material, memory, identity
In the interior, creative freedom has a free rein but is still regulated. “A one-off is not a showcar”, Lemercier points out. “It is a real Ferrari and must comply with safety, durability and homologation standards”. Cristina Fiò-Bellot, Colour & Trim One-Off Designer, explains what approach was used for materials: “We have fewer constraints than with the standard production lineup, but we only use validated content. The difference is that we can develop ad hoc solutions”. Carbon kevlar, for example, has been reinterpreted. The red jacquard fabric also recalls the F40 without copying it. “We are inspired by the past, but we translate it with contemporary technologies”.

The team that worked on the Ferrari SC40, led by Flavio Manzoni together with the project managers: Johann Lemercier, Riccardo Angelini, Francesco Avesio, Cristina Fiò-Bellot, Enrico Gatto.

A postmodern project
If the SC40 were to become a benchmark in twenty years’ time, what would make it representative? Manzoni chooses a precise definition: “Postmodern, in the most elevated sense of the term. Recovering elements of tradition and recombining them, breaking certain dogmas of car design”. The identity of the SC40 plays out in this tension between memory and experimentation: not a nostalgic exercise, but a statement of method. Exploring, daring, without ever ceasing to be Ferrari.

(Full article in A&D no. 277)

The Suzuki line-up includes two exceptional models that do not go unnoticed. These are the GSX-8T and GSX-8TT: built on the same platform as the GSX-8S, but given a retro look inspired directly by the street bikes of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Project approach “Waku Waku”
As Kota Kezuka, Motorcycle Team Leader at Suzuki Italia Design Centre, explains: “We set out from the very best of starting points and we thought we might use it to create a two-wheeler that would appeal to a different audience”. It was through work on the design that another model was created, starting from tried and tested mechanicals. “We followed a Waku Waku approach”, Kezuka adds, using the Japanese term for enthusiasm, passion, and emotion. “Initially, we weighed up numerous alternatives and for a while we even thought about creating a supermoto”, he concludes.

A “T” coming from tradition
The GSX-8T (the T stands for Titan, the nickname given to the T500) is a design-oriented motorcycle, because “looking back at our past, our history, we realised that the Suzuki T500, produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s, was the right bike to pay tribute to. And that’s how the GSX-8T was born”, adds Arthur Vidal, the designer who headed up the project in Turin. “But the more we proceeded, the more we realised that reinterpreting brand tradition was the way to go. I even bought a T500 myself to better understand its nature and respect its unique character”.

Toned down aggressiveness
Overall, the design team focused much of its attention on the horizontal aspects of the profile. The GSX-8S has a high tail and a very forward-leaning front end. On the GSX-8T and GSX-8TT, this aggressiveness has been toned down by changing the shape of the fuel tank, redesigning the seat (now wider and more comfortable) and the rear section.

Details recall the past
Individual components have also been modified. The headlight, for example, is not perfectly round. It has the flat lower edge that was a distinctive feature of Suzuki bikes in the 1960s and 1970s. The new models feature full Led lights and all the latest technology, but the nod to the past is clear. The fuel tank has likewise been redesigned and hand-finished by Japanese engineers, with its lower section evoking the welded details of the historic T500.

The 8TT: not an option but a new model
And what about the GSX-8TT – the second T stands for Timeless? “Initially, it wasn’t planned. The windscreen, for example, was originally an option on the 8T. Then we realised that by working on the details, we could give the bike a completely new look, and it became a model in its own right, more inspired by the tradition of ‘80s sports bikes. That’s why it has different colour schemes, contrasting stitching on the seat, gold rims and decals”, says Vidal.

(Full article in A&D no. 277)

“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)

In many respects, Maranello’s latest creation invites muscular, high-energy adjectives – descriptors that wrap it in a perfectly tailored guise for the marque’s most agile and sharp-tempered production model. Flavio Manzoni, Chief Design Officer, however, offers an alternative reading for this whirlwind of dynamism, one rooted in innovation. “Starting with the 12Cilindri, we decided not only to adopt new visual codes and project them into the future, but also to challenge some of the thought patterns prevalent in design schools. This is surprising, because in automotive language there’s a sense that you must adhere to entrenched conventions of line and proportion. The Testarossa is part of this process”.

Striking and identifiable features
The flavour that emerges is a revisited berlinetta, with geometrically controlled volumes, i.e. built on clean, “Cartesian” lines that shape and direct different parts of the bodywork, in a carefully balanced mix of sharp lines and sensual surfaces. One of the most striking and identifiable features is, of course, the large dark vertical element behind the door: “It serves to resolve one of the car’s key challenges, how to cool what are the biggest radiators in the road range”, explains Carlo Palazzani, Head of Pilot Design Projects. “But it also delivers a very technical and intriguing aesthetic, reminiscent of an aeronautical afterburner, as well as functioning as a formal, flank-supporting “corset”. Defining it required very close collaboration with the Technical Department”.

The aerodynamic
“This expressive interplay of functions – separate yet organically integrated into the bodywork – emerges from a design process that begins at the front of the car and follows a flow that is more than merely visual. The aerodynamics are so crucial that they have generated an authentic channel within the door: a deep recess concealed behind the profile and capable of being engineered from a single piece of aluminium (patented). “After gliding over the front, shaped by the bumper’s architecture and the two flicks that direct it upward, the air is then guided along what are the most refined and complex doors ever fitted on a production Ferrari.”

The car’s rear
Despite such excellence, masterfully concealed behind a top surface that seems to follow only the main lines of the bodywork, the rear remains key for both Cx and downforce. “Here we faced another challenge with the twin wings, assisted by a retractable central spoiler, also patented, capable of “stretching” the profile and significantly improving efficiency. Naturally, the resulting stylistic payoff thrilled us.”

A clean and contemporary nose
“The tail design is inspired by the 512 S and the sports prototypes of the 1970s. Personally, I really loved this touch because it was developed with restraint and control”, says Jason Furtado, Exterior Advanced Lead Designer. “Similarly, the nose, angled downwards, appears powerful because it is reminiscent of the supercars of yesteryear, but its restraint makes it clean and contemporary”.

An iconic name
And the name? “We only found out once the design was complete. It comes from the competitive 500 TR of 1956, not just the famous 1984 version. So we never thought about the side strips from forty years ago”, concludes Manzoni. Philologically, however, a correspondence can be seen between the most recent Testarossas in the treatment of the sides, which for both features particularly successful graphics on the air intake. This time, however, it has been completely reinvented.

(Full article in A&D no. 276)