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)

Sleek and low-slung, in a styling blend that blurs the lines between saloon, coupé and MPV, the Vision Meta Turismo seems to be the perfect choice for the brand’s 80th anniversary celebrations (in December 2025) as well as the glamorous backdrop of the Milan Design Week (last April). However, Kia’s latest concept reaches far beyond this, offering a profound glimpse into a future of ideas that are masterfully concealed by the exterior.

Inspiration from video games
“We began by focusing on the aspirations of young people, those who have grown up in a fully digital world”, explains Jochen Paesen, Vice President of the Future Design Group. “The challenge was to engage with a generation that may not yet have established consumption habits and may not even like cars. We found our inspiration in video games, which offer new forms of expression and help counter the short attention spans and boredom that readily arise today”.

Progressive mobility device
The result is a vehicle that combines the familiar concepts of autonomous driving and driver-focused operation with a third, deeply immersive experience. At the heart of this vision are extensive glass surfaces that double as interactive screens, creating a digital environment that remains functional even when the vehicle is parked. “We wanted to create a “progressive mobility device” capable of looking towards the future and reinterpreting established conventions”, continues Oliver Samson, head of Kia Design Europe.

Real and digital world
The generous four-door layout is paired with a highly liveable cabin for all passengers, as well as being tailored to the driver, with carefully designed seating and a deliberate emphasis on physical controls. “The young tend to draw a sharp line between the physical and the virtual”, says Paesen, “so we’ve offered both worlds, specifically through a lever that simulates gear changes and multiple buttons for managing, among other functions, lightning-fast starts, bursts of power and engine noise”.

Stop at a “game room”
Not to mention a steering wheel with a grip reminiscent of a video game controller, through which three “digital experiences” (Speedster, Dreamer and Gamer) pivoting around augmented reality can also be selected: “The latter makes use of dynamic images displayed on both the windscreen and the side windows, transforming the interior into a sort of “games room” during stops, or offering a discreet yet effective navigation system for quick use”.

Reconnectin with the road
In other words, true “immersion” sometimes consists of limiting visual clutter and reconnecting with the road, carefully balancing the countless practical aspects of technology. As the conversation proceeds, the designers’ need to manage complexity becomes abundantly clear.

(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)

My conversation with William Thorogood, Head of Design, New Business at the Lego Group, is perhaps one of the most interesting chats I’ve had in recent years. Perhaps because of the passion I share with many for Lego (for those who don’t know, a portmanteau of the Danish Leg Godt, meaning ‘play well’); perhaps because it’s a company from the country where I live, and one of its most iconic. Or perhaps because it was a chat between two people who share a passion for Lego and cars. A symbiosis that he embodies, and which also looks towards a continuous synergy between design, marketing, engineering and, indeed, the ability to inspire a vast audience.

Lego Speed Champions
Among the most fruitful is the partnership with BMW, recently enhanced by a tribute to the BMW M3 E30 to mark the 40th anniversary of this model. Part of the Lego Speed Champions series, this new collaboration features an exclusive livery co-created by the design teams of both companies, inspired by BMW M Motorsport. The 358-piece kit faithfully reproduces the kidney grille, rear spoiler and four round headlights characteristic of the original. Furthermore, the two design studios have worked on a full-scale show car featuring the same livery, which will be unveiled and remain on display in Berlin on 1 August 2026.

Reinventing processes
The fundamental difference between Lego and many competitors lies in the very structure of the team. “We have a model where design is fully integrated into the marketing, project management, operations and engineering teams,” says Thorogood. “It’s a single group of people that brings the project to life. We don’t design first and then figure out how to sell and produce it.”

Emotional products
This approach rejects the traditional design-marketing-production cycle. Instead, all stakeholders work simultaneously, feeding each phase with insights from different disciplines. The result is a process that avoids the typical conflicts between creative vision and production feasibility, and allows Lego products to be, first and foremost, emotional.

The issue of sustainability
Recently, however, the issue of sustainability has also come to the fore, a challenge for those working primarily with plastic. Yet, explains Thorogood, green objectives are part of the company’s strategy to reduce its emissions. However, there is the challenge of not sacrificing what defines the brand’s DNA: the ‘Lego building experience’.

Recycling the know-how
One aspect that is often overlooked in the debate on sustainability and innovation is the ownership structure, which, in Lego’s case, gives it an advantage over other companies. “As designers, one of the great privileges is knowing that we can take long-term gambles,” reveals Thorogood, who has 21 years’ experience at the company. Furthermore, “If an innovation doesn’t work, we learn from it and recycle that know-how into the next project”.

(Full article in A&D no. 279)