Genesis is the brainchild of Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer and Chief Design Officer for the Hyundai Motor Group, who is clear about how the brand must evolve after its first ten years. “A luxury brand must have many facets: it must be premium, sporty, and cool. So you have to create a passion, as emotions fuel the desire that is at the heart of the brand.

Off-road weekend
Ten years ago, Genesis was just luxury sedans. Five years ago, we introduced SUVs, a lifestyle. Then we moved into the sporty side, with the Magma cars. But many of our customers, especially in the Middle East, have active lives that push them off-road on the weekends, and that’s why we created cars for them and for their dune bashing.”

The crown jewel
Thus, in the Rub’ al-Khali desert in the fearsome “Empty Quarter” of the Arabian Peninsula, a new series of concepts debuted. Three are derived from production SUVs: the GV60 Outdoors Concept, the GV70 Outdoors Concept, and the GV80 Desert Edition, which join the newly launched Gran Equator, a luxury SUV with off-road capabilities. But the crown jewel of this new facet of Genesis is called X Skorpio Concept.

The desert skorpion
The name says it all, because it truly is a mighty desert scorpion. This extreme off-roader is destined to be produced in extremely limited numbers and only to order — 5, 10, maybe 20 at most, priced around 1.5 million dollars — and brings Genesis luxury to the world of off-roading. It won’t be homologated for road use to maintain its exclusivity and extreme power.

Californian toy
The X Skorpio concept was designed and built in California (“That’s where they make those toys,” smiles Donckerwolke) by Senior Chief Designer John Krsteski’s team, joined by Edward Tseng for the exterior and Christopher Ha for the interior. The work had already begun at the end of 2023: the car would have been ready a year ago had it not been for the Los Angeles fires, which meant the best time for the presentation was missed (before Ramadan, because afterward it would have been too hot in the desert).

Three distinct parts: front, centre and rear
“From the beginning,” Donckerwolke recalls, “the resemblance to the black desert scorpion was intentional.” The designers maintained a clear distinction between the front and the middle and rear, just like a scorpion. And the air vents, created by offsetting the surfaces, accentuated that effect: “Creating elements similar to the scorpion’s armour,” suggests Donckerwolke, “in a play of contrasts and opposites.” The black paint fused with a vibrant blue gleams in the desert sun as X Skorpio bounds across the dunes: it’s like redefining the concept of luxury in the world of the most aggressive off-road vehicles.

(Full article in A&D no. 278)

What matters is the number 3 written out in full and in capital letters, THREE, to indicate that this concept isn’t simply a show car but a prelude to a production car – the Ioniq 3, it’s easy to assume – with which the Korean manufacturer is offering two firsts: after its medium and large electric models, this is its first compact EV, but it’s also the first Hyundai to fully adopt, following the previews with the Ioniq 9 and Nexo, the new Art of Steel design philosophy that will now accompany every model.

Inspired by steel
“The effects of this new philosophy,” says Nicola Danza, “are particularly visible in the lateral intersection of volumes between front and rear. The inspiration came precisely from steel and its malleability, which gave us the opportunity to refresh our design language.”
Danza is Head of Exterior Design at Hyundai Motor Europe, where the THREE concept was developed. He worked closely with the top management in Korea, particularly with Simon Loasby, who serves as vice president alongside Head of Hyundai Design Center, and SangYup Lee, Head of Hyundai Global Design.

A language of sculptural beauty
Because the automotive world is a world of steel, the Korean manufacturer’s designers respond in unison. Art of Steel, in their intentions, transforms the strength and flexibility of steel into a language of sculptural beauty. Inspired by Hyundai’s advanced technologies, the natural formability of this material reveals fluid volumes and precise lines that evoke the characteristic aesthetic quality of steel: powerful, gentle, and timeless.

A protective film
Manuel Schöttle, the designer behind the initial project who then collaborated with Danza on the concept, speaks of “authenticity in the way we treated the steel,” and then adds: “It was a natural thing to make the THREE concept extremely pure. And I hope it brings a smile to the face of those who look at it.” THREE, precisely to reveal its true nature, was not painted but simply covered with a protective film that, explains Danza, presents it “as when that material comes out of the steel mill in coils.”

The Aero Hatch is born
But that’s not all. THREE also features another important design innovation. It’s called Aero Hatch. “We asked ourselves if everyone wants an SUV these days,” explains Danza. “So we said: why don’t we try something else? Something, for example, reminiscent of a hatchback from days gone by, with an excellent aerodynamic profile, so important in the world of electric vehicles. We played with volumes and arrived not at a traditional hatchback with a vertical rear, but at something more modern and sportier.

Mr. Pix
The interiors were designed by Raphaël Brétécher, Head of Interior Design at Hyundai Motor Europe, the same designer who had already given shape to the Ioniq 9 interiors. He developed them with the help of three other designers: Zdenek Borysek, Vitto Bonnemayers, and Alex Suvorov, while Emilie Grimm took care of C&T. And then there’s Mr. Pix, developed jointly by Brétécher and Danza and described as a “humorous communication with the car.” Born from the pixels that characterize the graphics of the headlights throughout the Ioniq sub-badge, pixels which in turn are linked to the Korean alphabet, it lends itself to a treasure hunt, a challenge to find the most Mr. Pix.

(Full article in A&D no. 276)

“Ten years of Genesis. It’s the moment to kick off for the next ten, because we’ve laid the foundations and now we need to build on them.” Have all your dreams come true? “I’m happy they haven’t, because we have many other dreams.”

Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer and Chief Design Officer for the Hyundai Motor Group, that is the supremo of design, is not overwhelmed by the celebrations for the milestone.

A young luxury brand
“This is just the beginning,” he says: “We are the youngest luxury brand and we are proud of its success, but we have only produced a first generation of cars. We are fortunate not to be burdened by the ballast of the past, but I always say that it takes four or five generations for the brand to be consolidated and stable. That’s why every single project is important.”

A company voted to technology
Enthusiastic – it’s in his nature – but realistic, Donckerwolke emphasizes how Genesis has benefited from the Group’s commitment to technology in all its forms: its luxury brand also serves as a testing ground for technological solutions that will later be rolled out to the larger brands – Hyundai and Kia – for whose design he is also responsible.

Testing ground
He cites the example of the fully digital design process, first introduced at Genesis “so as not to destabilize” the two larger brands, which later followed suit. “Genesis not only offers luxury products; it’s also a testing ground for the entire Group. Everything is digital, nothing is on paper, so all three of our design studios are constantly updated, and when one goes to sleep, the others pick up and continue working.”

The taste of luxury
He cites the example of the fully digital design process, first introduced at Genesis “so as not to destabilize” the two larger brands, which later followed suit. “Genesis not only offers luxury products; it’s also a testing ground for the entire Group. Everything is digital, nothing is on paper, so all three of our design studios are constantly updated, and when one goes to sleep, the others pick up and continue working.”

A new design philosophy: Athletic Elegance
As it approaches its tenth anniversary, having already established itself among the pinnacles of four-wheeled luxury, Genesis has eight vehicles – not including derivatives – in its lineup (although more will be added very soon): the G70 Shooting Brake, G70, G80, G90 (and G90 long-wheelbase) sedans, and the GV60, GV70, GV80, and GV80 Coupé SUVs. The first cars to showcase Genesis’ new DNA, culminating a process begun in 2016, were the GV80 SUV in 2020 and the G80 sedan in 2021, followed by the rest of the range (the GV70 in 2021 and the G90 sedan in 2023). Both embodied the essence of the new design proposed in 2018 by the Essentia concept and the subsequent X Concept. For Genesis, it marked the birth of a new design philosophy, one that still guides the brand today: it’s called Athletic Elegance.

(Supplement to A&D no. 276)

Valhalla after Valkyrie. If it weren’t for the fact that Aston Martin is associated with the letter V as the initial of its cars, we’d have to wait for an Odin to complete the cycle of Scandinavian mythology. But the pairing is enough. “The story of Valhalla begins with Valkyrie,” explains Miles Nürnberger: “Both pivot points in our history of high-performance, the first two mid-engined cars, which changed the importance of our products.”

“A car at the limit”
And if we’ve always called Valhalla ‘the son of Valkyrie’ – continues Nürnberger – it’s because that mother is our haute couture, but this son has the same engineering and design ambitions, while also being more usable on a daily basis: still incredible in terms of packaging, engineering, aerodynamics, and engine, but even physically more accessible without being a ‘normal’ car. Indeed, like with Valkyrie, we’ve made it a car at the limit.” Sam Holgate adds: “By adding luxury to performance.”

Beauty and performance
Nürnberger is the Exterior Design Director of the Gaydon-based company, and Holgate is the Chief Designer of the Mid-Engine Strategy. Both work directly with Marek Reichman, the longtime Chief Creative Officer, who has believed in the potential of a mid-engined car for ultra-high performance for over ten years (and Valkyrie’s victories on circuits around the world are the reward). Also drawing on the collaboration of the engineers of AMPT, who are working with Aston Martin’s Formula One, this team has created – says Holgate – “a language that also graphically combines two different worlds”: “A very technical carbon lower body, clad in a beautifully sculpted body with the gleaming surfaces you expect from Aston Martin, much more dramatic than in our GTs. Beauty and performance. But it wasn’t easy to make that philosophy work in terms of aerodynamics.”

Function dictates form
The heart of the Valhalla, of which 999 will be built, is a four-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that delivers 828 horsepower, flanked by three electric motors (two at the front and one at the rear, supported by plug-in technology) that add another 251 horsepower, for a total of 1,079 horsepower. Performance is, inevitably, mind-blowing: 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds, top speed electronically limited to 350 km/h. An active aerodynamic system generates 600 kg of downforce, which is reached at 240 km/h and then maintained up to the top speed. This says it all: Aston Martin style, yes, but design is mandatory. Function dictates form. “More than a styling moment, it was like solving a puzzle,” Holgate emphasizes.

Exterior and interior options developed with customers
Born from the pencil of Ondrej Jirec, the exterior designer who has tailored it step by step over the past seven years, even developing a carbon fiber grille when they are usually aluminum, and making himself – still today – available to customers: “Everyone has their own specific requests, they come here and work with us, and we turn their wishes into reality.” The same goes for the interiors by Adam Mackerron (Interior Designer) under the guidance of Leighanne Earley, Interior Design Director: “There were various options in the Valkyrie,” he explains, “and there are even more in the Valhalla. It’s very interesting to go on the assembly line and see what is coming out.”

New impetus from F1
Seven years is no small time for the birth of a car; but Covid and the ownership changes at Aston Martin came in between, with the arrival of Lawrence Stroll, “whose strategic vision for F1 and Aston Martin – Nürnberger explains – also gave new impetus to the development of Valhalla.” With clear ideas from the start, starting with a scale model and then immediately moving to a full-scale clay model, the original idea was gradually refined, until the design was frozen in 2023. “Valhalla may be Valkyrie’s child, but sometimes children can become better than their parents.”

(Full article in A&D no. 275)

Is designing a van like the Transit like designing a car? Yes and no. It is from a strictly technical and, if you will, procedural standpoint: sketches, then on to the computer and models, with one eye on aerodynamics and the other on surface treatment, working with headlights and sculpted shapes as with cars. But then the amount of models comes into play, as Andrew Wolton, Exterior Design Manager at Ford Pro, explains: “It’s much more complicated than a car because it’s a multiplication of models. For a car, at worst, you have to design a four-door sedan, a coupé, and a wagon.

From six to one-hundred-fifty versions
For one of our vans, we have to work with three different lengths, four different heights, and cabins with one or two rows of seats. It’s a modular system, available in eight to 12 models.” Jens Sieber, Chief Designer of Ford Pro, chimes in: “Developing one version and then modifying the parameters for the others would create a corrupt product. We need to ensure, for example, that the aerodynamics work from the start with all the variants.” The original Transit, 60 years ago, launched with six versions. Wolton smiles: “Today, considering Transits that are campers, ambulances, fire engines, and countless other things, we reach up to 150 different solutions.”

Space, work, relaxation
Above all, there’s the search for a balance that’s almost absent in passenger vehicles: that between the comfort of the driver, therefore the space dedicated to them, and the space available for cargo, which is ultimately the fundamental requirement of a commercial vehicle. “So not just function,” explains Sieber, “but a hybrid form of space, work, and relaxation, yet at the same time with a strong character that’s easily identifiable with the product.” “Dynamic yet friendly, never aggressive,” Wolton adds.

Strong, sculptural identity
The Transit, with a design clearly inspired by the world of SUVs, as the passenger versions of the Tourneo series clearly demonstrate, has, in Sieber’s words, “a higher up nose” not only to create an image of capacity but also, stylistically, to facilitate the fusion of front and sides: “Other things like the choice of colours, the proportion of the windows, the character lines give a strong sculptural identity and a clear expression.”

Balance between emotion and function
“All of this is a challenge for designers, much more than starting with two seats and a V12 engine.” “It’s necessary,” Wolton concludes, “to balance emotional content and functional character.”
It’s certainly a problem, because while it’s true that the driver has a cargo to carry, it’s equally true that he feels a sense of pride in his company, and therefore — Sieber continues — “the vehicle’s appearance represents the measure of his personal success.” This is why, according to the designers, customer workshops are so important. They have led to the creation of an entire Transit family, with the Custom now the top-of-the-line model.

Comfort to be efficient
And then there’s the issue of comfort, which is increasingly important. While it’s true that the Transit has inspired some SUVs, it’s equally true that the world of SUVs is now reflected in the Transit, starting with new technologies. But that’s not all, explains Sieber: “The distribution of volumes in the cabin, the driver’s position, the steering, the visibility. And then the way you live in that cabin.” Wolton adds: “To be efficient, a driver must be comfortable. So it’s not just the seats that are important, but also the doors, access to the van, the electric tailgates.”

(Full article in A&D no. 274)

After 7 years the time had come to give new life to the Nexo, Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell car: “Giving it an SUV interior where before there was an inflated hatchback – explains Simon Loasby -, with more space for passengers and luggage, greater ground clearance, a more utilitarian character, in short, increasing its volume of SUVness.”

A new design language
But this is not the only story of this second generation of hydrogen cars born in Namyang, because – Loasby continues – “with Nexo, Hyundai’s new design language makes its appearance, destined to characterize all future models.” It is called Art of Steel, a design solution that “celebrates the basic material of the car-product, in a world where many cars, too many perhaps, look like plastic.”

The benefits of steel
Loasby is responsible for Hyundai styling, right-hand man to SangYup Lee who is in charge of the group’s global design. “A couple of years ago,” he recalls, “I had a coil of steel brought to our studio and, admiring its curves, we realized that, with those curves and its strength, versatility and above all its formability, it is a wonderful material. Then one evening, in a video call with our European studio, Eduardo Ramirez and Manuel Schöttle showed me with paper models what the formability of steel could be in creating attractive aesthetics, even more enhanced with graphic elements. Without forgetting how cost-effective steel is.”

The Sensual Sportiness remains
Is this the end of the language that Hyundai had christened Sensual Sportiness, that is, a harmony between proportions, architecture, style and technology, to be declined differently depending on the needs? “The characteristics of Sensual Sportiness remain important,” Loasby replies, “but the language of the next generations will be dictated by the Art of Steel.”

Urban or outdoor style mode
Bold lines and a robust structure create a strong appearance. The groove patterns on the sides accentuate the promise of rigidity and durability. The aerodynamic design of the wheels contributes to aesthetics that make it adaptable both in an urban environment and for an outdoor lifestyle. The interior of the passenger compartment, all covered in soft materials, is a hymn to comfort and contributes to a premium leap compared to the first series.

The use of buttons returns
In a warm and refined environment, the curved dashboard is easy to use for the driver, as are some buttons. “No longer everything on a touch screen,” Loasby emphasizes: “Some functions require imme-diate manual operation: eyes on the road, hands on the wheel. Especially in Europe and America, a certain amount of buttons is appreciated.”

(Full article in A&D no. 273)

From concept to prototype the step was – apparently – very short. Twingo concept at the Paris Motor Show – October 2024 – and Twingo prototype already at the Brussels Motor Show, January 2025. Three months. A record? The truth is that the concept was ready almost a year (November 2023) before being presented. But already the following December the decision had been made to start production (in 2026) of this jaunty electric car with a retro taste and therefore work had begun on the prototype which, says Sundeep Bhambra, “is now very similar to the definitive Twingo, let’s say 90 percent for the exterior and 80-85 for the interior.”

A Renault’s jewel
Bhambra is, at Renault, Chief Designer for Advanced Cars and Concept Cars. He is also the designer who won the internal competition – and then developed the project – for this car that wants to be the Renault’s challenge to Chinese manufacturers by presenting itself on the European market under the target price of twenty thousand euros. He candidly admits that his inspiration “was obviously the 1992 Twingo, a unique car in terms of interior space in relation to its size, a type of sustainability that is still valid today, but also nice, graceful and attractive.” In the history of Renault, he adds, “there are some jewels, and Twingo is an example of them.”

Creating vibrant and exciting objects
It was Luca De Meo, CEO of Renault, who wanted this fourth Twingo for the A segment of electric mobility, to be placed alongside the larger R4 and R5 in the EV field. Gilles Vidal, Renault design chief under the guidance of Laurens van den Acker, explains: “Renault wants to democratize EV cars but at the same time create vibrant and exciting objects. We don’t want to run the risk of making banal EVs like washing machines. It’s about finding a balance, even with some compromises, with simple and economical solutions.”

Small, iconic Mpv
Obviously, the dimensions of the new Twingo are different from those of the original. With the batteries under the floor and a B-segment platform, the wheelbase has increased to 2.49 metres, the length from 3.43 to 3.75. “In the longer car,” says Bhambra, “the wheels were too small and we had to bring them to 18 inches because the important thing was to maintain the proportions of what is a small but iconic Mpv,” Then he adds: “Everyone knew well what a modern interpretation of that icon should be. Finding the right balance was not easy.”

A completely new vehicle
From the concept to the prototype, looking at the images, not much has changed. Mistake. “Everything,” says Bhambra, “has changed, starting with the Ampere Small platform. And then the wings, the bumpers, the light clusters, the windows that are now similar to those of the R5, even the lower part of the bodywork that is more sculpted. Not to mention the changes dictated by access to the car.” And the interiors, which were not in the concept. Designed by Interiors Head Stéphane Maoire and executed by Lead Designer Damien Durand, they are different from those designed for cars with the same platform. “New instruments, new dashboard, new seats, new doors. Twingo had a distinct personality, with great modularity thanks to the seats that slide and fold down. This will also be the case in production.” As will certain fun ideas, in the Twingo spirit.

Cleanliness and proportions
“What hasn’t changed – concludes Bhambra – was my wish not to add things: a lot of work on the details and the treatment of the surfaces, but no overdesign, no useless lines. Cleanliness and proportions, soft fenders, headlights that recall those of the old Twingo. The real difficulty was the position of the windshield, leaning very far forward, close to the suspension and the headlights. And yet we managed to keep the nose quite low.” De Meo, he recalls, “wanted an emoji for the city, cute and attractive, but at the same time a good product. Here it is.”

(Full article in A&D no. 271)

Numbers should not confuse. 007 or 7? The answer, in the case of Zeekr, is simple: 007 in China and 7 in Europe, where the Chinese number is blocked by a copyright linked to a certain James Bond. In any case, it is an important number, because the declination of the 7 family – sedan, SUV and sportswagon – represents with the Mix MPV the birth of a new design philosophy – Hidden Energy – for the brand of the Geely group that designs in Sweden, in Gothenburg, and produces in China.

Athletic lines and high-tech innovation
“Hidden Energy represents a quiet power, an intrinsic confidence”, explains Jon Rådbrink: “We do not want to design cars that are too aggressive or visually loud and flashy, but we opt for a simple athletic line aiming to obtain attractive cars that one wants to live with and fall in love with, finding a balance between high-tech innovation, therefore extreme performance, and great comfort.” Rådbrink is Head for Exterior Design at Zeekr and works alongside Sergio Loureiro da Silva (Head of Interior) under the guidance of the overall Head of Design, Stefan Sielaff. It is the team that has churned out seven models in three years, with a dynamism that has few equals and that is demonstrated by other models that will emerge at the end of April at the Shanghai motor show.

A new concept of team
“We have produced seven models in three years,” says Rådbrink, who leads 25 designers: “It is the result of a transformation in our work process, which has allowed us to gain speed without compromising quality. The basis is a new concept of team and trust in that team, which is granted autonomy within a shared vision. A superteam instead of a superstar, a superdesigner, because in the face of the complexity of the process, the work of one person is not enough.

The luxury language
Zeekr was born from a rib of Lynk & Co, which the parent company – Geely – had placed alongside Volvo. A process of rapprochement has recently been started between the two brands, especially in terms of organizational and production synergies, even if from a creative point of view – design, precisely – there remains a clear distinction, with Zeekr committed to playing the luxury card (a bit like Lexus at Toyota). Hence the need for a new language.

Customers helping design
But how? Rådbrink gives an example: “Instead of giving ourselves a precise character to the signature of the light clusters, we leave it to the customer to do it, who can thus personalize his car. For the rest we think of a calm treatment, with a premium feel, for example by eliminating protruding handles or ensuring that the glass is perfectly flush with the windows.”

Performances and autonomy
The three cars of the 7 family – and the Mix itself – do not give up on aggressive performance. They may not be like the 001FR, which is the fastest electric car in production (0-100 in 2.02 seconds, 0-200 in 6.29, for a top speed of 280 km/h), but they hold their own very well. Then there is the issue of range, which in the 7GT – the latest creation, “an exercise in how to transform a sedan into a sportswagon with minimal changes” – is up to 870 kilometers, with charging times from 10 to 80 percent in 15 minutes. “It’s about finding a balance between power and the comfort of luxury. That is the Hidden Energy.”

(Full article in A&D no. 271)

Three years ago, when Hyundai presented the Seven concept in Los Angeles, there was talk of a taste of what in the electric world of the Korean company would soon be an imposing Ioniq 7, to be placed alongside the already existing Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. But that exercise in style and design was so successful that Seven became Nine. Here is the Ioniq 9, Hyundai’s flagship EV, the SUV that Simon Loasby does not hesitate to define as “our most important car in terms of size, refinement, purity and simplicity.” In short, in chess language, “our king.”

From concept to production
Loasby is responsible for Hyundai styling, right-hand man to SangYup Lee who is in charge of the group’s global design. To Auto&Design, three years ago, he explained that the mathematical character of the surfaces made the Seven concept a “Teutonic” car. “It follows,” he explains today, “that Ioniq 9 is also Teutonic. Speaking to WooHyun Leee, one of the exterior designers on this project, I said that we had managed to keep at least 90 percent of the spirit of Seven. And he said, ‘No, 99 percent.’ There is no doubt that of the three EVs in the Ioniq group, this is the one that has changed the least in the transition from concept to production.”

Three important philosophical blocks
The most important thing, according to Loasby, is that all Ioniqs have the same three philosophical building blocks: the right approach to sustainability and materials, the largest interior space in the segment thanks to the longest wheelbase, the design that Hyundai calls “parametric pixel” for the headlights and other details. “The typology of the various models can change,” he says, “like different chess pieces, but each responds to the needs of a group of customers. Ioniq 9 is a large car, 5.06 metres, even if from the outside it does not look threatening and appears approachable. But inside it is enormous, a bit like the Tardis from the TV series ‘Dr. Who’ that from the outside is a 2-square-metre police box, but inside is an entire space station.”

Interiors at the heights of luxury
The first sketches were drawn by Hyundai’s three design centres in Europe, the United States, and Namyang. Finally a sketch by WooHyun Lee, of the Namyang design centre in Korea, was selected. Based on that final sketch, the Seven concept car was developed and, finally, Ioniq 9 was designed by WooHyun Lee and HyungSoo Lee. The European studio, on the other hand, contributed to the last – Nico Munkler and Raphael Bretecher – to the interiors that reach the heights of luxury that are inevitable for a car that has many claims: the fully reclining seats with leg rests (the second row seats swivel to form a lounge with the third row), the central console that slides backwards when necessary, the ecological and recycled materials, the curved panoramic display with two screens in a dashboard that couldn’t be more linear.

“Aerosthetic” silhouette
Based on the E-GMP platform (Electric-Global Modular Platform) already used for the other Ioniqs and suitably elongated, the Ioniq 9 is, despite its large size, a small aerodynamic miracle for an SUV (the Cx is 0.259). Which, depending on the powertrain configuration, guarantees a range of up to 620 km. Loasby believes this is due to the car’s “unique” profile, with a short bonnet, a very sloping windshield, the highest point of the roof above the second row of seats, the truncated tail (“like a boat”) after the third row, in a silhouette that designers call “Aerosthetic”.

Simplicity and purity
And let’s not forget the light clusters. The ones at the front are entrusted to the pixels so dear to Hyundai designers. So Korean: small squares that, in the alphabet introduced by King Sejong in 1446, are equivalent to our letter “M” and that, arranged in a variety of compositions, have now become a recognizable style detail of the Ioniq series. But it’s not the only mark of Koreanness. “On the side,” Loasby points out, “the crease on the belt coming from the front wing rises by 45 degrees when it reaches the rear: like the classic hanbok, the elegant Korean formal dress where the collar is formed by a long diagonal line that covers another smaller one, also diagonal. Simplicity and purity, as SangYup Lee himself always preaches.”

(Full article in A&D no. 270)

Don’t make the mistake of saying that the latest addition to Lynk & Co, the Z10, is called Zee-ten. Oh, no: it’s called Zee-one-zero. Who knows, maybe it’s sexier. And perhaps it is better not to suggest to its designers that this Zee-one-zero is the straight commercial transposition of the splendid and innovative The Next Day concept presented two years ago (Auto&Design 256). The spirit is the same, they will admit, but the Z10 is a five-metre electric sedan (5.02, to be exact) while The Next Day was a compact and very sporty GT. “That one – says Stefan Rosén – was automotive haute couture, whereas this is an elegant sedan, whose style will last longer without that ‘wow’ effect that would have seemed too extreme to customers.”

Exploiting the concept’s design
The Next Day was the introduction of a new design by Lynk & Co, the Gothenburg-based Swedish joint venture of the Chinese Geely and Volvo (which in turn belongs to Geely). The Z10, however, represents a way of exploiting that design, while other cars such as the 07 and 08 recently presented, as explained by Rosén himself, President of Design at Lynk & Co, apply it in a different way: “The 07, for example, has an impressive beltline that kicks up to the C-pillars and makes it more dynamic, while the Z10 is much more sedate and mature. Yet, if you look at The Next Day, you find both those characteristics and they allow us to follow two different paths in production.”

Expression of a futuristic electric car
This pushes him to reiterate one of his deepest beliefs, namely that to be beautiful a car does not necessarily have to be simple, but can also be complex. The Chinese automotive landscape, he explains, is full of smooth and rounded surfaces: “Instead I say that we can have lines of character and remain not only elegant but also the expression of a futuristic electric car.”
“Complexity made simple,” says Ivo Groen, Head of Creative Design: “In this case the big challenge was to maintain the silhouette of a beautiful GT in a large sedan. We have maintained the scent and beauty of The Next Day, saving a balance of volumes on a completely different package. It was one of our most successful designs.” The concept, Rosén insists, “was quite extreme, here we tried to improve it. The five meters of length on the SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform helped us with the shape.”

Inspired by the emotion of the night
The Next Day – Rosén explained to us two years ago – was inspired by the emotion of the night in a big city like Shanghai, hence the symbolic two-tone paint: at the rear the blue of the night and in front the rays of the sun. “It was a beautiful narrative,” intervenes Katharina Jose, Head of CMF: “In the Z10 we did not use conceptual materials, but more traditional or classic ones. However, we faced that same transition in terms of colours, albeit in a less dramatic way. For example, by placing a pattern under a translucent material on the dashboard.”

Minimalist and horizontal dashboard
The interior is not banal either. A tasty and sporty steering wheel and the 15.4-inch central screen are the only interruptions to a minimalist and horizontally developed dashboard. There is much more on the central console, which provides certain tactile references that Rosén does not want to give up: “You can’t squeeze everything onto a screen, you need buttons and switches that require physical intervention, more convenient for the driver but also important to avoid making the design too boring.” Adds Groen: “Ergonomics also comes from designers, not just engineers.”

The ”black diamond”
The close collaboration of CMF contributes to the pleasant appearance: “For example – completes Jose – the choice of materials that adequately cover the sculpture of the doors and dashboard, or the vibrant colors that contrast the black of the roof.” The “black diamond” is what the designers call the pavilion: a tapered structure, resting on the soft central body, one of the character points of the Zee-one-zero. “An emotional car”, says Rosén: “The first electric Lynk & Co born from the Next Day Design Philosophy”.

(Full article in A&D no. 268)