Pronounced volumes, tall wheels, aggressive lines. In recent years, many new models have been featuring a strong character at all costs. A trend that, in some cases, has overlooked functionality. Thus, the ability to return to the essence of design and to precisely address the needs of the time and of the user has become the key for brands to break through.

People-oriented design
This is the case with Geely, the Chinese behemoth that has rewritten its stylistic philosophy based on several guiding principles: form always follows function, and design must start from emotions and be people-oriented and draw inspiration from culture and brand essence. “Returning to the first principles of user needs means creating resonance at both an emotional and a value level. Ours is no simple task: we must intercept most of the market’s needs and, above all, provide answers to users’ expectations, that remain unexpressed, with our ideas”, says Chen Zheng, Vice President of Geely Auto Group and Global Design Head.

A grille inspired by the waterfalls
Two manifestos were hence created to represent Geely’s design thinking: the Geely Galaxy Starshine 6 and the Geely Galaxy A7. The two vehicles offer a complete interpretation of the brand’s design cornerstones. The Geely Galaxy Starshine 6’s front end is characterised by a large, vertically-developed grille to allow greater air intake for the combustion engine’s cooling. In designing it, the creatives were inspired by the power of a waterfall and equipped it with 29 sculpted elements to create greater visual depth and plays of light that make it appear in perpetual motion.

Many references to nature
The surprises also emerge in the details. When stationary, the car’s wheels evoke stars, whilst in motion they come alive with five trails of light that, according to Geely, symbolise fortune and balance. The natural references don’t end there: the full-width LED light bar evokes the rising sun. It also employs advanced optical structures to create a distinctive tiger gaze on the front lights, conveying the vehicle’s spirit and offering emotional value beyond utility.

Large glass surfaces, lots of light from outside
For both models, the creation of the interiors drew inspiration from classical Chinese architecture with the objective of offering a spacious, comfortable and welcoming cockpit for the driver and occupants. Those of the Geely Galaxy Starshine 6 are inspired by ancient “Xuan” carriages for their comfort and the sense of spaciousness offered to passengers, emphasizing the idea of “people within scenery,” also thanks to large glazed surfaces and a panoramic roof that filters plenty of light from the outside. Speaking of space, families will be able to make full use of the 27 storage compartments scattered here and there and enjoy the seats that can count on 20 millimetres of memory foam padding.

Chinese gardens as inspiration for interiors
The Geely Galaxy A7’s interiors, instead, take inspiration from Chinese gardens and their extremely orderly organisation despite the variety of landscapes, and is capable of conveying a sensation of relaxation. The seats, made with a ten-layer padding structure with soft and supportive foam, integrate headrest speakers and are equipped with ventilation, heating, fully electric adjustments and massage functions. The designers decided to give ample space to so-called tactile feedback with the integration of physical buttons to manage the essential commands. All of these aim toward one purpose – to rebuild the deep bond between human and vehicle, to return to design’s first principles, and to restore its essential value.

(Full article in A&D no. 275)

City cars are under scrutiny. They are seen more and more as a force for disruption, and local authorities are being increasingly obliged to take restrictive measures to ease traffic congestion. While urban mobility issues have been in the spotlight for years, recent studies have focused on exploring innovative alternatives with the aim of reducing stress and improving city dwellers’ quality of life. Lately, cute, compact microcars have become a common sight, zipping around our streets and dodging in and out of traffic to reach destinations effortlessly and find parking spots with ease.

Mobility for all
The Toyota group is one of the leaders in this trend: “The Olympics of 2021 in Tokyo and 2024 in Paris triggered a surge of creativity: for these events, we developed a number of mobility solutions tailored for the short-distance needs of Olympic and Paralympic athletes”, explains Tadao Mori, Design Director at Toyota Motor Europe. We are talking about inclusive and accessible vehicles, which we refer to with a very simple but powerful slogan that reflects our company’s mission: “Mobility for All”.

Agility and freshness
Hence the idea of creating a city-friendly microcar called FT-Me (short for Future Toyota-Micro Electric). “We kicked off the project in the summer of 2023 and, in record time, developed the concept car that was unveiled at this year’s Kenshiki Forum”, says Elvio D’Aprile, senior styling manager and project  leader. It was designed to be the ultimate expression of agility and freshness: we assembled a team of talented young designers and moved at lightning speed, with streamlined decision-making  processes and creativity at the helm.”

Inspiration from the jet helmet
Creativity was just as crucial as engineering pragmatism, because designing a sub-2.5-metre car in record time, one that comfortably seats two passengers and adheres to the tenets of sustainability, demands seamless collaboration between the styling and technical departments. “The design had to communicate the FT-Me’s intentions instantly, so we took inspiration from the shape of an agile, safe and familiar object: the jet helmet of a scooter”, continues D’Aprile.

A play of colours
Then it was time for  creativity, as exterior designer Matthieu Low-Kame explains: “We played around with colours, drawing cues from big sellers of ours like the Aygo X and C-HR. The idea behind this was to convey some of Toyota’s core values while also broadening the user base as much as possible. It shouldn’t be forgotten that this vehicle targets 14-year-olds, the middle-aged and even the elderly.”

360 degree visibility

The FT-Me takes up half the space of a traditional car park slot and this drops to a third if perpendicular parking is available. “To create maximum contact with other road users, we have designed a 360-degree visibility system, guaranteed by ultra-thin pillars and large glass surfaces”, says Adrien Van Mullem, Interior Designer. “This gives the driver a more airy, almost traditional car feel, while the passenger seat has been offset by a few centimetres for greater comfort. It is set further back than the driver’s seat and so allows more legroom”.

(Full article in A&D no. 274)

“Radiantly pure, precious as a pearl”. It is no coincidence that the SAIC brand Roewe has named its latest concept car, a luxury super saloon with a commanding but elegant design, the Pearl. The model was unveiled at the latest Shanghai Auto Show to showcase Roewe’s interpretation of the future of luxury mobility.

“Underlying this car is a new philosophy that blends perfectly with our brand: during their travels or daily commutes, every individual and every family should always feel elegant and pampered by the unparalleled comfort of our cars”, said Jozef Kaban, Vice President of SAIC Design.

The showcar has a completely closed front end – anticipating the adoption of a 100% electric powertrain – to enhance aerodynamics, inlaid with a LED lighting strip combined with the Roewe logo (this too backlit): “Our styling decisions make this concept car instantly recognisable”, says Kaban, but there are also numerous nods to the brand’s British heritage, including the side profile of the car, which echoes the classic lines of a British cigar.

To lighten the profile, the A-pillar is the same shade as the body, while the roof profile has a contrasting colour to create a floating effect. These are small tricks to bring the Pearl concept closer to the world of coupés and to streamline its design. However, there is no lack of details to denote a certain opulence, such as the decorative gold stripes on the mirrors and at the front part of the roof.

The interior has been designed to make journeys as comfortable as possible. Passengers are surrounded by quality materials and technology, while the cabin layout features four independent seats with integrated headrests and a host of possible configurations. The LED lighting effects on the exterior are also reflected in the interior, which features orange light strips in the door panels and around the air conditioning vents.

The elliptical steering wheel and huge floating display in the centre are particularly striking, but the real “wow” moment is guaranteed by the coach doors, which open without a central pillar. “It’s a feature that sharpens the perception of a car and is perfect even for ceremonies”, say the Saic design centre people, pointing out that the doors are all frameless, once again recalling the architecture of high-performance cars. Will these solutions be appearing on future production models? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Full article in Auto&Design no. 273

“All Ferraris are special, but this one is more Special than the rest,” quips Flavio Manzoni, Chief Design Officer at Ferrari, with a playful nod to the name of the newest creation to come out of the Maranello design centre. And it’s no coincidence it’s called the 296 Speciale, the most powerful, exclusive and lightweight evolution of the 296 GTB we have seen since it debuted in 2021. Just one glance is enough to appreciate how much effort has been poured into this model by Ferrari’s technicians, engineers and designers: “We wanted the most fun car Ferrari has ever built”, says Enrico Galliera, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Ferrari, at the model’s unveiling in Maranello.

“Weight-loss programme”
To achieve this, Ferrari put the 296 Speciale on a strict weight-loss programme, shedding an impressive 60 kg compared to the standard 296 GTB. “Two main strategies were used for this: extensive use of lightweight materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium, and the maximised integration of aerodynamic elements”, explains Manzoni. The outcome? A vertical downforce of 435 kg at 250 km/h, 20% more than the 296 GTB. This was the result in part of principles developed in the world of racing, particularly in the 296 Challenge, applied here in a form never before seen on a road car.

A strong character
“The entire design process was guided by a blend of technical evolution and direct racing-derived innovation”, Manzoni adds, “complemented by painstaking work in the wind tunnel to strike a perfect balance between aerodynamic performance and styling”.
Just one look at the front end leaves no doubt that the Speciale – also available in the Speciale A spider version – is a mean Ferrari, seriously mean. And its strong character is not only the result of the 880 horsepower unleashed by the 3.0 V6 hybrid powertrain.

Highly technical bonnet
“The integration of the GT3-inspired aero damper and an unprecedented focus on volume has produced a highly technical bonnet, while the lower part is defined by a suspended splitter that stretches the front intake and widens the car’s stance, significantly boosting aerodynamic load, reminiscent of the twin-hull form of a catamaran”, explains Carlo Palazzani, Head of Pilot Design Projects. At the rear, the most distinctive feature is the two new cantilevered aerodynamic wings that frame the transom”.

References from the F80
The 296 Speciale isn’t just faster and more powerful than the GTB, but a brand new model that embodies the new styling philosophy introduced by Ferrari with the 12Cilindri and further developed with the F80. And, speaking of the F80, the references in the rear wings are evident, as is the clear nod to the legendary 250 LM of 1963 in the profile.

More lightness in the cabin
While the exterior team did a great job trimming the car’s overall weight, it was the interior designers led by Nicola Bevilacqua who delivered one of the most significant contributions. Of the sixty kilograms saved, fully twenty came from the cockpit alone, thanks to new seats and solutions seen for the first time on a Ferrari.

(Full article in A&D no. 273)

It is an SUV, it comes from China and was designed in Sweden. Its peculiarity? Hiding a super hybrid propulsion under soft and sinuous lines. It’s called 08 and it’s the latest addition to Lynk & Co, a brand in the Geely galaxy, the Chinese giant that also owns Volvo and Lotus, among others. “This model was born during the pandemic, when working and moving between China and Europe was impossible,” says Stefan Rosen, President of Lynk & Co Design, whom we meet in Gothenburg at the Lynk & Co style center where about 500 people currently work. So we have been ingenious, we have enhanced technology and designed this model exclusively digitally. Our fear was that it might be soulless, well, it doesn’t. I saw the physical model after the game, the day before the presentation to the managerial team. It was exactly as we had thought of it even in real space: I felt a great emotion.”

The 08 also allows Lynk & Co to take a step forward in styling their models compared to what was done by the hybrid 01 and the electric 02. “At the front, we chose to mark the separation between the lights. Higher up is the DRL daytime running light which has become the light signature of our brand and is highly recognizable – continues Rosen -. Underneath, gathered in a black band completely integrated into the car, there are low beam and LED high beams.” The designers worked to achieve a very neat and clean front: “We didn’t want to create an aggressive face. It is our presentation card and was supposed to convey calm and tranquility, but also modernity. That’s why it has very few openings and those that are there are hidden: it almost looks like an electric car.”

The cleaning of the front has been achieved by also moving all those sensors that are usually grouped in the grille. These technologies are located under the mirrors in a special turret that is slightly detached from the rest of the car body. “It is a choice that, in general, has allowed us to better smooth the surfaces and not to surrender to certain technical constraints. We chose to color it in contrast with the bodywork because we want to show how much we have focused on technology.” Also encircling the tech turret is the Lynk & Co lettering, which is illuminated in Asian markets, while in Europe regulations do not currently allow it.

The elegance of the exterior is found in the interior. The environment is refined and two colors are available, light with blue stitching, or dark, while the material of the seats is eco-leather. In the centre of the dashboard there is a huge display from which to control almost all the car’s functions following an “all touch” setting: “We have left physical controls on the steering wheel so that we create it to be more immediate and safer to act on these in the event of operations to be carried out at speed. I think it’s a good mix and one that can please everyone.”

‘Describe it in one word? Impossible. In three? I can try: muscular, light and mean’. Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, describes the latest creature to take shape from the pencils of the Maranello Style Centre. It is called the 296 Speciale and is the most exclusive and powerful variant of the 296 GTB presented in 2021. ‘More than a variant I would speak of a completely new model. The aesthetic interventions have been important and decisive, releated with the new stylistic course that we inaugurated first with the 12Cilindri and then with the F80,’ explains Manzoni. ‘The objective is always the same: to give unique shapes to a car that has performance in its blood’.

To go faster, the 3.0 V6 hybrid of the 296 Speciale (also available in the spider variant Speciale A) has been brought up to 880 horsepower (+50 horsepower over the 296 GTB), but, above all, a great deal of lightening work has been done overall using super-performance materials such as aluminium and (lots of) carbon fibre. The front of the car immediately clarifies the model’s strong sporting and expressive charge thanks to the bonnet, which is more hollowed out, while the lower part features a suspended splitter, a winged element in body colour that visually widens the base of the front. ‘The mouth is imposing: it almost looks like that of a catamaran,’ says Manzoni. The influence of the racing world, in particular the 296 Challenge, can also be perceived in the rear, while the side is a clear homage to the legendary 250 LM. ‘At the rear, the most characteristic element is the two unprecedented cantilever wings that frame the transom, remaining anchored at the end of the tail,’ continues Carlo Palazzani, Head of Pilot Design Projects.

The action of the style centre to carry out a major slimming treatment also came in the interior: ‘Here we adopted different materials to achieve the lowest possible weight. Of the 60 kilos saved on the model, one third comes from the interior,’ explains Nicola Bevilacqua, Interior Design Manager. ’An example? 10 kilos less come from the use of the new seats, while the floor mats are made of aluminium and the door panel, in its entirety, is made of carbon. In addition, we have replaced the leather with Alcantara, which is lighter and performs better when it comes to high-performance driving’.

For greater ergonomics, the touch controls on the steering wheel have returned, abandoning the ‘all-touch’ setting: ‘After several tests we believe it is the right way to go,’ Manzoni continues. ‘We also talked to customers to understand what they needed in everyday driving. This is true for any Ferrari model because it is part of our mission. We have to make life easy for our customers and try to provide answers and solutions. I fully espouse what the great sculptor Brancusi said: ‘Simplicity is complexity solved’.

It is called the Bigster and marks Dacia’s entry into a new, hitherto unexplored segment since the Renault group manufacturer changed its look with a more effective, adventure-oriented design. In lines and content, the production model has remained faithful to the Bigster Concept of 2021, as David Durand, Dacia’s vice-president of design, recounts: ‘With Bigster we have realised the intentions expressed in the Bigster Concept. Bigster is the ultimate expression of Dacia’s values and is now the flagship vehicle of our brand’. The SUV’s volumes are square, pronounced and robust. A concreteness that we also found when we drove the car in full hybrid version with 155 horsepower on the roads of Provence, France.

The Bigster’s design emphasises its robust styling and ability to support customers in their work, leisure and family activities. The generous dimensions (the car is 4.6 metres long, 1.81 metres wide and 1.71 metres high) are accentuated by taut geometric shapes and volumes whose simple lines go straight to the essentials. The large wings and the position of the headlights and lights at the end of the body contribute to a rather assertive image. A further novelty from the Color&Trim department is the new colour scheme: for the Bigster, the designers have developed Indigo Blue, which they claim gives the car an elegant and understated touch.

Right from the start of its design, the designers had been thinking of bold shapes and a look that echoed that of its little sister Duster. The proposal chosen to start the project was Sebastian Mihai Stoianov, now Senior Exterior Designer at Dacia: ‘I am proud that the model we see on the road is so close to what I had imagined and put down on paper as an idea,’ says the designer. ‘The most important thing, from an aesthetic point of view, is that an SUV has a strong character, so the pronounced lines and robust stance of the Bigster reflect power and refinement. The designers also paid attention to sustainability. The protection that runs along the entire bodywork on the sides, wheel arches and the underside of the bumpers is made of Starkle, an untreated, unpainted plastic material.

‘In the interior we wanted to emphasise one of the Bigster’s main strengths: its exceptional space. We focused on simplicity, with geometric lines that echo those of the exterior, while offering the quality that C-segment customers expect,’ explains Durand. To further increase the space on board, the dashboard is streamlined, while instrumentation and infotainment are conveyed by two 10-inch displays. The creatives have played with the conformity and colours of the interior by treating the harder plastics with pleasant graphic motifs and customising some components: the air vents have the same styling signature as the headlamps thanks to the contrasting colour of some elements.

Models change, style remains. The Japanese manufacturer has unveiled the Mazda 6e, an electric hatchback that replaces the 6 saloon whose three generations have been on the market for 23 years. Developed in collaboration with Changan, the Mazda 6e was designed in pursuit of the sporty soul that is part of the brand without, however, sacrificing comfort. ‘We followed the concept of Authentic Modern, where consistent shapes are juxtaposed with modern, well-defined lines’, explains Jo Stenuit, head of design at Mazda Europe.

The barely-there rear bonnet and sleek sedan shape make it look like a typical sedan, hiding its true hatchback identity with a large tailgate for the benefit of the load compartment. Complementing the 330-litre boot capacity is a practical 70-litre compartment that can hold an additional luggage or charging cable. Two parallel lines run along the car’s sides, adding to the car’s dynamism, while the lower part of the doors is inspired by the spray produced by a speedboat whizzing through the water. ‘We wanted it to look like it was moving even when stationary,’ explains Stenuit.

The sharp edges of the front end elements contrast with the round shapes of the rear, which include four distinct cylindrical elements, punctuating the horizontal bar of the taillights and paying homage to the brand’s styling heritage. In contrast, the rear spoiler, electrically and automatically retractable depending on speed, not only adds an additional athletic touch, but also improves road stability. Particular attention has been paid to aerodynamics with solutions such as handles flush with the bodywork or low-resistance alloy wheels.

For the cockpit, the designers were inspired by the concept of Ma, a Japanese philosophy that attaches particular importance to the empty space between things and the creation of a balanced and serene atmosphere for both body and mind. The subtle horizontal design element running along the entire dashboard gives it a ‘floating’ appearance, lending visual lightness to the entire interior. At the same time, the prominent console conveys a sense of security while enhancing the driver’s ability to concentrate. Gone are almost all the physical buttons, replaced by a large display in the centre of the dashboard and digital instruments.

Four years seem a short time to design an immortal car, but when the pencils are those of Flavio Manzoni, Chief Design Officer of Ferrari, and his team then anything becomes possible. The exterior design was entrusted to Carlo Palazzani (Head of Exterior Design Sports Cars), while the development of the interior was conducted by Angelo Nivola (Head of Interior Design Sports Cars). The Ferrari F80 expresses the concept of versatility at its best: it is, at the same time, a car, a super technological product and a cult object for enthusiasts all over the world who look to Ferrari as a reference. “I believe it is one of the Ferraris that best expresses the concept of form embracing function: there is no style here, but everything functional seeks beauty”, explains Flavio Manzoni.

Cutting-edge aeronautics
“This time we went further: we overstepped our codes and created something unique that went beyond the typical aesthetic canons of cars and referred to futurism, speed, elegance. To enable this transition, we moved away from the classic human traits to approach those of the most cutting-edge aeronautics”. In short, it’s hard not to be impressed by this car, if only because of the weight of the legacy it carries.

Aerodynamics and lightness
At the heart of the project is lightness and aerodynamics to transform air flows into weights that crush the Rossa to the ground when it is hurtling along at 350 km/h. Different materials were used for each compartment: the frame and roof are made of carbon fibre and composite materials, while the front and rear subframes are made of aluminium and secured with titanium screws. The body is made of carbon fibre, while the bonnet features an S-Duct, a fixed element that integrates the two front wings. The interplay between the dark composite material and the colour of the bodywork enhances the shapes and visually lightens the lower part, giving the model a distinct vitality even when it is stationary.

A front less romantic but more sophisticated
The front end picks up on the black visor containing the headlights whose début was on the 12Cilindri: “It is a characteristic feature of our new models”, explains Manzoni. “We wanted to avoid the typical anthropomorphic effect whereby the headlights look like eyes, the grille like a mouth. The effect is perhaps less romantic but more sophisticated and the result is more modern, futuristic and simple”.

A sculpture in motion
A single taut line crosses the side, encircles the windows and ends straight at the rear that features a truncated tail topped by a spoiler. There are two possible configurations: in the first the wing is closed, almost resting on the tail, in the second it is raised. “We decided not to adopt the fixed wing, like on the F40 or F50. I think the result is very elegant, not overdone”. The NACA-style side opening, a reference to the F40, defines one of the most original styling themes of the side.

A single-seater for two
For the interior, the design team started with an extreme idea. “We wanted a single-seater for its unique style and very special technical qualities. Commercial reasons, however, stopped us. So how could we get a two-seater?” smiles Manzoni, as he points to the cockpit. “The miracle happened by staggering the two seats: we saved 50 millimetres in width by reducing the front section”. There are two seats, but the main focus is one: the driver around whom the cockpit develops and towards whom all controls in the cabin face directly.

(Full article in A&D no. 270)

Sometimes the most exciting projects are born by combining pure passion with the desire to celebrate a legend. This explains the genesis of the Ford RS2.00. It all started when the American manufacturer’s European design team decided to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1984 RS200, a legendary car, a legend of Group B Rallying in the 1980s. The re-enactment of the car in a digital key wanted to underline the passion of Ford of Europe’s designers for sports cars and video games.

For the RS2.00, the creative process was unconventional. Amko Leenarts, head of design at Ford Europe, met author Steve Saxty while preparing a book on the brand’s secret projects and both decided to conclude the text with a styling exercise celebrating the 1984 RS200. The work ended with a series of sketches, but both felt that more could have been done.

So, a group of designers from Ford Europe decided to continue the project secretly, creating new sketches and developing a virtual 3D model of the car. All this during their spare time, in true ‘Skunkworks’ style. And when Leenarts found out that his team was working on the RS2.00 in secret, he decided to support it and take it forward. The design team worked in a unique and collaborative way, with volunteers joining in over time. Furthermore, all decisions were made by the designers themselves, ensuring that the final product was truly the result of their collective vision and creativity. This approach allowed them to experiment with new tools and software, maintain agility and promote unexpected ideas.

The designers also used traditional methods such as clay and clay modelling to ensure that the RS2.00 remained an attractive car with compact dimensions. The overall theme that inspired the car is based on the principles of the ‘Friendly Monster’ while respecting the original mandate given by Ford to Ghia for the production of the RS200 of ‘84 in which the car was not meant to look like a racing model. The aesthetics, therefore, are almost playful, in line with the latest Ford cars, while still being a high-performance and agile car.

Among the key aspects is the car’s transparent front end, which creates an unprecedented inside-outside visual connection. This feature stems directly from the car’s gaming nature, which aims to share the feeling of speed with the player/driver. Finally, the interior design is directly inspired by racing simulation devices, with most elements organised around a structural component visible from the outside. The seats are made up of flexible pieces that adapt to the shapes of the occupants’ bodies and use fastening systems to simulate different levels of driving sensations, filtering or emphasising the car’s movements. The steering column? It is the heart of the car and houses all the settings that the driver can customise to his or her liking.