Design round-up: Rolls-Royce Spectre II; former Afry design boss launches studio; Mazda reveals new shade of green; Morgan teases latest commission series

Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II 

Rolls-Royce has revealed the Spectre Series II. While the exterior design remains largely the same as the Rolls-Royce Spectre (except for a new Ethereal Blue finish and wheel design), the interior has been revamped. 

The interior panel and clock gallery now span the entire width of the fascia, with a new illuminated Fascia artwork. The fascia features a directional wave pattern that’s made up of 8,108 separate pixel-like lights that flow across the surface like a mist (according to the carmaker).

A new aviation-inspired timepiece also sits in the fascia, with a dial consisting of metal hands and a pared-back graphic treatment. Below this is an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy solid stainless-steel figurine. 

Materiality is a big focus in the new Spectre, with an expanded selection of materials, including Duality Twill – a rayon fabric made from bamboo. This twill (available in Lilac, Chocolate, Black and Sage) is embroidered with a design inspired by the interlinked letter R initials of the marque’s founders and is made up of 2.6 million stitches and 10 miles of thread. 

A new high-gloss Brindled Walnut veneer has also been introduced, sourced from non-fruiting trees that would otherwise have been burned and combined with eucalyptus fibres from paper production to create a tiger stripe pattern. 

A Black Badge edition has also been unveiled, with new matt Iced Black exterior detailing and a rejigged open-spoke wheel design.

Full release here. 

Mazda develops new exterior colour 

Zinc Green Metallic is Mazda’s newly developed body colour. The grey-toned green is inspired by the colour and texture of zinc chromate primer – an undercoat used to enhance the durability of industrial products.

In low-light conditions the colour appears uniform, whereas in bright light the metallic sheen bounces across the body of the vehicle. The metallic effect is achieved through the colour formulation incorporating bluish metallic flakes to deliver a cool tone. 

The colour will be introduced across all new models in the future sequentially. Mazda loves green: throughout its history, the car maker has offered 80 shades of green. 

Full release here. 

Robert Dolton and Ben Guyer launch HMI design agency 

Robert Dolton, former head of design at Afry, and Ben Guyer, director of user experience at Afry, have combined forces to form Östra. 

The new HMI agency specialises in the design of digital and physical automotive interfaces – drawing upon Dolton and Guyer’s decades of experience. Östra aims to bring all the moving parts and teams behind HMI design and streamline it for the client. In a statement on his Linkedin page Dolton said the studio would: “Bring clarity to the design choices that directors and design teams are being asked to make. Östra is built around director-level designers with deep, integrated knowledge across UI, UX, Physical HMI, Lighting, Sound, Touch, Digital Modelling and User Testing.”

Östra website here. 

Morgan teases latest commission 

A series of nine creations are set to be revealed by Morgan in the coming months – with the first commission to be revealed “in due course”. 

Each of these vehicles have been created to be a singular expression of its owner, with the teaser images showing off a shadowy cabin with a particularly large skylight. 

This news comes after Morgan revealed the Supersport 400 back in April 2026. 

Full release here. 

Škoda presents exterior sketches of the Peaq 

Ahead of its reveal later this month, Škoda has released initial exterior sketches of the large electric SUV. The sketches show the Peaq to features T-shaped headlights, a high shoulder line and wide D-pillar – giving the vehicle a strong stance.

Karl Neuhold, head of exterior design at Škoda, said: “In designing the exterior of the Škoda Peaq, we consistently applied the Modern Solid design language, combining clean lines, balanced proportions and distinctive elements. Precisely sculpted surfaces and clearly structured details create a confident, timeless presence, while signature features such as the T-shaped headlights and Tech-Deck Face express Škoda’s identity in a new electric era.” 

Full release here. 

People news 

Flo Sargent has been promoted to senior CMF designer at McLaren. 

Arthus Leu has joined Stellantis as junior lighting and wheels designer. This follows two internships across his third and fourth year of a Transportation MA at Strate School of Design in France. 

Iain McShane has joined Audi AG Design as global director of digital experience. McShane previously worked at General Motors Advanced Design Europe as head of 3D creation and visualisation. 

Laura Robertson has joined Ford Motor Company as senior design manager (global design systems & UI).