Lotus promotes new interior design lead
Matthew Hill has been promoted as head of interior design at the Lotus Tech Creative Centre (LTCC)
Lotus has promoted an interior designer at the Lotus Tech Creative Centre (LTCC) in Coventry, UK. Matthew Hill is now head of interior design.
His work on the Eletre, the brand’s first ever electric ‘hyper SUV’, has clearly caught the eye of top brass, having only been with the carmaker in its current guise for two years. It is a homecoming of sorts for Hill, who first started out in the industry at Lotus back in the 1990s. “It feels great to be back,” he said in a statement. “It’s a hugely exciting time to be involved as we move to an all-electric future.”
Hill also brings experience from stints at Aston Martin and Ford prior to joining LTCC; Lotus says the appointment ”strengthens an ever-growing international creative team.”
At the launch of the Eletre last year, Hill told CDN that the aim was to strike ”a fine balance in our lifestyle products with performance that’s not just ‘for the drivers’,” he explained. “There is an equality of experience for the passenger with their own slim screen and a focused display for the driver with a head-up display (HUD) as well.”
And in an increasingly digital world, it is worth noting that Hill also has a penchant for well-made and easy-to-use physical switches where it makes more sense. Music to this journalist’s ears. Hill was also interviewed as part of a special publication in partnership with Lotus, which explored the brand’s design story. “As a lifestyle vehicle with more than two seats, the Eletre as been a tough design challenge,” he observes in the book.
The Eletre was a big step up for Lotus in terms of interior design, not in the sense that the brand has lagged its competitors, but simply that the Eletre sits in a different segment to what Lotus is used to. This is a luxury SUV, not just a performance car. The fact that Hill was tasked with working on on it is testament to his talent.
The move to promote Hill follows similar moves elsewhere in Lotus. In October, Ben Payne shifted into a new role as chief creative officer, while in August, John Paul “JP” Gregory joined LTCC as head of exterior design.