Pforzheim MA summer 2026 degree show highlights

Car Design News continues our coverage of Pforzheim’s jam-packed summer 2026 degree show, rounding up this year’s MA work.  

While there are just two final year MA Thesis projects to explore this year, the show also features a wealth of student work from semesters one and two.  

Both semesters follow a set brief from Huawei’s HIMA (harmony intelligent mobility alliance) group – with a particular focus on the Maextro luxury electric vehicle sub-brand. This brief challenged the students to design a vehicle around the experience, therefore many of these projects are interior led. 

Take a look at the projects below, accompanied by images from the students’ portfolios.  

MA Thesis 

Yian Xie – Choco Explorer (sponsored by Nissan) 

Designed for the outdoor enthusiasts of 2040, the Choco Explorer is a compact pick-up concept positioned between a traditional lifestyle pickup and a Japanese Kei truck. With this, Xie aimed to explore a new vehicle typology that combines compact dimensions, efficient packaging and versatile utility with a strong emotional identity. 

The concept was inspired by the phrase ‘life is like a box of chocolates’ and touches on themes of exploration, discovery and adaptability in both form and function. Its modular cargo system and playful design language aim to create an emotionally engaging yet practical vehicle. As a result, this pickup extends beyond a work tool and into a lifestyle companion.  

The small triangular lighting signature dotted along the face of the pickup gives the vehicle a toothy, friendly feel and the rectangular motifs along the side of the body appear almost like cubes of chocolate. CDN wonders whether this is the perfect vehicle for Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory…  

Seoyoung Chang – Aeon 

This single-occupant autonomous vehicle is an interior-first project designed as a mobile sanctuary for cognitive recovery in an era of digital overstimulation. 

Chang has purposefully chosen to move away from the idea of an autonomous cabin as a space for entertainment or productivity – instead, the Aeon is designed as a space for contemplation. The interior is structured around the Neural Slot, a docking ritual that externalises the phone, there’s also a very existential e-Ink surface that returns the user’s thoughts as Socratic questions. 

The interior is centred around a liminal skin, which transforms the dashboard into a backrest, dissolving the driver-passenger hierarchy and reframes the cabin as a space of Kairos (that opportune moment for action) rather than Chronos (the passing of time). Is this the next wellness trend of the future? We think so...  

MA Semester one  

Yeji Kim – The Grand Stage 

The Grand Stage is a six-metre-long luxury sedan designed for China's top-tier influencers, known as 'Wanghong', under Huawei's Maextro brand. This project features a concept of 'Duality,' clearly separating the 'Privacy Mode' that is active during driving from the 'Attention Mode' upon arrival. It focuses specifically on the dramatic experience of the 'Attention Mode' to capture everyone's attention.  

Upon arriving at a social event, the 'Blooming' exit mechanism is activated. The seamless black body, which previously protected the passengers, splits in the middle and opens 90 degrees to act as a canopy over the stage, while the front section extends into a staircase. CDN’s favourite element is the unfolded stairs that naturally extend the path from the vehicle's interior to the red carpet outside, providing the experience of walking out onto a stage under a glamorous spotlight.  

Inspired by Christian Louboutin, the CMF creates a contrast between the deep piano black body, the intense burgundy red stairs and the champagne gold trim lines. This represents the high-end lifestyle of the target audience and transforms an ordinary arrival into a curtain call. 

MA Semester two  

Heechan Kim – Maextro Longmen 

Kim has designed a theatrical concept that can host performances within the cabin. This vehicle is classed as a ‘broadcaster off-roader’ by Kim. 

The idea for the Longmen concept came from a narrative where visionary influencers ascend to a summit to broadcast their presence. To maximise this, the vehicle introduces an innovative 1+2+1 layout that strictly defines the spatial relationship between the pilot, guests and the VIP. 

So, how does it work? When the protagonist prepares to perform, the central second-row seats slide outward, creating a dramatic runway. The first-class rear throne then glides forward to the dashboard, transforming the cabin into a commanding stage. This mechanical transformation creates a profound spatial tension, directly inspired by the narrow bottleneck of an hourglass. As a result, the hourglass motif dictates the overall interior layout, steering wheel and intricate details, physically visualising the psychological tension of the space. 

Luis Schwarzhaupt – Maextro Proxemics 

This project aims to answer the question: what does luxury mean in a world defined by constant connectivity, endless information and permanent stimulation? As a result, Schwarzhaupt’s concept became a personal retreat, a place that creates distance from the outside world and offers moments of calm, focus and self-reflection. 

The conceptual foundation is based on Edward T. Hall’s theory of proxemics, which explains how people perceive interpersonal distance and spatial relationships. These principles were translated directly into the vehicle’s interior architecture.  

Starting from the driver’s seat as the most intimate space, the cabin gradually unfolds into personal and social zones, while everything beyond the vehicle belongs to the public realm. The design language follows this narrative throughout the interior. Soft, flowing geometries embrace the occupants, while carefully orchestrated colours, materials and lighting subtly reinforce the different spatial zones. Together, they create an environment that feels protective and deeply human. 

Patrick Bauch – HIMA Upside Down concept 

This two-seater concept is designed for Asian megacities in the form of an autonomous Level 4 car. Bauch imagines the cabin as a third space – a sanctuary between the workplace and home. 

To counteract sensory overload and stress in city traffic, the concept literally turns traditional car architecture upside down. The upper section becomes a protective, closed shell, while the lower part functions as a large glass front. This inversion blocks distracting visual stimuli from the outside, creating a relaxing feel through gentle light incidence. 

This unconventional approach also defines the interior where all elements are suspended from the ceiling. As a result, passengers are elevated from the floor, experiencing a calming sense of weightlessness.  

Sebastian Andraschko - HIMA Urban Island 

The Urban Island concept aims to redefine the vehicle as a vital, integrated component of the urban landscape. Driven by the goal of enhancing the quality of city living, the interior serves as an extension of public spaces and areas.  

A fluid environment aims to foster social interaction and community connection. To cultivate this open, communal atmosphere, traditional rigid seating architecture is replaced by suspended, drape-like structures inspired by the relaxed, inviting posture of a sun lounge.  

By employing tensioned, hammock-style fabrics that dynamically adapt to the human form, the cabin transforms into a restorative, ergonomic retreat. Ultimately, this concept dissolves the boundaries between automotive interior and architecture, offering an adaptable, social oasis that actively enriches the vibrant fabric of the modern metropolis. 

Viggo Osterloh – Maextro Grand Stage 

With a similar sense of grandeur to Yeji Kim’s project, Osterloh presents a concept that doubles as the passenger’s personal stage. The idea is that this vehicle will be driven to glamourous events and convert into a mobile stage. 

The outer sculpture and boundary of the design are inspired by red flowing silk and the interior is designed to help the passenger stand out, so the seats are kept minimalistic and coloured in white with gold accents. The entry/exit point is located at the front of the vehicle and appears flat to the ground, so the rider has a graceful entry.  

The seat can also raise upwards, escaping the parameters of the vehicle, which presumably is useful when waving to fans (while keeping a healthy distance away, of course).