Boris Grell promoted at VW
Volkswagen names new interior chief
Volkswagen has named a long-time staffer as the new head of interior design
Boris Grell has been appointed as head of interior design at Volkswagen, extending his time at a brand he joined back in 2002.
He has been heavily involved in numerous significant models such as the ID.3 hatchback and the Volkswagen Sport Coupe Concept GTE, which would preface the production-ready Arteon.
Grell told Car Design News that "there are too many models to mention" when asked of memorable projects during his time with VW so far, but highlighted "important icons like the Golf, Passat and Tiguan, which were very exciting... Just as much as on the ID.Buzz, many show cars, or even the up!"
Grell kicked off his career in design with a Bachelor’s degree from the Bratislava Academy of Fine Arts and Design. Two internships at Volkswagen Design would eventually lead to a sponsorship with the Royal College of Art, where he came through the ranks alongside names like Karma's design boss Nicholas David, studying under Dale Harrow. He would join VW immediately after graduating from the RCA.
"I have been fascinated by car design since I was 11 and decided then that this would be my dream job," Grell says. "Later on, I discovered a strong passion for interior design, because I could see a broader playground for designing a product that brings together many different elements—materials, technology, and above all human interaction."
Looking ahead, Grell sees plenty of room for innovation around interior design, understandable given the convergence of various 'megatrends' that have seemingly arrived all at once.
"I think we are entering a very exciting era with new opportunities, especially through emerging technologies such as AI, autonomous driving, and the next levels of digitalisation and interaction," Grell explains. "And equally important, through new approaches to manufacturing and industrialisation."
