“We can claim to be Europe’s most productive studio”
By James McLachlan2025-06-12T14:37:00
At a bespoke event down in Southampton, Car Design News grabbed some time with senior manager Interior Design at Chery International, Michael Duerr, to speak about building a brand from scratch, AI and China speed
A graduate of Pforzheim and a veteran of GM and Opel Michael Duerr joined Chery International in 2019 as senior interior design manager. Shortly after joining the Chinese giant’s European design studio in Raunheim, near Frankfurt, then headed up by Kevin Rice, the design team was tasked with developing a new brand. Duerr was employee number 9 in a design team that has grown to 64.
The brand in question was Omoda, launched in 2022, and targeting Generation C customers. Car Design News was invited to an exclusive event on the English south coast to get a closer look at the Omoda 9 flagship hybrid SUV where we caught up with Duerr.
Car Design News: Tell us a little about Omoda. What is the essence of the brand? What were the origins of it?