Karl Smith

Karl is the Car Design News correspondent in the United States. He lives near Los Angeles. He has written for Car Design News since 2013, as well as our sister publications, Interior Motives, and Automotive IT International. He has also been a contributor to our bespoke publications for Volvo and Nissan, as well as our annual Car Design Yearbook.

Karl has written for design journals for over 30 years and has been published in books and magazines in the US, Europe and Japan. Karl is also a practicing architect in California, with projects across the United States and in Europe.

Karl.smith@cardesignnews.com

Contact info

Email:: Karl.Smith@cardesignnews.com
Website:: www.KarlSmithStudio.com

Article
Rumpler Tropfenwagen – the first streamliner
2022-09-22T10:51:00
Car Design News’ Karl Smith investigates the Rumpler Tropfenwagen, an innovative pre-war car that inspired new approaches to aerodynamics
Article
Leadership transition at GM’s California Advanced Design Studio
2022-09-12T10:50:00
Frank Saucedo retires after a long, successful tenure at GM; Brian Smith assumes leadership of the studio in North Hollywood
Article
The unlikely resurgence of the MPV
2022-08-31T15:38:00
The multi-purpose vehicle has shuttled families around for decades in comfort, but never in style. That is starting to change, writes Karl Smith
Article
Metasketching: an interview with Mike Jelinek
2022-06-28T09:54:00
Michel Jelinek is an artist, designer, and researcher practicing in Czechia near Prague. He has a strong automotive design background having worked with Škoda, Volkswagen, PSA, and General Motors Europe. Jelinek spoke to Car Design News about advancing the next generation of design tools via his work at Wacom
Article
The expanding universe of the pick-up truck
2022-03-03T14:47:00
Times, and powertrains, are changing – Karl Smith investigates how the pickup truck is finding itself in the middle of an ever-expanding universe of products
Article
Book Review: Roots and Wings – Peter Schreyer: Designer, Artist and Visionary
2022-01-31T14:44:00
Peter Schreyer, the man who steered Audi and Volkswgen through the 80s and 90s, and completely transformed Kia, Hyundai and Genesis, is now the subject of a stellar monograph examining his work
Article
Do these GM concepts signal the return of the personal luxury car?
2022-01-10T14:31:00
Two futuristic concepts, the Buick Smart Pod and the Cadillac Innerspace Concept recently introduced by General Motors, point to a revival of a classic format
Article
The three-box sedan: requiem or revival?
2021-01-13T15:25:00
Stateside, the three-box sedan seems to be in retreat with VW withdrawing the Passat and Lincoln phasing out the Continental. Is it all over for this time-honoured format, or does its future simply lie elsewhere in the world?
Article
Karma SC1 Vision & SC2 - interior design development
2020-04-16T10:20:00
Karma Automotive, now owned by the Wangxiang Group, made a bold statement at the Shanghai auto show with its SC1 Vision Concept, a dramatic roadster previewing the evolution in design language for the brand. Its design drew inspiration from Karma’s California home: its climate, its culture, the glamour of Hollywood, the dynamics of surf and hot rod culture, and the state’s heritage of innovation in both the aerospace and automotive sectors all found a place in the styling of the SC1.
Article
General Motors and Bollinger introduce new EV platforms
2020-03-30T12:43:00
EV startup’s new platform now faces growing competition from large OEMs
Article
Interior Motives: Nissan IMk
2020-03-26T17:32:00
A deep dive into the design of Nissan’s IMk concept, exploring concepts like ‘Timeless Japanese Futurism’ and minimalism
Article
Concept Car of the Month: Lamborghini 400 GT Flying Star II (1965)
2020-03-20T13:21:00
Revisiting the shooting brake that proved the swansong of an Italian coachbuilder’s heyday
News
Hyundai launches the 2021 Elantra
2020-03-18T12:11:00
Hyundai has launched its seventh-generation Elantra compact sedan for the US market, in Los Angeles
News
Buick reveals production version of GL8 Avenir luxury MPV
2020-03-17T17:01:00
Buick has revealed the production version of its China-only GL8 Avenir luxury MPV, and, to no one’s no surprise, it looks much like the concept introduced at the Shanghai Auto Show last year.
News
Hyundai teases 2021 Elantra
2020-03-11T11:37:00
Hyundai has released teaser images and a video previewing its new Elantra sedan for 2021
News
Czinger completes motor show stand, plans London reveal
2020-03-06T19:31:00
American supercar startup Czinger have set up their stand from the cancelled Geneva Motor Show, now in London
Article
Micro Mobility’s Microlino and Microletta
2020-03-06T18:30:00
Micro Mobility had prepared a production-spec Microlino EV and a new Microletta electric scooter for Geneva
News
Bentley Mulliner Bacalar
2020-03-06T17:01:00
Undaunted by the cancellation of the Geneva show, Bentley introduced its ultra-exclusive limited edition Bacalar at its headquarters at Crewe Tuesday. The open-top car, based on the Continental GT convertible chassis, is limited to a production of twelve, and, naturally, they are all already spoken for
Article
Aiways shows production-ready U5 and U6 Ion concept
2020-03-04T14:36:00
Chinese automaker Aiways launches the production version of its U5 SUV and unveils its U6 Ion concept. The latter could be shown at Beijing auto show later in 2020
News
Czinger previews 21C hybrid hypercar
2020-03-04T12:24:00
California based Czinger Vehicles was set to debut its 21C 3D printed hybrid supercar at the Geneva Motor Show. Alas…

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