Tag: exterior design

Considering the Tesla Roadster: "The last, best driver's car"

Tesla debuted its latest Roadster in a pyrotechnic show of automotive gymnastics. But is the car more than smoke and mirrors?

How British creativity and exuberance of proportions led to the Jaguar Type 01

Car Design News sits down with Andrew Wheel, director of design development at JLR, to discuss everything from sticking ‘two fingers’ up at convention to updating the laws of physics when designing the Type 01

Lucy Abbott

Type 01 – the most important Jaguar ever – as explained by its designers (but not Gerry)

Jaguar has just revealed a rather important car in New York called the Type 01 (6th October 2026). Ahead of that official launch in early September Car Design News talked to a trio of its key designers alongside pre-production cars at a sneak media preview in Jaguar Land Rover’s Gaydon HQ to get the low-down

Hyundai talks Tucson and 'intuitive' design

The new Tucson has been given a premium push which culminates in reduced clutter and only gadgets that matter

Freddie Holmes

Freddie Holmes

First sight: Volkswagen’s Mission Efficiency streamliner is more practical than it looks

Volkswagen's Stefan Wallburg explains how extreme aerodynamics, aircraft-inspired surfacing and some ingenious packaging came together in a 2+2 concept that combines streamliner-inspired design with genuine everyday usability

James McLachlan

New Tucson takes 'art of steel' design language upmarket

Car Design News had a sneak preview of the new Hyundai Tucson in Utrecht ahead of its reveal this week. Freddie Holmes gives his initial impressions of the exterior in under two minutes.

Freddie Holmes

Design driven: Peugeot e-208 GTI

Car Design News visited the delights of Loch Lomond to test and observe Peugeot’s new electric hot hatch. We were not disappointed by car or landscape

Freddie Holmes

The Audi A2 returns as an electric companion

The Audi A2 has become something of a cult car, but Audi designers don’t want to see the new A2 E-Tron as its successor, as Mark Smyth discovered when he spoke to them in Munich

“It needed to be something that was no shrinking violet"

In 1966 Jensen revealed the Interceptor at the Earls Court Motor Show, 60 years later, the model is the face of the brand’s relaunch

How JCB designed its way into the 400mph club

Data from JCB’s diesel land speed record car 20 years ago played a crucial role in designing the world’s fastest hydrogen combustion engined vehicle. Trinity Francis was there to witness the record being set

Design driven: Mazda 6e — has something been lost in translation?

Handsome, well resolved and unmistakably Mazda on the surface, the 6e makes a convincing design statement. But beneath the Kodo styling, Mazda’s first electric saloon struggles to deliver the character expected of the brand

James McLachlan

Nichols N1A is a track car that doesn’t compromise on style

This small-batch British design takes styling cues from the 1960s — and the team behind it makes clear that aesthetics was the priority

Freddie Holmes

T. Jon Mayer to head up Bentley exterior design

T. Jon Mayer takes on an expanded role at Bentley, adding head of exterior design to his head of design operations position. Meanwhile, Domen Rucigaj has turned up at Porsche as head of exteriors

James McLachlan

Borkert on the Urus SE Perfomante – “it just gets better and better”

Lamborghini’s flagship SUV is now both electrified and performance focussed. Design boss Mitja Borkert speaks to CDN about the challenge of working with mixed materials and aero, and why the industry’s fascination with big wheels may have reached its limit

Freddie Holmes

Morgan reveals limited run Midsummer Coupé

Morgan’s drop-dead drop-head Midsummer has been given a new coupe form as part of an exclusive line of commissions

Freddie Holmes

Design driven: 2026 Mitsubishi L200

Car Design News was at Thruxton racetrack of all places for the launch of Mitsubishi brand’s seventh generation pick-up truck

Freddie Holmes

Design driven: Refreshed Tonale keeps Alfa on brand

CDN tries the refreshed Alfa Romeo Tonale and learns more about its unexpected links to the 33 Stradale and Giulia GTA

Freddie Holmes

Renault goes beachy with new concept

The Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept introduces an open air experience to the versatile runaround

Freddie Holmes

VW design team builds ‘confident’ new SUV on Xpeng’s electric platform

The ID.Unyx 08 shows how one platform can support two distinct design languages. VW’s Frank Bruese speaks to CDN about the design process which took less than a year

Freddie Holmes

Niels van Roij on coachbuilding and shooting brakes

RCA alumnus and certified coachbuilder Niels van Roij has found an exciting niche in handcrafted one-off projects, many of which appear in the form of a shooting brake or 'bread van' format. The designer sat down with CDN to explain why it is still 'design' in a conventional sense, and details one project involving a Ferrari 550 Maranello

Freddie Holmes

Design is key for EV buyers, study finds

Key performance indicators like charging speed and range are no longer the differentiator for prospective electric vehicle buyers. So says new research from consultancy Escalent

Freddie Holmes

Designing on the edge: how Ford’s Dark Horse SC took shape

Lead designer and engineer on the Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC reveals how tight timelines, hard points and constant negotiation matched the project's bold design intent with engineering reality

James McLachlan

The return of primitive shapes in exterior design

Primitive shapes – squares, circles, triangles – are making a comeback in exterior design, argues Aysar Ghassan who tracks their origins in modernism and contemporary applications

In pictures: Ford GT40 MkIII

An in-depth look at the Ford GT40 MkIII, a road-ready twist on a motorsport icon

The intersection between chemistry, materials and design

Misty Yeomans, colour styling manager, Americas at PPG, gives her take on the main trends around automotive paint and colour

Freddie Holmes

Karma doubles up at Monterey Car Week

The Amaris and Gyesera mark a concrete move towards an expanded 'for sale' line-up

Freddie Holmes

The story behind the McLaren W1’s aero design

More than a decade on from the McLaren P1, João Dias, former head of exterior design at McLaren Automotive walks us through the brand’s new ‘decade car’

Brouillard heralds new era of bespoke Bugatti design

Bugatti is launching a new one-off programme called Solitaire, the first product of which is the Brouillard

July focus: Aerodynamics

Car Design News explores the topic of aerodynamics from various angles this month

Freddie Holmes

Chery’s Tianji Vision concept is Exeedingly luxurious

Car Design News goes behind the scenes with this new luxury SUV concept from Exeed

Freddie Holmes

Design Driven: Polestar 3 vs. Polestar 4

Car Design News pits the Polestar 3 against its newer, younger sibling in an all-in battle royale.Which slice of Chinese-funded scandi-minimalism will win out in this design face-off

First sight: Omoda 9

Chery International’s new brand Omoda is moving fast. Since launching in 2022 under the Chery moniker, Omoda has morphed into a standalone brand with its sights trained on the European premium market. Car Design News took a look at the Omoda 9 flaghship

Interview: Lynk & Co design president Stefan Rosen on creating the ‘anti-Volvo’

In light of the launch of Lynk & Co’s 08, Car Design News spoke to design president Stefan Rosen on how the brand’s design language has evolved

“I don’t have a computer and I can’t do CAD; I have a drawing board everywhere I go”

Gordon Murray, the ”engineer with an artistic bent”, talks to Car Design News ahead of Goodwood Festival of Speed about his path to design, the handful of modern cars he likes and his unashamedly analogue mindset

Ten cars that defined the Art Deco era

Car Design News looks back on an era of fabulous automotive designs, many of which emerged in some of the darkest moments in modern times

UAE studio Peec reimagines local icon

The Nissan Patrol might seem an unlikely candidate for the luxe treatment, but its connection to UAE culture means it makes more sense than you might think

“Fine driving” meets fine design with the Bovensiepen Zagato

The Bovensiepen name is already famous many times over for its ties to Alpina, the famous BMW modification outfit from Buchloe, Germany. Now, the family name has been elevated to the front of the bonnet, not just on a plaque in the cockpit

Freddie Holmes

Urban Automotive: “OEM+ is about complementing already great designs”

Car Design News sat down with Urban Automotive founder Simon Dearn to discuss modification, styling and why certain cars just make sense for ‘OEM plus’ work

‘Fight or flight’: the human science of perceived quality

There is a reason why products resonate with consumers in a certain way, and Alina Braun has dedicated a large portion of her career to understanding that in more detail. Today, Braun is applying that knowledge in the world of car design

CDR 11: “Studiokurbos moves with speed, agility and independence”

Andreas Kurbos, CEO of Studiokurbos, speaks on the growing importance of CMF design and the integration of smartphones into vehicles

Italdesign talks pick-ups, materials and converging design worlds

Italdesign’s Joaquin Garcia gives CDN a walkaround of the Quintessenza concept and explores the idea of simplicity

Sex and mystery vs. tech and trends – Italy’s design battle

CDN talks to designers at Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Estrema and Bertone about the history of Italian design and what the future might hold

GM’s UK studio reveals first major project: an electric Corvette concept

With an all-star team led by Julian Thomson, the Midlands-based design studio has lifted the covers on a blistering new concept

Changan’s European debut: “Design talent is what you need to create success”

China’s oldest automaker and one of the ‘Big Four’ in the country has officially arrived in Europe – Car Design News reports

The design experts behind Chery’s new Journeo concept study

From achieving ‘China speed’ to the crucial role of AI in the cockpit, Car Design News speaks to the design experts at Chery Automobile

Smart reveals its first mid-size SUV, smart #5

The German marque has expanded its smart product line-up in the UK, with the smart #5 becoming the third electric model introduced within three years

First Sight: Volvo’s Jeremy Offer on the ES90 and beyond

From 1980s Coupé inspiration to 2025 tech challenges and future opportunities, Volvo’s head of global design Jeremy Offer gets candid

First sight: Renault 5 Turbo 3E

Car Design News visits Renault in Paris to become acquainted with its new mini supercar and to speak to Renault’s chief design officer Laurens Van Den Acker

Lighting and screens define new Mercedes CLA

This new generation Mercedes-Benz CLA brings a familiar form to the table, now packed full of technology and more reliant on lighting than ever

Car Design round-up: Bentley, Toyota and Lexus

Car Design News takes a look at some of the stories that may have gone under the radar this week. Read on for the latest from Bentley, Toyota and Lexus

Morgan modernises with new Supersport flagship

Traditional British marque, Morgan Motor Company, has introduced a slightly more modern design language on its new flagship, the Supersport.

First sight: VW ID. Every1 concept

VW design boss Andy Mindt gives an early walkaround of the new concept which, two years into his tenure, now sets the stage for a new design language

Five new material trends: from apple pomace to optical fibre

CMF experts CnT Factory provides a valuable insight into five of the latest material trends

March Focus: Materials

This month Car Design News will be exploring the current materials landscape across traditional and new materials

Car Design round-up: Bentley, Skoda and Toyota

Car Design News takes a look at some of the stories that may have gone under the radar this week. Read on for the latest from Bentley, Skoda and Toyota

Kia unveils Concept EV2

Kia has previewed its smallest Kia EV yet – the Concept EV2

Caterham design boss Anthony Jannarelly on his new ‘Art Car’ capsule range

Car Design News catches up with the French designer as he launches his new carbon-panelled, Ferrari-based Ælla-60

Rolls-Royce announces Black Badge Spectre

The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre makes its global debut in a new Vapour Violet paint finish

Kia reveals new EV4 exterior design

Kia has presented a first look at the exterior design of the new EV4, with saloon and hatchback variants

Car design round-up: Volvo, Renault and Mini

Car Design News takes a look at some of the stories that may have gone under the radar this week. Read on for the latest from Volvo, Renault and Mini

Design driven: the functional yet fun Dacia Duster

The Dacia Duster is a pretty accomplished off-roader that will appeal to outdoorsy types and young families on a budget

CDN’s highlights from Rétromobile 2025: rare concepts, modern classics and auto merch heaven

Guy Bird was in Paris for Retromobile 2025 earlier this month and found an impressive mix of cars, clothes and auto-related curiosities

New tools, new workflow with Eric Stoddard of Car Design Academy

An auto industry veteran has embraced a new generation of tools such as Gravity Sketch, Vizcom, MidJourney and others and now instructs others in emerging methods of design and visualisation

Interview: Roy Norton, head clay modeller, Nissan

What is the value of clay modelling within the car design process and how can digital and clay work harmoniously? We speak to head clay modeller, Roy Norton fresh off his team’s win at the CDN People awards

Chris Benjamin: “Scout Motors is a start-up with heritage”

Chris Benjamin, chief design officer at Scout Motors, explains how the connection heritage to ingenuity is key, the growth of his 45-strong team and the challenges that come with reintroducing vehicles 44 years later

Hennessey’s design director on sketching a 300mph supercar

How do you ensure a car targeting top speed is still beautiful? Over to Hennessey design boss Nathan Malinick

Designer realises childhood dream with James Bond’s Bentley Continental

The James Bond novel Thunderball saw Ian Fleming vividly describe a Bentley Continental Mk2, a car that didn’t outside the pages of fiction. Car designer Tony Hunter remedied this by designing and building his own

McLaren designers put supercar skills to use with new solo venture

It is not every day that someone steps away from their childhood dream with supercars, but that is exactly what two McLaren designers have done. A combination of Irish Gaelic and Portuguese, Ennua aims to be the new benchmark for statement furniture – and more

Inside DRVN design and the art of the Continumod

Car Design News gets a behind-the-scenes tour of the Coventry studio and the design team led by Wayne Burgess

Should Renault thank Peugeot for its recent design success?

CDN’s exclusive Q&A with Sandeep Bhambra, Renault’s chief designer, advanced design and concept cars reveals all

Tata reimagines iconic Sierra, reveals new Avinya brand

The SUV enamoured by Gen X has been reborn, this time looking to connect with the next generation of younger drivers. Alongside it sits a new sub-brand, dubbed Avinya, bringing an entirely new level of luxury into the Tata fold. CDN visited the UK studio to learn more, with global and European design bosses Martin Uhlarik and Aurelien Doisy on hand to show us around

Perceived quality: a bridge between function and desire

Experienced perceived quality specialist Kyungmin Lee explains how carmakers stand to gain from giving PQ a platform within the group

EyesOn Design Awards 2025: the winners

As a proud sponsor of the EyesOn Design awards, Car Design News can reveal the winning cars at this year’s event in Detroit

Honda debuts 0 Series Saloon and SUV prototypes at CES

New electric series brings a fresh philosophy and design language – but also channels Honda’s heritage

Interview: Madalina Marcu, head of product quality, McLaren

What are the nuances for perceived quality between high and low volume car brands? We spoke to someone who has worked on both sides

“A true crossover” – Chery’s design boss on the Omoda 5

First Sight: Nio launches distinctive new Firefly brand

Nio has unveiled new brand Firefly with a B-segment vehicle featuring a European-led design, a distinctive look, and iconic ambitions. Toby Clarke was there for CDN to speak with senior VP of design Kris Tomasson

Make Lancia great again – CDN visits Centro Stile

Brutalist architecture, classic italian furniture and bold geometry are the nucleus of Lancia’s revival. Car Design News paid a visit to Centro Stile to hear from new design boss – and brand super fan – Gianni Colonello

DS goes luxury chic with flagship No.8

Since Stellantis launched the DS brand back in 2009, you could say the models have been somewhat over-designed. Now the design team are reining things back in, starting with a brand new flagship model, the DS No.8. Mark Smyth travelled to the DS Studio in Paris to take a look

Nuro’s head of design talks autonomous pods

Autonomous vehicles need not be as cold and uninviting as we might first think, providing the focus lands on humanisation and smooth UX design

Mazda Iconic SP: "It's not just one of those empty show cars”

The breathtaking Mazda Iconic SP concept might be going into production. We hope. Car Design News caught up with Mazda’s design manager Masashi Nakayama to hear more

Jaguar takes a bold leap with concept Type 00

Jaguar sparked controversy with its rebrand, but will its new concept, the Vision Type 00, silence its critics? Mark Smyth attended an exclusive preview with the design team

Audi revives Auto Union Type 52 Schnellsportwagen

Ninety years since the idea was first dreamed up by Porsche’s designers, Audi has finally built the Auto Union ‘Schnellsportwagen’

We were determined to create something striking: Giovanny Arroba on the new Nissan Murano

Nissan’s senior design director speaks with CDN about the long-awaited update to the brand’s signature midsize SUV

Pininfarina CCO on restoring Honda’s first ever concept car

The Honda HP-X has been beautifully restored by Pininfarina, capturing an iconic glimpse in time. But instead of feeling nostalgic, the design team is looking ahead to challenge market convergences

Mahindra’s new SUV shows concepts can make it to production

The concept we saw over two years ago has made it through to production virtually unchanged, a testament to the advanced design studio that does far more than purely creative work

Callum Designs predicts Aqua Mist as the colour for 2025

Aqua Mist, Midnight Tide and Neon Riot all come together to create a vibrant but calming colour palette in 2025. Mark Smyth spoke to the team at Callum Designs about their predictions

Chevrolet designers go “truck-like” with compact SUV

Car Design News took the new 2025 Chevrolet Equinox for a road trip in the deep south to find out how SUV design is evolving in the US market

Callum revisits stunning C-X75 supercar

Legendary designer Ian Callum describes working on “the one that got away” and the principles of designing for longevity

First Sight: Hyundai Initium concept

Hyundai introduces a new, hydrogen powered, family-oriented SUV with a new design language

Karma design bosses reveal the ‘ultimate’ edition of the Revero

Michelle Christensen and Nicholas David share the design story behind the brand’s latest ultra luxury performance coupe

Scout reveals SUV and pick-up concepts in long-awaited debut

Rugged SUV and pickup truck concepts revitalise a storied American brand. Head of design Chris Benjamin gives Laura Burstein the details

New DS concept combines autonomous driving, Formula E performance and feathers

With one side dedicated to racing and the other to chauffeured comfort, DS Automobiles’ new concept has a split personality

Jeep and North Face bring off-road and outdoor skills to special edition Avenger

Jeep has entered a collaboration with The North Face. Mark Smyth travelled to Mont Blanc to chat to the design team behind it

“Aero-dramatic”: Lynk & Co's design team discuss the 02

At a suitably quirky launch event in Milan – dancers, saxophones and laser shows all featured – Lynk & Co showed off its 02 and Car Design News spoke to the design team

First sight: BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe gets a makeover

The second generation has been pared back inside and out, reducing visual clutter and bringing what the design team see as more of a traditional BMW look and feel

Pierre Leclercq: “If we don’t manage to do something different, the job doesn’t interest me”

Car Design News chatted with Citröen design director Pierre Leclercq at the Paris Motor Show to hear about Amis, designing for efficiency and why he will not design ”boring” tail lights

Foxconn goes from iPhones to cars with first EV: the Foxtron Model D

The maker of iPhones introduces a new SUV-MPV hybrid

Alpine Alpenglow nods to future endurance racing design

Alpine design boss Antony Villain chats to Trinity Francis about the brand’s motorsport ambitions and the challenges of designing around high-pressure hydrogen tanks

Dacia enters the C-segment with the Bigster

Dacia is back with the Bigster and has remained faithful to the chunky 2021 concept. Car Design News spoke to design director David Durand about the brand’s entry into the C-segment

First sight: Renault Estafette Concept

The legendary workhouse returns for a BEV era

DS creates tribute to iconic SM – just don't call it retro, says design chief

DS Automobiles’ design boss gives a walkaround of the inspired SM Tribute concept which was created from scratch just in time for its public debut this month

The mysterious role of perceived quality in car design

The science of perceived quality ensures a product materialises as intended

BREAKING: Cupra reveals ‘rebellious’ Terramar SUV in Barcelona

The Spanish brand has thrown a lavish event to celebrate the launch of its new model, a performance SUV that it says is an example of “design following emotion”

Lamborghini design director Mitja Borkert on the Temerario

Lamborghini is back with a new model, the V8 hybrid Temerario, which embodies design director Mitja Borkert’s ’essential and iconic’ design language. Car Design News got a early look at Goodwood ahead of the official launch at Monterey Car Week.

Cadillac celebrates 20 years of the V-Series with the Opulent Velocity concept

At Monterey Car Week the storied luxury marque brings opulence and performance to a dramatic new 2+2 concept

bb-Auto: Looking back at fifty years of innovation

As the storied German customiser heads to Monterey Car Week, we look back on a half-century of bespoke Porsches – and others

Sasha and Inna Selipanov on Nilu27, their “middle finger” to the car industry

Car Design News went along to the hotly anticipated launch of the Nilu hypercar and grabbed a word with the masterminds behind it

How does marketing influence car design?

Car Design News investigates how departments beyond the studio influence the final design of a vehicle. This time, it is not engineering, but marketing and product planning under the microscope

Scandi minimalism goes out the window with Polestar Concept BST

At Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024, Polestar brought a ramped-up concept of its sleek 6 roadster. Car Design News grabbed a few words with exterior designer Maxime Célérier

Resurrecting the Ford Capri – pros and cons

Great design, just don’t call it a Capri – or maybe do?

In pictures: MG Cyber GTS

The MG Cyber GTS is debuting at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where MG is honored as the ‘celebrated marque’ of this year’s event.

Alpine design boss Antony Villain on the A290

Car Design News caught up with Alpine head of design, Antony Villain, to learn more about the tough second album that was the A290

First Sight: Volkswagen Iroc concept

Launched at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, the Volkswagen Iroc concept was the precursor to the third generation Scirocco. Sam Livingstone was there for Car Design News

First Sight: Tourbillon is a Bugatti to watch

Design director Frank Heyl explains the all-new Bugatti

“This can only be done in Italy” – Quentin Amore on the Maserati GranCabrio

Exterior chief designer at Maserati, Quentin Amore to compares the electric and ICE versions of the new GranCabrio and explains how Maserati is incorporating historic cues into modern design

Interview: Alena Gersonde, senior colour and material designer, Mazda Motor Europe

From a spell working as a motorsport journalist to shaping the look and feel of new cars, the German-Italian designer discusses the collaborative aspect of CMF, smart surfaces and transporting European flavours to Japan

Ex-Mercedes designer reimagines iconic 190E EVO II

With rich experience of working on Mercedes-AMG projects, Edgar Chu jumped at the chance to reimagine the EVO II. He tells CDN the challenge was in balancing past and future

Suppliers and car designers have their say on the future of tyre design

Car Design News investigates the principles of tyre design and what room for innovation – and creativity – remains

Q&A: Francois Leboine on the new Fiat Panda family

Car Design News spoke to head of Fiat design Francois Leboine about Giugiaro and the 2019 Centoventi concept car, the new Panda range and why plug-n-play accessories could be an important part of his new design approach

“Alfa Romeo is a car for egoists” – Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos

Car Design News visited Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos at Alfa Romeo’s studio in Turin to hear about the Junior and the designer’s hopes for the future of the brand

Mazda explores old solutions to new CMF problems

A visit to Marseille revealed how Mazda is drawing inspiration from age-old painting and dyeing techniques

Generations: looking back at the Dodge Charger

A look back of the history of the Dodge Charger reveals the good, the bad, and the plain awful

Cadillac fashions its EV future with new Optiq

Cadillac is continuing to rebrand for the electrified era. Its first EV, the Lyriq, debuted four years ago and since then the design team at the famous American marque have brought us the luxurious Celestiq, the Escalade IQ and revealed the 2025 seven-seater Vistiq

Klaus Zyciora VP design of Changan on the Nevo E07

Klaus Zyciora, newish VP of design for Changan spoke to Car Design News about ‘China Speed’, why engineering and design departments are much closer in China, material innovation and the striking new EV E07 SUV/pickup crossover. Ethan Robertson, our man on the ground in China, has more

“Our inspiration is in people and the character they have”

Cupra used the reveal of its new Leon and Formentor models in Madrid to underline its commitment to a new design language distinct from the ‘performance Seat’ look. The brand also unveiled bespoke design studio Cupra Design

Mitja Borkert on updating Lamborghini’s most successful car: the Urus

As Lamborghini unveils its hybrid-powered Urus SE, we speak to design boss Mitja Borkert about how to develop the brand’s biggest seller – and how he got into his Sant’Agata ‘garage band’

Dodge introduces a new generation Charger

The storied Dodge Charger muscle car starts a new era as an all-electric with artificial sound and an ICE option

How proportions influence a car’s perceived value

Using the Toyota Mirai as a case study, design strategist Jelle Tjebbes argues that the package often has a far greater impact on the perception of value than exterior styling

Flashback: designing the car windscreen

Long used for protection and safety, the windscreen of the future could also become a field of information

Watch: Bentley’s design heads on the brand’s future

Car Design News paid a visit to Bentley at the luxury British marque’s Crewe headquarters to speak to the department heads of exterior, interior and CMF

HiPhi brings its ‘A game’ with new hypercar

Two Chinese carmakers have teamed up to produce an electric hypercar with added character, the HiPhi A

Flashback: Hidden headlamps, the ‘sunglasses’ of car design

Once considered the ‘sunglasses’ of the automotive world, this seemingly forgotten technology faces an uncertain future. Karl Smith looks back at the early days of the trend

Avatr 12 gran coupe blends Chinese innovation with European flair

The Avatr 12 was unveiled to the world this year at IAA in Munich and is going on sale this week in China. The “monolithic” gran coupe without a rear window shines, thanks to a design team assembled from European luxury brands

Pick-up concept previews Renault’s international push

The Niagara concept has been designed for markets like Colombia, India and Turkey where rugged off-road capabilities are crucial

Ford balances form and function with new Tourneo

The new Ford Tourneo Courier has just entered production. We caught up with its design team ahead of the launch to find out how they approached the redesign, and why it balances the needs of various user groups in a way that other vehicles do not

Kia explores new typologies amid EV shift

Kia’s recent ‘EV day’ showcased not only a new production car but also two exciting new concepts, one of which explicitly aims to redefine an existing segment in the sedan. Teckkoun Kim, design director for Kia Next Design Group, tells us more

Li Auto goes minimalist for mega new MPV

It has been a few years in the making, but official images of Li Auto’s new MPV project, the Mega, have been revealed. Super stretched and channelling what the team describes as “Chinese minimalism”, the people carrier makes a statement on the street. Exterior design lead Benjamin Baum tells CDN more

New Isuzu D-Max makes a case for the pick-up truck

Car Design News tests the new Isuzu D-Max pick-up truck, an experience that underlines the ever-important role of ‘utility’ in car design. Plus the need for a first-class user experience…

Flashback: Four fibreglass pioneers of the car world

Often derided as “a poor man’s carbon fibre”, fibreglass was critical in the development of the modern sports car. We take a look back to the beginnings of the composites era