Peter Horbury passed away at the age of 73. Peter was not simply a designer. He was a brilliant mind with a deep knowledge about how we, human beings, interact with that complex object called automobile. This is why he has been capable to successfully lead the design of brands that are very different from each other by product type and geographical areas. He always had relevant observation.
We learnt from him that “Trucks and large SUVs are part of the American DNA, in the past the settlers crossed the continent in carts sitting high up to spot the dangers from far away”. And speaking of the typical Scandinavian station wagon, so boxy at that time: “If you want to transport something safely you put it in a box, these cars are the true expression of Volvo’s values”, he told us about the brand whose formal language he and his team rewrote during the 90ies. For Lotus, his latest task after more than a decade spent at the helm of Geely group design, he promised: “We’ll keep beauty as the main guideline for all future Lotus, no matter which kind of cars they will be”.
We’re going to miss the conversations with him, his punctual and witty comments. Goodby Peter, R.I.P.
Peter Horbury started his career at Chrysler UK and then spent time at Volvo in the Netherlands, working on the 480ES coupe. Horbury led Volvo’s design renaissance during his eleven years as head of design from 1991. His was the 1992 ECC Concept, a concept car that would influence Volvo’s design for years to come. Many models for which he is remembered: from the S40 and V40 of 1995 to the C70 of 1997 followed in 1998 by the flagship S80. And then the V70 station wagon of 2000, the S60 of 2001, the XC90 SUV of 2003 and the S40 and V50 of 2004. Horbury’s last Volvo of this era was the 2006 C30. In 2002, he was appointed head of all styling centres for Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, which included Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Volvo. In January 2004, he was promoted to Ford of America as executive design director of all of Ford’s American brands.
In May 2009, Horbury returned to Volvo as Vice President of Design, replacing Steve Mattin. His first job at Volvo under the new ownership of the Geely Group was the Concept Universe presented at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2011. At the end of 2011 he assumed the position of Senior Vice President of Design at Geely with responsibility for overseeing the styling of all brands and establishing a network of style centers around the world. In September 2021, Horbury was appointed Senior Vice President, Executive Advisor at Group Lotus.
