Three prototypes, an electric super sports car already in production and two designers to talk to. During the vibrant week of the Salone del Mobile in Milan, a top event for international creatives of all kinds, and in the unconventional setting of a style centre tucked away among the remains of an old industrial district, we discussed lines, typologies and future scenarios. The protagonists were Fan Zhang, vice-president of design at GAC, and Stéphane Janin, executive director of the Italian Advanced Studio.
First of all, why was Milan picked as the European headquarters for design research in 2022?
FZ Several alternatives were considered, including Munich, London and, of course, Turin. However, Milan seemed not only less predictable, but also more attuned to trends in fashion, furnishing and luxury trends. This made it particularly well suited to anticipating future developments in the automotive field. And the decisive input, it must be admitted, came from Stéphane.
SJ Thank you, Fan (smiles). We are very happy with the choice. Not only does Milan give us a privileged vantage point on how taste is evolving, it also allows us to break away from the traditional rituals of those who have always designed cars with internal combustion engines. It is also easier to hang on to talent here than elsewhere, where the language barrier is more challenging: an interesting quality, especially now that new developments are finally proceeding at a steady pace.
What ideas are we tallking about?
SJ We work across the entire range, without any specific limitations. And since we only deal with the visual aspects, minimising contact with other departments as much as possible, we are also very efficient and fast. The real challenge is alternating product-related content with freer and more visionary expressions, such as the Project#3 prototypes (City_Run, City_Box and City_Pod, Ed.) that have just been presented.
FZ We are open to innovation however it presents itself. For the moment GAC does not have a powerful styling identity, but we are working on this in depth, naturally with an eye to international markets: it is no coincidence that we collaborate on a daily basis with our other style centres, in Guangzhou and Los Angeles. China is just a springboard.
The role of electric power, of course, is central to this process…
SJ Not always, although it may seem strange. Apart from some specific technical aspects, when we start on the project we don’t consider what the propulsion package is. Unlike in the old days, that is, we do not try to use the exterior as a pointer to the absence of emissions! Moreover, batteries, control electronics and other technical elements make everything more complex than you would think, so eliminating the internal combustion engine does not necessarily make things easier. And for Europe, the focus on hybrids must be maintained.
FZ In any case, however, pure electric remains an essential front. That is why we introduced the Hyper SSR, which reads the sporting tradition in another key and can contribute to a new mobility culture. We started developing it during Covid and two years later it was ready, in record time, proof of how effective the digital connection is between the different studios. This time Los Angeles made the biggest contribution but in the future….
What could happen?
FZ We hope that the next Salone del Mobile will feature a model conceived here, a compact hatchback born in Milan.
SJ Every day we try to imagine what tomorrow will be like. Our focus will perhaps be sharper or more basic. Clearly under the banner of sound, modern design.
