Fiat is launching a design project involving the next generation of young designers, who have been asked to conceptualize the compact car of tomorrow. This collaboration brings together the brand and a group of students from two Italian design schools—IED Istituto Europeo di Design in Turin and ISIA Roma Design—with the goal of interpreting the future of urban mobility through the lens of the brand’s values: compactness, strong personality, and unmistakable DNA. The project engages students in a comprehensive design process: from research, through mood boards, sketches, and models, to the final narrative.
At the heart of the initiative is a unique dialogue spanning three generations of design. The two voices guiding the students are those of Giorgetto Giugiaro, President of GFG Style and one of the most influential designers of all time, and François Leboine, Fiat Head of Design, representing the brand’s continuous evolution. Both will enrich the dialogue and provide guidance through their unparalleled experience, inspiring the young designers from IED and ISIA to shape the next chapter of the Turin-based brand’s urban mobility.
Students were encouraged to embrace Fiat’s timeless “Less is More” philosophy—a principle rooted in the original Panda and emblematic of Italian ingenuity—and challenged to rethink how space, weight, and materials can be used to pursue smart, accessible solutions full of personality. The goal is to bring to life the concept of a new urban vehicle that embodies the brand’s values: compact, functional, joyful, innovative, and people-centric. In addition to the final product, this collaboration aims to highlight the stages of the creative process and how the brand’s DNA translates into emotions and concrete ideas, with a film crew documenting the experience to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the energy and imagination driving this challenge. Finally, a special jury will select three finalists, who will have the incredible opportunity to present their work during an event at Milan Design Week, taking place from April 21 to 26.
