Issue no. 279 summary
Trend At the intersection of cars and design
How do visual cues from seemingly distant worlds interact with one another? With the Salone del Mobile di Milano (the Milan Furniture Fair) just a few months away, we examine four trends at the crossroads of mobility and home. Distinct in character, yet capable of converging on the same formal vocabulary and, perhaps, of becoming genuine leitmotivs in the years ahead.… di Silvio jr Suppa
Cover story Mazda CX-6e, a sculpted future
Retaining consistency even at times of seismic change and transformation has always been a signature feature of Mazda, a brand which over the years has managed to innovate and reinvent itself while keeping a tight grip on its identity. The transition towards an era that will inevitably be more “electric”, represents a new chapter… by Filippo Einaudi
Concept car Kia Vision Meta Turismo, layering complexity
Sleek and low-slung, in a styling blend that blurs the lines between saloon, coupé and MPV, the Vision Meta Turismo seems to be the perfect choice for the brand’s 80th anniversary celebrations (in December 2025) as well as the glamorous backdrop of the Milan Design Week (last April)… by Silvio jr Suppa
Design story Toyota Yaris Cross, a renewed success
Yaris Cross is the story of how to craft a successful car, primarily aimed at a specific market (in this case, Europe). The sales results speak for themselves: last year it was the best-selling B-SUV segment vehicle (around 200,000 units), a jewel in the Toyota empire. To maintain that supremacy… by Fabio Galvano
Design story Cupra Raval, a new age of digital matter
Cupra’s design philosophy has always been driven by a strong dynamic character, and in the Raval this translates into an interior ecosystem entirely focused on the driver. The styling brief was not to simply dress a space, but to… by Tommaso Marcoli
Meet the designer Simon Humphries, design has a social role
He’s English but has already spent more than half his life in Japan and today he’s the head of design of the biggest automotive group in the world. Born in 1967, Simon Humphries has been Chief Branding Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation since April 2023. It’s a role, he explains, that “has me asking myself, every day, how we could improve the lives of people with our products”… by Giovanni Grimaldi
Concept car SAIC Roewe Jiayue 06 – 07 – 09, commanding elegance
A groundbreaking new vision for automotive design – one that projects the aesthetics of today’s models into the future while transmitting new values to a diverse audience. Roewe, a brand owned by the Chinese giant SAIC, has unveiled “Commanding Grace”, a design philosophy that explore also explores the role played by AI in car design… by Giovanni Grimaldi
Design story Vision BMW Alpina, respecting history
The Vision BMW Alpina is not just a concept car. For Maximilian Missoni, who has headed up BMW design for mid-size and luxury cars and BMW Alpina since October 2024, it is the first public statement of his and his team’s vision for the brand’s future. “It was one of the first projects we started working on”, says… by Silvia Baruffaldi
Interview Chris Lefteri/Alcantara, material as brand DNA
As the automotive industry adjusts to a world of electrification and extreme digitalisation, sense of touch becomes the last frontier of analogic emotion. Chris Lefteri, Design Ambassador at Alcantara, outlines the new hierarchy of design: where form ends and sensory identity begins… by Tommaso Marcoli
Design centre Lego, passion and sustainability
My conversation with William Thorogood, Head of Design, New Business at the Lego Group, is perhaps one of the most interesting chats I’ve had in recent years. Perhaps because of the passion I share with many for Lego (for those who don’t know, a portmanteau of the Danish Leg Godt, meaning ‘play well’); perhaps because… by Roberto Mazza
Design story GWM Ora 5, natural espression
Great Wall is giving Europe another go, returning to the Old Continent as a single brand, GWM, which encompasses several model ranges. These include the more mainstream Jolion and Haval models, the high-performance luxury off-roaders of the Tank series, and the premium cars from Wey. The first to arrive is the GWM Ora 5… by Roberto Mazza
School ArtCenter College of Design/Lexus, high performance creativity
The partnership between the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, one of the world’s leading creative institutions, and Calty, Toyota’s advanced research and design centre in California, has deep roots stretching back decades. It was only natural, then, that Ian Cartabiano, President of Calty… by Silvia Baruffaldi
School IED Torino/Tesla, beyond the car
What will mobility look like when driving is no longer necessary? That question is the starting point for Time, the concept developed by students of the Master in Transportation Design at IED Turin, in collaboration with the Tesla Design Center in Los Angeles County, California, led by Franz von Holzhausen… by Marta Cinti