‘Describe it in one word? Impossible. In three? I can try: muscular, light and mean’. Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, describes the latest creature to take shape from the pencils of the Maranello Style Centre. It is called the 296 Speciale and is the most exclusive and powerful variant of the 296 GTB presented in 2021. ‘More than a variant I would speak of a completely new model. The aesthetic interventions have been important and decisive, releated with the new stylistic course that we inaugurated first with the 12Cilindri and then with the F80,’ explains Manzoni. ‘The objective is always the same: to give unique shapes to a car that has performance in its blood’.

To go faster, the 3.0 V6 hybrid of the 296 Speciale (also available in the spider variant Speciale A) has been brought up to 880 horsepower (+50 horsepower over the 296 GTB), but, above all, a great deal of lightening work has been done overall using super-performance materials such as aluminium and (lots of) carbon fibre. The front of the car immediately clarifies the model’s strong sporting and expressive charge thanks to the bonnet, which is more hollowed out, while the lower part features a suspended splitter, a winged element in body colour that visually widens the base of the front. ‘The mouth is imposing: it almost looks like that of a catamaran,’ says Manzoni. The influence of the racing world, in particular the 296 Challenge, can also be perceived in the rear, while the side is a clear homage to the legendary 250 LM. ‘At the rear, the most characteristic element is the two unprecedented cantilever wings that frame the transom, remaining anchored at the end of the tail,’ continues Carlo Palazzani, head of exterior design.

The action of the style centre to carry out a major slimming treatment also came in the interior: ‘Here we adopted different materials to achieve the lowest possible weight. Of the 60 kilos saved on the model, one third comes from the interior,’ explains Nicola Bevilacqua, head of interior design. ’An example? 10 kilos less come from the use of the new seats, while the floor mats are made of aluminium and the door panel, in its entirety, is made of carbon. In addition, we have replaced the leather with Alcantara, which is lighter and performs better when it comes to high-performance driving’.

For greater ergonomics, the touch controls on the steering wheel have returned, abandoning the ‘all-touch’ setting: ‘After several tests we believe it is the right way to go,’ Manzoni continues. ‘We also talked to customers to understand what they needed in everyday driving. This is true for any Ferrari model because it is part of our mission. We have to make life easy for our customers and try to provide answers and solutions. I fully espouse what the great sculptor Brancusi said: ‘Simplicity is complexity solved’.

Never before has Auto&Design collected so much evidence from car design managers on how important it is to continue to create physical models. We had further confirmation of this from Katharina Sachs, a thirty-two-year-old German senior exterior designer from Volvo, whom we met at the AgenForm CEMI (European Center for Industrial Modeling) school in Savigliano, an hour’s drive from Turin, where she returned in April for a day of meetings to testify to her experience.

His professional history has its roots in the desks of AgenForm CEMI, an institution founded in 1998 from the collaboration with A.N.F.I.A. (Italy’s National Association of the Automotive Industry Supply Chain) and established itself as a reference training center, attracting students from every corner of the globe eager to pursue a career as a model maker in the transportation design sector. The path of Katharina Sachs, who between October 2010 and July 2011 attended the Industrial Model Technician course when she was just seventeen, is an eloquent example.

As Katharina herself pointed out, her Italian experience at AgenForm CEMI gave her a “deep understanding of 3D design and turning ideas into tangible reality.” In an industry where the transition from virtual concept to physical object is far from obvious, mastery of clay modeling is an irreplaceable bridge. The designer’s hands become tools to give shape to visions, to explore volumes and surfaces with a freedom and sensitivity that software can hardly fully replicate. “I learned how to bridge the gap between idea and practice, between concept and execution, developing both the technical skills and the creative mindset needed to bring projects to life.” Clay modeling is not just a manual technique, but a real training ground for the creative mind. It allows you to develop a sense of space, proportions and flowing lines that are essential for a harmonious and eye-catching automotive design.

The modeling course has also instilled in Katharina a design philosophy rooted in the understanding of the physical world. “It taught me that every material has its own logic and that successful design is about respecting and using that logic rather than insisting on form without understanding its foundations.” After the training experience in Savigliano, which provided her with solid technical foundations, Katharina continued her path with an experience at Italdesign Giugiaro and then with more specific studies in automotive design at the University of Pforzheim. It was precisely the practical experience gained thanks to AgenForm CEMI that allowed her to access that university, where experience in the workshop was a prerequisite.

Joining Volvo Cars in 2017 marked the beginning of a distinguished career that culminated in the leadership of the exterior design of the revolutionary EX30. A success that, as Katharina herself acknowledges, has its foundations in learning the “basics of how to work with volumes and build surfaces” acquired at the Savigliano school, “key elements for successfully transferring design ideas into reality”, especially in an era in which design plays a crucial role in communicating the cutting-edge technology present in cars. Katharina Sachs’ return to AgenForm CEMI was not only an opportunity to celebrate a successful career path, but also a moment of inspiration for young students who, like her in the past, take their first steps in the fascinating and complex world of automotive design.

Mazda has accustomed us to choices that go against the tide, at times even courageous but always in keeping with its philosophy, and the new Mazda 6e, the subject of a Roman preview following the international one last January, is certainly part of this vision. For its first long-range electric model, in fact, the Hiroshima-based company has not opted for an SUV, a choice that would also be popular in this sector today, but has taken the opportunity to put one of its best-loved models, the Mazda6 saloon, back on the road.

The Mazda 6e is based on the Deepal L07, produced by Changan’s Chinese partners, but has been thoroughly customised by the parent company’s design centre in its lines and partly in its shape to take on the characteristic features of Kodo Design and become Mazda’s new top-of-the-range model.

The wheelbase remains unchanged at 2.90 meters, but the body has been extended beyond 4.90 meters (up from 4.88). While retaining the practical rear hatch, the design gains newfound dynamism and elegance, with cleaner lines and improved aerodynamic efficiency — helped in part by the newly designed wheels. Part sports sedan, part luxury car, the Mazda 6e doesn’t shy away from impactful details — all functional — such as flush door handles and a retractable rear spoiler. But it’s inside the cabin that Mazda’s philosophy truly comes to life, showcasing a refined sense of comfort and artisanal attention to detail.

The interior has been redesigned with inspiration from the Japanese concept of Ma, the deliberate use of empty space to bring harmony to shapes. This approach is evident in the dashboard and central tunnel, shaped as straight lines in space but separated by empty volumes. A solution rooted in tradition, yet open to innovation, for a model defined as “the most technologic Mazda of ever”.

During the Car Design awards ceremony, Auto&Design held a Talk in Milan on the theme “Emotional connections”. As in previous editions, the discussion took place within the prestigious ADI Design Museum, alongside the winning objects of the Compasso d’Oro over time, with the involvement of actors and actresses belonging to multiple fields, not only related to mobility. In fact, the following participated: Domitilla Dardi, design historian; Joaquin Garcia, head of style at Italdesign; Eugenio Lolli, president and CEO of Alcantara; Andrea Rosati, at the helm of strategic design at Lotus Cars.

To structure the theme, an interesting dichotomy of our times: on the one hand, cars are becoming more and more technological (starting with virtual assistants and driving aids), on the other hand, the designers’ care for human experiences on board is growing. How do these different and complementary spheres interact?

Lolli, at the helm of a very refined company and partner of the event, begins by illustrating with a video the processes that bring the material closer to the sensitivity of those who elaborate or enjoy the final result, that is, through a flexibility capable of satisfying multiple personal or brand identities. A perfect approach for Dardi to emphasize the importance of “creating connections by looking at neighboring fields“, for example by formulating the discourse on the automobile starting from the inside and from the “domestic”. There is no shortage of historical examples in this direction, including the famous Kar-A-Sutra by Mario Bellini (1972), a precursor of MPVs based on the idea that the body could assume different positions in the passenger compartment. Even the notion of “common sense” – again reported by Dardi with reference to the inventions of two women, at the end of the nineteenth century: the heating system of the passenger compartment by Margaret Wilcox and the windshield wiper by Mary Anderson – exemplifies a non-obvious modality of the man-machine relationship.

Garcia’s point of view is grafted onto this subject, agreeing on concrete reasonableness since “the important thing is not the product, but rather what people do with it”, so it is necessary to “fully explore user behavior” and make it central. Later on, the concept will re-emerge in his words in a very interesting key, according to which “rationality itself represents an emotion” and the relationship with people is also created “in owning an object for a long time, becoming attached”, thus respecting an apparently “cold” criterion of sustainability and durability. First, however, it is up to Rosati to suggest a further reflection: if someone (especially the youngest) moves away from the emotional bond with the car, the interest can be reconstructed by telling the stories behind a metal creation, with special regard for participatory values such as collaboration and courage.

Again moderated by Silvia Baruffaldi, editor of Auto&Design, the debate then revolves around the “central dimension of feeling safe, in a physical sense and beyond” (Dardi), the car “extension of the home” (Lolli), the proposal that designers become “less self-referential, reducing the spectacularity of the dashboards to allow passengers to concentrate on the outside” (Garcia),  the use of advanced but human-oriented solutions, such as “seats with air padding capable of gently vibrating  to send driving signals thanks to a fabric with integrated air chambers, which therefore uses air as a material. In fact, we started from the concept of a wearable car, our co-founder Colin Chapman used to say that a Lotus is worn like a glove” (Rosati).

A kaleidoscope of ideas that is very varied and certainly a harbinger of future developments, which concludes with a promising intervention by Dardi: “We are now moving towards ‘technocraft’, a term capable of blending absolute modernity and craftsmanship”. Therefore, “synthetic materials will lose the negative aura associated with the ‘fake’, generating, instead of an imitative effect, a sort of ‘super-nature'”. It will soon be understood how much such a tendency can unfold on the car and on the personal interest it arouses.

At the centre of the large Kartell stand, surrounded by the latest products of the well-known furniture company, the new Fiat Grande Panda Kartell was unveiled to the public at the Salone del Mobile on its first day. The collaboration, recalls Lorenza Luti, Kartell’s marketing director, reinforces a relationship dating back to the 1950s and the cup holder that entered the history of Italian design for the first generation of the Fiat 500. A bond that has evolved over time with projects such as the Fiat 500e Kartell of 2020, created together with the Fiat Style Centre, and now with this concept car that is the result of a collaborative workshop. This is not a special edition designed for the series, nevertheless the project marks a significant moment for Fiat and its return to segment B as well as highlighting the fusion of automotive and furniture design.

François Leboine, Fiat & Abarth Head of Design, confirms this: ‘We sought to ensure that each of the two brands could effectively translate its own language. In Kartell’s case through the colour belonging to its corporate image and its experience in dealing with plastic materials and fabrics in an innovative way. It was like using two approaches: a view from afar to capture the formal simplicity in its essence and a closer view to take care of the many details’.

Fiat Grande Panda Kartell communicates effectively from the vibrant red livery contrasting with the Tasmanian Blue interior and, for the sake of detail, the Kartell logo symbolises the ‘Love’ sign by becoming a central decorative element positioned at strategic points such as the rims, the rear, and the third pillar.

Interesting is the use in the interior of Polycarbonate 2.0, a second generation polymer derived from renewable sources already used by Kartell for some products. Sustainability between the automotive and product design sectors is central, so it is anticipated that the project may include a process called ‘tex to tex’ through which the fabric scraps of the Foliage armchair, reduced to waste fibres, will be rewoven for the seats. We imagine it is not easy to work on an icon like Panda, we ask. ‘We took the initiative to make a very distinctive car,’ continues François Leboine, ‘that doesn’t look like any other and tries to impose its own identity. More than a difficulty, it was an opportunity for us to create something that, while referring back to the original, could also be unique while preserving the expressiveness and simplicity that characterise it.

For the 2025 edition of the Car Design Award, ERRE Design Studio rethought Traccia – the trophy proposed last year that  represents the legacy of the winners and the mark they make on history through their projects – keeping the traditional design intact but placing a significant focus on CMF innovation. The intention was to pay homage to the heritage and values that the award embodies and to ensure historical continuity, while setting its sights on the future.

The shape of the trophy has sculptural elements in it, such as the solid base with horizontal orientation, a reference to the horizontality of the project team, and strongly dynamic elements, such as the silhouette of the track, fluid and organic, which expresses very well the reflections and concept of the ERRE designers.

The team wanted to explore the possibilities offered by the CMF, emphasising bold and precious elements and textures: a refined material palette was introduced, a harmonious combination of wood, aluminium and Alcantara material to enhance the visual impact and tactile experience. The careful selection of materials sought to create a balance between tradition and modernity, and redefined the classic by evolving it with sophistication and elegance. The results are three unique combinations aligned with the spirit of the times of car design.

The elements selected represent very precise values: wood for the base, with a semi-glossy finish that enhances its depth and natural grain and is an immediate reminder of stability, tradition and authenticity; mirror-polished metal emerging from the wood and symbolising progress and the courage of choices; Alcantara in a special perforated pattern that expresses the dynamism and exclusivity of Made in Italy.

All photos of the Car Design Award 2025 ceremony, the Design Talk “Emotional Design” and the Design Cocktail Alcantara Le Icone (Ph: ©lunasoft_video).

The design teams of Lotus for the Theory 1 concept car, of Ferrari for the 12Cilindri and Renault for its Brand Design Language are the winners of the 2025 Car Design Award, the Oscar of world car design established in 1984 by the Auto&Design magazine.

Event photos downloadable here   (Ph: ©lunasoft_video)

The award ceremony was held in Milan at the renowned ADI Design Museum today, April 8^th, during the Milano Design Week. The event was opened by an exclusive “Emotional connections” talk with Domitilla Dardi, Design Historian, Andrea Rosati, Head of Strategic Design at Lotus Cars, Joaquin Garcia, Head of Design at Italdesign and Eugenio Lolli, Chairman & CEO of Alcantara.

The Car Design Award includes three categories: “Concept Cars”, “Production Cars” and “Brand Design Language”, the latter an award given to the design team that has stood out for the consistency and transversality of its brand’s formal language across its whole product range.

The winners of the 2025 edition, chosen from a shortlist of ten finalists, are:

• in the Concept Cars category, the Lotus design team for the Theory 1 project
• in second place the DS design team for the SM Tribute
• in third place, tied, the BMW team for the Skytop, Jaguar for the Type 00 and Renault for the Emblème
• for Production Cars, the Ferrari Design for its 12Cilindri
• in second place the team of Bugatti design for the Tourbillon
• on the third step of the podium, the Kia team for the EV3
• for the Brand Design Language section, the design language of the whole brand, the award went to the Renault design team
• the Dacia and Hyundai design teams are tied in second place while Cupra and Genesis are in third place

“In its tenth edition following its relaunch in the 2000s, the Car Design Award remains the prize for excellence in automotive design, highly coveted by all creative teams and an opportunity for the entire automotive design community to meet and debate”, said Silvia Baruffaldi, Editor of Auto&Design and President of the Award Jury. Again this year, the Car Design Award continues its prestigious collaboration with Alcantara, partner of the event. The exclusive trophies, the work of ERRE Company, were created this year by combining materials used in automotive interiors: Alcantara, metal, wood.

 

Ben Payne, Vice President of Design Group Lotus

Flavio Manzoni, Head of Ferrari Design, and the Ferrari design team

Gilles Vidal, Vice president Renault Design

The winners were chosen by a jury of experts, all journalists from leading international automotive publications, for an objective assessment of the global car design scene:

Brazil: Paulo Campo Grande, Quatro Rodas, Editor

China: Jun Miao, MJ CarShow, Chief Editor

South Korea: Kibeom Kim, Roadtest, Publisher & Editor in Chief

Europe: Luca Ciferri, Automotive News Europe, Editor & Associate Publisher

France: Stéphane Meunier, L’Automobile Magazine, Editor in Chief

Germany: Michael Köckritz, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director Ramp.Space

Japan: Tetsuya Kato, Car Graphic, Publisher

India: Dhruv Behl, AutoX, Founder & Managing Editor

Italy:  Silvia Baruffaldi, Auto&Design, Editor

United Kingdom: Andy Franklin, Top Gear, Creative Director

Spain: Juan Carlos Payo Calderon, Mobilitas Group, General Director

The trophies designed by Erre Company

CONCEPT CARS, Lotus Theory 1 

“The Theory 1 concept not only takes inspiration from three iconic Lotus past models – Type 72, Esprit, and Eleven – but is also faithful to Colin Chapman’s endless research to reduce parts -and thus weight. Innovation, sustainability, advanced technology and an immersive driving experience: just looking at it makes your heart race.”

PRODUCTION CARS, Ferrari 12Cilindri

“The design of the 12Cilindri encapsulates the historical essence of the Ferrari V12s of the Fifties and Sixties, revisited taking into account the aerodynamic requirements that today are a science and no longer just an intuition. An indissoluble link with tradition that looks to the future and has led this project to unite two souls, sportiness and elegance, to create an out-of-the-box icon.”

BRAND DESIGN LANGUAGE, Renault

“Renault Design has embarked on a bold renewal path, combining a strong visual identity with the ability to innovate and integrate sustainable solutions. Its new design language stands out for its expressiveness and personality, both when applied to new models and when it reinterprets the icons of its past in a contemporary way to promote electric mobility.”

Anno	Concept Cars	Production Cars	Brand Design Language
2016	Mazda RX-Vision	Aston Martin DB11	Volvo Cars
2017	Jaguar I-Pace	Ford GT	Land Rover
2018	Honda Urban EV	Jaguar E-Pace	Volvo Cars
2019	Alfa Romeo Tonale	Peugeot 208	Citroën
2020	Hyundai Prophecy	Ferrari Roma	Porsche
2021	Canoo Pick-up EV	Land Rover Defender 90	Peugeot
2022	Toyota Compact Cruiser EV	Ferrari 296 GTB	Polestar
2023	Genesis X Convertible	Ferrari Purosangue	Ferrari
2024	BMW Vision Neue Klasse	Volvo EX30	Kia

Everything is ready for the Car Design Award 2025, the international recognition for design teams responsible for the best series and concept car projects, as well as the best stylistic language of a brand, which will be awarded on 8 April at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, during Milan Design Week 2025. The award ceremony will be opened by an exclusive talk entitled ‘Emotional Connections – Emotional Design’ with Domitilla Dardi (Design Historian), Joaquin Garcia (Head of Design Italdesign), Eugenio Lolli (Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Alcantara) and Andrea Rosati (Head of Strategic Design Lotus). Alcantara’s installation entitled ‘Icons’ will be on display in the hall.

Eugenio Lolli – He graduated in Economics at the University of Perugia and then obtained a master’s in business administration at the SDA of Bocconi University in Milan. He has over a decade of experience in Alcantara, the Italian Company of Toray Industries Inc. Group. He joined the Company in 2011 to follow innovative projects and develop new markets and from 2019, as Sales, Technologies and Operations Director, he directed the commercial, production and research activities of Alcantara. He was appointed CEO and Managing Director in (July) 2023 and since (June) 2024 he became also the Chairman of the Company.

Joaquin Garcia – After graduating in Industrial Design at the Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia (E), in 1998, Joaquin Garcia obtained a master’s degree in Vehicle Design at the Royal College of Art in London. Since then, he has held high-profile roles of increasing responsibility at Design Renault, Škoda and SEAT/CUPRA, before joining NIO GmbH’s European Design Center as Head of Studio. As of March 1st, 2023, Joaquin Garcia is Italdesign Head of Design, called to run creative activities in car, transportation, and product design areas.

Domitilla Dardi – Since 2019, she has been co-founder and curator of the design fair EDIT Napoli. From 2007 to 2023 she was curator for design at the MAXXI museum in Rome. Since 2007, she has been a lecturer in three-year and master’s courses at the IED in Rome and has taught at several institutions, such as the Faculty of Architecture in Ascoli Piceno and the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona. She writes for several design magazines and is the author of more than thirty essays, including the bestseller Handbook of the History of Design (2019).

Andrea Rosati – The Strategic Design team’s role is that of working on narratives, concepts, values and look & feel across Lotus products, spaces and services – being sure the brand expression is always coherent and meaningful. He graduated at Politecnico di Milano and started his career as Strategic and Colour & Materials designer in Italy, before moving to the UK in 2015. Coming from previous experiences at Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin, Andrea joined Lotus in 2021, and again in 2023. He was awarded at the Automotive News Europe Rising Stars in 2024 .

After the talk, the winners of the Car Design Award 2025 will be announced. As stipulated in the rules, the jurors selected 10 projects for the Production Cars category and 10 projects for the Concept Cars category unveiled between 1 January and 31 December 2024, as well as five brands that stood out in the Brand Design Language category. Here are the finalists in each category:

Concept Cars
BMW Skytop
DS SM Tribute
GAC Motor City Pod
Genesis Neolun
Hyundai Initium
Italdesign Quintessenza
Jaguar Type 00
Lotus Theory 1
MG EXE181
Renault Emblème

Production Cars
Alfa Romeo Junior
Aston Martin Vanquish
Bugatti Tourbillon
Dacia Bigster
DS N°8
Ferrari 12Cilindri
Fiat Grande Panda
Hyundai Inster
Kia EV3
Renault R5 E-Tech Electric

Brand Design Language
Cupra
Dacia
Genesis
Hyundai
Renault

It is called the Bigster and marks Dacia’s entry into a new, hitherto unexplored segment since the Renault group manufacturer changed its look with a more effective, adventure-oriented design. In lines and content, the production model has remained faithful to the Bigster Concept of 2021, as David Durand, Dacia’s vice-president of design, recounts: ‘With Bigster we have realised the intentions expressed in the Bigster Concept. Bigster is the ultimate expression of Dacia’s values and is now the flagship vehicle of our brand’. The SUV’s volumes are square, pronounced and robust. A concreteness that we also found when we drove the car in full hybrid version with 155 horsepower on the roads of Provence, France.

The Bigster’s design emphasises its robust styling and ability to support customers in their work, leisure and family activities. The generous dimensions (the car is 4.6 metres long, 1.81 metres wide and 1.71 metres high) are accentuated by taut geometric shapes and volumes whose simple lines go straight to the essentials. The large wings and the position of the headlights and lights at the end of the body contribute to a rather assertive image. A further novelty from the Color&Trim department is the new colour scheme: for the Bigster, the designers have developed Indigo Blue, which they claim gives the car an elegant and understated touch.

Right from the start of its design, the designers had been thinking of bold shapes and a look that echoed that of its little sister Duster. The proposal chosen to start the project was Sebastian Mihai Stoianov, now Senior Exterior Designer at Dacia: ‘I am proud that the model we see on the road is so close to what I had imagined and put down on paper as an idea,’ says the designer. ‘The most important thing, from an aesthetic point of view, is that an SUV has a strong character, so the pronounced lines and robust stance of the Bigster reflect power and refinement. The designers also paid attention to sustainability. The protection that runs along the entire bodywork on the sides, wheel arches and the underside of the bumpers is made of Starkle, an untreated, unpainted plastic material.

‘In the interior we wanted to emphasise one of the Bigster’s main strengths: its exceptional space. We focused on simplicity, with geometric lines that echo those of the exterior, while offering the quality that C-segment customers expect,’ explains Durand. To further increase the space on board, the dashboard is streamlined, while instrumentation and infotainment are conveyed by two 10-inch displays. The creatives have played with the conformity and colours of the interior by treating the harder plastics with pleasant graphic motifs and customising some components: the air vents have the same styling signature as the headlamps thanks to the contrasting colour of some elements.