Volkswagen presented three concept cars at the Shanghai Motor Show. The three cars mark the intention to continue the path set by the ID.Code, a prototype unveiled in Beijing in 2024. The three models were developed by Volkswagen together with its Chinese partners: the ID. Aura with FAW, the ID. Era with Saic and the ID. Evo with Anhui. The showcars anticipate a new generation of zero-emission vehicles designed for the Chinese market and are part of the strategy to launch 30 new models on the Asian market by the end of 2027.

The ID. AURA from FAW-Volkswagen is the first concept based on the Compact Main Platform (CMP) that Volkswagen designed especially for the Chinese market. With its high computing power based on artificial intelligence, the highly automated driving system used on this platform raises the bar for intelligent and natural driving behaviour. The concept was developed especially for price-conscious customers, combining modern technology and dynamic design. A smartphone-like UI/UX concept is integrated in the vehicle’s centre console, while the artificial intelligence-based humanoid assistant controls the infotainment system.

The ID. EVO is aimed at young buyers eager to stand out from the crowd. Based on an 800-volt architecture platform, the ID. EVO is the first fully electric full-size SUV in the ID. UNYX family by Volkswagen. The concept vehicle features a high-performance electronic architecture that not only facilitates a wide range of new digital services, but also expands the customer experience with over-the-air updates.

The ID. ERA is a spacious full-size SUV with three rows of seats, offering a preview of the first Volkswagen model equipped with range extender technology. A fuel-powered generator charges the battery while driving and provides an additional range of more than 700 kilometres. Together with a range of 300 kilometres in electric mode, the concept car can thus cover more than 1,000 kilometres.

A showcar to celebrate a new beginning. At the Shanghai Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz presented the Vision V, a luxury van designed to offer the greatest possible comfort. Starting in 2026, the introduction of the modular, flexible and scalable Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA) will usher in a new era. The new platform will redefine the van conception for private use and bring it into the luxury segment, with a focus on the so-called ‘Private Lounge’. The future model range will range from practical family vans in the entry-level segment to exclusive VIP shuttles and luxurious limousines with an enormous amount of space, each in line with different customer requirements.

The Vision V offers a preview of the top-of-the-line version, demonstrating Mercedes-Benz Vans’ vision of combining spaciousness with maximum exclusivity and an unprecedented immersive digital experience. The Vision V is a luxurious and elegant chauffeur-driven limousine that allows you to pamper yourself in a whole new world of comfort. Analogue craftsmanship elements blend with an immersive user experience to create a holistic experience with an enveloping effect. The sporty and elegant exteriors underline the iconic design and highlight dynamism and status at the same time. ‘Mercedes-Benz vans have been iconic for decades. With the Vision V we are taking this legacy and transforming it into a completely new context of high-end luxury transport. This show car embodies the perfect harmony between luxury and van design, setting a new benchmark for the future,’ said Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer of Mercedes-Benz AG.

The large, automatically opening door on the right-hand side and the illuminated retractable platform ensure comfort and easy access to the luxurious rear lounge area. An intelligent, switchable glass wall separates the ‘Private Lounge’ from the driving area. If desired, the glass can be changed from transparent to opaque, completely or in sections. The ‘Private Lounge’ seating area is exceptionally spacious. This comfortable environment conveys an unprecedented feeling of space and freedom, as well as security and quiet. Crystal white Nappa leather and shimmering white silk contrast with the large, open-pore briarwood decorative elements. Similar to an exclusive sideboard, the cabinets are set in dark wood trim along the side walls, framed by strips of polished aluminium. The first-class seating is reminiscent of elegant lounge chairs and rests on polished aluminium bases. Made of highly flexible tubular cushions, they have a unique futuristic design. One of the highlights of the ‘Private Lounge’ seating area is the retractable 65-inch cinema screen – with split-screen functions – located under the floor. As soon as passengers are inside and the doors are closed, the screen lifts as if by magic from a console designed with burl wood and Nappa leather.

The Renault Group has acquired the remaining 51% of the Chennai plant in India belonging to its partner Nissan and opened the largest design centre outside France. The opening of this design centre, which marks an important turning point for Renault in India, is part of the brand’s new strategy for expansion in the Indian market. ‘Having a dedicated design studio is crucial to understanding the nuances of the market, listening to its needs and building on its strengths,’ said Laurens van den Acker, Chief Design Officer of the Renault Group.

After a considerable transformation, the Renault Design Centre Chennai now covers 1,500 m² and is equipped with the latest technology, creating a state-of-the-art environment for innovation and creativity. One of the most technologically advanced design spaces Renault offers today. At the centre of the inauguration of the Renault Design Centre Chennai is renault. rethink, a sculpture at once conceptual and high-tech that embodies Renault’s transformation and commitment to India.

Xpeng, a leading Chinese high-tech company has chosen the iconic Milan Design Week 2025 as the stage for its Italian market premiere. The company designs, develops, manufactures and markets AI-based intelligent electric vehicles for the global market and its models are designed with extensive use of artificial intelligence under the supervision of designers led by JuanMa Lopez, Vice President Design Center Xpeng.

The ADI Design Museum in Milan was chosen as the venue to host ‘XPENG: #FUTUREMOBILITY’, an exhibition to discover the cutting-edge solutions of a brand that combines robotics, artificial intelligence and futuristic design. Protagonists of the exhibition will be the EV P7+, the world’s first car designed by Artificial Intelligence, the Aeroth X2 flying electric car and the humanoid robot IRON, at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence and biomimetic movement. ‘We are honoured to present Xpeng in Italy during Milan Design Week in such a prestigious setting as the ADI Design Museum,’ added JuanMa Lopez, who has also worked at Lamborghini, Audi and Ferrari. ‘We could not have chosen a better context for a country with such a rich automotive tradition and a culture that has elevated design to an art form. Our design philosophy is explicit: to create cars that express our know-how through the perfect union of aesthetics and functionality in every aspect’.

What attracts the most attention is the P7+. This flagship reportedly redefines electric mobility by evolving from a simple vehicle to an adaptive intelligent ecosystem. Its advanced AI systems learn from everyday interactions, deciphering driving habits and preferences to create a customised driving environment that is shaped around the specific needs of each driver. The vehicle’s cognitive architecture anticipates the driver’s needs, while the interface dynamically reorganises itself according to the context, delivering relevant information at the right time.

At over 5 metres long, the P7+ has flowing, aerodynamic and elegant lines. Its dynamic design language is emphasised by muscular accents on both sides of the front bonnet and on the rear flanks, without sacrificing the minimalist balance and styling cues that underline its futuristic imprint, especially at the front. It is technology that genuinely places itself at the service of the driver, transforming every journey into a comfortable, intuitive and rewarding experience that truly understands who is behind the wheel. The P7+ seamlessly integrates advanced AI technology into the chassis, powertrain, steering system, smart cockpit and AI Hawkeye Visual Solution, making intelligent driving an essential feature of the mobility experience of today and tomorrow. It expresses the perfect synthesis of style, advanced technology and electric mobility. The technological heart of the P7+ is the revolutionary XPENG AI Hawkeye Visual Solution, a ‘hawkeye’ visual solution that features two 8M cameras (front and rear), millimetre-wave radar and ultrasonic radar, offering intelligent driving performance comparable to LiDAR systems.

Mario Favilla, a friend and gentleman of car design, has left us. As soon as we heard the news, we leafed through some issues of Auto&Design from many years ago, not without sadness, finding images of him at the Alfa Romeo Style Centre where he had worked for forty years, until he became head of the brand’s Advanced Design. Years that saw him alongside creatives of the caliber of Ermanno Cressoni, Carlo Giavazzi and in particular Walter de Silva, his lifelong friend.

Favilla became de Silva’s right-hand man (photo above) in the relaunch of Centro Stile in Arese, which in the 1990s was transformed from the sideline of the Fiat Group’s style to a laboratory of creativity in which the passion and pride for the brand, carried out by a small, cohesive and determined team, have known few equals in the history of car design. An environment that has also been able to develop young talents, including Wolfgand Egger, Simona Falcinella, Filippo Perini, Alessandro Dambrosio, Alessandro Maccolini, to name a few.

Mario Favilla has dedicated his time and experience to young people and their training. He was one of the creators of the University Master in Transportation & Automobile Design at the Politecnico di Milano, becoming deputy director and coordinator of the Car Design laboratory.

Walter de Silva today addresses his friend who is no longer with us: “We have adopted and enhanced, with the same unconditional love for Alfa Romeo, models designed by other designers, 164, 155, Spider and GTV […] The new Alfa Romeo Style Centre in Arese, functional, beautiful in every detail, led with the same passion as us by Carlo Giavazzi (stage name “Javes”) and made up of a very young Garibaldian team, full of enthusiasm … Then the exhibition “Necessary Beauty” in Barcelona, the Proteo with the congratulations of Gianni Agnelli, the Nuvola that Avvocato Montezemolo liked very much… And again, the 156 and 147, both Car of the Year… The 166, and your dazzling caricatures, your paintings of doors and windows of Tuscan houses and the marinas around your Livorno, but above all your jokes and last but not least your ability to make everyone love you”.

For the twentieth anniversary of Auto&Design, a quarter of a century ago, Favilla personally came to the editorial office to give us a gift made by the Arese team: a clay model of a section of the front end of the 166 with the legendary Alfa Romeo shield, which still welcomes those who come to visit us. And it always reminds us of his sympathy and kindness. Thank you, Mario.

Mario Favilla together with Fausto Brevi, Director of the Master in Transportation & Automobile Design, Politecnico di Milano

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.

The car is a direct expression of personality – this is the philosophy behind the Audi exclusive personalisation programme. Thanks to a myriad of combinations, high-quality materials and refined finishes, Audi exclusive makes it possible to create almost unique specimens. The new A6 Avant, which made its world premiere to the public at the House of Progress, the brand’s creative hub during Milan Design Week, brought the evolution of the German brand’s customisation programme to its debut. The sixth generation of the family car, on display from 7 to 13 April at Portrait Milano, features sports seats with sophisticated colour combinations such as Baikal blue and neodymium gold, further enhanced by contrast stitching in Baikal blue.

“Neodymium is a naturally occurring metal in combination with other minerals. Our selection of colours is inspired by this refined element,” said Colour & Trim Designer Nadine Wolfinger. ‘In combination with the intense shade of Baikal blue, the interior takes on a particularly elegant appearance. In bright sunlight, the blue appears vibrant and radiant, while in softer light it takes on a soothing, almost mystical depth.”

“Neodymium is a naturally occurring metal in combination with other minerals. Our selection of colours is inspired by this refined element,” said Colour & Trim Designer Nadine Wolfinger. ‘In combination with the intense shade of Baikal blue, the interior takes on a particularly elegant appearance. In bright sunlight, the blue appears vibrant and radiant, while in softer light it takes on a soothing, almost mystical depth.”

The Milan Design Week it’s the right occasion to unveil a new car brand, ready to make its debut in Europe. Called Denza, it is already sold in China, belongs to the BYD group, and offers cars that mix luxury and technology. The first car is the Z9GT, a shooting brake, electric or hybrid, with sleek lines: ‘In design, as in architecture, there are rules. Every line, every graphic, every surface must relate to each other and make sense. True lines enhance the beauty of the sculpture, and that is exactly what we worked on with the Denza design,” said Wolfgang Egger, head of design at the Byd Group.

The sinuous lines of the model took inspiration from silk, one of the finest materials in existence. “In the case of silk, it is a source of inspiration in many ways. Take a sculpture, or a vehicle like the Denza Z9GT, and cover it with silk. Then take the same object and cover it with cotton, and you will notice a big difference. You know what happens: the silk falls naturally and covers the body but still shows, beneath the surface, the beauty of what is already there,’ Egger continued.

At the heart of the Z9GT is the e³ platform, created specifically for the Denza brand. It introduces a series of novel features based on four fundamental technologies: independent three-motor drive, independent dual rear-engine steering, Vehicle Motion Control and Cell-to-Body (CTB), i.e. the integration of the battery into the chassis even on dual-mode hybrid vehicles, not just electric ones. Despite its size (5.18 metres in length), these technologies give it the dynamism of a hatchback.

This design philosophy generates confident, flowing lines that aim to aim for design precision and optimise interior space for a comfortable travelling experience. The interior of the Denza models exudes a high-tech ambience, with a large, distinctive central touchscreen in the console, a driver display, a passenger display and a wraparound cockpit, as well as rear multimedia screens for passenger infotainment and premium audio systems.

Lexus presents a new series of installations at Milan Design Week 2025. Its exhibition at Superstudio Più’s Daylight Space hosts “A-Un”, an immersive experience created in collaboration with Japanese creatives Six and Studeo, and “Discover Together”, an interactive collection created by emerging designers as a Lexus Design Award legacy project. “At Milan Design Week, we want to express this convergence between technology and humanity, exploring the points of contact and how the reinterpretation of time itself can become a catalyst for new experiences. With “Discover Together”, we have also collaborated with three visionary creative groups that analyse the interaction between individuals and society through the lens of the Black Butterfly, offering completely new perspectives,” said Simon Humphries, Chief Branding Officer of Lexus.

Installazione A-UN

A-Un Installation
In the two decades since its first participation in Milan Design Week in 2005, Lexus has collaborated with world-renowned artists and designers – including Philippe Nigro, Neri Oxman, Sou Fujimoto and Rhizomatiks – to create immersive experiences that embody the brand’s vision and values. This year it partnered with creative agency SIX and design studio STUDIO, both based in Tokyo, to present “A-Un”, an installation inspired by the Japanese concept of A-Un no Kokyū (harmonised breath), a traditional philosophy in which two entities instinctively synchronise their movements and emotions. Using the Black Butterfly motif as a connecting window between people and society, Lexus brings its vision of the future of mobility to life in an engaging and evocative space. An imposing screen in the shape of the Black Butterfly suddenly emerges in the space, three metres high and measuring 10 metres wide by four metres deep. A testament to Lexus’ commitment to traditional materials and craftsmanship, the work was meticulously handcrafted over three months, using woven threads composed of approximately 35 kilometres of bamboo fibre.

Installazione Discover Together

Discover Together installation

This year’s exhibition builds on the legacy of the Lexus Design Award, which has discovered, nurtured and supported emerging talent over time, challenging the boundaries of creativity. Three visionary groups used the Black Butterfly as an inspirational motif to explore new dimensions of personalised experiences through technology. Bascule Inc., Northeastern University and Lexus in-house designers present a series of interactive installations that reinterpret the Black Butterfly from unique and distinctive perspectives. This encounter between Lexus and emerging talent creates the “Amazing Experience” that visitors are invited to discover for themselves during the exhibition.