car design thread

I was thinking the same!

 

Agree, Honda it would appear has rediscovered their design mojo.

 

Round grille/radiator........nice!

 

"In 2020, a challenge was presented: to create a supercar even more extraordinary than the DESAT. Thus, the journey towards the ENGLER V12 began. Designed to be unique and exclusive, this masterpiece is the culmination of vision, determination, and craftsmanship.

At the helm of Valta Engineering, Stefan, together with the visionary minds behind Engler Automotive, embarked on a journey to bring the ENGLER V12 to life. Through meticulous planning and relentless dedication, what was once merely a concept on paper became a reality within a matter of months.

Peter Glova, the mastermind behind the design of the ENGLER V12, was inspired by two words: pleasure and beauty. With a focus on rider-centric design and aesthetic appeal, every curve and line of the V12 was crafted to deliver not only exhilarating performance but also a visual masterpiece that transcends time.

The ENGLER V12 is more than just a vehicle; it's a symbol of perseverance and unwavering vision. Conceived by Viktor Engler, its creation represents the realization of a dream that endured despite financial constraints and challenges. Now, with the V12, Engler Automotive stands at the pinnacle of the supercar world.

As Engler Automotive looks ahead, the V12 serves as a benchmark for future innovations. With a focus on driving pleasure, simplicity, and extreme performance, the next Engler creation promises to push boundaries even further while staying true to its core principles.

While details about the engine remain under wraps, the ENGLER V12 boasts impressive specifications. With the option to upgrade to 1200 HP and 1200 Nm of torque, it promises an unparalleled driving experience. Moreover, the V12 features a groundbreaking gearbox, weighing just 30 kilograms yet capable of handling immense power.

From its sleek design to its advanced features, the ENGLER V12 sets new standards in the world of high-performance vehicles. With state-of-the-art technology, luxurious interiors, and unparalleled attention to detail, it redefines what it means to drive in style and comfort.

Viktor Engler's dream has become a reality with the ENGLER V12. From humble beginnings to global recognition, Engler Automotive has defied expectations and continues to push boundaries in the world of high-performance vehicles. With a dedicated team and unwavering commitment to excellence, the best is yet to come.

As we celebrate the unveiling of the ENGLER V12, we are reminded of the power of vision, determination, and collaboration. From its inception to its realization, this masterpiece represents the pinnacle of automotive engineering. With Engler Automotive leading the way, the future of high-performance vehicles looks brighter than ever."

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TWO WHEELS
The 2025 Indian Scout took inspiration from classic American car designs
'Doing a super bike with a lot of edges and creases is almost easier than something clean and clear'
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JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI
Apr 2nd 2024 at 2:14PM
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It all sounds so simple: A loping V-twin engine coddled tightly by frame rails, mounted in between two suspended wheels and topped by a tank and, in most cases, a single saddle. The reality of the all-new 2025 Indian Scout, of course, is much more complicated. Autoblogrecently attended a virtual introduction to the latest motorcycle from Indian, and we heard a lot of what you’d probably expect — details about the liquid-cooled 1,250cc SpeedPlus engine with up to 111 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque, a compact steel tube frame and lots of talk about the need for a full line of accessories.

But what really piqued our interest was when Ola Stenegard, director of product design for Indian Motorcycle, focused our attention on the art of turning design sketches into clay models. A decidedly old-school approach, we thought. It turns out Stenegard could talk for days about the art of motorcycle design, and much of what he has to say traces its roots all the way back to the famed designer HarleyEarl.

“The use of automotive clay was a very American thing. It started way back in the '20s actually, but I think it got big in the '30s when Harley Earl went to General Motors,” Stenegard told us. "He brought clay with him.”

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And it turns out the method of clay modeling “is actually still the main way to develop shapes in the automotive as well as motorcycle industries,” says Stenegard. “A lot of people think that computers or AI have taken over, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

It’s not that computer-aided design techniques aren’t useful, however. “Doing the details, that’s where CAD is superior,” Stenegard told us. “Badges, triple trees, wheels. … Today, those details — that’s where we use the computer power, the modeling.”

“When I was still designing hands-on, we learned how to clay model as part of our education,” Stenegard told us. “But there’s a saying that you can’t be a good sketcher and a good clay modeler, and it’s true. The modelers are the hands of the designer. There’s a symbiosis. We have clay modelers, CAD modelers too. They are phenomenal. They translate [design sketches] into reality, and that’s important to highlight.”

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Just as interestingly, Stenegard and his team didn’t just rely on old-school techniques. They were also inspired by classic American car designs.

“That’s why the clay process was important — it enabled Detroit to explore a whole new era of surfacing,” said Stenegard. “And for me, the American cars were absolutely stunning. Look at the late-'30s Zephyr, or if you go into the end of the '50s — a '59 Cadillac — if you look at the surfacing, the fins, the details, it’s just phenomenal. Or with Lincoln, a ’64 or '65 Lincoln, the slab-sided cars. To do the whole bodyside clean, there’s not one inch that’s flat or boring. It’s a clean car. If you examine that, it’s a beautifully modeled surface, but there’s no edges.

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“So that was our inspiration. Keep it clean, keep it simple. But to really put the work into the surfacing, to make it beautiful.

“The more you simplify it, the harder it gets. Doing a super bike with a lot of edges and creases is almost easier than something clean and clear.”

 

Peter nails the AI controversy. Although I don’t reject it out of hand. It’s just an additional tool for the designer to use. It still takes an individual with ‘taste’ to make the final call. Judgement & Execution. Those 2 elements are what separates the winners from the ‘also ran’
Everything is indeed changing, and the AI genie is not going back into the bottle, whether we like it or not.

 

The best of two worlds: the hybrid design process at Porsche
27/03/2024

Innovative software – from the gaming sector, for instance – supports Style Porsche during the design process. But even in the age of digitalisation, the design department of the sports car manufacturer still values the design quality of classic sketches and labour-intensive clay models very highly. Along the path from vision to reality, the designers combine the best of both worlds.

Has the powerwall consigned the classic drawing board to the past? Do designers still use pencils, or only digital input devices? Are labour-intensive, handmade clay models necessary, or are virtual reality experiences on the powerwall not much more impressive? The basic question is: What direction is the design process at Porsche developing in? Michael Mauer grins when he hears these questions once again. For the Vice President Style Porsche, there is no either-or: “At Porsche there is no analogue versus digital, but rather analogue and digital. The two approaches complement each other and both have their advantages and disadvantages. It’s very significant that the interaction of these approaches is a definite success factor for our uncompromising design quality.”

A sketch with pen and paper remains the most important starting point for brainstorming in the car design area. For the next step, the design evaluation, physical models made of industrial plasticine – known in the business as clay – are still indispensable. “With this malleable material, the exciting interplay between concave and convex forms in a Porsche can be represented in a particularly sensory way,” explains Martin Kahl, Director Design Models at Style Porsche.

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However, the iterative design process, which extends over many months, naturally also involves a digital representation of the models. “Sometimes in parallel and sometimes in rotation, we further develop the design on the physical model or in the digital world,” explains Sebastian Reher, Manager Virtual Design. Photorealistic simulations make it possible to investigate many alternatives, experiment with colours, and incorporate different surroundings during all phases of the process. “Another big advantage is that for comparison purposes we can show a new car in the context of its predecessor, but also alongside the rest of the model programme. In contrast to physical models, simulations allow us to go into the smallest details.”

Here Porsche uses state-of-the-art tools that are also deployed in the fields of gaming and architecture. This high-end software is important, for instance, for the display and control concept in the interior, i.e. for the Porsche Driver Experience. Virtual reality allows screen content and control concepts to be evaluated early, in many cases even before the first hardware components are available. Mixed reality applications provide particularly immersive experiences. In the so-called modular VR seat model, relevant physical components such as the seat and steering wheel can be moved electromechanically to the appropriate vehicle position. When the user puts on VR goggles and takes a seat, the real and virtual worlds merge together. The test subject gets an impressively realistic impression of the new interior.

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VR seating module
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Colour visualization
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VR seating module
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Colour visualization
Style Porsche visualises this conceptual juxtaposition of the analogue and the digital in presentations with a horizontal eight. It’s no coincidence that this representation calls to mind the symbol for infinity. State-of-the-art shaping and scanning technologies are used to transfer digital data to the physical models, or vice versa. For example, the physical 1:1 models are captured via photogrammetry without physical contact. This 3D data provides the basis for further digital development. Thus, in this process step there is a back-and-forth between analogue and digital.

In a later phase of the process before the so-called design freeze – the final specification – hardware is finally introduced. At this point, the design complex in Weissach, which was opened around ten years ago, showcases one of its structural advantages. In the expansive yard protected from prying eyes, it’s possible to conduct an acceptance procedure under realistic conditions. Not only is the light real sunlight – the background of green bushes and plants is also natural. Alternatively, the models can be parked in front of an urban facade of concrete and glass here.

The requirements of Porsche Style are clear: The brand’s sports cars must meet the high design standards of head designer Michael Mauer and his team in a variety of environments.

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The design process at Style Porsche

• First drawings: The design process always begins with sketches, often done conventionally with pen and paper. Almost simultaneously with the first drafts of the exterior, the interior is also sketched. From these many drawings, Vice President Style Porsche Michael Mauer, and Peter Varga and Markus Auerbach, who are responsible for the exterior and interior design, select the most interesting ones.
• 1:3 models: Up to ten clay models on a 1:3 scale are made in the course of the internal competition. The respective paired teams consisting of a designer and a modeller – the latter often a designer too, occasionally also a model builder – transform their first drafts into 3D models and optimise them. The most promising models are again selected. While the designers still have relative freedom in the early phases of the process, measurements such as wheel size and wheelbase now become increasingly realistic.
• 1:1 models: Industrial plasticine is used to build a scale model with all the details of a chosen draft on a frame of steel, wood and rigid foam. The modeller removes excess material, shapes edges and smooths surfaces. Tapes and films are also among the modeller’s resources. These are used to emphasise important lines and contours, or to represent the surfaces of headlights and windows, for example. Some elements such wheels or logos are created with 3D printers and integrated into the clay model. It can take up to six months to complete a 1:1 model. Two life-sized models usually go head-to-head in the final of the internal design competition. These are given special silver-coloured films and painted.
• Virtual models: With all their surface data, details of the materials used (including paint and grain), screen content and product substance (for example, differences between the basic model and the Turbo), these models are complete representations of the future cars. The doors and flaps can be opened, the light and shading varied with a mouse click.
• Data control model: This model is created in parallel with the last steps of the design process along the path to the industrialisation. The so-called strak department is the interface with production, and it has the task of ensuring the construction feasibility down to details such as the headlights. Thus, the design freeze defines how the car will look, and the design release specifies how it will be produced.

 

From 'The all cars look alike' file:
Dubious Doppelgängers: Suspiciously Similar Cars

 

In our best Oprah voice: “You, and you, and you can be a designer!”

 

Some food for thought from the internet.
https://www.designscene.net
How Fashion Trends Affect Car Designs
An exploration of the mutual influences between fashion and automotive design…The phenomena of cross-pollination between industries is fascinating in the dynamic field of design. The domains of fashion and vehicle design are one example of this fascinating interaction. These two creative domains, in spite of their stark differences, are positively correlated, one inspiring and impacting the other in different ways. This article examines the fundamental mechanisms that influence the aesthetics of both sectors as it explores the complex relationship between fashion trends and automotive designs.
Changes in Design Aesthetics
It is common for the fashion and automobile sectors’ design aesthetics to develop together. Both industries go through cycles of innovation where they anticipate future trends, adjust to modern influences, and take inspiration from earlier times. Just as fashion designers craft textiles and experiment with textures and colors, automotive designers explore new materials, shapes, and finishes. The rise and fall of design trends in many fields reveal a creative journey that is interrelated. A salvage bid can open up exclusive opportunities for unique and reconstructed vehicles to those captivated by the innovative materials shaping automotive design.
Color Palette Trends
One of the most apparent intersections between fashion and car design lies in color palettes. Fashion runways often set the tone for upcoming color trends, and car manufacturers keenly observe and incorporate these hues into their vehicle designs. Whether it’s the resurgence of vintage pastels, the dominance of earthy tones, or the vibrancy of neon hues, the automotive industry mirrors the fashion world’s color preferences, transforming vehicles into style. Material Innovations
The fashion industry‘s constant search for original materials is frequently reflected in the exterior and interior design of cars. Premium leathers, exotic woods, and even carbon fiber are just a few of the opulent materials that luxury automakers are inspired by while creating their vehicles. The exquisite ingenuity and skillfulness of luxury automobile interiors and fitted clothing combine elements of fashion and motor design.
Silhouette and Form
Silhouettes and forms in fashion often transcend their boundaries and influence car designs. A sleek, tailored suit may inspire the streamlined contours of a sports car, while voluminous, flowing fabrics could find expression in the curves of a luxurious sedan. The interplay between structured lines and organic shapes creates a bridge between the fashion runway and the automotive showroom, showcasing the interconnectedness of these design languages.
Cultural Influences
Cultural changes have a profound impact on fashion trends, and this effect is reflected in automobile design. Cultures have an impact on both sectors, whether it’s the ’50s retro renaissance or sci-fi fashion’s future aesthetics. Car makers use cultural signals into their designs to create vehicles that capture the essence of the times. They are aware of the pulse of society’s tastes. Technological Integration
As technology becomes an integral part of everyday life, both fashion and automotive industries strive to integrate innovative tech features. From smart fabrics and wearable tech accessories to advanced driver-assistance systems and in-car connectivity, the marriage of fashion and automotive design is evident in the pursuit of cutting-edge technology that enhances both style and functionality.
Brand Collaborations
The collaborative spirit between fashion and automotive brands has become a common thread in recent years. High-profile collaborations between renowned designers and car manufacturers result in limited-edition vehicles that fuse luxury, style, and innovation. These collaborations showcase the convergence of creative minds while also amplifying the influence fashion trends wield over car designs.
Finally, the way that automobile designs and fashion trends dance with one another is evidence of how fluidly design evolves. The mutually beneficial interaction between these two businesses continues to influence the aesthetic environment in which we live. Both are pushing the frontiers of innovation. In both fashion and automobile design, the fusion of concepts, materials, and cultural influences enhances the creative fabric and results in a smooth fusion of form and function. Therefore, keep in mind that the unseen threads uniting both worlds tell a tale of artistic collaboration that surpasses traditional borders the next time you’re admiring a sleek car or a runway masterpiece.

 

https://autodesignmagazine.com/en/2024/04/farewell-to-giuliano-molineri-a-creator-of-autodesign/?fbclid=IwAR3bAEJfdIrNaX1caRsLhUmmBkz2AJXeEHWBMUPkY1QmEw9J7zabEeA7RPw



FAREWELL TO GIULIANO MOLINERI, A CREATOR OF AUTO&DESIGN



A few days ago, Giuliano Molineri, a gentleman of great culture and a profound connoisseur of the world of design, passed away. Graduated in Philosophy, author of numerous books and articles on the subject, strategist in communication and marketing, he is remembered by many for his years at Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign, where he directed the industrial design division until 1999, and for his commitment to the city of Turin first in the promoting committee of the XX Olympic Winter Games 2006 and then as a member of ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design, based in Montreal) for the choice of Turin as the first World Design Capital (2008). Students and teachers will also remember him for his role as Scientific Director of the Istituto Europeo di Design in Turin from 2003 to 2008. We all applauded the prestigious and well-deserved Compasso d’Oro Lifetime Achievement Award that the ADI (Association for Industrial Design) awarded him in 2018 for his long activity as a “promoter and facilitator of Italian design in one of its most recognized fields in the world: transportation design”.

Perhaps not everyone knows, however, the bond that Giuliano Molineri has always had with our magazine, of which he was the creator at the end of the seventies together with the founder Fulvio Cinti. His culture and vision were decisive for the birth of Auto&Design, as we wanted to remember in 2019 on the occasion of the exhibition dedicated to the magazine’s 40th anniversary.

We publish below the text extracted from the catalogue “The Narrated Project, the exhibition of 40 years” with which Fabio Galvano, another protagonist of the genesis of A&D, has collected the testimony of that experience from Giuliano Molineri, to whom, together with an affectionate memory, all our gratitude goes.

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AUTO&DESIGN, THE ORIGINS

They say that fortune always favours the brave and Fulvio Cinti certainly did not lack bravery when forty years ago he threw himself into the adventure of Auto&Design. And his good fortune held. In this case it lay in finding a group of people willing to stand by him with dedication and without whom his project would have certainly been delayed and, who knows, might perhaps never have got off the ground. Apart from a handful of faithful friends who would always remain in the wings, but who provided encouragement and funds for his endeavour, and apart from the person signing this article who gave the birth of Auto&Design a perhaps decisive journalistic slant by advocating an English version, two people stand out for their essential contribution: Giuliano Molineri and Eros Sogno.

A Philosophy graduate at the University of Turin, Molineri headed Studio Milani from 1971 to 1973, specialising in corporate image strategies, before joining Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign at the beginning of 1974 as head of PR, communication and image. He also directed the Industrial Design division, an activity that would take him to the leadership of Giugiaro Design(semi-durables, consumer products, non-car means of transport) in 1981. By that time, Auto&Design was already up and running. “Fulvio Cinti”, Molineri recalls today, “had met Giugiaro when Giorgetto was still working at Bertone after his spell with Fiat. A firm friend of Nuccio Bertone, whose courage and daring he admired, Cinti felt part of that environment. And I, who had been taking care of Giorgetto’s PR for some time, got to know him then”.

With his connections in the world of automotive design, Molineri was able to open many doors for Cinti, whose ambition – he recalls – “was to win the trust of design managers, convinced that only in that way could he obtain semi-confidential news and get his hands on original sketches that were not freely available in those days”. But above all, and here Molineri was a strong support, “he wanted to replace the word ‘style’ with the word ‘design’, convinced as he was that the birth of a car was not just a matter of forms, but of a complex project. This was how he aimed to free himself not only from Style Auto, the six-monthly magazine he had unsuccessfully started many years before, but also from Car Styling, the Japanese magazine founded by Akira Fujimoto which for a long time divided that specific sector of the market with Auto&Design, before its closure a few years ago”. Molineri also wrote some articles for the magazine, under the pen-name of Paul Sybille.

The jigsaw was basically completed for at that point Eros Sogno, who would be art director of Auto&Design for many years, came on to the scene. Among other things he designed the header for the first 41 issues and then the one that since 1987 has accompanied the new format of the magazine. Cinti had contacted him before discovering that Molineri had also met him at the beginning of the 1970s at Guido Jannon’s Studio Milani. “We also had a graphics division at our agency, and it was Sogno who ran it. He was what you could call a “character”: rather closed in on himself, but with great professional integrity, and with an exceptional ability to organise the work. He was an artist in every sense. He was a good painter. As a graphic designer he was very capable and had already had experience in journalism, even if some people thought he was a bit old-school. With Auto&Design he took on a new lease of life, giving his work everything he had for as long as his health lasted”.

The “three-way meeting” (it was supposed to be a four-way meeting, except that my newspaper picked those days to send me abroad) that took place in the Tower that Sogno rented in Borgio Verezzi, in Liguria, and in which the final idea of the magazine took shape, went down in the history of the magazine. “At the time”, remembers Molineri, “Turin still laid down the law in the world of design with its widespread creativity. But Cinti was not content with Turin: he visited all the style centres abroad, he made direct contact with the people running them, he endeavoured to build up the halo of reliability and trust that would become one of the strengths of Auto&Design, he also trained his sights on taking on a didactic role, so becoming a point of reference for many design students around the world”. It was a good team, our team.

Fabio Galvano, 2019

By A&D|5 April 2024|EXTRA

 

From Cardesignnews:
Students at the China Academy of Art have had the opportunity to work with Alfa Romeo as part of their transportation design course. CDN learns more.

In something of an unlikely collaboration, the China Academy of Art (CAA) has teamed up with Alfa Romeo to give students the chance to reimagine models for the Italian brand.

The project began by leveraging connections with Stellantis China, along with old friends and colleagues in the design community. According to course leader James Hope, it has been a win-win for all involved. The criteria, he tells Car Design News, was to view Alfa through the eyes of a young Chinese design student, “understanding the emotional feeling of the brand […] without relying on the badge or the iconic grill. To capture the soul of Alfa, if you will.”

There was a close collaboration between CAA, Stellantis China and Alfa Romeo, with the latter supporting reviews and offering design feedback during the course. “During the design brief kick-off we had the design and branding teams come to visit our campus,” explains Hope, “and they brought a new Alfa Tonale and later a Giulia for the students to experience the physical vehicles.”

In particular, Hope gives kudos to time Daniel Tang, head of design for Stellantis China and Niccolò Zamboni from Alfa Romeo’s marketing team for their hands-on involvement, ensuring students understood what Alfa Romeo is all about. For Hope, this was a chance for his students to engage with a brand they might not have expected to work with, and to consider the role of heritage in design compared to start-ups that do not have such a history behind them.

“We all agreed this would be a win-win to have Alfa interpreted by young Chinese designers,” says Hope, “who will each have their own unique approach.”

Below are examples of some of the concepts put forward, and where possible, full presentations are available to download at the end of the page.

Balance the Driving Experience by Bangmiao (Zoe) Xu
This interior and CMF-focussed concept is based on the vision of an electric sport coupe in the year 2040, channelling “performance and personality.”

It is a fitting title for the project, as the driving experience balances different driving modes including sport, normal and automatic. The latter has a focus on soft textiles, relaxing colours and an intuitive, simplified HMI built around a prominent centre console. Racing mode uses dark, contrasting colours that “submerge the user in a space of pulsating energy.”

In a nod to the iconic Alfa Romeo logo, the triangular texture of the seat covers is inspired by the scales of a snake.

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Alfa Romeo Balance the Driving Experience by Bangmiao Xu

Lava concept by Blake
The year is 2033, and Alfa Romeo has released a new, racing-inspired coupe. It is partly a combination of the Tonale urban SUV and the 1970s single-seat racer, the Tipo 33/3. The result feels somewhat close to a reimagined Ferrari Purosangue, perhaps unavoidable given the mix of segments at play.

Blake takes things further by exaggerating certain proportions, such as the raised front arches that create the appearance of a viper’s face, the oversized wheels and heavily inset door panels.

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Alfa Romeo by Blake, China Academy of Art

Cometa V by Brycen Liu
This concept envisions a four-seater electric supercar, inspired partly by the Lamborghini Lanzador and Koenigsegg Gemera. The Cometa V would provide high performance and a comfortable, spacious interior, while the exterior design language follows the cues of ’pure’, ‘flow’ and ’clean.’

Liu explored the iconic Alfa Romeo inverted triangle, “warping and cutting” the exterior to achieve the desired proportions. An interesting feature can be seen with the V-shaped headlamps, which flow from the front mask through the bonnet and out into the front arches, passing through a gap that presumably serves aerodynamic purpose. Shades of the 33 Stradale revealed last year can be seen at the rear, but elevated in a new way to suit the overall design.

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Alfa Romeo Cometa V by Brycen Liu

Ouroboros by Crystal Zhao
This concept is inspired by Alfa Romeo’s history of elegance and even included a look back into how Italian culture was shaped during the Roman era. The front end evokes the stance of a coiled king cobra, giving connotations of strength, status and speed.

The Ouroboros would be directed toward modern drivers looking to take scenic roadtrips, perhaps touring idyllic coastal routes. This feels fitting for a vehicle that has a wraparound shoulderline, evocative of a luxury yacht. Great care appears to have gone toward visualising the wheel design, with close-up renders of the five-spoke rims and intricate white-walled tyre faces.

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Alfa Romeo Ouroboros by Crystal Zhao

Shooting Rattler by Hanci Hong
While many of these concepts have leaned on the characteristics of a serpent for the design language, this one goes a little further. Indeed, the Shooting Rattler is described as a ‘hunting vehicle’ and is designed to shuttle between urban and outdoor environments – say the forest, to the city.

“Taking inspiration from the rattlesnake, Shooting Rattler’s overall design is light and agile, expressing its flexibility,” says Hong. A fresh take on the shooting brake, perhaps?

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Alfa Romeo Shooting Rattler by Hanci Hong

Dialog GT-300 by Haoyang Liu
From the 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Turismo – “the first GT car” in Liu’s words – to the electrified GT of the future in 2030: the GT-300. It is certainly futuristic, sitting low to the ground with super sleek, stretched bodywork and a long bonnet.

A side by side comparison with the 6C 1750 that came 100 years before it reveals similar design cues, particularly in the flowing shoulder line that rises and falls to accentuate its rear haunches. Contrasting with the retro cues is the rear light signature, which seemingly floats in mid air across the entire rear of the car. The circular headlamps feel a little more familiar, almost reminscent of modern Alfas like the 8C.

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Alfa Romeo Dialog GT300 by Haoyang Liu

PEAK X by Henry Zhang
Zhang clearly took Alfa Romeo’s heritage seriously when putting together the PEAK X concept, noting that the brand embues “driving passion that never fades.” As we have seen with other degree shows, students today often envision vehicles that are as capable off-road as they are on smooth tarmac. The PEAK X concept aims to do something similar, catering to a ‘Speed Peak’ racing event taking place in 2030, designed for outdoor high-performance vehicles. Think Pikes Peak, but a little less extreme.

Inside, the cockpit features a triangular three-seat layout with the driver at the head of the arrow, centering them in the driving experience. The exterior desig and overall proportions were inspired partly by classic models (1955 750 Competizione, 1970 Montreal) and modern high-riding SUVs like the Stelvio and Tonale. The result is a near-horizontal roofline that sits ever so slightly above the bonnet and rear bootlid – which features a dramatic undercut section.

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Alfa Romeo PEAK X Concept by Henry Zhang

Puglia by Norman Xie
The Puglia is a long-wheelbase electric GT aimed at luxury buyers in the year 2030. Benchmarked not on an Alfa Romeo but its sister brand with the Maserati GranTurismo, the Puglia carries proportions typical of this segment but employs a three-seat layout with two passengers at the rear. Two driving modes are offered, and in automatic mode all three passengers are aligned.

Indeed, although the vehicle has GT proportions it is in fact more heavily inspired by speedboats and the Alfa Romeo’s 1950s B.A.T. concepts. The nautical theme carries through to the interior and CMF, illustrated nicely with a series of sketches and moodboards.

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Alfa Romeo Puglia by Norman Xie

SIA by Orange Liu
This project began with a look back at Alfa Romeo’s Formula 1 racers between 1950 and 1985, with a vision of creating a ‘next-generation hypercar’ for the brand. Liu considered how vehicles are often described as moving sculptures, and studied how these static shapes often begin with strong bases. Care and attention went towards sculpting the lower section of the car to provide a suitable foundation that prioritises downforce.

The result is an angular almost shape-shifting exterior that showcases a mixture of interesting angles, cut-out sections and aerodynamic bodywork. The Formula 1 influence is particularly evident at the front axle, which is almost left on display by the sills that taper in behind the front wheel.

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Alfa Romeo SIA by Orange Liu

Nano S by Paul Quinland
Quinland’s project builds on the trend of spiralling urbanisation, which promises to create ever-more crowded cities and urban areas. Roads would be narrow, and traffic heavy. As such, the Nano S is seen as useful addition to the Alfa portfolio and “opens up a younger user market.”

The idea is to bridge the compact utility of a short-wheelbase off-roader (like a Land Rover Defender 90) and the agility of a go kart, with “the same body providing different characters.” Inspiration came from a variety of other sources, including passenger bi-planes, ornaments and… marbles. The final concept feels like a reasonable evolution of the Mito city car.

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Alfa Romeo Nano S by Paul Quinland

ALO by Ryan Wei
In 2040, an innovative new lithium-oxygen battery technology will have been industrialised and put into practice in motor racing. In simple terms, the vehicle generates energy as it drives using a large fan at the centre of the car, which rotates as the vehicle pushes through the air. Like other concepts in this collaboration project, the 33 Stradale served as inspiration but the resulting form feels very much unique.

The front light signature is particularly striking, highlighting the prominent air ducts either side of the car’s nose. The cockpit is designed for a single passenger, allowing for an exceptionally narrow glasshouse and a dramatic taper at the hips.

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Alfa Romeo ALO by Ryan Wei

Traceur by Winter Li
This concept channels the spirit of “freedom and creativity” found in both motor racing and urban street gymnastics known as ‘parkour’. This involves navigating the city, pushing the limits of the human body and finding innovative ways to scale urban landscapes. Li believes this dovetails nicely with the principles of motor racing, and the Traceur concept balances both of these themes as it is not limited by the terrain that faces it.

The cockpit layout was inspired by bobsled racing, with driver and passenger sitting in line with one another. The basic proportions and front end are reminiscent of the Tonale, but elevated toward a new vehicle typology with a much longer wheelbase, higher ride height and absence of a roof.

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Alfa Romeo Traceur by Winter Li