January: Detroit, Brussels, and the Skoda 'Not Bad'

This month the team discussed: 

• The importance of design for manufacturing, highlighting how early production constraints improve creativity, feasibility and cross-team alignment across startups and major OEMs such as Ford, Xpeng, Zeekr and Oil Stain Lab
• Why Detroit’s design boom is in danger of leaving is hallowed car show behind; plus is Brussels neutral territory a good substitute for the now dead Geneva show; and weigh up the brand heritage that comes as the price of entry to Retromobile

• Why public reactions to new cars remain emotionally charged, with nostalgia, resistance to change shaping negativity toward contemporary vehicle design
• And we speculate about the possibility of Volvo restarting its US design studio with Nick Gronenthal as the head plus highlight some key moves at Porsche and Kia

Subscribers can access all content flagged during this episode, including:

The twins at Oilstain Lab: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/constraints-enable-creativity-oilstainlab-ceo-on-design-for-manufacturing/2592174

Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/designing-on-the-edge-how-fords-dark-horse-sc-took-shape/2590571

Zeekr on design freeze: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/early-design-freeze-brings-purchasing-power/2591766

Xpeng's Alain Simon talks design for manufacturing: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/manufacturing-department-an-enabler-for-design-says-xpeng/2585875

Honda's new logo: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/honda-unveils-new-logo/2585879

Porsche 911 review: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/design-driven-porsche-911-carrera/2593778

Detroit Auto Show review: https://www.cardesignnews.com/shows/detroits-design-renaissance-leaves-its-auto-show-behind/2589650

Brussels Motor Show review: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/brussels-sprouting-could-the-belgian-motor-show-youve-barely-heard-of-become-the-new-geneva/2585930

Retromobile 2026: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/theres-more-passion-here-than-at-a-normal-car-show/2597117

Why do car people hate new cars? https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/why-do-car-people-hate-new-cars/2584558

Honda Base Station: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/honda-reveals-new-base-station/2586456

Tobias Sühlmann joins Porsche: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/porsche-appoints-tobias-suehlmann-as-new-head-of-design/2595752

Thomas Ingenlath returns to Volvo: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/exclusive-qampa-ingenlath-on-his-second-volvo-term-i-bring-a-hell-of-a-lot-of-experience-in-designing-cars/2583816

What's going on with Volvo USA? https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/exclusive-first-sight-qampa-volvos-interim-design-boss-on-ex60-and-whats-next-after-ingenlaths-return/2593909

Dave Marek retires: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/dave-marek-retires-from-honda/2581710

Join us in person at events around the world:

Milan: https://cddmilan.cardesignnews.com/

Beijing: https://cddbeijing.cardesignnews.com/

Detroit: https://cdddetroit.cardesignnews.com/

London: https://peopleawards.cardesignnews.com/