This article is reprinted with permission from "East meets West - Designing a new car in Europe to meet th demands of Chinese customers" by Tony Williams, SAIC UK Technical Centre - Vehicle Designers Review, Issue 2009.
The full article can be read on the 2009 Issue of Vehicle Designers Review, a free online magazine available through free registration.
The UK-based SAIC Motor’s design studio, led by Tony Williams, was established with a view to providing SAIC’s self-owned business with a global experience and to bring European styling to the Chinese market.
With a brief to design a car specifically for the fast-changing Chinese customer, how did a design team based in Europe approach this?
The SAIC Design teams have developed several concepts, launched at Beijing and Shanghai Autoshows. In 2009, SAIC showed the MG6 concept, penned by the SAIC design team to launch a potential market concept – the fastback – to the Chinese market.
The MG6 programme was an opportunity to evolve and enhance the MG brand with a modern focused identity.
Led by Tony Williams, the international design team approached the MG6 project with a balance of respecting MG’s 85-year heritage
of sporting sedans whilst integrating contemporary design.
The team referred to examples of clean, modern and elegant British design, as well as MG’s own rich history. The predominant ‘Faceted Flow’ theme became the core of the project’s design language (flowing surfaces containing faceted features meeting at angular intersections).
Exterior designers, in both the UK and Shanghai, started with the octagonal MG badge. A unique and instantly recognisable emblem, which the design emphasises by surrounding it with deep chrome bevelled plinth set into the front face. It was important to develop a front graphic that would balance aggressiveness with an acceptable refinement.
The MG6 concept previews the aesthetics of the next generation of MG products with a large lower central aperture, supplemented by a slim upper grille, enhancing the sporty nature of the
brand.
The Faceted Flow design language is visible in the three-sided plan shape of the front bumper and the rear deck, in the gently faceted line of the headlamp periphery and in the front lower spoiler with its raised centre section.
The body colour sills visually pull the car closer to the ground while a black strip running the length of the car emphasises its length– value for money is very important to Chinese customers.
The side window graphic and roofline give a coupé-like appearance, rather similar to the Jaguar XF and Mercedes CLS.
This fastback design with opening tailgate represents a new direction for the Chinese market offering balance between sportiness and practicality.
The driver’s interaction is complimented by the split rim sports steering wheel and gearshift, accented with the use of aluminium trims. Modern, deeply sculpted sports seats add to the MG pedigree.
SAIC’s design team, as part of the Shanghai Automotive Technical Centre (SMTC), is based in various locations in both Shanghai and the UK. Each team is led by its own design director, who takes responsibility for design development of all new Roewe and MG projects.
Overall responsibility for projects
is shared, very much in line with President (of SMTC) Gao Weimin’s vision of ‘one family’ working
philosophy. This approach guarantees a clear understanding of both brand attributes and cultural values.
Strong communication helps with the understanding of colleagues’ views and experiences. Sketch and subsequent theme development receives input from both locations ensuring the greatest range of ideas can be explored.
Colour and trim concepts are developed with a global approach. Working as ‘one team,’ the colour and trim element is developed to
ensure the market requirements are fully understood with local benchmark and trend analysis carried out jointly.
The majority of design reviews, internally and with senior management, are held using Autodesk Showcase tools.
(Source: Vehicle Designers Review)
