Video: Detroit 2006 Full Show Report
Name: Franz von Holzhausen
Age: 37
Job: Director of design, Mazda North American Operations, Irvine, California
Key cars: Mazda Kabura, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky
4Car - What's the most significant design element of your latest concept?
Von Holzhausen - "The Mazda Kabura is a very compact sports car but we wanted the interior to be open and provide space for three adults. We looked at ways to create space - one is the massive windscreen, a second was the light interior colour and the third is the Aeron-style chairs - very space-saving but still comfortable."
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| Mazda Kabura |
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4Car - Name some of your design influences.
Von Holzhausen - "Early 60s Ferrari GTOs and Aston Martins, the rawness of where Porsche used to be; plus architects Renzo Piano and Santiago Calatrava; Miuccia Prada and Tom Ford from fashion; and colour and form from nature."
4Car - What attracted you to car design as a career?
Von Holzhausen - "My mum has a picture of me sitting in a high chair drawing a car with a crayon, so I think it came at a very early age. Then I realised somewhere along the line that you could make a living from it. You can be creative and artistic and you don't have to be poverty-stricken. I'm not a gasoline-in-the-blood type person but from a design sense I appreciate the sculpture of a moving object."
4Car - What's the next big car design trend/challenge?
Von Holzhausen - "Things we bring upon ourselves, like fuel economy, plus some unknown crisis in the world will shape how we move in the future. I also see the ability to personalise coming into vehicles. It's a huge trend in everything else - furniture, fashion and even product design - to have something that nobody has. We don't quite see that with cars yet, though people are starting to want and demand that."
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| Pontiac Solstice |
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4Car - What other car firm/design team do you think would be interesting to work for?
Von Holzhausen - "Pininfarina, maybe something exotic like that, although right now I think Mazda fits my personality well."
4Car - What car do you wish you'd designed?
Von Holzhausen - "The Aston Martin DB9 or the new Vantage."
4Car - What car are you glad you didn't design?
Von Holzhausen - "Pontiac Aztek - but it's absolutely not a car."
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| Aztek: "Absolutely not a car" |
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4Car - What shoes are you wearing?
Von Holzhausen - "Hugo Boss"
4Car - What watch are you wearing?
Von Holzhausen - "Tag F1 Kirium"
