Mark Adams, Opel Vice President for Design, highlights how consistency and timelessness feature stronger in Opel’s design philosophy, where “sculptural artistry meets German precision”.
Like fine wine and cigars that get better with age, good design is not only ahead of its time today, but can still be appreciated in years to come. Understanding this, Mark Adams, Opel Vice President for Design, has focused on creating enduring designs since he first joined the brand in 2002.
Adams says of his approach to design: “It’s to create consistency. A design philosophy, as I understand it, is something sustainable and enduring. It can be valid for a hundred years.” The Englishman – who holds a Masters in Automotive Design from the Royal College of Art in London – holds that his car designs aren’t merely functional, but bring out the emotional aspect for the driver. Hence, he set out to create something “more sculpted, more emotional”, but that carries the technical quality found in the Opel brand.
ACHIEVING CONSISTENCY IN DESIGN
Adams shares that the seeds were sown for what was to become Opel’s new design philosophy – “Sculptural artistry meets German precision in 2005” – while working on his first project, the Insignia concept that was shown in 2003 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Listing some of the cars that have been crafted with these design values, he says: “The Insignia was our first modern-day production car that carried these values.
“The good thing is that we have carried this philosophy with every new vehicle since the Insignia. It is currently reflected in our entire model range. The Astra, the Meriva and the Zafira Tourer all embody it. It is also easy to imagine how cars could continue to follow this philosophy in 2060 and still be contemporary.”
EYE ON THE FUTURE
But it doesn’t mean the brand is standing still. The Monza concept is an inspiring and visionary image that represents outstanding efficiency and connectivity, the next stage in the development of Opel’s design philosophy. Dubbed Opel 2.0 by Adams, it will serve as a base for Opel cars in the coming eight to 10 years. “It takes some of the well-known features, gives them a fresh, new interpretation, and executes them in a contemporary way,” says Adams. “I’m certain that LED projection technology and human-machine interfaces will have been perfected in a few years. “Opel intends to be the leader in this field with our next generation of cars. Our focus is on making vehicles simple to use.
The new central console of the Insignia is a step in this direction. The infotainment system of the ADAM is already very good. Our highspeed mobile communications connection, OnStar, is a harbinger of things to come.” In fact, Adams shares that they’re already thinking beyond the Monza. He adds: “The next cycle will take us to Opel Design 3.0, which will integrate new trends and technologies, while remaining consistent with our philosophy.”
Our philosophy doesn’t limit us, but gives us a lot of creative freedom instead. We have a broad range of customers, which is why we need different cars, each with its own individual personality. This frame allows us to design these kinds of cars.
Visit the Opel showroom at 7 Ubi Close, Alpine Centre. For more information, check out www.opel.com.sg or call 6922-3288.
