At the occasion of the presentation of Lancia Pu+Ra HPE at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Bruxelles, we took the opportunity to have an interview with the young and inspired exterior designer of the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE… it proved very interesting indeed!

Q: The Lancia design department has been producing now a wonderful and iconic car which embodies the styling language of future Lancia’s. You are responsible for exterior design, can you tell us what is your vision on design, and why have you chosen to join the Lancia design department?

Also can you tell us a bit more about your design education, your school, and even more important, what do you want to create and establish as a designer…

MT: I understand your point. It is a very good question. Before I studied design, I did different things. It was rather more manual and mostly on focused on the mechanical aspect. I came to design out of curiosity. Then I started in Italy my studies in transportation design in Turin, at IED, Istituto Europeo di Design. There I developed an understanding of the meaning of Design. What is Design? Why do we have to do this? The reason why I chose Lancia is simple: what Lancia stands for in terms of form language coincides with my ideas about Design. So I understand fully what they want to convey.

Q: This means you are taken by the Lancia spirit?

MT: Indeed, completely!

We have included in our design language elements stemming from architecture, fashion, everything that surrounds us in our modern world, it is truly eclectic in its inspiration. All this, we have the chance also to embed all this into our heritage. Because this viewpoint, this approach, we have used it also in the past. It is of course a dream for a designer to work in this environment…not everybody has this history and has tried so many wonderful things in its past.

Q: When we come to the design language of the Pu + Ra, the emphasis lies on well rounded shapes and surfaces.

MT: Indeed, this concept car is really a synthesis and includes the logic of the design of our future cars. The contrast between the soft curves and the hard edges will be seen in future Lancias, it will be indeed our design bible. It will be our reference book or bible, so to say.

Q: You will also embody with your design a distinct premium level…

MT: Indeed, we will be very serious and thorough in lifting our design language well into the premium level. This will reflect itself in the quality of the chosen materials as well as the shapes. In our design, we want to express also the (sporting) heritage of our brand. So we look for compactness, agility, efficiency. The Pu+Ra is compact in its overall dimensions, like the historic Lancias.

Q: Will we see these design elements already in the future Ypsilon, because there the design is already established and fixed now…

MT: The design elements shown here in the Pu + Ra HPE will be seen in the forthcoming Lancia’s we announced here today…,For instance, the iconic “Calice”, Chalice or Cup  in the front of the car will also adorn the front of these Lancias.

Q: It will be so to say the light signature of the Lancia’s…

MT: Indeed… also the choice of the materials conveys quality and durability. This is also a credo of Lancia, and we express this with the use of durable materials.

Thank you very much for this interview.

We will soon follow with an interview with Mr. Milosz Tomanek_Premium Cluster Director Belux. Stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel