The
experts in the ŠKODA Color & Trim Design Team are real trendsetters. They
are responsible for the design, choice of materials and colors for the brand’s
future models.
Successful
car design depends on perfect proportions and emotional forms. However, a
vehicle will only captivate passengers and observers if it has that something
extra. That special touch that results from the perfect interaction of forms,
colors and materials. Only a few specialists are experts in the art of
automotive seduction. At ŠKODA, the experts in the ŠKODA Color & Trim
Design Team are responsible for this.
Close to nature: bamboo, wool, linen &
Co.
“Everyday life is an important source of inspiration
for us,” explained Andrea Jensen who coordinates the selection of colors and
fabrics at ŠKODA. “We look closely at how people dress, read specialist
magazines and websites and visit high-profile international fashion shows and
trade fairs. Naturally, the design that we come up with has to match ŠKODA’s
DNA. In our team, there’s a dedicated specialist for each material.”
The world of textiles and Alcantara – a leather-like
microfiber material – is the domain of Kateřina Vránová and the Spaniard
Jessica Lopez. “Alcantara looks like leather as is just as expensive,”
explained Kateřina Vránová. “This material is used for the seats and door
panels in the ŠKODA SUPERB1 and
KODIAQ2 for example. When
choosing materials, we seek inspiration from nature and organic textiles such
as bamboo, linen, wool and Tencel are of great interest to us. We also focus on
recycled polyester.”
Touching and feeling: special effects with a
special touch
Debora Poussif from Argentina is another member of
the ŠKODA Color & Trim Design Team. She is responsible for choosing
materials and the surface finishes. In addition to aluminum, materials
including wood and carbon are very popular at the moment. Small samples made
from glass, aluminum, wood or plastic give the expert a real impression of how
the various products look and feel.
“Some of these special effects can only be fully appreciated when it’s dark.
The LED rear light for example gives the vehicle a totally different look at
night,” emphasized Poussif. “I also love buttons that light up when you touch
them.”
For Markéta Kalíková, everything revolves
around leather and interior colors. “I find inspiration at trade
fairs and exhibitions. The Lineapelle trade fair has a reputation for successfully
predicting future fashion trends. I look out for the best products here, ones
that are suitable for use in cars too,” explained Kalíková. One of her latest
designs is an ivory-colored seat for the KAROQ3.
It stands out with its retro design and an embroidered historical ŠKODA logo.
Seductive colors: using nanotechnology for an
oho effect
Anyone who is interested in the world of exterior
colors should talk to Věra Vasická. New special effects and
nanotechnology are the latest trends here. The focus is on large, glittering
crystals which are either monochrome or reflect the entire color spectrum of a
diamond. The latest innovations include special metallic effects such as silver
with a tinge of copper, bronze or light, fine golden shades.
“We’re currently further developing the matte
paintwork finishes for our production models,” said Věra Vasická. “With the
help of nanotechnologies, we’d also like to prevent the car from heating up
when the sun is shining. This technology makes the paintwork less susceptible
to scratches and we’re testing solutions to make car care much easier. I enjoy
the biggest creative freedom when coming up with the colors for our studies
such as the gold-gray finish for the ŠKODA VISION E4 or the VISION S5 which
stands out with its green-gold finish.”
“We’re currently further developing the matte
paintwork finishes for our production models,” said Věra Vasická. “With the
help of nanotechnologies, we’d also like to prevent the car from heating up
when the sun is shining. This technology makes the paintwork less susceptible
to scratches and we’re testing solutions to make car care much easier. I enjoy
the biggest creative freedom when coming up with the colors for our studies
such as the gold-gray finish for the ŠKODA VISION E4 or the VISION S5 which
stands out with its green-gold finish.”
Heavenly interiors: Věra’s magic
Věra Dudychová is the expert for carpets and
roof linings and seeks inspiration from furnishings and home
accessories in particular. “For me, the comfort of the driver has top priority.
Naturally, a soft carpet feels very nice, just as it does in your own four
walls. However, the production process is often very expensive,” explained
Dudychová. “Textile reliefs like these are produced using a laser or with
relief printing. Together with the light, they result in fascinating details,
especially on roof linings.”
Lada Dlabolová is the member of the ŠKODA Color &
Trim Design Team who is responsible for the design of plastic and
imitation leather parts. She has set herself the goal of making everyday
driving more colorful. Using a book of samples, she shows us exciting
combinations. “The parts that we use have to be not only practical but also
environmentally friendly and they have to feel really good. Plastics with a 3D
effect which create an impression of depth both to the eye and touch help to
liven up an interior.”
Perfect illusion: experience the future with
virtual reality
Vehicle designers must always find the ideal
compromise between maximum practicality and appealing aesthetics. With the help
of special software applications, the experts can check how well various
materials and colors go together. This allows them to combine various
components however they want, giving them a realistic visual impression.
“Thanks to virtual reality technology, we can sit
down in a car in a virtual sense and see straight away how newly developed
materials and color combinations actually look in an interior and what effect
they will have on passengers,” said Andrea Jensen, summing up.
When selecting specific colors and materials, the
designers also have the ability to predict future trends. Good designers are
not only very perceptive – they must also have a feel for even the smallest of
details. After all, they have to have a picture in their heads of a vehicle
that will not be produced for another few years.
Incidentally, if you think that the ŠKODA Color &
Trim Design Team is made up only of women, you would be wrong. Miloš Nesvadba
is the only man among the female designers. His role is Team Administrator. “My
female colleagues come up with new colors and materials, then I give the
individual ideas special codes and numbers. I’m the bureaucrat in the team so
to speak – the one who manages creative ideas,” explained Nesvadba.
Consumption value of the
above mentioned vehicles
1 ŠKODA Superb: fuel consumption urban 9.0-4.5
l/100km, extra urban 6.2-3.5 l/100km, combined 7.2-3.9 l/100km, CO2 emissions
combined 165-101 g/km, CO2 efficiency class D–A+
2 ŠKODA KODIAQ: fuel consumption urban 9.1-5.7
l/100km, extra urban 6.4-4.5 l/100km, combined 7.4-4.9 l/100km, CO2 emissions
combined 170-129 g/km, CO2 efficiency class C-A
3 ŠKODA KAROQ: fuel consumption urban 6.8-4.4 l/100km,
extra urban 5.0–4.1 l/100km, combined 5.6-4.2 l/100km, CO2 emissions combined
127-112 g/km, CO2 efficiency class B–A
4 Concept car ŠKODA VISION E
5 Concept car ŠKODA VisionS
