Interview with Oliver Stefani: Skoda's Head of Design
Surely you have noticed the different solutions offered by Skoda, one of the brands that remains most faithful to its Simply Clever principle, something that has been how simplicity is intelligent. A clear reflection that this applies to your cars is the multitude of gadgets or curiosities that we find capable of offering a very simple task but at the same time extremely useful.
Well, behind these elements is Oliver Stefani, its creator and Head of Design at Skoda. In search of knowing all his secrets and tricks to comply with the philosophy of the brand, we have interviewed him. We have also talked about how the COVID-19 has affected the brand, the restyling of the Kodiaq and if Skoda suffers from sharing cars with other brands of the Volkswagen Group.
Top Gear: Has it been a difficult or strange period for you?
Oliver Stefani: Yes and no. It is not so easy when you are not facing a physical design, but we are increasingly using digital design. Design is a team effort. Everyone sees different good and bad things and I miss that, having people around the model. On the other hand, new opportunities open up for us; we have people in different countries but we can continue working together. It's a new way of working, and I hope we can continue to keep the spirit.
Any surprises?
We've spent a lot of time learning about digital design ourselves. We see the models much earlier, instead of using sketches. Digital design has made it possible to speed up the work process much more.
Do you think the pandemic will change the way we work in the future?
Nowadays, health and well-being have become much more important. Your car should be a healthy space, just like your house. We are very aware of that ecosystem at Skoda, using sustainable materials, but health is what we have in our heads right now.
Will there be any backlash against the concept of shared mobility?
You can look at it either way; people are increasingly relying on personal transport rather than public transport, but there is still plenty of scope for shared mobility.
What is the biggest long-term design challenge?
UX/UI design is the biggest challenge ahead of us, making the brand tangible. It has to be visible, just like for ICE and electric cars.
Why have cars become so aggressive and daring?
Can't speak for other brands...
But even Skoda's grilles have gotten bigger and longer, haven't they?
Yes, longer, but I hope not more aggressive. What we wanted to achieve with the new Kodiaq, for example, was more character. Self-confidence is a big part of this car, it's our flagship, so it has to be a big step.
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Is it difficult to keep the Skoda identity intact with so many cars running on the same platform?
No, I don't think so. We are aware that we have to differentiate our designs within the Volkswagen Group, each brand has its own DNA and strategy. We have regular meetings where we present our ideas to avoid overlapping. If you compare the Enyaq with any other model from the Group, you will see that they are completely different.
Buyers love SUVs, but what would your dream design have been?
Coupe, I could say, but that's too easy. My dream car is always the next project. We have many interesting products, and it is quite a challenge to invest our creativity in these cars to make them a success within the Skoda family. We will never say "oh no, not this again", we designers like our work.
Do you personally prefer those that steer clear of SUVs?
That is beyond the task of a designer! That is up to the client and what he would like to have. We have to be aware of the context in which we work, but we give the choice to the client.
What is your favorite Skoda look? Any you are particularly proud of?
What I like about Skoda is that we don't follow fashion. We keep our products modern, but they have to be functional and offer an economic outlay with which the client feels comfortable. We are founded on "Simply Clever" ideas. People know us for it, and now we're trying to expand it into the digital world.
Who comes up with "Simply Clever" ideas?
To everyone in the company, it's not like we had a "Simply Clever" department. Sometimes designers suggest things, such as from the big screens of cars and the traces we leave on them. Why not incorporate a screen cleaner to kill them? Another idea in the new Kodiaq was to incorporate some aerodynamic plastic protections on the wheels capable of contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions.
Is it satisfactory to solve those little things that bother you in the car?
Of course. Almost every weekend I go back to Germany by car to carry out tests with other departments of the company. We are always discovering things that bother us, and of course also many things that we like. We always try to improve.
Electric cars still have some leeway, but will they take center stage?
Of course, we're keeping that in mind. The Skoda Enyaq is our only pure electric car at the moment, but every Skoda has to look like a Skoda, it stays connected to the rest of the family. But that could change soon, electric cars will end up taking the lead. At the moment, we are happy that both camps influence each other.
What excites you the most when you start work at the office in the morning?
When I'm at the office my favorite thing to do is go to the model shop first. Seeing the cars even when they're not finished yet excites me; allows the creative spirit to continue to grow. There comes a time when you see the car and say: "perfect, we have it." But it is difficult to reach that step; some models need more time...But it's certainly exciting to get to that point.
