American automotive designer Frank Stephenson, best known for creating the Ferrari F430 and Maserati MC12 as well as redesigning the Mini Cooper and Fiat 500, has shared his concerns about the current state of vehicle design in an interview with RBC Radio, describing 2026 as a disappointing period for the industry.
Stephenson revealed that he personally drives a 1968 Citroën DS21, a car he believes still looks modern more than half a century after its debut. In his view, contemporary vehicles have lost much of their emotion and character as increasingly strict safety regulations have imposed constraints on designers that did not exist decades ago.
As a symbol of what he sees as the industry’s decline, Stephenson pointed to the electric Ferrari Luce, calling it the low point of automotive design’s ability to evoke emotion. According to him, the model missed its target audience, arrived at the wrong time, and suffered from the composition of its development team. Stephenson said many of his industry colleagues share this opinion, although he noted that the vehicle appears to have been better received by customers in China.
He argued that part of the problem stemmed from involving specialists with little or no automotive background, including one of the creators of the iPhone. The result, he said, was a “gadget on wheels” that lacks the sensory experiences traditionally associated with driving, including the sound and character of an internal-combustion engine.
Stephenson described his design philosophy as being heavily influenced by biomimicry – the practice of drawing inspiration from nature. While working on the McLaren P1, his team studied the Atlantic sailfish, one of the fastest fish in the world, capable of reaching speeds of around 100 km/h in water, a medium far denser than air. Observations of the fish’s scales and fins helped guide aerodynamic decisions and encouraged the removal of unnecessary body elements. For the Mini, he drew inspiration from the proportions of an English bulldog, whose compact and muscular stance helped shape the iconic hatchback’s appearance.
Discussing regulatory challenges, Stephenson cited pedestrian safety requirements that mandate a minimum clearance of 70 mm between the hood and the engine. During the development of the Mini, this forced designers to raise both the driver’s seating position and the roofline, affecting the vehicle’s handling characteristics while remaining necessary for compliance.
The designer also expressed concern about the skill level of younger professionals entering the industry. According to Stephenson, many interns can no longer sketch cars by hand because artificial intelligence now generates much of the preliminary design work, creating a greater disconnect between people and the vehicles they create.
Despite his criticism, Stephenson does not believe the golden age of automotive design is over. He argues that compact electric powertrains give designers new freedom to rethink vehicle proportions and create more attractive forms. In his view, the future of automotive design should focus not on shock value or technological gimmicks, but on genuine beauty and emotional appeal.
