The prestigious Car Design Event 2024, an invitation-only gathering, was held at Munich’s Business & Drivers Club. This year’s assembly saw automotive designers, journalists, and design students come together to delve into pressing and future trends within the automotive sector. The discussion spanned a range of topics, from the development of future cars and prototypes to the evolving roles of creativity, storytelling, and the impacts of AI on transportation design, as well as the burgeoning field of UAVs.
The event boasted an impressive roster of participants, including Achim Badstuebner of Mercedes-Benz, Andreas Bovensiepen from Alpina, and representatives from major brands like Kia, Pininfarina, Genesis, Volkswagen, Pagani, Bentley, Hyundai, Audi, and Mazda. Over 50 eminent international journalists and an equal number of automotive designers were present, indicating the event’s high profile and industry-wide significance.
This year’s Car Design Event was notable for several key vehicle debuts. Among them were the Volkswagen ID.2all concept, the European premiere of the Kia EV5, the Genesis Speedium Giro concept’s world premiere, and several German premieres including the Pagani Huayra Codalunga and the F.A.T. 919 Snowcat concept. These showcases highlighted the cutting-edge advancements and stylistic directions shaping the future of automotive design.
The event was orchestrated by Jens Meiners and Des Sellmeijer, who aimed to bridge the gap between manufacturer-specific gatherings and large-scale, multi-brand exhibitions. Sellmeijer remarked on the event’s unique ability to bring together a diverse group of over 50 designers in a congenial setting, fostering an environment rich in exchange and collaboration.
Meiners expressed satisfaction with the enthusiastic response from the media, academia, and industry professionals, underscoring the event’s role in uniting industry leaders.
Looking ahead, the Car Design Event will extend its focus to the world of classic cars with the inaugural CDE Classic. This new venture, set to explore youngtimers and heritage cars, is scheduled for September 16-18 and will be conducted in collaboration with the Nationales Automuseum – The Loh Collection, promising another enriching assembly for automotive aficionados.
