Tesla's leadership has been looking for a lead designer for its next two vehicles, wanting to give the company's more prolifically produced cars a unique look. That requires in-house design - the Roadster was designed by Lotus - and von Holzhausen was reportedly the company's first choice. He resigned from Mazda on Thursday of last week according to a report by Car Design News, and is already tasked with setting up a complete design team.
The location of the new Tesla design center hasn't been established, but von Holzhausen wants it to be in the Los Angeles area to draw on the large pool of design talent. Tesla is expected to set up a whole new facility to house its newly founded design unit.
For background on the cars that von Holzhausen will be tasked with crafting appearances for, check out or previous stories.
Reader Comments
Mon Aug 4 2008 6:12 PM
james says
sounds good to me, mazdas are very beautiful cars in my opinion (especially the rx8). i'm fairly sure this guy could really direct some quality designs for tesla
Mon Aug 4 2008 7:33 PM
Gus says
Yeah, an electric RX8 wouldn't be a bad thing at all...
Makes you wonder why Mazda didn't think of it...
Mon Aug 4 2008 7:34 PM
Gus says
By the way, it's funny that BMW's designer is an American (Bangle-Bungle) and the designer for a Japanese company sounds about a German as bratwurst...
Tue Aug 5 2008 4:42 AM
Sorin says
I bet it's a great designer, but....
"Money talks, mmm-hmm-hmm, money talks
Dirty cash I want you, dirty cash I need you, woh-oh
Money talks, money talks
Dirty cash I want you, dirty cash I need you, woh-oh" :)
Tue Aug 5 2008 4:18 PM
Boris says
This acquiring will not bring Tesla anything in substance.
The Tesla cars are 100% of the shelf products (body, gear, finish and underhood 100% fitted at Lotus England, batteries imported from Thailand) screwed together in a backdoor garage in the US.
To set up a new model with all the molds and tools (I know what I'm talikng about as I'm in that business) will widely surpass even the deep pocket of Mr. Musk (pretty rich by drawing a lucky ticket only and got into Tesla by pure chance - otherwise success-less as Dubya) the current occupier of tesla motors.
Everything besides his google adventure got bust as soon as he touched.
After he has ousted the founder tesly inc. the hard way.
A unhappy and rude king Midas of modern times. - a epigone of the, as we here say:
"ugly american"
(sorry dont take that personally I love the USA in general and hope for Obama setting the things straight)
The move to highjack / bribe a otherwise reknown designer is nothing more then dressing up the company for sale or IPO to the applauding laymen.
Tue Aug 5 2008 4:59 PM
Boris says
to make my point clear - the setup for the carbon fiber and fibre glass body parts ONLY, of a Tesla is no easy matter. Not speaking of the many other parts for which tools have to be custom build before even thinking of assembling a own car is a logistic and technical task of enormous proportions.
Only a fitting wind(side)screen or hardtop can be a unbelievable taunting task.
In form, material, how to handle (ship) and logic (assembly / service)
No company even less nobody as individual person not real seasoned and experienced in that very industry and very deep pockets can hope to manage.
A designer can draw whatever he likes - this means nothing if one does not have the technicians to work it trough from ground up - and Tesla as it stands (and the success to get some cars actually on the street is indeed remarkable) are lacking that all the way.
What they have accomplished so far is a huge marketing success, mainly assisted by luck being at the right time at around and disguise & sell a 99% foreign-importet-pre-finished good as american invention / product.
Thu Nov 20 2008 9:08 PM
mburleigh8 says
Cool, i hope tesla does good.
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