Interview with Automotive Designer Mark Stehrenberger

Interview with Car Designer Mark Stehrenberger. The designer, illustrator and artist talks about his career, his current and future projects, and gives his opinion on the state of current automotive design. Mark Stehrenberger is especially known for his illustration of future cars for car magazines such as Road & Track, Auto, Motor und Sport. He is also called the “father of spy shots”. The video above is an excerpt, the complete interview (51:20 min.) is available after the break.

Car enthusiasts know the work of designer and illustrator Mark Stehrenberger from his illustrations in major car magazines such as Road & Track and Auto, Motor und Sport. In his distinctive drawing style and technique, he reveals the design of future models from the world’s carmakers. He is considered as the father of today’s spy shots. While millions of readers know Stehrenberger’s car illustrations, not as many know the person behind the work and his other activities. His company MSD Mark Stehrenberger Design with studios in Ventura, California, and Montreux, Switzerland, he has established an international reputation as consultant to major car makers, and helped creating new automotive trends. He is also active in other design areas, and for fun, he loves to design, develop, and market novelty/gift products.

VernissageTV visited Mark Stehrenberger in his studio in Ventura, California, to talk with the Swiss-born designer about his career, the current state of car design, and his current projects. In this conversation, Mark Stehrenberger let’s us know why he emigrated to the US, how he got into the business of car illustrations, what the ingredients of good automobile design are, what he thinks about the new Volkswagen Golf and the design of other cars – and why he loves his Fiat Multipla, by many considered as the ugliest car ever.

Interview with Automotive Designer Mark Stehrenberger. Ventura, California, September 17, 2012.

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Complete interview (51:20 min.):

Mark Stehrenberger was born in Muttenz, Switzerland, in 1943. Driven by the desire to become car designer, he emigrated to the United States. After his studies at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, he founded MSD Mark Stehrenberger Design in 1969. In 1983, he opened a design studio with Alain Clenet in Santa Barbara, California, designing and developing concept cars for international carmakers. He went solo again with MSD in 1988, and later opened a branch in Switzerland to better serve European clients. Mark has also taught Transportation Design at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and Art Center Europe in Vevey, Switzerland for over 15 years.

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