The Hongqi HS6 PHEV set a Guinness World Record by traveling 2,327.343 kilometers on a single full charge and fuel tank without refueling, departing from Shangri-La on October 30 and arriving in Guangzhou on November 3. The achievement surpassed previous record holders including Chery's Fulwin T10, establishing new benchmarks for plug-in hybrid range capability. But beyond the impressive range figures, this 5-seater SUV makes its strongest statement through two areas where Chinese automakers are increasingly competing with global luxury brands: exterior design presence and interior craftsmanship.
Revolutionary Aerodynamic Design Redefines Sedan Architecture The ninth-generation A6 fundamentally reimagines traditional sedan proportions through advanced computational fluid dynamics. Sweeping window curves flow elegantly from front side windows into the fixed rear glass without interruption. Wide tracks and distinctive quattro blisters emerge powerfully from the shoulder areas to create visual drama. Active grille shutters automatically close at highway speeds to minimize wind resistance through the engine bay. Three-dimensionally modeled air curtains positioned beneath the headlights channel airflow smoothly around the vehicle body.
Fashion design and automobile design share more commonalities than you might think. Both juggle modernity and a huge amount of heritage, and luxury is often hugely important pursuit for designers in both sectors. So it was perhaps only a matter of time until the two collided. Timed to coincide with London Fashion Week, Audi has revealed 'Audi Couture', a print ad imagining Audi parts laid flat as a dressmaking pattern (which, to my eye, has more than a hint of 'Transformers' to it).
Back in 2023 at Art Basel Miami Beach, Lamborghini celebrated sixty years with the unveiling of the Revuelto Opera Unica, a hand-painted one-off that blurred the line between design and fine art. I had the privilege of sitting down one on one with Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini's Director of Design, walking through the details of the Revuelto in person. Seeing the car through his eyes, hearing him describe the vision and the countless hours poured into its creation,
August has been an excellent month for automotive design. We witnessed concepts that made us question everything we thought we knew about getting around. From delivery scooters that borrowed tech straight from Hollywood camera crews to hypercars that looked like they'd been beamed down from 2040, designers threw caution to the wind and delivered some mind-bending ideas that somehow felt both completely insane and totally inevitable.
The CX concept takes everything we know about Corvette design and cranks it up to science fiction levels. Its proportions look like they were designed by someone who grew up playing Gran Turismo rather than studying traditional automotive history.
The exhibition takes the chance to showcase the wedge‑car design movement that emerged as a stray from the curvaceous, chrome-laden styling of earlier eras, visibly favoring a futuristic aesthetic instead of the typical aerodynamic-focused production.
The BMW 328 Hommage stands as one of the most compelling concept cars to emerge from Bavaria's design studios, marking a thoughtful translation of 1930s racing purity into modern carbon fiber reality.
The Buick Electra Orbit features a space-age aesthetic with proportions resembling jet aircraft and classic Buick designs, highlighted by a low front section and wide central body.
The BMW iX may be one of the ugliest cars on sale, but underneath that ugly wrapper lies quite a lovely electric car. The beaver-toothed front end and tragic proportions are hiding an interior that's almost architectural in its ambiance, paired with a driving experience that's sharper than some sports-oriented models from other brands.
In addition to the new sound, the shape of the 6 N is obviously quite a bit different than that of the SUV-silhouette of the Ioniq 5. Being a sedan means having a trunk, and on that trunk is a mighty large wing with a dramatic curving profile to match the sculpted edges at the rear of the 6 N.
"While it seemed like manufacturers had cup holders figured out, manufacturers are struggling to keep up with being able to accommodate all the different shapes and sizes [of containers] that are increasingly available."
The Peralta S makes you wonder why every other exotic car needs so many creases, vents, and visual noise when you could just build a perfect geometric statement instead.
