The name Maximilian Missoni isn’t one most would consider “household.” Unless, of course, your family members routinely regale one another with tales of Volvo and Volkswagen design triumphs. While names like Bangle or Giugiaro may conjure an immediate response in some enthusiast circles, you might be hard-pressed to find one that immediately knows the man by just surname. But Missoni’s days of relative anonymity might be behind him.
BMW Group has appointed the 45-year-old Austrian with Italian heritage as the design lead for upper mid-size and luxury-class models, including ALPINA. Two decades of experience in the auto industry certainly suggests he’s a solid pick. But who exactly is Missoni? More importantly, does he have what it takes to helm design on flagship BMW models?
Early Life and Education
Missoni was born in Austria to a family of architects – in his own words, “I have practically grown up with design. As a teenager, I spent a lot of time drawing. It started with boats.” Early on in life, Maximillian was poring over a boat magazine when he noticed a Ferrari concept car in an advertisement for design house Pininfarina. According to Missoni, that’s when he got hooked. He changed tracks to car design, and the rest is history.
His formal design journey began at University of Art and Design Linz, which he attended from 1996 until 2000. After that he got an internship with Volkswagen – who then sponsored his time spent from 2000 to 2002 at the Royal College of Art in London. He completed a Master of Arts degree in Vehicle Design and continued working with Volkswagen.
The Volkswagen Decade
Missoni’s work took him to the heart of Volkswagen – Wolfsburg. He recalls his time there fondly – even calling it some of the best creative years of his life. That statement is backed up by how long he remained at the company. He officially started in September 2002, and by January 2006 had moved up to a senior design position. He remained here for six more years – completing 10 years and 2 months with the company.
His design projects at Volkswagen give us a look at his creative process and products. He started by working on the VW Concept R, a mid-engine roadster design. He designed the car as part of an internal competition, and “for some reason, what I did struck a chord, and this went on to become a concept car,” Missoni recollects. Years later, as a senior designer, Missoni would pen the futuristic VW XL1 Concept – which astoundingly, made it into a limited series production run. Both offer a glimpse into what would become trends in Missoni’s work: minimalism and sustainability.
Moving On: Volvo and Polestar
In October 2012, he moved to Sweden and joined Volvo. He was part of a trio that sent the brand soaring to new heights. Missoni worked with designers Robin Page and Thomas Ingenlath to completely transform the Volvo lineup. His goals when joining were clear. “Volvo is perceived, internationally, as a premium, if not luxury, brand. But now, the design has to reflect that as well. To bring these two things together – luxury in a Scandinavian way – that was very exciting,” he says in an interview. The end product? Models like the Volvo XC40 and Volvo XC90 – evocative vehicles that completely shifted perception of the Scandinavian automaker.
After giving the Volvo brand an unmistakable new look and leaving in 2018 as Vice President, Exterior Design, Missoni moved over to Polestar. Here, he’s wearing that hat of Head of Design – although he was still advising on Volvo projects as needed. You probably don’t need an introduction to the Polestar brand. While formerly the dedicated performance arm of Volvo, today it is equally focused on electrification. Heading up well-received models like the Polestar 1, Polestar 2, and the latest, the Polestar 4 – further bolstered Missoni’s profile and portfolio.
Design Style and Where Missoni Fits Into BMW
Throughout his career, Missoni has showed a huge love for minimalism and refinement. “For me, minimalistic designs are the most interesting. Stripping away the non-essential, leaving a pure, yet iconic aesthetic,” he says in an interview. While more subtle, there’s another immediate common thread: sustainability. The XL-1 is a standout example of minimalism and sustainability. So are everything he’s worked on at Polestar – which is, after all, an electric car company.
Missoni also seems to have values that directly reflect what we’ve heard from BMW in the recent past. When asked his three favorite things about the auto design industry, he cited “the emotional connection people have with our product, the impact our product has on people’s lives and the responsibility that comes with it, and the potential we have to positively affect the issues we face with climate and resources.” Need more buzzwords? “[Another] big thing is circularity…we’ll go more and more into sustainable materials. But these materials have quite a strong impact on what we do. If we’re clever, we can leverage that into a new design aesthetic.”
There’s one more reason that Missoni is a good fit for BMW. Despite confessions that he “was never a petrolhead” – though quite enjoying the freedom that piloting a boat provides – he understands dynamics and their relevance. While discussing the Polestar 1, he’s quick to heap on the performance talk. “It’s not only the straight-line acceleration. It’s the driving dynamics and the chassis tuning of this car that makes it so special.”
Where the Man and the Brand Go From Here
Like his time at Volvo, Maximilian Missoni will share the design lead position with others. He’ll be joined by Oliver Heilmer, who’ll oversee entry-level models up to and including the 3 Series and X3. Heilmer will also oversee BMW M Design. As part of the power trio that rocked Volvo’s reputation, Maximilian Missoni has already proved himself a prodigious leader, collaborator, and – of course – designer. The hobbyist boatsman has a seriously important ship to steer – let’s see where he takes it.
Sources: Formcast Car Design Podcast, Automotive News Europe, Muse.World
