CAR’S CURVEBALLS
6 questions only we would ask
Tell us about your irst car
‘The irst-gen VW Polo, based on the Audi 50 – an Italian design. It was a rotten car that had to be repaired every week.’
What achievement makes you most proud?
‘Being part of, and having done my bit for, Volvo over the past six years.’
What’s the best thing you’ve ever done in a car?
‘When I was at VW I drove a Lotus Elise. That car, after all the VW Group cars I’d driven, was amazing – so dierent, so alert. Some years later, I drove the irst Tesla; the same car with an electric motor. That was also amazing.’
Tell us when you screwed up
‘In my career, during product development, I sometimes accepted decisions about proportions and technology that I knew wouldn’t look ideal [referring to his time at VW]. If the basic architecture is lawed, you can’t do anything about it as a designer.’
Supercar or classic?
‘A classic car. I’d love a Bertone Alfa GT, a Citroën DS, a little BMW 1802. And a 911. I owned an old 911 for a long time and loved it.’
What’s your favourite old Volvo,?
‘The P1800. It’s a Volvo hero. It shows that classic Volvo design is more than a brick. The Amazon was also very shapely and artistic.’