Photo: McLaren
McLaren is a special proposition inside the very rarefied stratosphere of the hypercar world, and much of that is due to the brand's newly-found design identity.
The modern era for the British manufacturer started with the MP4-12C in 2011. At that time, Rob Melville had already been working with the design team as a senior designer for two years, but he came too late to have a significant impact on that model. Still, he might have joined the company in 2009, but just five years later, he was already appointed Chief Designer.
The cars speak for themselves, and even though Rob alone can't be credited for everything good that happened at McLaren during his stay, he sure did his part. He worked on the weird but beautiful (a very tough to nail combination, as demonstrated by many other vehicles that are just weird) McLaren P1, the 675LT, and the metamorphosis of the MP4-12C into the 650S.
Rob was also in charge of the Sports Series, which won the prize for the "Best of the Best" category in the Red Dot design awards in 2016, which is definitely something to put on your resume.
Talking about his new position, Rob said; “I am thrilled to be given the title of Design Director for McLaren Automotive. I remember when I got the call to come and join McLaren back in 2009 and the joy I felt then is the same today. We have developed a fantastic design team and have integrated a design philosophy that I feel passionately about. I have always believed that great design tells a great story and that is what we do here at McLaren. I’m incredibly proud.”
The new McLaren Design Director, who replaces Frank Stephenson, started his career at Jaguar Land Rover where his sketches were the basis for the very successful Range Rover Evoque SUV. He also had a stint at GM's UK office, but with less impressive results.
Rob's new position will probably see him drawing less and coordinating others more. His task is to develop the brand's design strategy over the next years, and given his previous achievements, he's most definitely the right man for the job.
The cars speak for themselves, and even though Rob alone can't be credited for everything good that happened at McLaren during his stay, he sure did his part. He worked on the weird but beautiful (a very tough to nail combination, as demonstrated by many other vehicles that are just weird) McLaren P1, the 675LT, and the metamorphosis of the MP4-12C into the 650S.
Rob was also in charge of the Sports Series, which won the prize for the "Best of the Best" category in the Red Dot design awards in 2016, which is definitely something to put on your resume.
Talking about his new position, Rob said; “I am thrilled to be given the title of Design Director for McLaren Automotive. I remember when I got the call to come and join McLaren back in 2009 and the joy I felt then is the same today. We have developed a fantastic design team and have integrated a design philosophy that I feel passionately about. I have always believed that great design tells a great story and that is what we do here at McLaren. I’m incredibly proud.”
The new McLaren Design Director, who replaces Frank Stephenson, started his career at Jaguar Land Rover where his sketches were the basis for the very successful Range Rover Evoque SUV. He also had a stint at GM's UK office, but with less impressive results.
Rob's new position will probably see him drawing less and coordinating others more. His task is to develop the brand's design strategy over the next years, and given his previous achievements, he's most definitely the right man for the job.
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