Xiaomi Auto announced the appointment of Fabian Schmeltz, former chief exterior designer at Lamborghini, as head of exterior design at the company's European division. This move symbolizes the Chinese manufacturer's desire to strengthen its developments with the help of European specialists. This is reported by CarNewsChina, writes UNN.
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Fabian Schmeltz has significant experience in automotive design. At Lamborghini, he participated in the development of the Temerario model, and before that, at Porsche, he worked on the 718 Boxster, the VisionGT concept, and the Mission E prototype, which was transformed into the production model Taycan. Now his task will be to form a recognizable style for Xiaomi electric cars, which are still perceived ambiguously by the market.
The brand's first models – SU7 and YU7 – received widespread resonance but also caused controversy. Some users compared the SU7 to the Porsche Taycan, and the YU7 to the Ferrari Purosangue. This even gave rise to ironic nicknames: "Mi-sche" (Xiaomi + Porsche) and "Fe-rami" (Ferrari + Xiaomi).
Li Tianyuan, General Manager of Industrial Design at Xiaomi Auto, reacted to the criticism. He explained that the company strives to create cars not only with high technical characteristics but also with "emotional value" – a design that resonates with the user and conveys the brand's character. Li emphasized that the transition to new energy sources gives Chinese designers a unique opportunity to get rid of historical limitations and even "overtake competitors at the turn."
Analysts believe that the involvement of Schmeltz is not only a strengthening of the design team but also part of Xiaomi Auto's strategy to enter international markets. Europe could become a key springboard for this stage of the company's development.
Thus, Xiaomi Auto is trying to combine the experience of leading Western designers and its own philosophy of creating innovative cars focused on emotions and technology.
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