Traditionally strong Volvo features such as the grille and an angular design are difficult to reconcile with electrification. But with the Recharge Concept, the brand shows how they solve that. This is what Senior Design Manager Volvo Cars Jurgen Jose tells us in a conversation we had with him in the museum of the Swedish brand.
What has been the main thread running through Volvo’s design over the years?
Strangely enough, I find that quite a difficult question. Volvo has always had a strong individuality, in strategy, engineering and design. Volvo never picks up on the first trend, we follow our own path, but it has always developed. It may sound a bit obvious, but safety has also always been the common thread at Volvo when it comes to design. Of course Volvos are no longer the square, angular cars of the past, but one requirement is always that a Volvo looks robust. We used to have the big bumpers and in recent decades Volvos have always had those clear ‘shoulders’. This gives a very solid impression, especially from the rear, emphasized by the shape of the taillights. Volvos are extremely safe and they radiate that.”
What do you think is the most iconic Volvo in that area?
“Hey! I have a very personal answer to that. When I was in high school in Germany, I had a teacher who drove a Volvo 850 Estate. I was fascinated by that car! At that time in Germany it was really a car for creative people, such as designers and architects. That also appealed to me. And then that boxy design, I thought that was so beautiful. Extremely angular, but certainly not bulky, because the proportions have been chosen so well. That’s why I still think the 850 is the most iconic Volvo. Magnificent!”
What is your biggest challenge in translating brand tradition into new design?
“At the moment I have a very clear answer to that: our biggest challenge is to ensure extremely good aerodynamics. With the electrification of our range, this is more important than ever at Volvo. Traditionally strong Volvo features, such as the grille and angular design, are quite difficult to reconcile. We no longer need a grille. The wind tunnel dictates a teardrop shape rather than something like a station wagon with a straight-cut rear. I think we have found a very good direction. Look at the Recharge Concept, which offers a foretaste of future Volvos. We keep the diagonal strip on the nose, because it immediately makes the car a Volvo from the front. We could have said: no more grille, and therefore no diagonal strip. However, it has to stay, we were quickly out of that. The nose is otherwise very smooth; many shapes are strongly rounded, but towards the rear it is unmistakably a real Volvo, with the aforementioned ‘shoulders’ and a fairly straight rear. And of course with Volvo’s typical vertical rear lights. It is a new translation of the boxy Volvo design. Let’s say a smoother, more rounded box, haha!”
Which Volvo is your biggest source of inspiration?
“When I walk around the museum and here in the warehouses with the whole history of Volvo, there are many. But I’ll come back to the 850 anyway. What I find so cool about that car is the almost lack of what car designers call jewellery: decoration, usually in the form of chrome strips. The 850 doesn’t even have window frames! That car is super sleek, it’s almost a one-piece sculpture. That also means that he has a very self-assured appearance, without being showing off, because that does not suit Volvo anyway. I get a lot of inspiration from that. I think we’ll see more of that in the future: less chrome and less trim. And that nimbleness that the 850 radiates through the large side windows is also something that fascinates me. We may have to make the windows a bit bigger in the future.”
How important is the legacy of a brand in 2022?
“Extremely important to us as car designers. We always have to keep up with new developments, while the end result must always fit seamlessly into the legacy of the brand. I don’t think there is any other product where the past plays such a big part. Compare it to electronics. An old Sony Walkman is just an old device. No one will refer to that when introducing a new Sony product. At car brands with a great history, everyone does set a new design against the heritage. Volvo’s philosophy is not invented, but rooted in the Swedish way of life. It modernises, but the core always remains intact. People and nature are always central here. That is why it is so important that we live and work here in Gothenburg with our highly international design team. Only then will you understand the Swedish soul.”
What do you think is a good recent example of modern design with a clear history?
“When we started with a new platform and a blank sheet of paper for the new XC90, which was presented in 2014, there had to be a distinctly new face. The design team then spent a lot of time in the museum and the sheds behind it, which are full of classic Volvos. The front of the 700 series was seen as very strong: sleek, tough and confident. The lines in the headlights of those cars were the inspiration for the Thor Hammer headlights that have been Volvo’s light signature since that new XC90.”
Does brand history also play a role in interior design?
“Very honest: a lot less than with the outside. I don’t think building on our heritage there is as important. Naturally, the Volvo driver should feel at home in a new model. Technology is developing so quickly that the character of a car’s interior also changes very quickly. And if you look at history, there is also a less clearly distinguishable common thread; it goes from round to angular and back again. We always see a certain minimalism and good ergonomics. And of course the famous, good Volvo seats. It is true that we create the typical Scandinavian atmosphere with the choice of materials; we therefore see wool, light-colored wood and even crystal.”
At what point in the design process do you delve into history?
“Usually in the creative initial phase of a new project, when we have to generate a lot of ideas and brainstorm. Nowadays we often talk about the grille and its disappearance with the arrival of electric cars. When I walk around here, I realize that the shape of the grille is not even that important, because it has taken many forms over time. It is a well recognizable signature. At Volvo these are the diagonal at the front and the vertical rear lights. It’s about those big lines. However, it can also be very useful for a detailed design to spend an afternoon strolling around among the old Volvos. We, designers, are creative and associative. We always see something that makes us think: hey, that was a good idea, I can do something with that.” 
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl