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44 T Emirates: The New York Times Style Magazine

Designing Auto Icons

By Orna BallOut

McLaren's Design Director, Frank Stephenson,is ully aware that when it comes to car design,

it's his duty to lead and not to ollow trends.Ferrari F430, Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, MaseratiMC12, BMW X5 his talent is crystal clear in

his striking conquests. The designerextraordinaire talks to T Emirates about hiscareer and latest delivery the McLaren P1.

The McLaren P1 is spil bs it ltimtl ivs wt it

sts ot to do b t bst pfomig od v. Tts wt

t dsig, Fk Stpso, Dsig Dito t ML,

Bitis fmos Foml 1 ig bd, s to s bot is bst

podt dsig to dt.T pps fst bs it is fst, looks ligt bs it is

ligt, d looks spd b t wid bs it is spd b t wid.

T wig is spil dsig ft tt otibts to givig

t P1 its g mot of dow fo, ov 600 kilos, d tts

tito, dds.

Glss is ftd pomitl togot, v bov t divs

d, to llow mximm visibilit; miimlisti itio dsig

fts povid jst t igt mot of ifomtio so s ot to

distt opts bt t dlmp is Stpsos fvoit

ft.

Wil sig t ltst ll-LeD tolog, its ovll sp isispid b t ML Spdmk, o logo. a ti mot of

dsig fdom tt didt fft gtivl o t pfom o

dlig tistis of t ws sd to t t s of t

. as dsig, t t Dna of ML, ss.

Wil Stpso pfs to b ispid b t sslit of

t d t ogi sps likd to t, if t P1 ws

pso, it wold b ompd to tlt i top psil oditio.

T bod of P1 is wppd tigtl gist its powfl msls,

lik tll dvlopd bodbild wit v low BMI

mb.

comig p wit fs ids is ot llg fo Stpso.O tig Iv ld i m s of tig is v to fll i

lov wit o wok. admi it d spt it, s, bt t momt

o ompltl stisfid d ot of ids o ow to impov it is

t momt o s to b t dsig, ss.

looko Emies

McLaren DesignDirector FrankStephenson with the P1- his latest designachievement

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45Issue 2, 2013

STarTInG yOunG

Big bid t dsig of som of t most

ioi s is pofssio m popl

ol dm bot, bt Fk Stpsos

dm bm lit. howv, tis ws

o s ft. Stpso ws o ot of six

of gop of tit stdts wo svivd

til t d of itsiv tomotiv

dsig os. T ot m

ptiig dsigs ot i t fild

bs too m wold td to it

dilt o ofs omps dsig

lgg, so t mb of vilbl

positios i t l wold mis

ltivl smll .

Stpso bm obsssd wit s

w ws jst 10. O Sd moig, s stolld

tog dowtow csbl wit is ft,

ollts t fist tim spottd Jg e-tp pkd

o Bolvd Momd V. It litll stoppd m i mtks - til m ft d to fill dg m w - d I

still mmb t goos bmps tt ivtig xpi

gv m. T og tsists pssio fo s

volvd, d ft gdtig fom ig sool, flfilld

ot bos dm, omptig t ittiol lvl i

motooss. altog I ws osisttl i t top t fo

fo ssos, I v qit md it p to t podim, d

tkfll m ft d t visio to ovi m, to pt

m o to ot pt d gol i lif. h stood bid m

oi of goig to clifoi to std atomotiv Dsig

d, if it wst fo im blivig i m, Id pobbl b

wokig wit t s tod istd of tig w

s fo t ft. Stpso got is fist bk w

sigd ott wit Fod Moto comp i 1986, d

is mbitio dov im to dsig fo t top ms i

t idst. h joid ML i 2008, w

dsigd its ltst podt, t ML P1, limds t xt gtio of sp tt will pobbl

s o wo sts s o it to dool t its stig

looks.

creaTIVITy unLeaSheD

Sig tiv opt flois ito fll ftioig

mi offs Stpso omfot w sits bid

t wl. Ts tmdos flig of wm

fmiliit tt oms fom vig imgid it fist witi

o mid d t t lit of psill goig tog

t poss of tig it. Bs it oms fom isido, it fls s if pt of o sol is somow witi t

fiisd dsig d tt slts i v psol d

motiol bod.

W t dsig dvot ist bs bistomig w

opts t t ML offi i Wokig, egld (ot

m s t lov goig to wok i t moig d

t lvig i t vig), jos tim wit is ot

pssios: is wif Lid, is dog Si, qit wkds

isig t riv Tms togt wit fids o

rivbz, o btifl slipp l, l Sd

moig blsts log ot bk ods o m Dti1198 S, d tvlig to xitig w pls s oft s

possibl. T otmpltiv momts ivibl

ompid b m lov fo good ig d sigl

mlt.

Stephensonsfavorite feature, theheadlamp, takesinspiration from theMcLarenSpeedmark, thebrands logo.

Stephenson poses inbetween his sketchingsession

One thing Ive learned in myyears o creating is never to allin love with your work. Admire

it and respect it, yes, but themoment you are completelysatisfied and out o ideas on

how to improve it is themoment you cease to be a true

designer."