Design Solutions

We create, craft and design

With our design solutions, we offer comprehensive expertise across the entire vehicle design process.

Our automotive design studio supports customers throughout the entire vehicle development process, from early concept creation to production-ready design solutions. Combining creativity, user-centered thinking and engineering expertise, we develop distinctive mobility concepts that strengthen brand identity and enhance the user experience.

Working closely with engineering teams, we ensure that design concepts are not only visually compelling but also technically feasible and ready for industrialization.

From passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles to future mobility concepts, we create holistic design solutions that accelerate development, support faster decision-making and help bring innovative products to market more efficiently.

Design Solutions

Design Management

 

We ensure to achieve all project goals by supervising both the team and the work.

  • Design project management
  • Surfacing management
  • Coordination of design and technical inputs to modelers
  • Interface between design and engineering
  • Keeping timing, budget and milestones

    Exterior Design

    It shapes a vehicle’s character, blending form, performance and brand identity.

    • Trend analysis
    • DNA design research
    • Wheel design
    • Headlamp design
    • Details ideation (mirror, 
roof rack, antenna, etc.)
    • Special edition ideation
    • Complete hood proposals
    • New mobility

    Interior Design

    We create an immersive environment, uniting comfort, technology and emotional appeal.

    • Trend analysis
    • Concept design
    • Production design (until SOP)
    • Production support
    • Detail Design: steeringwheels, center consoles, door panels, gearlevers, MMI, storage solutions

    UI/UX Design

    We create intuitive and engaging digital experiences that connect users with the vehicle effortlessly.

    • Benchmark analysis
    • Strategy and idea (Figma. FigJam)
    • Wireframe creation (Figma)
    • User interface design and specification (Figma)
    • Developing design system
    • Creating design library and UI-kit
    • Concept book creation
    • Concept evaluation and UX testing
    • UI/UX demonstrator/hardware prototype
    • ParaSiki seating buck

    Design Solutions_2

    Color & Trim

    Materials, colors and tactile experiences bring personality and refinement to a vehicle.

    • Exterior and Interior concept development
    • 2D visualisation of proposals (Photoshop)
    • 3D visualisation of proposals (VRED)
    • Material collections
    • Supplier communication
    • List and spec book
    • Master sample support

    Surfacing CAS/Class A

    We support our customers in surface appearance, quality and manufacturability.

    • Concept modelling (Blender)
    • CAS surface development (Alias/ICEM)
    • Class A surface development (ICEM/Alias)
    • Algorithmic design (Rhino Grasshopper)
    • Gray zone development
    • Homologation support
    • Surface data management

    Engine Cover Design

    We support our customers in integrating design and engineering aspects.

    • 2D Design proposals
    • Concept surfacing (Poly, Nurbs)
    • Strak surfacing (Alias, Icem)
    • Serial production support an alignment (Catia)
    • Implementation A-class surfaces directly in engineering data provided by customer

    Seat Design

    We offer a methodological process involving all design and technical-functional aspects.

    • Seat design
    • Side cover design
    • Polygon and surfacing modelling
    • Ideation of new functional aspects
    • Thinking of new materials
    • Serial production support (CO Structure, CO switches, ergonomics, etc.)

    Design Insights

    UI/UX Design in Vehicle Development: How Design Shapes the User Experience

    Inside Automotive

    Styling in Automotive Design: How Early Decisions Impact Time to Market

    Inside Automotive

    Automotive Design & Styling VS. Technical Realities

    Inside Automotive

    Magna Design_2

    FAQs

    What automotive design services does Magna offer?
    Magna provides automotive design services across the full vehicle experience, including exterior design, interior design, UI/UX design, Color & Trim, surfacing, seat design, engine cover design and design management. The offering connects creative design development with engineering feasibility, helping customers move from early concepts to production-ready solutions.
    Which automotive design services can OEMs outsource to Magna?
    OEMs can outsource selected design disciplines as well as broader design work packages to Magna — from exterior and interior concept development to UI/UX, Color & Trim, surfacing, seating, engine cover design and design management. Magna can support both early-stage ideation and production-oriented development tasks, depending on the project scope, maturity level and customer requirements.
    How can Magna support OEMs in turning early design concepts into production-feasible solutions?
    Magna supports customers by connecting creative design development with engineering, surfacing, technical feasibility and production-oriented requirements from an early stage. This includes the coordination of design and technical inputs, surfacing management, Class A surface development, manufacturability considerations, timing, budget and milestone alignment. By acting as an interface between design and engineering, Magna helps ensure that design intent is not developed in isolation, but translated into solutions that can be further engineered, validated and prepared for serial production.
    How does Magna combine vehicle design and engineering?
    Magna connects creative design development with technical and production-oriented requirements. As an interface between design and engineering, Magna coordinates design intent, technical input, surfacing quality, manufacturability, timing, budget and project milestones. This helps customers translate design concepts into feasible solutions that can be further developed, validated and prepared for production.
    How does Magna align vehicle design with brand identity and user experience?
    Magna approaches vehicle design as part of a broader product and brand experience. Exterior design shapes the vehicle’s character and visual identity, while interior design, UI/UX and Color & Trim define how users perceive, interact with and experience the vehicle. By combining creative design, material development, digital interaction concepts and engineering-oriented implementation, Magna helps translate brand values and customer expectations into a tangible vehicle experience.
    How does UI/UX design contribute to future-ready vehicle experiences?
    UI/UX design translates increasingly complex vehicle functions into clear, intuitive and brand-specific user experiences. At Magna, UI/UX development is closely connected to vehicle architecture, display concepts, interaction logic, ergonomics and technical feasibility. From benchmarking and strategy to wireframes, interface specifications, design systems, UX testing and demonstrator or hardware prototypes, the focus is on creating digital experiences that are not only visually consistent, but also usable, scalable and ready for integration into the vehicle development process.
    What makes Magna a reliable design partner for complex automotive development programs?
    Magna combines design expertise with strong development and production understanding across multiple vehicle areas, including exterior, interior, UI/UX, Color & Trim, surfacing, seating and component design. Customers benefit from a structured process that includes design project management, supplier communication, surface data management, engineering interface coordination and serial production support. This makes Magna a partner for design tasks that require more than creative ideation — especially when feasibility, timing, implementation quality and production readiness are critical.

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