Car designer icon hires at air taxi startup
The American-Spanish designer created, among others, world-famous vehicles like the BMW X5, the Ferrari F430, the Maserati MC12 and the McLaren P1. And, oh yes, the new Mini was also formed in Stephenson’s brain. He now will do something that can take him even higher: He’ll lead the design of all aspects of Lilium services.
Stephenson, 58, will join Lilium’s 100+ strong team in Munich from May, and recruit an entirely new design team to shape both the interior and exterior of the jet itself, as well as a design language for the aircraft’s wider infrastructure, including landing pads and departure lounges.
“My last job was as high up as you could be in the car design world,” says Stephenson. “The obvious question was – what next? But it wasn’t one I could easily answer. And then this incredible company came along and it immediately felt like exactly the right move.”
“Throughout my whole career I’ve worked hand in hand with engineers, creating vehicles that will be mechanically efficient and technically effective while also looking beautiful. I will now apply those same principles to this very latest innovation in aviation.”
The Lilium Jet has been designed not just to be fast, but to generate efficiencies unheard of in conventional aviation. It is estimated that the aircraft will be up to 90% more efficient than its competitors, Lilium claims. With Stephenson’s talent and spirit on board now, Lilium CEO Daniel Wiegand expects to create nothing less than “magical user experiences”.
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