Ο Kevin Rice έφυγε από την Mazda πριν από 13 περίπου χρόνια για να πάει στην BMW αλλά η Mazda τον πήρε πίσω για να πάρει τη θέση του creative director της Ευρωπαϊκής σχεδιαστικής ομάδας.
Ο Kevin Rice, είναι απόφοιτος του προγράμματος Transportation Design του πανεπιστημίου του Coventry και πριν την πρώτη του θητεία στη Mazda, έχει δουλέψει σε εταιρίες όπως η Opel και η Italdesign Giugiaro. To 1995 πήγε στη Mazda όπου δούλεψε σε projects όπως το RX-8 και το Neospace Concept που αποτέλεσε τον προπομπό του Mazda2. Το 2000 πήγε στην BMW και η νέα 3-Series και 4-Series είναι από τα τελευταία projects στα οποία είχε λόγο.
Με δεδομένα το βιογραφικό και την δουλειά του, δεν μπορώ να περιμένω για να δω τι μπορεί να κάνει στη δεύτερη θητεία του στην Ιαπωνική φίρμα. Όχι ότι έχει πρόβλημα με το design της η Mazda αλλά όλο και κάτι θα έχει να προσφέρει και ο Rice. Ο εχθρός του καλού είναι το καλύτερο…
[Πηγή: Mazda]
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MAZDA BOLSTERS DESIGN SQUAD WITH CREATIVE DIRECTOR
– Kevin Rice rejoins company after 13 years with BMW
– Design talent’s primary focus to build on the success of Mazda’s KODO designs
Leverkusen, 28 October 2013. Mazda has strengthened its European design team with the addition of Kevin Rice as creative director. Effective 1 October, the 49-year-old will lead the European creative design process and will focus his attention on further developing the company’s award-winning “KODO – Soul of Motion” design language.
The move marks Rice’s return to Mazda’s European R&D Centre in Oberursel, Germany. As senior designer from 1995 to 2000, he contributed to many proposals for future Mazda’s including the RX-8 and lead the development of the ‘Neospace’ show car, exhibited at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show. Rice subsequently spent 13 years at BMW, where he was responsible for the exterior development of many models including the new 3 and 4 series. He now brings this valuable premium experience to the unconventional Japanese brand.
Rice, a British national, studied Transportation Design at Coventry University and prior to joining Mazda in 1995, honed his skills at Italdesign in Italy and Opel in Germany.
“We’re really excited to have Kevin back. He’s no stranger to Mazda, and his experience at BMW adds an extra dimension that will transfer very well to our European design activities,” says Peter Birtwhistle, Chief Designer at Mazda Research Europe. “He’s certainly the kind of talent we need to lead Mazda successfully into the future.”
“I’m delighted to be here as part of a family guided by a convention-defying approach to designing and building cars that people crave to own,” remarked Rice. “I’ve made it my personal challenge to reinforce the competitive edge of our KODO-inspired models and build upon the Mazda brand’s positive momentum.”
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