Karl Smith
Karl is the Car Design News correspondent in the United States. He lives near Los Angeles. He has written for Car Design News since 2013, as well as our sister publications, Interior Motives, and Automotive IT International. He has also been a contributor to our bespoke publications for Volvo and Nissan, as well as our annual Car Design Yearbook.
Karl has written for design journals for over 30 years and has been published in books and magazines in the US, Europe and Japan. Karl is also a practicing architect in California, with projects across the United States and in Europe.
Karl.smith@cardesignnews.com
Contact info
- Email:
- Karl.Smith@cardesignnews.com
- Website:
- www.KarlSmithStudio.com
- Article
Chrysler Halcyon concept: new American luxury
The heritage brand debuts a futuristic sedan with the stance of a sports car
ArticleReport: ArtCenter fall/winter show 2023
Innovative monospace projects and a revival of a classic Jeep highlight the student show in Pasadena, California
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Xiaomi enlists Bangle as ‘strategic design consultant’
Veteran designer Chris Bangle has been brought in as a consultant for Xiaomi’s venture into the automotive space
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Flashback: designing the car windscreen
Long used for protection and safety, the windscreen of the future could also become a field of information
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Honda reveals futuristic ‘0 Series’ concepts
Honda’s new Saloon and Space-Hub concepts preview a new line of electric vehicles
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Xiaomi introduces its first car, the SU7
Has the mobile phone giant introduced the first truly 21st century car?
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Flashback: the origins of the speedometer
An instrument so ubiquitous we hardly notice it, the speedometer was once a marvel of the emerging automotive age
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Flashback: Hidden headlamps, the ‘sunglasses’ of car design
Once considered the ‘sunglasses’ of the automotive world, this seemingly forgotten technology faces an uncertain future
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Flashback: car seats that swivel
Designed as a convenience and a novelty, the swiveling seat may yet have something to say about the future of the automotive interior
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Flashback: central driver’s seats
Karl Smith looks back at the move by some designers to deploy a central driving position, an interesting trend that never really caught on beyond specific niches
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Artcenter graduate show: Summer 2023
Land jets, stretched Range Rovers, outdoorsy vehicles and even a levitating sail craft: all feature in the Artcenter summer show round up
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Flashback: Four fibreglass pioneers of the car world
Often derided as “a poor man’s carbon fibre”, fiberglass was critical in the development of the modern sports car. CDN takes a look back to the beginnings of the composites era
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Toyota reimagines Century limo as an SUV
The legendary nameplate is reimagined with a surprising new format
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ArtCenter names new transportation design chair
Marek Djordjevic, alumnus of Rolls-Royce, BMW Designworks, steps into pivotal leadership role
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BMW previews radical new future at IAA
The Vision Neue Klasse is a strong indication of where BMW design is headed, with a real departure from the brand’s current look
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Flashback: sequential turn signals
In 1964, Ford introduced a redesigned model of its personal luxury car, the Thunderbird. It featured a new, sharper, more raptor-like design, more power with a massive 392 cubic inch V8 and a host of new luxury features, including an all-new interior.
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Flashback: the era-defining Cord 810
Karl Smith takes a look at the short-lived yet iconic Cord 810, a symbol of mid-1930s glamour
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Will aerodynamics dominate automotive design in future?
Car Design News investigates whether aerodynamics will be the prevailing trend moving forward as EVs seek extra range
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Flashback: in-car record players
Car Design News takes a look back at the unlikely trend to integrate turntables in the cockpit
