Globally renowned F1 designer’s firm chooses Autodesk Showcase, AliasStudio and Autodesk Maya for high-profile city car project

A newly-launched British company founded by car design legend Gordon Murray has chosen Autodesk Showcase Professional, AliasStudio and Autodesk Maya for what looks set to become one of the most intriguing and talked-about road car projects of the next few years.  The investment signals the firm’s commitment to digital prototyping – plus its appreciation of the importance of the visual experience in the conceptual design and marketing phase of its product development.

Globally renowned for his Formula One and road car design with McLaren, Murray was responsible for the design of the F1 Road Car and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.  His new company, Gordon Murray Design, was launched in July 2007 alongside his plans for a radical fuel-efficient car – codenamed T25 - which he describes as, “a new class of vehicle. This will not be just another small big car; it’s just different.”   

Not only does the new firm plan to push the boundaries of road car design, it is also developing, “a design and prototyping process which brings CAD to a level of efficiency unprecedented in the automotive industry”.

The complete Autodesk Digital Prototyping Solution will enable the graphics section to produce concept sketches, 3D models and compelling photo-realistic renderings. Showcase Professional, in particular, will provide an environment in which the team can easily present and review design options of a superior visual quality that accurately represent real-world materials, lighting and environments and interact with these in real time. 

This will streamline the design review process and help key-decision making, ultimately aiding digital sign-off alongside physical prototypes. 

Although the concepts will be strictly under wraps for much of the time, the tools will also be used for high-level presentations to partners, industry, press and worldwide governments at strategic stages of the T25’s development.

“Our investment in the Autodesk solution is totally in keeping with the ethos of the company – to radically raise the bar of design and to do so in the most efficient and effective way possible.  As part of this we recognise the key role digital visualisation plays in the creative process – and in communicating design intent and character,” says Murray.