A driving force for creativity
Anthony Lo, 47 and vice-president of exterior design at Renault, travelled around the world to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a car designer, after completing an industrial design course at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Lo obtained a master's degree in transportation design from the Royal College of Art in London before stepping into the car design business in 1987.
Lo worked for Lotus, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. In 2000, he was put behind the wheel of advanced design at Saab Automobile in Sweden. Four years on, he took up the post of advanced design director for Opel and Saab at General Motors in Germany. He joined the Paris-based Renault, his sixth car brand, in 2010.
When did you realise that you wanted to become a car designer?
Cars have fascinated me ever since I was a little boy. Growing up in a family of car enthusiasts in Hong Kong, I was able to get up close to numerous cars, and to ride in many of them.
Cars are so dynamic, and their designs so very linked to their brand, culture, heritage and philosophy. Other than performing the task of transporting their occupants and belongings from A to B, cars can be objects of desire given their various expressions and characters.
Car design has become an obsession, and it was this obsession that fuelled the dream of becoming a car designer. After all of these years, I really can confirm that this is the best career in the world for me.
How did you get to this point of your career?
Through car design, I got to meet the most inspirational people, who love their jobs and welcome challenges. I learned a lot from these people about facing new challenges in different areas.
What do you do as a car designer?
I thought car design was only about having the best ideas, but it is