Italdesign for Panasonic Automotive

Panasonic Automotive Systems Co. Ltd. has relied on Italdesign’s expertise to develop luxury shuttles designed to offer an immersive travel experience focused on comfort and exclusivity.

The outstanding reception in Japan of the commemorative Nissan GT-R 50 by Italdesign model, unveiled in 2018, led Panasonic Automotive direction to invite Italdesign’s designers, specialized in Exterior and CMF design (Color, Materials, and Finish), to draw inspiration from for this project, which began with a facelift operation on the Toyota HiAce model.

The front bumper of the Nissan, featuring air intakes and cooling vents that give the front end a muscular and sharp appearance, the slim and elegant grille integrated into the bumper, and the gold graphic elements running along the entire profile of the show car, all underscore the character, the uniqueness, dynamism, and exclusivity of the GT-R50 supercar. The very same design cues and elements, adapted to the minivan category, are reflected in the WELL Cabin / WELL Cabin GrandLuxe projects.

Japanese art, culture and philosophy embody a deep harmony between humans and nature and celebrate beauty in imperfection through practices such as Kintsugi, which offers a unique aesthetic experience, and Omotenashi, which places the individual, their needs, and Well-being at the heart of the experience. These principles formed the foundation of the CMF mood boards presented to Panasonic and align closely with Italdesign’s holistic approach and design philosophy.

“To make the vehicle distinctive and recognizable, we harmonized these principles with the color palette and drew inspiration from iconic Japanese imagery, such as the Great Wave off Kanagawa or Mount Fuji. We also looked to the precision and delicacy of Origami, all while infusing a strong sense of contemporaneity,”, explained Giorgia de Silva, CMF Designer Specialist at Italdesign. “We worked to create an emotional connection to the product. There are ten shades of gold across the entire exterior surface of the vehicle, blending and pairing with a gunmetal black. The sharp cuts of the horizontal bars, which curve upward along the sides and graze the roof, partly reference the powerful Japanese iconographic tradition and partly our logo, which features clean lines and conveys precision and professionalism.”