New Head of Design for Rolls-Royce
The creator of the Bugatti Veyron's exterior, Josef Caban, has become the British luxury car brand's chief designer.
Auto/Moto
03 april 2019
Photo: Rolls-Royce
The CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, described him as "an exceptionally talented professional and a virtuoso craftsman with a wealth of experience." Kabaň will work at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design studio in Goodwood, West Sussex, as well as in Munich.
The Slovak-born designer is widely regarded as a master of his craft, having successfully worked on both supercars and mass-market vehicles.
Kabaň studied design in Bratislava and London, earning a master’s degree in automotive design from the Royal College of Art. At just 20 years old, he became one of the youngest designers to join the Volkswagen Group. Only five years later, in 1998, he was appointed project lead for the Bugatti Veyron.
Kabaň later headed exterior design at Audi AG before moving to Škoda Auto, where he revolutionized the brand’s design language and crafted the distinctive look of most of its models. Additionally, he worked on smaller projects, including limited editions, special versions, and concept cars.
In his new role at one of the world’s most prestigious automotive brands, Kabaň joins Rolls-Royce from his position as head of BMW’s design studio, a role he held since 2017.
His predecessor at Rolls-Royce, Giles Taylor, left the company in the summer of 2018. Taylor’s most notable projects included the new Phantom sedan and the Cullinan, Rolls-Royce’s first-ever SUV. Taylor believed in staying ahead of the times with ultra-modern designs and strongly advocated for the adoption of electric powertrains.
The Slovak-born designer is widely regarded as a master of his craft, having successfully worked on both supercars and mass-market vehicles.
Kabaň studied design in Bratislava and London, earning a master’s degree in automotive design from the Royal College of Art. At just 20 years old, he became one of the youngest designers to join the Volkswagen Group. Only five years later, in 1998, he was appointed project lead for the Bugatti Veyron.
Kabaň later headed exterior design at Audi AG before moving to Škoda Auto, where he revolutionized the brand’s design language and crafted the distinctive look of most of its models. Additionally, he worked on smaller projects, including limited editions, special versions, and concept cars.
In his new role at one of the world’s most prestigious automotive brands, Kabaň joins Rolls-Royce from his position as head of BMW’s design studio, a role he held since 2017.
His predecessor at Rolls-Royce, Giles Taylor, left the company in the summer of 2018. Taylor’s most notable projects included the new Phantom sedan and the Cullinan, Rolls-Royce’s first-ever SUV. Taylor believed in staying ahead of the times with ultra-modern designs and strongly advocated for the adoption of electric powertrains.
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