My design will continue what Mitsubishi Motors has cultivated - dynamic strength, reliability, toughness, the ability to increase user confidence and invite them to take one step further.
In retrospect, we have been infusing new values into our products in each era. In 1917, we manufactured the first mass-produced passenger car in Japan - the Mitsubishi Model A. In the 1960s and the 1970s, we introduced innovative cars such as the Colt series, the Galant and the Lancer. We also marketed the Pajero as a rugged cross country 4WD vehicle which could be used as an urban SUV. In 2009, we introduced the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle, the i-MiEV which demonstrated the innovative technology and design. As a leader in PHEV and 4WD technology, the Outlander PHEV continues to evolve with a tough and robust design. Mitsubishi Motors has now become a brand that inspires drivers to take on any adventure with passion and is recognized by professionals for its functionality.
I drive the Mitsubishi Jeep J36 manufactured in the 1980s. Every time I drive it, I have a strong sense to protect the roots of Mitsubishi DNA.
Design will continue to evolve with the times, and we will take on the challenge to give customers excitement and trust, using the design strategies that respect the uniqueness of Mitsubishi Motors.
Evolution of Mitsubishi design
While continuing the Mitsubishi design strategy, we will pursue a simple (that conveys the design message directly), generous (that makes you feel spacious) and athletic (that excites our nerves from the appearance) design. Our design will express the clarity and beauty of the surface, that you can feel generosity and richness from the car.
We will keep pace with the diversification of consumer preferences, and reflect this in our design. We will challenge ourselves to design a car that clearly differs from other companies and exceeds customers' expectations.
In addition, electrification and autonomous driving technology will significantly change the design of cars in the future.
In particular, the ways in which vehicles are used and their values will change significantly due to autonomous driving technology, and the importance of UX/UI will increase immensely to improve the user's experience. I want to consider from various perspectives how people spend their time in cars, then create a design that feels like Mitsubishi.
Based on this idea, we will continue to develop attractive designs that are recognized around the world, and promote a brand that gives customers excitement and trust.
Seiji Watanabe Heads Mitsubishi Motors Design Division
An interview about where he draws inspiration and a new design vision for Mitsubishi Motors
Seiji Watanabe was named Corporate Officer and Division General Manager of Design for Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in April 2020. With over 30 years of automotive design experience, he will lead the global design teams to shape and refine the identity of Mitsubishi Motors rooted in its brand, Drive your Ambition.
Design
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Mitsubishi Motors
Seiji Watanabe - Corporate Officer and Division General Manager of Design, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
Seiji Watanabe was named Corporate Officer and the head of Design Division for Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in April 2020. He is responsible for bringing to life a new design vision for Mitsubishi Motors rooted in its brand, Drive your Ambition.
Watanabe joined Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in 2018 as Executive Design Director, after serving as Program Design Director at Nissan Motor Corporation. During his tenure in Nissan, he took charge of some iconic designs for both Nissan and Infiniti brands such as Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, Infiniti G coupe, Juke, 2015 Titan, Maxima and Infiniti QX50. He also served as Design Director in Nissan Design America from 2011 to 2013. He started his career in Nissan in 1987.
Watanabe is based in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, where one of Mitsubishi Motors' major manufacturing and R&D facilities are located, and oversees design studios in Tokyo and Okazaki, as well as Frankfurt, Germany. He graduated from Tsukuba University, School of Art and Design in 1987.
Career:
About MITSUBISHI MOTORS
MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has a competitive edge in SUVs and pickup trucks, electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Since the Mitsubishi group produced its first car more than a century ago, we have demonstrated an ambitious and often disruptive approach, developing new vehicle genres and pioneering cutting-edge technologies. Deeply rooted in MITSUBISHI MOTORS' DNA, our brand strategy will appeal to ambitious drivers, willing to challenge conventional wisdom and ready to embrace change.
Consistent with this mindset, MITSUBISHI MOTORS introduced its new brand strategy in 2017, expressed in its "Drive your Ambition" tagline -- a combination of personal drive and forward attitude, and a reflection of the constant dialogue between the brand and its customers. Today MITSUBISHI MOTORS is committed to continuous investment in innovative new technologies, attractive design and product development, bringing exciting and authentic new vehicles to customers around the world.
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The Mitsubishi name, logo, product names, feature names, images, and slogans are all trademarks and managed by Mitsubishi Motors Canada.
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