CDE Podcast #006 - Lorenzo Oujeili

Lorenzo Oujeili, Exterior Designer at Volkswagen, joins the CDE Podcast for a deep dive into breaking into the car design industry, building a career through internships and persistence, and designing a “Volkswagen for everyone” in the EV era: Volkswagen ID. EVERY1. In this episode, Lorenzo shares his path from growing up in Emilia-Romagna and falling in love with concept cars, to internships at Pininfarina and McLaren, early supplier work for the VW Group, and eventually joining Volkswagen. We talk about what young designers often underestimate—portfolio realities, iteration, networking, and the resilience it takes to push through rejections. Lorenzo also takes us inside the ID. EVERY1 design brief: how to create an affordable, compact, highly usable car that still feels unmistakably VW—without becoming retro. We discuss subtle heritage cues, the importance of stance and proportions, and how designing for cost and simplicity must start from day one. Topics covered: • Breaking into automotive design (internships, early roles, persistence) • Portfolio, iteration, and networking realities • From concept car fascination to production thinking • Volkswagen ID. EVERY1: design brief, affordability, and usability • Heritage cues without retro design • EV packaging myths vs. real constraints (cooling, crash, stance) • Advice for young designers: be stubborn, be passionate, keep going Guest: Lorenzo Oujeili — Exterior Designer, Volkswagen Links & Resources: Car Design Event (CDE): https://cardesignevent.com/ Listen to the podcast: https://cde-podcast.podigee.io/ Follow CDE for updates and upcoming conversations with leading voices in automotive design.