Zeekr is redefining the luxury design playbook with its new SUV

Luxury is difficult to define. To some, it’s a splurge on a coveted item; to others, it's as simple as time spent with family.

Then there’s another view, long-standing in design, that luxury is just a set of rules to follow, that it can be derived from a simple blueprint of what has come before.

This thinking has dominated the automotive industry. For much of the last century, luxury cars have been restricted by convention, their identities conveyed via box-ticking decorative cues. This is design driven by allusion, rather than purpose.

So, what would it mean to rethink the luxury design blueprint for a new generation?

In July, Zeekr launched their first European entry into the luxury SUV sector, the Super Hybrid Zeekr 9X. The ambition is to establish ‘a new class of luxury’, one shaped not by convention, but by contemporary design, craftsmanship and innovation.

For Jon Rådbrink, Head of Exterior Design at Zeekr, such innovation rooted in craftsmanship can begin in the most hands-on way: with a lump of clay. “We still work with clay, sculpting the cars by hand”, Rådbrink affirms, before adding that this is followed by milling data to then update, scan and rework until the form feels right. “We’re using all the tools available, basically. We can make full-size cars inside the studio, working between analog and digital processes," Rådbrink shares, adding that the process is one of constant testing, challenging and refining."

With the Super Hybrid Zeekr 9X, Rådbrink says, “our original vision was almost a spaceship – we wanted to challenge everything. But through the process, it evolved into something customers would be ready for. People generally want a familiar surprise, while designers want to challenge convention. That tension was particularly interesting here, as we were trying to making something unmistakably luxurious, while at the same time challenging everything that the luxury segment is based on.” Most importantly, he adds, "we wanted to create a car that breaks the rules of what such a luxurious car can be – in an accessible way.” That is what he sees as “the story of Zeekr. With all the cars we make, they're all luxurious, but they're also quite accessible.”

The 9X draws on the best traditions of European design. Zeekr’s global design centre is based in Gothenburg, with the team working out of a building that is itself a stunning example of contemporary European architecture: 14,000 square metres of black metal and glass designed by Danish architects COBE. There, Zeekr Design’s team is led by Stefan Sielaff, who, in a career spanning more than thirty years, has become one of Europe’s most acclaimed automotive designers.

"It's a super building," Rådbrink affirms. "Especially the exterior – it's really impressive. The building is quite secret at the top; everything is designed around our outdoor viewing garden on top of the building, and gets progressively more exposed the lower the floors go. I think it’s a little bit reflective of how we are." Rådbrink cites the viewing garden on the roof as one of his favourite aspects of the architectural wonder, “where we can take the cars outside and look at them in the sunlight”, he says, before joking that “in the winter it’s too cold, and in the summer it's somehow too hot!".

The building is not only impressive for its own design, but embodies the collaborative spirit of the the people at Zeekr Design. “We sit together with the Lynk & Co Design team, as well," Rådbrink says. "Though we're separate companies, we are in this one unique building, where around 500 people work with designing cars. We have our own trim shop, where we can prototype all the seats, all the leather. Everything we work with, we can do here. That's the best part – that the cars are a product of the people.”

The 9X exudes this European influence. The sweep of its dynamic silhouette, crowned by an integrated waterfall grille, borrowed heavily from the languages of European modern art and architecture, as opposed to traditional automotive design. A satin chrome D pillar connects the body and roof, echoing the appearance of high-performance motor yachts often found in the Mediterranean.

As for taking a sizeable, imposing vehicle and balancing it with sleekness and luxury, for Rådbrink, much comes down to the surface quality. “Like I said, we really work this car by hand, in clay, to try to keep that feeling, somehow – because it's not about being aggressive or dynamic, it's about designing something that's a bit calmer. We approach it like that, because if such a big vehicle were to also be aggressive, it would be too much. So, we counter the size of the car with a calmer form language.”

Inside the cabin, the 9X avoids simply replicating the cues of European interior design, and instead digs deeper, drawing upon the best methods of its craftsmanship. The Nordic Wood trim is hand polished for up to 20 hours. The glass rotary controller is precision-cut with jewellery-grade faceting.

"Luxury should never stand still," says Stefan Sielaff, Head of Global Design at Zeekr. "For the 9X, our ambition was not to recreate familiar symbols of prestige, but to create something contemporary and enduring. We looked beyond automotive design to architecture, art and craftsmanship to shape a new expression of luxury."

Rådbrink supports this: "With this car, we pushed the craft much more, so the details are so much richer. We have this mantra that “even the details should have details” – so, at first glance, all might appear calm and clean, but the more you look, the more there is to discover of this craftsmanship”.

This detailing adorns a bright and spacious cabin​, brimming with innovations that offer luxury as experience as well as decoration. With the touch of a button, the soft Nappa leather seats recline, privacy blinds are drawn, and a mounted 17-inch screen descends from the suede ceiling. Backed up by Naim’s 32-speakers and ‘fresh air’ subwoofers, the 9X is transformed into a private cinema. And when the outside world demands it, active noise cancellation can shut out the din. Luxury here takes on another meaning: peace and quiet. "We are raising the standard”, Rådbrink sums up. “In the car industry, you get a lot more at every price point. So, to make a car like this, which is really at the top of the range, you need all these things.”

Technology throughout the 9X is designed to enhance the experience rather than dominate it. Driver assistance features, immersive displays and the advanced Super Hybrid powertrain work seamlessly in the background, supporting comfort, confidence and effortless travel. "The technology is there when you need it, and then hides away”, Rådbrink says. “That's part of the philosophy. But we also do a lot of really clever things with this car.” Citing the example that screens are increasingly present in car design (“when I show my kids the cars we work on, with a little more entertainment in them, they absolutely love it!”), he shares that, "on this car, we managed to design a screen that can float between the second and the third rows, so you can hide it away when you want.” As the glass roof remains, the real innovation in Rådbrink’s view is to not have had to choose between the screen roof or a sun roof.

Fundamentally, the 9X balances timeless craftsmanship with forward-looking design and technology. "The Zeekr 9X reflects our belief that luxury must continue to evolve," says Sielaff. "The most compelling design doesn't follow a formula. It creates its own language."

For Zeekr, that language is rooted in European design excellence, while looking firmly to the future. In reinterpreting the codes of luxury for a contemporary audience, the 9X establishes A New Class of Luxury.

In Rådbrink's view, the 9X language comprises the Scandinavian restraint of clean lines, combined with a very intentional maximisation. “This car has much more detail and richness – just take the speaker pattern on the interior, for example. It's really intricate, but also functional. It was very difficult – the car has an extremely advanced speaker system, so, of course, the opening of the pattern had to be a certain size, otherwise it would impact the sound quality. But at the same time, we wanted it to be an ornamental piece – there are lots of speakers in the car, so they have to have that aesthetic element, as well. They are not hiding – they are celebrated, rather than hidden. So, some things we hide, and some things we try to play up.”

One such example is the wheel on the car. "It is called the galaxy wheel, which Rådbrink says "looks a bit like it's moving through the stars, at speed. I''s quite a unique wheel, not sporty – it's something else. I think it's a very characteristic wheel, but, generally, we designed the car's exteriors to be very calm, horizontal and stable. I described it a bit like a yacht, sitting in the harbour, very planted. Most cars try to look like they are on the move, even when standing still," he continues, noting the “classic car design ideas of being aggressive and dynamic, and such. But, with this car, it was a different approach."

As for whether Rådbrink thinks the continuously evolving luxury car market will tend toward more expressive components, or more minimalist ones, “I think we are more on the expressive side right now”, he says. “We seem to be moving away from the minimalist trend, partly because cars can feel a little cheaper when they are too minimalist. So I think that's part of it – that, as a customer, you want to get more for your money”.

Rådbrink is equally enthusiastic about the distinctly Scandinavian offering at the core of Zeekr Design. "We’re attracting the best designers from all over the world to come and work here, which is fantastic. We have over 30 different nationalities in Gothenburg – this is where the developments have happened over the last 10 years in the car industry. It’s been great to be able to do this from Sweden, working together with China - it's more global,” he sums up of his workplace on Sweden's West Coast.

"All our cars, whether driven in Australia, Europe or China, have a marking that says 'Designed in Gothenburg, Sweden'" Rådbrink adds, proudly. Though it may just be a small stamp on a giant car, it is a quiet emblem, a reminder of the ever-evolving craftsmanship and attention to detail at the heart of Zeekr Design.

Learn more about the Zeekr 9X, Zeekr’s cutting-edge luxury Super Hybrid