Tommy Forsgren is 32 years old. He has a Bachelor in fine arts of product Design and a Master in fine arts of Transportation Design, from the Institute of Design, Umeå University, Sweden. And presently he is living and working in Munich, Germany. His concepts are out of the ordinary, especially Hermes, the hydrogen powered concept vehicle, watch out for your self.

1. When and how did you discover you had a talent for automotive design?

Tommy: Since very young years I had a passion for drawing and lately automotive design has become more and more interesting to me. Automotive design is extra challenging as the products are complex in form and function and because everyone has emotions and opinions to cars. With other words, easy to criticize, hard to realize… Sweet combination and a great challenge.

2. Who were the inspirations for your career?

Tommy: Talented people around me in school and work as well as various artists, you may see here.

3. Tommy please acquaint our readers with the workings of Hermes, the hydrogen powered concept vehicle? How far the concept is successful among the general masses?

Tommy: Honda Hermes was my master degree project and it is a study of what a future vehicle for Honda could look like. Honda has no intention to realizing the project. But the project got great response when it was shown back in 2002 in various magazines.

Project description:

Hermes could be a future vehicle for Honda. The product characterizes the very essence of Honda, driver experience, new technology and environmental concerns. Honda Hermes is a three wheel self balancing vehicle which is maneuvered by intuitive steering. The product was developed out from a face down, head first body position to increase the experience of motion and freedom. As the vehicle accelerates to higher speeds the driver position is changed to a more horizontal posture, resulting in a flying sensation close to the road. The vehicle is to be used on public roads and can give extraordinary driving experience within the speed limits. As this is not a new car or motorcycle, it is important that the product has its own identity. The form applied to the product is clean and follows function. The experience of using the vehicle itself will tell that it is a Honda product.

4. What according to you is the most important thing, individual aerodynamic element or overall streamlining and why?

Tommy: If the project should convey aerodynamic I would prefer to go all the way especially with the overall shape but also with the details. Just love the old Auto Union streamliner designs a newer design that also deals with aerodynamic in an interesting way is the Mazda concept, Furai.

5. The technical challenges presented by muscle-car fanatics have futuristic undertone, how far would you agree with me?

Tommy: If you say so…

6. Can you walk us through the general steps you take when you’re designing a project car?

Tommy: Idea / proportions / surfaces / details / color & material. Process usually start out with rough sketches by hand or in computer and then if the idea seems promising enough I go into 3D modeling to define the surfaces, usually on top of a technical package. When the 3D model is done I use rendering programs to visualize the concept.

7. Tommy, I would love to know l’il bit about Jet Driven Crotch Rocket (JDCR), your ongoing project?

Tommy: It’s a first attempt at entertainment design, what happens when you have no rules, no technical packages and an unlimited budget, maybe something like this JDCR.

8. Your designs are basically targeted to which international market?

Tommy: By working at DesignworksUSA BMW Group you get to do designs for the in-house brand such as BMW/MINI/RR as well as doing design work for external clients. These clients can vary tremendously both in markets and in project type… very inspiring indeed.

Most of the design shown on my webpage is private and was not created to fit a market but was created out of passion and curiousness to bring an idea into nice presentable form.

9. You would give preference to creating a vehicle for a brand known around the globe for its iconic design or to ensure the model would live up to the market’s expectation?

Tommy: Well, there are two directions to go here, either you follow the market or you lead the market guess I prefer the later. Some of the best designs don’t need a market they live on their own, great example Wally Power.

10. Finally, we’d like to have your views on our automotto.org?

Tommy: Just got better ;)

Quick bits:
Choose one, Dante Giacosa or Alec Issigonis and why?
Tommy: Alec Issigonis, MINI

Your favorite car companies are?
Tommy: German

What type of rendering do you like most, marker or photoshop and why?
Tommy: I prefer artistic renderings; how they are created I don’t care so much the goal of a sketch/rendering is to trigger the fantasy of the observer. A good sketch could sell a whole project. What is usually difficult is to keep the original feeling in the sketch when taking the product into 3D. That’s also why most nice sketches seen are actually generated after the design is finished.

Your wildest dream would be?
Tommy: A wet design dream would be to design the next generation electrical F1 cars.

If you had to walk in another man’s shoes for a day, it would have to be?
Tommy: My grandson.

Thank you Tommy for sparing out time in doing an interview with us, it is greatly appreciated.
I’d also like to wish you luck for all your future endeavors.