When Klaus Busse, Head of Design at Maserati, says that design is everything, he means it. Design is his life. Even if you know little about cars, you have probably seen his work – the award-winning designer has brought his imagination to Hollywood films from Blade Runner 2049 to Superman.
Klaus’s true passion, though, is automotive design. Growing up in rural Germany, he was fascinated by television shows where cars were as central as the actors. “I’m not talking about Knight Rider,” he laughs. “But Magnum P.I., Miami Vice – almost any programme with a Ferrari in it.” Then, with a grin, he adds, “Even Simon & Simon with their Dodge Power Wagon. I guess it didn’t have to be a supercar, just a motoring element.”
His decision to study automotive design came after meeting two graphic designers who moved near his home. “When I heard the word ‘design’, something switched on in my head,” he recalls. “It felt like the key to the world. It took a few years before I realised that cars needed design too.”
Left: Maserati A6GCS-53 Berlinetta Pininfarina from 1954, one of the most desirable cars of its time, of which only five were ever made.
Right: Launched in 1971, the Bora was Maserati’s first mid-engined street car and also the first with four-wheel independent suspension.
From that moment, there was no stopping him. He devoured everything he could about the great Italian design houses – Pininfarina, Giugiaro, Bertone – which he calls “the Leonardo da Vincis and Michelangelos of our time.” Their artistry in proportion and detail became his gospel.
Supported by his parents, Klaus studied Automotive and Transport Design at Coventry University, which he describes as “the making of my career”. The city was rough at the time, but the environment toughened his resolve. “The English schooling system was Darwin’s law – if you were willing to work hard, you succeeded,” he says. Along the way, he developed an appreciation for English humour and Indian food.
Graduating in 1995, Klaus embarked on a career that has taken him across three countries and three design cultures. He began at Mercedes-Benz while still in postgraduate design school in Stuttgart. A decade in the United States followed, where he became Head of Interior Design for FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). His team transformed the interiors of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram, earning industry acclaim.
In 2015, Klaus was appointed Head of Design at Maserati. Under his leadership, the marque unveiled models including the award-winning MC20. Until 2021, he also oversaw design for other Stellantis brands, shaping the Alfa Romeo Tonale Concept, the Fiat Centoventi Concept and the Fiat 500 Electric.
From the left: Maserati Grancabrio Trofeo, Maserati GT2 Stradale and Maserati MCPURA Cielo, all designed by Klaus Busse.
For Klaus, provenance is central to design. “It’s important that you feel where the car comes from,” he explains. “When someone buys a Maserati, they want a piece of Italy. When you look at the MC20 or the MCPURA, you see Italian design – it has character, it has emotion.”
The MCPURA – standing for Maserati Corse and pura (pure) – is a mid-engine two-seater performance car, offered as a coupé and a convertible. The open-top version, with its sculpted engine cover and retractable glass roof, is a thrilling expression of unfiltered Italian passion.
At Maserati, Klaus has modernised the Trident marque while respecting its heritage. “Maserati is not visually loud,” he notes. “Our owners have always been respected for their individual good taste. Our cars are clean and cool, with no unnecessary air intakes or spoilers. Everything is meaningful – the trident and the engine carry our message.”
This philosophy runs through the current Maserati range: let the proportions speak. The designs are pure, expressive and unmistakably Italian. Klaus draws inspiration from Maserati’s coachbuilt past – the sculptural lines of Touring, Frua, Giugiaro, Zagato, Bertone and Pininfarina in the 1950s and 60s, and the wedge-shaped icons of the 1970s by Giugiaro, Gandini and Tjaarda.
“What I take from our past is the invitation to try different things. Every twenty years or so, Maserati reinvents itself stylistically. That freedom to evolve is our strength.
– Klaus Busse
During his time with Alfa Romeo, Klaus also worked on Formula One livery. While sponsorship dictates much of the design, aesthetics still matter – how the car appears in motion, under light, even in testing. In 2019, with testing coinciding with Valentine’s Day, he cleverly integrated red hearts into the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio logo. The design went viral.
During his decade so far at Maserati, Klaus has not only unified its design language but also collected numerous honours: Automotive News All-Star Award for Design (2013), Industry Innovator of the Year (2015), and Autocar’s Design Hero (2021). He was named among MotorTrend’s 50 Most Influential People in the Automotive Industry in both 2019 and 2021.
Designed by Klaus Busse and Stellantis Design Studio for Formitalia, The Joker collection was inspired by
The Clown Prince of Crime himself and was aimed not so much at soothing as disturbing.
Since 2021, he has also headed the Stellantis Design Studio, which provides design expertise across industries. “In a way, it’s come full circle,” he says. “My early inspiration came from the television screen, and now I’m designing for the big screen.” His film collaborations began with Blade Runner 2049, where he worked on vehicle interiors. That led to projects for The Joker and Superman, creating futuristic furniture with Formitalia.
One could say that Klaus Busse’s designs are indeed the key to the movie of your automotive life.
Author: Andrew Hildreth
Lead image: Klaus Busse with the Maserati MC20
More on Klaus Busse and Maserati in the winter issue of I-M Inquisitive Minds, ready to pre-order, HERE, at a special early bird price.
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