Added on March 21, 2017  The News Wheel   ,
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New Designers to Style Nissan

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2017 INFINITI Q-50 Signature Edition

Nissan Motor Corporation has appointed two new designers to move the company’s look into the future.

According to Automotive News, April 1st will be Alfonso Albaisa’s first day on the job as head of global styling; Albaisa brings a lot to the table, namely his previous title, success, and experience as Infiniti design chief. Albaisa will take the wheel from Shiro Nakamura, who has cultivated the brand’s styling for the past 18 years.

According to Automotive News, Albaisa is responsible for Nissan’s 2012 Emerg-E plug-in electric concept and the sculpted aesthetic of the current Nissan lineup. Albaisa graduated with a degree in industrial design from the University of Florida.

To fill Albaisa’s soon to be vacant role as Head of Infiniti Design will be Karim Habib, who will report to his new position on July 1st. According to Nissan, Habib, who has done automotive design for both Daimler AG and BMW, began his career with BMW in Advanced Design. In this role, he was integral in the design of the Concept CS and previous 7 Series. Of late, Habib managed the BMW Brand Design team in Germany. Habib and his team oversaw production as well as was in charge of several concept cars including the CSL Homage, the X1, and the X2 Concept. Also in his career, Habib was the head of advanced design for Daimler, where he was responsible for the new Smart and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Habib is a graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he earned a degree in Mechanical engineering, and a graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, where he earned a degree in design.

“Karim has a strong background and impressive track record in automotive design and the knowledge and mindset to develop a global premium brand” said Roland Krueger, Global President of Infiniti Motors Limited, in a statement. “Design is one of the key pillars of our global brand development at Infiniti. Karim brings unique design skills that will accelerate Infiniti’s progress toward the goal of capturing and expanding our share in the global luxury market.”

News Source: Automotive News (subscription required), Nissan