Calvin Luk, Sydney designer, crafts the BMWs of the future

Calvin Luk has become one of the automotive world’s hottest designers and he credits humble beginnings in Sydney with his rise to the top.

Star BMW designer Calvin Luk. Pic: Supplied.

A Sydneysider is helping to drive car design into the future.

Calvin Luk caught the car bug at home, studied in the United States and has been in Germany for nearly a decade on the cutting edge of new-car design.

His latest projects are two of the future showroom heroes for the BMW brand, the X3 family SUV that’s about to hit the road in Australia and the open-topped Z4 sports car that could be coming in 2018.

“I’m working X to Z. Hey, X to Zee sounds like ecstasy,” Luk laughs as he describes his work.

“It was always a dream to come to BMW, since I was a little boy. It’s been a dream project to design my interpretation of the Z4 and the X3 has been hugely popular.”

BMW designer Calvin Luk with his latest creation, the X3. Pic: Supplied.

Luk has just turned 32 and is fast becoming one of the most influential young designers in the motoring world.

He was responsible for the production versions of BMW’s latest 1 Series, X1 and now the X3, as well as the Z4 dream machine that was recently unveiled in the US as a concept car.

Luk was born in Sydney, where his mother now drives a Z4, and says his background gives him a global view that helps with design.

“It’s not just being Australian, but it’s also studying in California and my Asian heritage from Hong Kong. Then you’re living in Germany in Munich, and it’s already a melting point in your head.

Luk with the Z4 concept car. Pic: Supplied.

“What you consider important is coming from many facets at the same time.”

He is clearly proud of the X3 as he fronts a press preview in Port Douglas, but he really lights up when he shifts gears to the bold gold Z4 concept.

“It’s cool. There is something about sports cars. Sports cars have always been a bit more special.

“It’s one of the more extreme emotional products that we have. So it has much more passion in the car.”

Luk’s own passion came from his BMW-owning family and a visit to the Sydney motor show in 2000. He was inspired by the latest BMW cars, asked for advice on a career in design, and then followed the advice as he studied at the Art Centre College of Design in California before winning an internship at BMW in Munich and then earning a full-time job.

Luk inspects his handiwork. Pic: Supplied.

His specialty is exterior body design and he brings passion to his work.

“I like to define the X3 as like a rugby player in a suit,” Luk says.

He cannot go into real detail on the Z4 production car, and definitely not the showroom timing.

“We are finishing it up. I can’t really say, but you can expect it soon,” he hints.

Luk’s work is focused on the real world but he is also preparing for the design challenges that are coming with the eventual switch to electric cars and autonomous driving.

“I think it’s going to be a huge change. But BMW’s heart and soul is the ultimate driving machine and I don’t see that changing.”