Automotive Design Studios – Car Capital of the World

Automotive design studios are where the gorgeous creations you and I see rolling down the road are initially conceived. Every manufacturer has them.  And here in Southern California, we have a high concentration of them.  And that concentrations of design studios are yet another reason that SoCal is the automotive capital of the United States as well as the automotive capital of the world. Listen to this iDSC podcast for more details, which further solidify Southern California as the automotive capital of planet earth! ***Transcript*** Recorded August 15th, 2018 in Los Angeles, CA Why SoCal is the Auto Capital of the World Clinton Quan: The other reason is Southern California, this is where the trends start, whether you're talking about design trends or fashion trends. So, it's not surprising that so many design studios are located here in Southern California. Tom Smith: Welcome to iDriveSoCal, the podcast all about mobility from the automotive capital of the United States, Southern California. Tom Smith here with our good, buddy, pal, chum, the professor Mr. Clinton Quan. Say hello Clinton. Clinton Quan: Hi, Tom. Tom Smith: Thanks for joining me again, my friend. Today's iDriveSoCal podcast is going to be a continuation of that fine statement and justifying it: what makes Southern California the automotive capital of the United States as well as the world? And our good professor always coming up with different ideas and angles and justifications why, in fact, SoCal is the automotive capital of both the US and the globe, this little blue planet that we're on, and that is design studios. Literally many, many manufacturers have design studios up and down the coast, and inland, of Southern California. Clinton Quan: Well, primarily Ventura County, LA County, Orange County, and San Diego County. Tom Smith: So, pretty much up and down the coast? Clinton Quan: Yes, correct. Tom Smith: Just not the Inland Empire? Clinton Quan: There could be some in the Inland Empire. I'm not sure of every ... Tom Smith: That's what we were just talking about. I'm like, "Well, professor, is that all of them." And he's like, "Well, I don't know. No one curates a list of them." Our Responsibility to Plant the Flag And I think that's gonna have to be the responsibility that we here at iDriveSoCal take on. We're just gonna put together a little list of these design studios and say, "Hey, this is yet another reason why we here in Southern California are the automotive capital of the world." So, how do you wanna do it? Do you wanna go from Ventura County and head south, or do you wanna go south or head north or do you wanna go alphabetically by the manufacturer? Clinton Quan: No, let's go down the coast. Let's go Ventura County, LA County, Orange County, San Diego County. Tom Smith: All right. Take it away, professor. Clinton Quan: Well, the first on is Volvo out in Camarillo. I think that one opened up maybe seven or eight years ago, so that's one of two I know about in Ventura County. Tom Smith: Before we dive in, let's get back to Volvo in just a second, first let's identify what compromises a design studio. What does it look like? It's a building housed with what departments of people, about how many people, what goes on there? I'm sure it varies there for each manufacturer. I'd assume so, but is this something where they're taking clay and molding it into different concept-type vehicles? Clinton Quan: That's definitely part of the process, but every manufacturer is different. So, I don't think we can say there's a standard for all design studios throughout Southern Californi...