As a part of our ongoing Jeep® executive interview series, we had a chance to sit down with Klaus Busse who heads up the interior design teams for all Chrysler Group vehicles including the Jeep brand. Klaus is passionate about his job and empowers his team of enthusiast designers by providing them the vision to do what they do best and know in their hearts is the right thing to do.
Why/how did you get started in designing of vehicles? Tell us about yourself.
KB: I grew up in Germany and as a child I had a poster of a Lamborghini Countach in my room and always loved cars. While in math class, I would sketch cars on my notebook when I was bored. In my professional career, I started out as an exterior designer with Mercedes Benz, and came over to the US during the DaimlerChrysler era. When the companies split, I decided to stay with Chrysler because of all the great things I saw happening here. I wanted to move into designing of the interior of the vehicle because it’s underwhelming when you sit inside of a vehicle whose interior is not designed well and doesn’t live up to the same passion of the exterior. Therefore I slowly transitioned into that new role and space. I soon realized there are so many opportunities and now a new culture at Chrysler Group has emerged that will take interiors to a new level and beyond.
As an interior designer for the Jeep brand, what elements inspire you and your team?
KB: The Jeep brand story is a great story of liberation. Because of this, and the heritage behind the brand, it is easy to be inspired. I tell my team to look from within, and to imagine all of the places you can only go to in a Jeep vehicle, like Moab, and places deep within parts of Alaska and Africa. Additionally, I tell my team to avoid looking at design cues from two years ago, because by using trends from the past, we will always be chasing the trend instead of setting the trend and leading the pack.
We know the Wrangler customer is different than the Grand Cherokee buyer. As a designer for the Jeep brand, does that present challenges since “one size does not fit all’?
KB: It’s the opposite – it’s a fantastic opportunity as a Jeep interior designer because we have so many ideas and not all of them fit into one product. The Jeep brand with its great range of products such as the “climbing tool” like the Jeep Wrangler to the “ultimate luxury” SUV like the Jeep Grand Cherokee grants interior designers the freedom to push the envelope in different directions while always keeping the Jeep brand customer expectations in mind.
Can you discuss specific interior designs on the Wrangler that are more in-tune with the vehicle Off-Roading DNA?
KB: For the Jeep Wrangler it’s a bit of a challenge. The proportions of the interior are very small in comparison to the Jeep Grand Cherokee which has a lot of acreage and real estate that you can play with. The Wrangler isn’t about aesthetics but more about function. We created an interior that is all about function – due to the overall proportions, there is not much room to waste. We’ve made sure there are high-quality materials that are durable and washable but still have a human touch to them.
It seems the corporation has really stepped up their game with totally redesigned interiors that are more refined with soft-touch surfaces throughout the cabin. As a designer, what input did you have in working with suppliers on interior surface materials?
KB: We had a great deal of input into the process with suppliers and it makes Chrysler Group very powerful moving forward because we are becoming so involved. In the past, I’ve worked with companies that would craft a beautiful design and then just “throw it over the wall” to engineering and keep their fingers crossed that they would execute it. What we have right now is a true partnership with engineering where if you come to one of our meetings you wouldn’t know who the engineers are and who the designers are. Instead, you’ll see real teamwork between the engineering and design groups where we complement each other’s ideas and fight for good products. We specify materials together with engineering; we push for fit and finish together. For example, look at the A/C outlets on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee; those are probably the best in the market. The veins that direct the airflow don’t bend when you touch them with your finger whereas the plastic in the previous model was very soft. Those of us in the design office along with our friends in engineering specified the material together and now it’s super robust and the fit and finish are significantly improved. We’re now expecting top quality, which may have driven some of our suppliers’ crazy because we were not happy with what they gave us in the past. They were not used to this demand from us as we wanted the same quality you find in luxury vehicles. It is more about collaborating with suppliers these days to not reject parts, but to work together to gain respect and trust, and come to agreed upon expectations together.
What changes can we expect in the look, feel and functionality of Jeep brand interiors in the coming years?
KB: There are still a lot of great opportunities in the coming years, but we can’t say too much because we want to surprise our consumers. However I can tell you that we will be having a lot of fun designing the interior features of vehicles that fit in between the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee nameplates in the near future.
Can the 2011 Jeep Wrangler really get wet inside? If so, is the interior completely waterproof?
KB: You can utilize the interior features in the same manner as you were able to do in the 2009 and 2010 model years. However, with today’s electronic systems, that might be a better question for your upcoming interview with the engineering team.
Would you consider two models of the Wrangler, one for off-road enthusiasts (more rugged) and one for the rest of your consumer base (a little fancier)?
KB: We were trying to bridge that gap when we introduced the 4-door Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler Sport and Rubicon are more rugged trim levels that stay true to the Jeep Wrangler “roots.” Alternatively, the design cues of the Wrangler Sahara were crafted to satisfy the premium end model customer that wants ruggedness with a few more luxurious amenities.
