What influence do you think the Cybertruck will have on the future? What elements of design do you feel need to carry over into the next evolutionary stage of product design? Thanks so much for watching. I can't wait to read all of your comments. Also, we are selling limited edition prints for Christmas. They include high quality hand-sketched versions of cars I've designed and reimaginings of cars from the past. You can pick them up here www.frankstephenson.com/artwork/ Frank

I wanna see him redesign the cybertruck in a way that’s fit for the future while still keeping its key features from Tesla. That would be sick.

Tesla cybertruck: "why are you here? I am the future!" 1980 Citroen Karin :" let a wise old man teach you a lesson" "The future is not fated. It's created"

The cyber truck looks like a prop from a low budget movie set in a dystopian future.

I think the biggest question of the cybertruck is how the hell does it meet any design regulations especially regarding pedestrian impact.

I love the fact you took your time to make this review. Shows the level of responsibility and professionalism you have as a renowned designer.

The Cybertruck looks like it was designed to have a railgun turret mounted on top.

I'm an architect student and I developed 2 buildings for an exam that looked similar to the cyber truck and I just realised that when I saw all the memes and my only thought was "I hope my professor doesn't use Reddit"

It is amazing how gentle, inutively yet relentlesly you pick this concept apart. Thanks for this video and all the others.

"The future isn't fated, it's created". This is profound. A few things in my brain clicked into place when I heard you say it. There's no point in being a dreamer who waits for their imagined future to happen, when people are out there creating the future they want.

"The very least we can do is make sure that the future is beautiful" --> Me who just bought a Multipla to preserve it :)

Really great analysis!

Mr. Fank everytime I seat in my E53, my heart blesses you and the whole team who worked on this fabulous car. It`s an honor to tell you these words Sir.

This quality of content is beyond youtube! Thank You, Sir!

I feel like I am watching a Netflix documentary, the content is just so great I forget how fast time flies.

We just needed to save some polygons our graphics cards can't handle the simulation no more

Let's be real here. The Cybertruck was actually designed for Mars.

Can't help but think just how good P1 looks like everytime I see it

Interesting note about the “insecurity” of the design; I’d argue it’s a pretty good reflection of our world today.

Thank you, Frank! You are designer world needs. Let’s prepare for good times full of exciting opportunities, comfort and joy, not dystopian, hostile and negative ones. Let this world a hope!

I was just about to write that the Cyber Truck is Brutalism in automotive design... and you characterized it as exactly that: brutal. Great video. Great insight!

I would argue that the Cybertruck is actually quite unique and genius in it's design because it breaks away from the norms and expectations of society and for all those who disapprove of it's design, it has become the catalyst for their desire to create more beauty in the world :)

Frank, you'll get big on KZfaq. Being a renowned artist in the car design field with some iconic and timeless cars, you'll definitely get big here. Specially since you have great takes on subjects and a lot of stories to tell and lessons to teach us. Keep going, this will be a fun ride.

I remember in my childhood when cars were round. Then they got very sharp and now it is trending back to round. I say the Cybertruck is perfect in style for the time it lasts.

3:51 that transition was interesting.

This is hands down the best review of the Cybertruck out there. You blew me away with your comparative analysis of it versus the Citroen and Volvo concept cars. You are amazing, Frank! Thank you as always for sharing your brilliance with the world.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Cybertruck is designed for function before form, which is important to not forget. True, it's not a traditional approach, but is it very refreshing especially for the folks that understand, and more importantly appreciate, the WHY behind the look. For those that find function more beautiful than form, the Cybertruck is extremely attractive.

Just had to come back after the delivery event to watch this again. As always, Frank... this is such a great and thoughtful analysis

The phrase "the future is now old man!" explained in 10 minutes with beautiful examples. Thank you for the lecture Mr Stephenson

Also Buick sincerely needs to rework their logo... it's absolutely awful and makes anything with it look dated.

From a purely aesthetic point of view, I completely agree. However, what actually intrigues me about the Cybertruck is how it uses its appearance to integrate vital innovative features. The shape is what allows its body panels to be a part of the load-bearing structure, like an exoskeleton approach, which is never done on any car because it's such a different and unfamiliar approach. It's a new way of integrating design as a functioning mechanical component (beyond just aerodynamics which we are used to ever since wind tunnels became mainstream), and just for the sake of doing this, I believe the Cybertruck deserves all the praise it is receiving. Secondly, I appreciate it going back to the roots of form shaped by function, in a utility-minded vehicle. I'm quite frankly bored of seeing the same highway cruisers pretending to be SUVs and trucks. They all are full of compromises, so it's refreshing to see a vehicle designed to not fit into any mold, and go around all the typical compromises we are used to seeing. It's like a breath of fresh air, and the main reason I love the Cybertruck so much, is because I have the hope that their vision will trickle down into the rest of the car industry, and show them that it's okay to dare venturing into the unknown and break the existing formulas, in pursuit of something truly original. Tesla are the innovators, and potentially other car brands can use this catalyst in order to perfect what Tesla has started. A new path in vehicle design and engineering. Another noteworthy aspect derived from the design, is all the manufacturing processes that are being eliminated (such as stamping, machining, painting, and much more). No other car could get around all this stuff that we have come to take for granted, and Tesla are showing that perhaps we don't really need all of those things on every vehicle -for the sake of lowering costs and damage to the environment. The one part that's still letting me down, is the interior. While it does reflect the utilitarian purpose of the vehicle, I totally agree that this shouldn't have to mean that you sacrifice the sense of quality, craftsmanship, and the feeling that those who designed and made it actually cared deeply about it. I believe there should be something to investigate and find intriguing. It's a competely new type of vehicle, and I think the interior especially deserves a desire for you to explore it and get the sense that you are living in the future. I'm still torn on that part from my personal taste (being scandinavian origin doesn't help this either, as we value our interior design dearly), and then my other side who appreciates that they're doubling down on the utility aspect and have the balls to stand by their choices. Acquiring some balls is something I wish more companies would investigate :D Thank you for your insights.

I just want more modern cars to have more diverse design aesthetics. The cybertruck has a brutalist/monolithic style.

I love the way you analyze designs, they make more sense when you give your thoughts about them. Thanks

Let's not forget that the polygonal design of the cybertruck is not only an aesthetics choice but more because it's made of stainless steel which is significantly harder to cast than aluminum. As for the interior, the lifeless design is likely intentional. There is the Model 3 if you prefer comfort. Tbh this video feels severely lacking imo given that the title says it took a year. Thanks for the vid!

The cyber truck belongs in a dystopian future, the electra in a utopian future

That Buick looks awesome.

That Electra "commercial" was absolutely beautiful. Seriously.

Could you maybe react to some car designs from the new Cyberpunk 2077 game, I think it has some interesting looking cars, kind of retro with a futuristic spin.

Well put, and I really love the Electra. The Cybertruck is certainly intriguing, it's a brutalist approach versus the Electra's organic approach. We ought to shape our society and our products with a more organic approach. Of course there is also room for the Cybertruck's aesthetics, and that's a good thing.

Fair points, I personally love the idea of the cybertruck and its design, the striking difference to today's vehicles is fantastic.

The playstation editing hit me with nostalgia hard, Great video, Frank!

The production value and thought that went into this video is high and admirable. That being said, I can't get behind Frank's take on the cyber truck design. Granted, this all comes down to personal preferences, but I love the minimal "low polygon" look of the wedge design. I dig the function over form choices, and I don't need something that looks like the wind cut its shape. I'd prefer something less conventionally beautiful that's actually more aerodynamic. Not to mention that brown carpet in the "future" car he preferred and a shit ton of "buttons to explore" seems painfully dated to me. We now know that a touch screen panel looks simple, but offers unlimited button functions.

While it does look old/retro it definitely sets itself apart from the segment of pickup trucks. Likely because of the regulations to improve fuel economy all of the trucks have started to look very similar, just as what has happened to crossover vehicles. If Tesla can meet the regulations and have a vehicle that looks how they want it to look, and stand out from the segment more power to them. Trucks were originally cold and utilitarian. In the last 15 years they have become more of a luxury vehicle than a work vehicle, and the prices have gone up along with the luxury feature creep. Perhaps Tesla is taking the approach that they want the cybertruck to be more of a work truck than a luxury mall cruiser. The air ride, the un painted metal, the steel bed, the larger wheels/tires, even the "bulletproof" glass make sense for trucks to do truck things or be in places you would expect a truck to be. Aesthetically/functionally where could they improve? I feel like the wheel arches could be segmentet a little more to maximize wheel travel, it feels like they are trying to put an over-sized round peg into a square hole with the three sections. I also wonder about the headlights or rather the lack of them, I know the led bar is there but wonder if its got the longer distance performance as well as how it work affect visibility in either snow or fog.

Looks like a futuristic design from the 80s/ early 90s. Reminds me of something from the 90s film Total Recall.

That design deserved a hammering! Stephenson gives it admirably. A 'lounge on wheels' is an essential description of all cars, and all good car designs are faithful to it.

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" -- Leonardo da Vinci. Not sure he said that from the perspective of engineering or art. But as an engineer, it make sense to me.

I feel like he completely missed the point of the exterior. The exterior IS the frame and it's made from cold rolled stainless steel. It cannot be curved and shaped, nor would you want it to be.

I think your design analysis is spot-on, the cybertruck looks like it was drawn by a six-year-old kid in 2 minutes.

I like your idea that the future is what we make it. It's quite incredible that the Citroen Karin looks better today, more than 40 years after the fact, than the Cybertruck, which is contemporary. This reminds me of "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." The Cybertruck is more of a caricature than a design. I think it looks terrible, as if it was designed to be in a computer game for children. I agree that it's sterile, especially compared to the Buick Electra, which is beautiful. I'm wondering if you declined to "correct" the Cybertruck because it's so far beyond redemption.

All this future talk is cool and all, but can we talk about how handsome past Frank is at 2:14?

Great video, and much wisdom imparted without coming across as condescending. That said, I think you might be missing the point of the CyberTruck: Tesla already has a bunch of beautiful cars. There are no 'secure vehicles for an uncertain future' on the road. A 'designer', even one working with Elon Musk and Tesla, is not responsible for, or capable of 'creating the future'. If you can cost-effectively make the Buick bulletproof, then you have a point. If you can't, then please don't opine on what this vehicle should look like. This is a rare case where the look doesn't matter *at all*. It is purely about function. We are living in a world where the powers that be use violence to achieve their ends, and us poor commoners who do not travel to Davos regularly are being forced to live in a reality of their making. We too deserve some of the tools that they use to threaten our sovereignty; where is your take down of the B2 bomber, SWAT armored vehicles and other fear-inducing designs wielded by governments everywhere to assert their dominance over the average person? Elon sees - and feels - this discrepancy, and is leveraging his insight and his production capabilities to provide normal people with a tool they can use to increase their own capabilities and confidence in the face of monolithic government attacks on our freedom, and unprecedented restrictions on our fundamental right in the face of *another* manufactured enemy and an all-out assault on those with common sense. I don't care what a Cybertruck looks like - I want the most badass, and least fossil fuel dependent vehicle I can get my hands on to ensure I'm able to contribute to the security of my family and my community, no matter what the future holds. True beauty is in *actual nature*, cars are capable only of being imitations. Elon has recognized our true needs right now and is delivering in a courageous and visionary way that simply doesn't exist outside of this concept.

I don’t know anything about design but the moment I saw cybertruck and it’s features I was hooked it looked like a very powerful car. I honestly can’t disagree with frank because he has more experience, but maybe the designers of the cyber truck just wanted to make the car look as powerful as possible. It feels as if the truck itself is trying to clash with every other truck.

More than anything, I feel the cybertruck represents an engineers vision of a vehicle. Everything is purpose built, and in the eyes of an engineer the eccentricities of automotive design is counter productive to performance. Its not surprising that a vehicle designer doesn’t like this car, however I will say coming from my point of view(as an engineer) It represents what can be achieved when only function is considered, and to me I think there is beauty in that.

I love the brutal, dystopian look of Cybertruck. The Buick's lights look good but the body just looks too conservative and more of the same.

"I want to live in the timeline where the Karin exists." Well do I have good news for you...

amazing channel, thanks for the high quality and brilliant perspectives!

Awesome channel. It would be cool to see you sketch out some changes you would make to bring the car you are reviewing to the next level.

Thanks Frank... you sold me on buying the Cybertruck! Can't wait!

The Cybertruck’s design comes from the thick stainless steel panels that can’t be stamped into complex shapes. It’s functional and utilitarian which seems appropriate to a truck. Organic shapes representing nature is nice but it doesn’t help the environment. Stainless steel panels don’t need painting.

Dang i don’t know squat about car design but you really showed off just how much of an art form it is beyond the technical aspects

Frank, I'm curious to know your thoughts on what influence/limitations, Tesla's choice in material for the "exoskeleton" (cold rolled stainless steel) put on the Cybertruck's design. Do you think that this material dictated the design in any way?

An artist critiques a utilitarians creation. Some of us appreciate function before form.

Your videos are getting every day better! Congrats to your editor but also to you for the content. Still waiting for Polestar review 😉

I love the review, especially without bluntly throwing primitive insults towards Tesla but rather giving an analytical opinion based on the past and well known design "rules". Though, I'm still 100% buying a Cybertruck. Not for the futuristic look, not for the safety but just for the almost counterintuitive approach on vehicle design and the fact that due to it being an ev, it's much quieter than most other trucks/cars.

CyberTruck cultural impact, is what the Countach achieved back when it was launched. IMO, this is also why the new countach is, as you also concluded, not provocative enough. loved your redesign!!

I view the truck as very brutal and all business as it was intended for rugged use, so adding welcoming beauty would not suit its main intended reason for existing

Happy to finally hear your thoughts. Im a design student who aspires to design cars (@alwinart) While i agree with your points in the video, i think you somewhat oversee the point of the Cybertruck design: 1. This should be compared with other trucks. This is presented like Tesla dont already have a lineup of cars with the features youre describing. They already have a lineup of “beautiful” organically shaped cars. The Cybertruck was surely not designed to be beautiful, but thought and brutal. Exactly what truck buyers care about esthetically. The fact that its electric is not a buying point in itself with this car, as the target demographic dont care about such. They want “the toughest truck”. In order to convince people that the Cybertruck is this, a extraordinary approach like this is necessary, as truckbuyers are the most brandloyal customers out there. 2. The truck is designed around first principles thinking when it comes to the engineering, its a new way of building trucks. Therefore the esthetics largely follow the engineering and production methods, rather than the other way around. This is to accomplish new things around strength and price. Would like to end this with saying that youre a big inspiration to me. So exciting hearing about this design that im such a fan of, from someone whose worked in the industry for so long. Kind regards, Alwinart

I enjoy all 3 interpretations of our possible future for the different reasons you point out. While I may not prefer the brutalist design language of the cyber truck, I respect that that it is not merely a concept but will be a full fledged production vehicle. Eventually it will reassure the bean counters that you can make a truly bold design and still be profitable and thus help drag us kicking and screaming into the future.

Cyber truck review that took over two years for me to see

Cybertruck - Drake turning away 1980 Citroen Karin - Drake approves

3:52 What happened here? His head turns in slow motion??

Thanks for a first class analysis and interpretation of the Cybertruck aesthetic, Your compare and contrast examples were spot on - I also thought of the Cybertruck as being redolent of the Aston Martin Bulldog.

Brilliant Frank, well said. Obviously Elon is not a designer. I’m old school combustion 1960’s-1980’s car design, with stunning organic sensual shape, which should reflect our organic human forms into the future! Thankyou.

Interesting take, thank you for sharing your observations. A few points to consider though, in support of the design: It must first be noted that the Cybertruck is attempting to break into a multi-billion dollar vehicle segment that has more brand and vehicle loyalty than any others (pickup trucks). This requires something that stands out--and while I personally was not happy initially with the design when it was unveiled, I have learned to appreciate the bold move of proposing a vehicle that is unlike any other out there, that will bring more attention to Tesla's mission: Accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. And that is part of the genius of the design: it is so well-known now because of its polarizing design, which generates free publicity for a company that doesn't spend money on ads (compared to other OEMs each spending tens of millions). Tesla designers wanted a vehicle that was, first and foremost, a utilitarian vehicle, not a prissy, chic-concept, supercar or daily driver sedan or CUV--it is made to take a beating, it features a 240v outlet for charging/running power tools, it is made from cold-rolled, stainless steel; that last point about the material is very important. The steel won't rust, so it doesn't need paint. Eliminating paint is an environmentally friendly move. Because of the metal, the manufacturing process must change. It breaks the stamping machines. So to use this material but not waste money and machines, they decided to merely laser-cut or water-jet, then crease and bend the metal to make the car. This saves money, materials, steps (no paint/clear coat), time, cost to consumers, etc, making it more sustainable and attainable than other vehicles. So a key part of your critique I disagree with is: you claim that it should look like a "sustainable" vehicle--which, if we kept going the route of the Prius and Leaf, electric vehicles would never reach mass market adoption. The thing is, because of its design with its unique car manufacturing process in mind, I'd argue it acts the part of being a sustainable vehicle better than the Buick or most any other "green/electric" car to date. The other part I disagree with is that the Cybertruck will age quickly/poorly and the Buick won't. To me, and I think many others, the Buick's design is a dime a dozen. The taillights are well designed and unique, yes--but the rest of it is forgettable. It basically blends in with what every economy car will look like in 5 years or less, and immediately after and because of that, the Buick will look blasé and dated quickly. The Cybertruck on the other hand will age well because it is unique. Look at the original Humvee: it is an ugly car, by many people's standards. But that is also the appeal. And to me, the original Humvee is better looking than most cars from the last 30 years. Anyway, hopefully this information brings an appreciation for the boldness of Tesla's Cybertruck design, even if by conventional wisdom, it is ugly. Despite its looks, the Cybertruck will be a key player in helping Tesla fulfill its mission of accelerating the world to sustainable energy.

Being a designer myself, I think your comments to some degree shines light on what's wrong with the current (or dare I say "previous") auto industry. While I do agree that the Cybertruck design cannot be called aesthetically pleasing nor elegant, you can't fault it for its utilitarian reasoning. The shape makes sense for what it tries to achieve. You seem to mix the business of the auto industry with design philosophy, and I've never really understood why car design seem to be so mixed up in branding. It deviates from what I consider unequivocally the universal design manifesto "10 principles for good design" by Dieter Rams in the 70's. Lingo like the "light signature" and "memorable" are simply mechanics of the fashion industry, created to make the aesthetics part of planned obsolescence. The navel gazing in the auto industry is ridiculous with its concept cars and nonsensical reasoning. I argue that our subjective opinion of the designed object is unimportant. And while we can certainly criticise it for not following no. 3 in Rams design manifesto (Good design is aesthetic) it checks every other. I think it'll go down in history as an iconic design that marks a turning point for personal transportation.

Mr Frank, I want to really thank you very much for designing the E53 BMW X5. That design change my life. Design that is like 20 years ago still looks like today! Never get old Thanks I really appreciate it.

No matter how right you are about something, if you cannot compose yourself and get your point across while also using a little bit of technical mumbo jumbo everyone will just dismiss you as a "hater". Sir you have my respect for doing just that.

Would love to hear this guys thoughts on the current pickups available at the moment. Comparing an suv Buick to a truck is nonsense

I liked the idea of elon asking people what they wanted in twitter to make it.

as senior car designer, with all that knowledge of the whole process from concept to manufacture and the final product, disappointed that he didn't even mention the reason for its low poly chasis in relation to low cost manufacturing process... discussion atleast should be there

I personally love the design of the cyber truck. To me it evokes vintage sci-fi pulp art. It feels like it jumped off of the page of a campy 60’s sci-fi comics. Totally respect and understand your points. Love the videos.

It looks the way it does because it's an exo skeleton. You need that shape for structure. It's manufacturing style is revolutionary

Much of the Cybertruck's design is due to the ultra hard steel it's being used. I'm not sure it would be possible, with today's machinery, to give it a more elaborated design.

"Even if we are not able to make sure that the future is fair and even if we are not be able to make the future hospitable than the very least we can do is make sure that the future is beautiful" What a beautiful quote. Thank you!

loved this review, so well articulated! thank you Frank!

Designer vs engineer... square hammer is fine if it's efficient and effective...

Meh, cybertruck is all about functionality and strength. At first I didn’t like it much but after the initial shock I came around. I’m not a truck person but if I was to drive around Australia I’d love a cybertruck.

Just seeing this video 2 years later. WOW! I think you hit the nail on the head here. Especially lately with some on Elon's comments in interviews. His future vision is definitely dark and it does come out in this vehicle.

I've watched nearly all of your videos and this is the one that I've learned the most. thank you

I love when creators express design philosophies, and how it affects their work and the way life is viewed. There is wisdom to be learned from Frank and others. Knowing that Musk had an open canvas and could create anything he wanted, I have never been a fan of Cybertruck’s design. Frank put into words feelings I had a hard time grasping. I can now say the one word I would associate with the Cybertruck is “trendy”, and that is not good.

Amazing. Would you do one on the current Mazda MX-5? You mentioned it in the „affordable cars“ video.

Great video, thanks for sharing your perspective with us.

That Buick is one of the most beautiful things my eyes have seen !

Congratulations Frank on being hired to design RC cars for SpaceX! You deserve it and we all know you will do a super job!

What truck or car "feels fresh" 10 years later?

Thank you, Frank, for your considered big picture analysis. in a philosophical, non-defensive insight, you have set an automotive design approach for the future: Embrace and protect nature.

I think the cybertruck just cuts through the air and coincidentally also pedestrians.

I personally like the Cybertruck. I like the toughness of it, the angular shapes. I mean, it's a truck. It's supposed to be tough and perhaps menacing

After this review I'm definitely Getting The Cyber truck Thanks 👍

People that question the design need to understand things change. There's a reason for this design and a reason it'll work and change everything we know about cars. We should be grateful companies like Tesla are around to change the game. I'm glad Frank waited a long time to make this video.