Natalia Grau. The Automobile as an Emotional Space

The project presented by Natalia Grau is part of her work within the SEAT/CUPRA interior design team, where she develops proposals that redefine the user experience inside the automobile. The vehicle exhibited reflects an approach to automotive design that goes beyond engineering or exterior aesthetics, understanding the car as a living space that integrates technology, ergonomics, and emotion.

A graduate in Industrial Design from Elisava, Natalia Grau has built a strong international career in the automotive sector, previously working at AUDI (Ingolstadt) and BMW Designworks (Munich). For more than 17 years, she has been part of the SEAT/CUPRA design team in Martorell, specializing in vehicle interior architecture.

The car presented exemplifies this approach by placing interior design at the core of the project: dashboards, center console, seating, and surfaces are conceived as a continuous system that combines technological innovation with sensory experience. The design aims to create an emotional connection between user and vehicle, anticipating new forms of interaction linked to the future of mobility.

Beyond the industrial object itself, the proposal presents the automobile as a complex and collaborative design space, where conceptual vision, technical development, and global production converge, reflecting the role of contemporary design in transforming mobility.

After graduating in Industrial Design from Elisava, she began her professional career as a product designer, developing her creativity and experience across a wide range of projects. Four years later, she moved into the automotive sector, joining AUDI in Ingolstadt, where she worked for three years. Her career then continued at Designworks BMW in Munich, where she took part in innovative projects involving boat design and product design for Coca-Cola. After four years in Germany, she joined SEAT/CUPRA, where for more than 17 years she has been part of the interior design team, specializing in the creation of automotive spaces that combine aesthetics, technology, and emotion. Passionate about mentorship and the promotion of female talent in design, she shares her vision to inspire new generations of designers.