Dave has extensive experience in taking projects from the initial ideas stage, right the way through to production ready designs. Working closely with CAD & clay modellers, project engineers and senior management, he is able to deliver fully resolved designs, which satisfy the technical, legal & marketing requirements of the client.
Equally adept in exterior and interior design, Dave also has experience of specialist areas such as commercial vehicle & motorcycle design. Motorsport has always been a major passion and as well as designing the bodywork, he also produces high quality artwork and visuals for sponsorship proposals and team livery designs.
Dave Curtis is a creative and versatile vehicle designer with over 15 years’ experience in the industry. He has a proven ability to generate exciting, relevant and feasible designs, to a specific brief.
Having had a fascination with vehicles and a love of drawing from an early age, he fulfilled his childhood ambition of becoming a car designer, graduating from the renowned automotive design course at Coventry University in 1997.
Curtis Concept Design Ltd was established in 2004 and Dave has since worked for a variety of well-known automotive companies, from major OEM’s to smaller independent manufacturers and race teams.
Envisage Group – Design Consultant.
- Bespoke vehicle designs. Working as part of a specialist team, designing, engineering & producing high performance, luxury, coachbuilt vehicles.
- Consultancy design support for OEM clients in the automotive & public transport sectors.
2014 - 2015
Dave Curtis - Career Summary
Jaguar Land Rover – Contract designer based at the Gaydon design studio, working within the SVO (Special Vehicle Operations) division (formerly known as ETO.) Projects included:
- Range Rover Autobiography Black LWB - Interior. Responsibility for overseeing the productionisation of an advanced luxury concept, working directly with specialist engineering consultancies and senior management. Car launched in 2013.
- SUV sports variant. Leading a team of Alias and clay modellers in a satellite studio. In-depth engineering feasibility work ahead of the release of final production surfaces.
- Extensive studies into high-end, bespoke, luxury vehicle interiors. From initial concept artwork / visualisation, through to highly feasible design proposals.
- Designs for a wide range of SVO projects, taken from initial proposals through to production, including alloy wheels, body kits and various vehicle accessories.
- Design support for marketing studies and presentations.
MG Cars / Shanghai Automotive – Contract designer based in Birmingham, with several stints in Shanghai. Projects included:
- Production SUV Interior. Selected design theme taken through extensive Alias modelling development, to a fully feasible sign-off model. Vehicle launched in 2015.
- New small car. From a selected sketch and scale model, through to a well-developed full size clay model, for senior management review.
- Sports car facelift. Extensive re-working of an existing vehicle, from a selected sketch, through to a fully finished and feasible prototype vehicle.
- Numerous exterior and interior design programmes.
2011 - 2014
2006 - 2011
Curtis Concept Design Ltd – Design consultant working for independent manufacturers:
MG Rover – Designer working through RDS Automotive. Projects included:
- Rover TCV concept car. From initial sketches through to a full size clay model, overseeing the subsequent show car build. Car unveiled at the 2002 Geneva show.
- MG ZS Facelift. From selected design theme through to production. Car launched 2004.
- MG TF. Joint responsibility for the re-design of the MGF. Car launched 2002.
- New sports car study. In depth program, working for the head of concept engineering, investigating the feasibility of a range of cars built from a common structure.
Team KR (Kenny Roberts) Moto GP – Livery design, sponsorship proposal artwork, conceptual design proposals for race & road bikes, design support for marketing presentations.
All Surface Racing - Off road racing vehicle. Responsible for all design work, overseeing the clay modelling and composite body development.
Dennis Eagle – Truck cab interior. Developed from initial research, through to a fully feasible model. Launched in 2006.
CCM Motorcycles – Concept design work for the FT35 motorcycle. Launched 2006.
2001 - 2007
2005 - 2008
2005
2005
2000 - 2005
Lotus Design – Contract designer. Projects included:
- Sports Coupe design. Selected sketch developed into a fully finished painted scale model (For a major OEM client.)
- Sketch proposals for a variety of exterior and interior programmes. Lotus & Proton products as well as consultancy work for OEM clients.
1998 - 2000
Coventry University - BA (Hons) Transport design. Four year Course including a six month placement with Geoff Matthews Design / MGA Developments.
MGA Developments / Geoff Matthews Design – Junior Designer.
- Design support for bespoke luxury vehicle build programmes.
- Opel Astra F2 rally car, developed with RML.
- Vehicle design consultancy projects.
1997 - 1998
1993 - 1997
1975 - 1993
Jaguar Land Rover – Contract designer based at the Whitley design studio, working for SVO (Special Vehicle Operations.)
2015 - Present
