I had the privilege of working with Geza in my first studio when I first started at General Motors, He was the assistant chief designer of Advanced Chevrolet. Ron Hill was the studio chief. Last month at the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild Reunion I met Geza after several decades and we had a great time discussing his career. Geza is a very talented designer and has had a steller career.
Geza Loczi is a Hungarian American car designer, and was Director of Design at Volvo Monitoring Concept Center (VMCC in Camarillo, California). He started drawing cars at the age of nine. He entered the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild, a model car competition sponsored by General Motors. After building seven models in seven years for the competition, Lóczi learned a lot about designing, proportion, painting, craftsmanship and managing projects. These 1/12 scale models won him a scholarship to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he studied Transportation and Product Design. In 1965, his final year of the competition, he won the top national award, a $5,000 scholarship.
In 1980 Geza became a Design Manager at Volkswagen. After that he established his own consulting design company. In 1983 Geza worked as a consultant to Volvo in California, then moved to Sweden to work with the company. He moved back to California in 1985. A year later when Volvo started a studio in California, he became the Chief Designer.
He has been involved in the design of the Environmental Concept Car (ECC), P2 cars in production today (S80, V70 and S60), the Safety Concept Car (SCC) shown at the Detroit Motor Show. VMCC, the Volvo Cars think-tank also designed the XC90, Volvo’s entry into the North American SUV market.
This link is of 2006 Volvo presentation by Geza. Very interesting.
Geza teaches Transportation Design at the Art Center College, and currently has his own design firm.
A gallery of Geza’s work complements of GM Design.
Geza Loczi
Gary,
Thanks for bringing us this presentation of Geza’s remarkable career work. I first came to know him as a fellow FBCGuildsman years ago, and then when working at GM Styling in the late 1960’s-early 1970’s. His great personality and jaw dropping talent gave all of us who worked with and around him inspiration. It’s exciting to see examples of his talent shown where all can now see and admire what he’s done throughout his fine career.
Kind regards, John M. Mellberg
Automotive Designers Guild, Support
Geza was always one of those super talented GM designers I looked up to. He still has it! All those cool Pontiac’s from the ’60’s.What a great inspiration.
HEY GARY–
ONCE AGAIN YOU PUT TOGETHER A TRULY GREAT PRESENTATION–THIS TIME ON GEZA–WITHOUT ANY DOUBT–GEZA WAS ONE OF THE TOP DESIGNERS I WORKED WITH WHILE AT GM–ON TOP OF THAT HE IS ” ONE OF THE MOST SINCERE , HONEST & UPRIGHT INDIVIDUALS I HAVE EVER KNOWN “——-WHAT YOU SEE IN GEZA LOCZI IS WHAT YOU GET !
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ON DIFFERENT COASTS & OUR CAREERS HAVE GONE IN DIFFERENT PATHS —- I AM PROUD & GLAD TO SAY THAT HE & I HAVE REMAINED REALLY GOOD FRIENDS OVER ALL THESE YEARS—
KEEP ROCKING GEZ——-PETE
Great rough design sketches from a remarkable gentleman.
I’d love to see which car was his from 1965 – that was the year that I was in Detroit for the annual event and met a lot of other young designers, probably even Geza. I left with a $1,000 design scholarship that year.
I still have the program of events from that year, but no longer have the booklet that showed all of the cars – I’d love to see that again – there were some phenomenal designs! (I entered 4 years 63-66)
I love to read about people who found their passion at an early age and have spent a lifetime pursuing it. Thanks for posting this – it inspires me!
I am also curious about the red car behind him in the last photo – any info on that?
Geza was not only an outstanding Designer,he was very fun to be around, always full of life,and we could count on Gesa to keep the mood upbeat.
We got to see the
Loczi s in AZ in Jan.both are lucky to have each other!
David&Pat North
Great designer with an exemplary career. Geza was one of my teachers at Art Center in the 1980’s. He never bragged about his earlier work but should have. He was instrumental in teaching me a great deal about clay modeling, form, and surface development for cars. Anyone who can live a life working within their passion and exhibiting excellence in that field should be celebrated.
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to co teach one term with Geza at ArtCenter. Staggering talent and design sensibilities, a treasure for the school.
I’m assuming Geza Loczi designed the ’73 Grand Prix but I don’t see many renderings, In fact I’ve found one and that’s not labeled. Any info on this?
When I arrived in Pontiac II studio (under John Shinella) there were some Geza Loczi sketches still in the drawers. I was very inspired by them and attempted to emulate them. I never really knew Geza well but admired his work.