Automotive designer Frank Stephenson’s may be a name familiar to some motoring fans, but few know how many ground-breaking designs he has actually been responsible for over the years. From the revitalized BMW Mini and stylish modern-era Fiat 500 to such towering performers as the McLaren P1 and Ferrari FXX, Stephenson has applied his meticulous and creative process to a vast cross-section of the motoring spectrum. A new documentary titled “Chasing Perfect” reveals the captivating story of this intriguing designer and offers a unique and personal perspective of his designs over the years.
Stephenson has been striving for perfection his entire life and the documentary covers unheard anecdotes about his many creations. It also features an in-depth tour of Jay Leno’s garage and his impressive and eclectic collection of cars from across the ages. Frank Stephenson explains, “Car design is often shrouded in mystery but in Chasing Perfect I wanted to throw open the doors to the creative process, shining a light on exactly how cars like the MINI, Fiat 500 and McLaren P1 come to be. Great design takes a lot of hard work but, for me, it’s still the best job in the world.”
The documentary follows Stephenson’s career from the 1990s Ford Cosworth right up to his current work with Frank Stephenson Design and gives a glimpse of some of his upcoming projects too, like the collaboration with aviation start-up Lilium, as they plan to build the world’s first all-electric vertical take-off and landing on-demand taxi service. Aside from his many automotive creations, the show also delves into Stephenson’s past and covers how his father’s constant encouragement to pursue perfection has helped him develop the mindset to become one of the world’s preeminent designers. Chasing Perfect will be released in the UK on digital download from May 20th and is available on DVD from May 27th.
Images courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment, McLaren Automotive, Fiat, Mini and Ferrari
