Steve Jobs, Colin Powell, Bobby Jindal, Al Gore, T. Boone Pickens, and a host of other luminaries participated in this project. If you told me that I would have the chance to work with and have reviews with these people the day that I left my design position and a major Japanese car corporation to join the team, I wouldn't have believed it.

In 2008, an opportunity of a lifetime fell in my lap: The chance to work for Tom Matano, creator of the Mazda Miata and some of the most timeless designs Mazda ever built.

Tom had been commissioned to direct design for a new car company, and I was offered the position of Lead Exterior Designer.

Up until that point, my designs were for large OEMs with the impressive resources that established companies have. This startup opportunity was something different, and my work was certainly cut out for me. I ended up handling production design for both the exterior and interior, logo design, retail architecture, as well as participation in consumer experience and advertising design.

Suffice it to say, it was one of the most incredible experiences of my career. At a start up, you can (and have to) do everything, and every day I learned something new. I would have done it just for the design critique from Steve Jobs at his house. But more importantly, the chance to work one on one with top tier suppliers in the auto industry taught me more than I could have imagined.

Please enjoy this collection of a rare and exciting look at the design process. -- Bryan Thompson