As the world’s oldest, largest, and most influential design event, Milan Design Week has long led global design trends through its fusion of visionary thinking, aesthetic design, and technological innovation. On April 8th during Milan Design Week, GAC marks its third consecutive event at the prestigious Milan Design Week, a pinnacle event in the global design industry, where visionary art connected with the world, and cutting-edge technological products encountered the rhythm of fashion.
At the event, GAC marked the European debut of AION UT alongside the reappearance of AION V, GAC unveils the fourth concept model from its Car Culture series, CC4, and announces the topic of GAC Design Award 2025, Beauty of Tomorrow II: AI Works. Using design as its brush and innovation as ink, GAC created a dynamic tableau blending modern aesthetics with Chinese technological prowess. This extraordinary visual spectacle captivated over a hundred attendees, including media, distinguished guests, and local residents.
Zhang Fan, Head of GAC Styling Design; Thomas Schemera, Global Chief Operating Officer of GAC INTERNATIONAL; and Stéphane Janin, Director of GAC Advanced Design Center Europe, held exclusive dialogues with media and distinguished guests. The discussions covered GAC’s design philosophy, the ‘Europe Market Plan,’ and the strategic roadmap for the Milan Advanced Design Center.
Thomas Schemera, Global Chief Operating Officer of GAC INTERNATIONAL, stated, “GAC will uphold the philosophy of ‘In Europe, For Europe, Integrating into Europe, Serving Europe, and Contributing to Europe.‘ By empowering production through design, we aim to create more products with outstanding design, top-tier quality, and pioneering technology, ultimately creating a better mobility experience for European consumers.”
As a world-renowned capital of design, exhibitions, and art, Milan leads global fashion trends with its unique sense of aesthetics—using the power of design to elevate the quality of life.
Milan is a place where fashion and art intertwine, tradition blends with innovation, and every street corner radiates the charm of modern creativity fused with technological advancement. GAC’s Milan Advanced Design Center, located at Via Tortona 16, stands as a vibrant embodiment of this Milanese spirit.
To create a memorable exhibition for the media, guests, and visitors, GAC transformed Via Tortona 16 and its surrounding area into an immersive exhibition space that blends bold design with cutting-edge technology during Milan Design Week 2025. The aim was to connect fashion design with cutting-edge technology, blending artistic creativity, innovation, and humanistic values to forge deeper connections between people, vehicles, and life.
Inside the Milan Advanced Design Center, GAC created a space where innovation and art converged. The showcase featured two global strategic models - AION UT and AION V - with their smooth silhouettes, refined contours, harmonious color palettes, and precision-crafted bodies. These vehicles embodied the fusion of advanced automotive technology and innovative design, becoming a highlight of Milan Design Week that attracted widespread attention from local residents and international visitors.
Making its European premiere at Milan Design Week, the AION UT represents GAC’s global premium compact vehicle offering. Born in the GAC Milan Advanced Design Center, the vehicle harmonizes Italian design with market preferences.
The AION UT features the world’s first eyebrow-inspired headlight design, paired with a Milan-inspired bold hatchback that delivers a refined visual experience. With a rear legroom of 905 mm, it surpasses mid-size sedan standards. Its cabin is equipped with a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and an 8.88-inch instrument display, combined with L2-level intelligent driving assistance to offer European consumers a more convenient and intelligent mobility experience. Moreover, the AION UT boasts the world’s first integrated high-strength sidewalls, class-leading V-shaped side curtain airbags, and an embrace-style backbone body structure, all exceeding European design standards.
Notably, the AION UT is equipped with the 2nd generation Magazine Battery, which not only charges quickly—reaching 30% to 80% in just 24 minutes—but also remains fireproof even under gunfire, ensuring exceptional safety and reliability.
In addition to the European debut of the AION UT, the AION V also returned to the Milan stage, offering European consumers a travel experience that exceeds expectations with its high-tech features, premium quality, and top-tier safety.
At this year’s Milan Design Week, GAC INTERNATIONAL showcased the latest progress in its “Europe Market Plan”. Upholding the concept of “In Europe, For Europe, Integrating into Europe, Serving Europe, and Contributing to Europe,” GAC INTERNATIONAL is committed to achieving “full industrial-chain ecological overseas expansion” and dedicated to crafting premium mobility experiences that enhance the daily lives of European consumers.
With a bold exterior and refined interior, the AION V combines an advanced electric powertrain with class-leading intelligent configurations to deliver the convenience of cutting-edge technology. Engineered to meet five-star safety standards, the AION V is equipped with the ultra-safe second-generation Magazine Battery and a class-leading 2.3-meter ultra-long side curtain airbag, creating a highly secure mobile fortress for its passengers.
For market expansion：
GAC will implement a phased European market entry strategy starting in 2025. The rollout will commence in Q3 with carefully sequenced market entries in Poland, Portugal and other European countries, adapted to local market conditions.
In terms of green mobility：
GAC will continue to leverage its strong multi-energy technology capabilities to introduce a wide range of new energy products—such as EVs and PHEVs—into the European market.
In terms of the service network：
GAC is accelerating the construction of a European transshipment warehouse. By 2028, GAC will gradually establish a service guarantee system covering the vast majority of European national markets.
Cultural fusion：
GAC will leverage its rich experience in ESG responsibility fulfillment and mature digital means to enhance corporate governance, provide green and environmentally friendly products for the European market, respect and integrate into local culture, and create greater social value for the local area.
The 2025 Milan Design Week is not only a stage for GAC to showcase its fashionable designs and innovative technologies, but also an important part of its global strategy. With the upcoming entry of the AION UT and AION V models into the European market, GAC is using design as a bond and technology as an engine to accelerate the writing of a new chapter for Chinese brands in the global automotive industry.