Exclusive Look: Rivian's One-of-One R1S Quad Monterey Edition With Chief Designer Jeff Hammoud

Key Concepts

• Studio Originals: A series of unique, one-off vehicle editions from Rivian.
• Pebble Beach Edition: A specific "Studio Original" showcased at Monterey Car Week.
• Upscale Perspective: Rivian's exploration of higher-end design and features while maintaining brand identity.
• Inviting and Rugged: Core brand feelings Rivian aims to preserve in its designs.
• Monterey Silver: A unique paint color with shifting hues.
• Tone on Tone: A design approach where elements match or complement each other in color.
• Dark Satin Metallic: A finish used for cladding, contrasting with molded color.
• Bespoke Wheels: Custom-made wheels specific to an edition.
• Tri Finish: A three-part finishing technique on the wheels.
• Burnish Bronze: A unique badging finish for the Pebble Beach Edition.
• Gear Guard: A feature signifying the top performance model.
• R1 Interior: The interior design used in Rivian's T and S models.
• Olive Ash Wood: A specific wood type used for interior trim, featuring unique patterns from fungal infections.
• Customer Feedback: The importance of understanding customer preferences for future design iterations.

Rivian Studio Originals: Pebble Beach Edition

This section details Rivian's "Studio Originals" series, exemplified by the "Pebble Beach Edition" presented at Monterey Car Week. The primary goal of this initiative is to explore how Rivian can "stretch the brand" and evolve its identity towards an "upscale perspective" while retaining its core "inviting and rugged" feel. This special edition serves as a platform for experimentation and customer feedback.

Exterior Design Innovations

The exterior of the Pebble Beach Edition showcases several unique finishes designed to be appreciated in person.

• Paint Color: The vehicle features a custom paint called "Monterey Silver." This color is characterized by its dynamic shift in appearance, transitioning from a champagne to a silver to a gray as one moves around the vehicle.
• Cladding Finish: To complement the paint, the cladding, which is typically molded in a specific color on standard Rivian vehicles, is finished in a "dark satin metallic." This creates a "tone on tone" effect, enhancing the overall aesthetic.
• Trim Details: The black trim on the roof and bumper is not gloss black but a "very very dark brown." This subtle detail is intended to be discovered upon closer inspection, adding depth to the design.
• Bespoke Wheels: The edition is equipped with custom-made wheels featuring a "tri finish." The complexity of this multi-stage finish makes it challenging for mass production but feasible for a one-off vehicle, allowing for greater design freedom.
• Badging: All badging on this specific vehicle is finished in "burnish bronze," a unique treatment for this edition.
• Gear Guard: The presence of the Gear Guard, with its "hair wind blown back," signifies that this vehicle is the "top performance model."

Performance Specifications

The Pebble Beach Edition is highlighted as the top performance model with impressive speed metrics:

• 0 to 60 mph: 2.6 seconds.
• Quarter Mile: 10.5 seconds.

Interior Design and Materials

The interior utilizes Rivian's R1 interior design, found in both the T and S models, with a focus on creating a "living space" feel.

• Bespoke Interior: The entire interior is custom-made for this vehicle.
• Olive Ash Wood: A key material used is "olive ash" wood for interior trim. The unique patterns in this wood are a result of fungal infections. In mass production, such wood is often rejected due to the difficulty in matching patterns across thousands of units. However, for this one-off edition, these "defects" are "celebrated" to create a unique aesthetic on the instrument panel.

Design Philosophy and Customer Engagement

Jeff Hammud, Chief Design Officer at Rivian, emphasizes the strategic importance of the "Studio Originals" series.

• Expressive Opportunity: For the design team, these one-off editions are an opportunity to be "more expressive" and "try something out."
• Taking Chances: The ability to create a single vehicle that "just needs to make one person fall in love with it" allows Rivian to take design chances that might not be viable for high-volume production.
• Customer Feedback Loop: This approach also serves as a method to gather "great customer feedback" and understand what customers like, enabling Rivian to be "a little bit more playful" and express the brand in new ways.

Conclusion

The Rivian Pebble Beach Edition, as part of the "Studio Originals" series, represents Rivian's commitment to pushing design boundaries and exploring upscale possibilities while staying true to its core brand values. By leveraging the flexibility of one-off production, Rivian can experiment with unique materials like olive ash wood and intricate finishes such as Monterey Silver paint and tri-finish wheels. This strategy not only allows for creative expression and the showcasing of top performance capabilities but also serves as a crucial mechanism for gathering customer insights to inform future product development and brand evolution.