We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Brembo about their original and creative Car Braking Caliper design work. Brembo is an award-winning service designer, that makes our world a better place with their original car braking caliper works.
Brembo ("Brembo") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Octyma Car Braking Caliper. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
Brembo : The main inspiration is to combine Brembo style and identity with innovation & performance. Brembo vision “Turning energy into inspiration” was also a driver for the design of this caliper: we innovate to inspire the future through tailored solution.
Brembo : Octyma has been exclusively designed for the new Range Rover Sport SV, Range Rover’s high-performance Modern Luxury flagship. It’s a front caliper distinguished by its innovative cross layout for the 8 pistons, guaranteeing maximum braking efficiency. The design has been developed to make the cross layout, which is the most distinctive element of this solution, as visible as possible. On one hand, the design successfully highlights the technological innovation and the identity of Brembo; on the other hand, it harmonizes with the sporty vehicle and the values of the Jaguar Land Rover customer for which this specific caliper is designed. The design communicates power and style.
Brembo : Celebrating the winning and add it to the list of awards won by Brembo for product design, by sharing this achievement with our customer Jaguar Land Rover and through our social media channels.
Brembo : The design of a product is a long term phase and evolves alongside the development of the vehicle by the customer. The initial sketches date back to 2019. Concept approval is in 2021, and the start of production is in 2023.
Brembo : In line with our vision, namely to be a solution provider for our customers, we have designed this caliper concept as a smart solution to achieve challenging vehicles requirements given by them.
Brembo : The brake caliper is produced by Brembo and sold to Jaguar Land Rover, which installs it in its vehicles.
Brembo : Inspiration & innovation. Our design was driven by Brembo’s values and style balanced with customer’s specific and strong design. We were able to identify and translate the common values into an harmonious language that beautifully sculpted the final product.
Brembo : The project started in 2019 and went into production in 2023, throughout this period there were periodic reviews with the client, during which we shared design guidelines. This allowed us to proceed with the realisation of a brake caliper in line with the character of the car.
Brembo : Range Rover Sport SV, the flagship of Jaguar Land Rover's Modern Luxury performance.
Brembo : This design stands out for its radical innovation and design in the industry. Unlike previous concepts, which often rely on iterations of existing designs, our approach embraced a complete overhaul. We started from scratch, exploring entirely new solutions that redefined standards in the sector. Octyma is 8-pistons brake caliper that blends style, design, identity with functionality. It optimizes pad pressure distribution thanks innovative cross layout of pistons improving braking performance.
Brembo : OCTYMA, from the Latin octo, indicates the number of pistons, but a figure of eight also symbolizes infinity and a constant flow of energy and power that represents balance, harmony, power and style. OCTYMA recalls the optimization of pad pressure distribution, made possible by the new cross layout for the pistons. This characteristic is highlighted in the caliper body design to convey the innovation and unique braking system.
Brembo : Our product was modelled by means of a 3D software (CATIA V5) and the verification of the resistance and the performance were carried out through non-linear FEA (Finite Element Analysis) simulation (ABAQUS).
Brembo : Octyma is the biggest caliper ever to be fitted on a Range Rover and is one of the strengths of the new Range Rover Sport SV. The design highlights the power of this object, both by emphasizing the innovative cross-arrangement of the pistons and its masculine and taut lines. It is made even more exclusive by seeking out specific colors: yellow, red, carbon bronze and black, which bring out the shape and help defining the caliper’s personality.
Brembo : To advance this project, we closely collaborated with our in-house engineering team. This team comprises experts with a wide range of specialized technical skills, ranging from mechanical engineering to advanced CAD modeling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. This synergy between design and engineering allowed us to create a product that seamlessly blends form and function.
Brembo : Technology plays a crucial role in this design, as we were able to leverage the latest developments in product engineering and to create a cutting-edge product. For example, the use of high-performance composite materials allowed us to reduce the component's weight without compromising its structural strength.
Brembo : We used research analysis about the importance of the style for Jaguar Land Rover Consumer. A dedicated design research was carried out on the distinctive styling cues of the customer brand, its market positioning and the values that the brand intends to communicate to the consumer. The outcomes of the study showed that details can make difference: it is known that, when choosing a car, the Jaguar Land Rover average customer is keen on aesthetic, which also includes the braking system.
Brembo : One of the primary challenges we encountered was harmonizing a bold and distinctive stylistic language with the integration of groundbreaking technological innovation. Balancing these elements required meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of both aesthetic principles and technical requirements. Additionally, we faced the challenge of ensuring that the innovative features of the design were not only visually striking, but also functionally effective. Through iterative prototyping and collaboration between our design and engineering teams, we were able to overcome these challenges by seamlessly integrating form and function, resulting in a product that not only pushes the boundaries of design, but also delivers unparalleled performance and functionality.
Brembo : Over the years, Brembo has built a strong reputation in the automotive sector for high-performance products, but also with an unique style, dictated by the search for a distinctive design. These are characteristics that have always been part of Brembo's DNA. Seeing that even competitions of this stature recognize this makes our brand even more special.
Brembo : From modelling activity we learnt how to fulfill customer’s technical needs by providing not only a functional product, but also an elegant and distinctive solution, which conveys different stylistic languages; this allowed us to also improve the experience of the final user.
Brembo : Sometimes severe and challenging requirements are the gateways to stylistic and technical innovation, creating opportunities to shape patentable solutions, like Octyma.
