Why Russian automakers reject designers

Why Russian car brands are turning down designers: we break down confirmed data and the event context, plus practical takeaways for brands, agencies, and the advertising market.

Ilya Razumov, a Russian exterior designer, received five rejections from Lada, failed to make the cut for Aurus and Moskovich, then completed four internships at Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen before becoming a designer at Bentley Motors. His first production project was the Bentley Supersports, priced at $500k, already unveiled in November 2025 in a run of 500 units.

Why Russian car brands turn down designers

Lada, Aurus, and Moskvich turned Razumov down with feedback about an insufficient level and amateur work. The source describes his personal job-search experience rather than a common recruitment policy across Russian automotive companies.

According to Razumov, practical experience during study matters when seeking a first job at an international automotive company. Razumov completed two internships at Porsche, one at Audi, and one at Volkswagen before receiving an offer from Bentley. During his internship at Audi's design studio in Ingolstadt in 2020, his project made it to the finals of an internal competition among 55 in-house designers and took second place — chief designer Mark Lichte praised the work highly, but management chose a design that was simpler to manufacture in production.

According to Razumov, approximately 95% of automotive designers' work consists of sketches and projects that never become production vehicles.

How internships transform a specialist's portfolio

In Razumov's case, manufacturing constraints influenced the project choice: his Audi proposal was more aggressive and futuristic, but management preferred a design that was easier to implement. According to the designer, this experience helped him take rejected ideas more calmly and see setbacks as part of the profession.

The Bentley Supersports, whose exterior Razumov worked on, became the fastest production car in the brand's history. Bentley published the designer's sketches in an official press release with the author's credit—a practice that confirms individual authorship in a project typically involving an entire team.

How much do automotive designers earn

According to Razumov, ordinary designers and engineers in the automotive industry usually earn an average or slightly above-average salary for their country of work. He associates higher earnings primarily with progression to a management role rather than employment at a prestigious brand alone.

In Razumov's assessment, reaching a genuinely high income may take 10–15 years and involves progressing to a leadership position, such as chief designer. This is his assessment of a career path, not a guaranteed timeline or salary level.

What You Need for a Career in Automotive Design

You can get an education in Russia, but regular practice and internships are critical. Razumov advises aspiring specialists to assess their motivation in advance: it's not enough to graduate from university and send out a resume — you need to draw regularly, analyze other people's work, develop your skills, and communicate with professionals.

A checklist for a professional planning a career in an international automotive brand:

• Build a portfolio that shows the work process, from an idea and sketches to a developed result.
• Explore available internships at automotive design studios and check their candidate requirements.
• Consider industry competitions and include the results in the portfolio with an accurate description of your contribution.
• Study the production constraints of specific brands: which materials the factory uses, which shapes are technologically challenging, and what the typical model development cycle is.
• Ask internship supervisors for feedback on the work and clarify whether they are willing to provide references.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a car designer at Bentley earn?

Razumov does not give a specific Bentley salary: he says ordinary designers and engineers in the industry usually earn an average or slightly above-average salary for their country. In his assessment, progression to a leadership position with a high income may take 10–15 years.

What Education Do You Need to Work as a Designer in the Automotive Industry?

Razumov graduated from Moscow Polytechnic University and joined Bentley after four internships at Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen. He recommends regular practice, skill development, and communication with professionals; his story does not establish universal education requirements for every employer.

Why Do Most Designer Projects Never Make It to Production?

According to Razumov, around 95% of automotive designers' work goes into drawings and projects that do not become production vehicles. His own Audi proposal lost to a design that management considered easier to implement.