Meet Zephyr Designz: Exclusive Interview with a Rising Star in Digital Car Design

I’ve always been drawn to names and concepts that stand out, not just visually, but emotionally. Growing up, I spent a lot of time immersed in car racing games, and Need for Speed: Rivals really stuck with me. The protagonist in that game was called Zephyr, and something about that name resonated deeply. It felt fast, mysterious, and powerful, like a whisper of rebellion on the road.

From that moment on, I adopted “Zephyr” as my online identity, whether it was my gaming ID or email handle, it became a core part of who I was in the digital world. So, when I started pursuing digital car design seriously, there was no question that “Zephyr” had to be part of it. I added “Designz” to give it a creative edge and a personal twist, something that rhymes, flows, and still feels uniquely mine. Together, it captures both my roots in gaming and my vision as a digital automotive artist.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

My journey began with pencil sketches, cars drawn from imagination, not reference. I wasn’t doing it professionally, just passionately. Eventually, I wanted to take those ideas into a digital space, and that’s when I discovered Photoshop. It opened up a whole new world where I could manipulate, kitbash, and create more realistic concepts. During that time, I was lucky to connect with online artists like Evan Designs, who really helped me sharpen my Photoshop skills and understand how to bring realism into my work.

But even then, I felt limited by the two-dimensional canvas. I wanted more control over lighting, form, and angles, something only 3D could offer. So I began teaching myself, starting with Blender and later moving to 3ds Max. Most of my learning came from YouTube time-lapses, forums, and late-night trial-and-error. I began by modeling full cars from scratch, believing that mastering the entire form would make it easier to handle individual components later on.

Over time, my creative process evolved. With Photoshop, I’d often start with a sketch and then build it up layer by layer. But in 3D, my approach became more intuitive. I usually begin with a stock car model and modify it organically, testing ideas as I go. Some designs work right away, others go through multiple revisions before they feel right. Every car has its own design language, and while some styling cues translate well across platforms, others don’t, so I approach each project with fresh eyes.

Right now, my work exists primarily in the digital realm, where the possibilities are limitless. But I also keep in mind that if any of these designs were to be realized physically one day, there would be a whole new layer of engineering and R&D involved. For now, I treat each design like a digital prototype, experimental, expressive, and always pushing boundaries.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

Absolutely. Khyzyl Saleem really inspired me early on, his bold, futuristic take on car design showed me how far creativity could be pushed in the digital space. And Horacio Pagani’s work always fascinated me from a craftsmanship and storytelling perspective, every line and detail in his cars has a reason, a purpose, and a soul.

More recently, I’ve found a lot of inspiration in the evolution of Indian automotive design. Designers like Pratap Bose have played a major role in that transformation. His vision, first at Tata Motors and now at Mahindra, has helped bring a fresh, distinctive identity to Indian cars. Concepts like the Mahindra BE.6 and XEV9E showcase a new, coupe-inspired design language that’s sleek, futuristic, and bold. Similarly, Tata’s Curvv has redefined how we think about mass-market Indian vehicles, it’s sporty, expressive, and breaks away from the traditional boxy SUV formula.

What excites me most is that India is now creating its own visual language, not borrowing from Western or Korean trends, but building something unique and modern. As someone creating digital automotive art, it’s incredibly motivating to see that kind of design thinking come out of our own market. It proves that bold ideas can thrive here, and it pushes me to keep innovating through my own work.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

The journey from concept to final render is detailed, but I wouldn’t call it overwhelming, it’s more like a creative ritual that I’ve honed over the years. It usually begins with either a car I’ve always wanted to reimagine, or one suggested by my audience. For example, a recent project involved the last-gen Kia Stinger. People wanted to see it in a new light, something more aggressive, more dramatic.

If a high-quality 3D model of the base car is available, I’ll buy it to save time. If not, I’ll model it from scratch, which can take about a week, especially since I juggle personal projects between other commitments. For the full builds, I mostly model just the exterior in detail, keeping the interior minimal, just enough to hold up visually through the windows.

Once the base is ready, I dive straight into the design. I don’t always sketch beforehand; my process in 3D is more intuitive and improvisational. I begin with a basic primitive shape, usually a cylinder, and reshape it into widebody arches. That’s often my starting point. From there, I begin sculpting the rest of the kit: fenders, bumpers, vents, splitters. I gradually layer in more aggressive elements, deep cuts, bold creases, and exaggerated aero, while still respecting the car’s original lines.

My style often includes rear fender vents, it’s sort of become a signature touch. I also draw inspiration from hypercars when designing aero elements like front splitters or diffusers, giving the build a more performance-driven personality. Once the bodywork is done, I move on to wheels which is a critical part of the design. I rotate between HRE, Vossen, Brixton Forged, and Rotiform, choosing whichever set complements the design’s energy. I also model or source them from trusted artists to ensure realism.

As for tires, I’ve recently become obsessed with the ADVAN Neova AD08Rs, there’s something about the tread pattern that just works. Earlier, I leaned toward the Toyo Proxes R888Rs, and sometimes I still use the Pirelli PZeros depending on the mood of the render.

After setting the stance which could be bagged, slammed, or tastefully flush. Then I jump into texturing. This involves setting up realistic materials for everything from paint to glass to brake calipers. Then I move on to lighting and environment setup. I usually take a few hours to a day for that phase, depending on the complexity and how deep I want to go.

For the final step, I set up physical cameras inside the rendering software, adjusting field of view, depth of field, and focus to match real-world angles. I render from multiple perspectives, making sure each shot captures the essence of the build. After rendering, I do light post-processing, mostly color correction, to make the car pop just enough while keeping the realism intact. Once I’m happy with the output, I post it on Instagram.

It’s a blend of structure and improvisation and every project teaches me something new.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

Absolutely, my creative toolkit has evolved significantly over the years. I initially started with Photoshop, primarily working in 2D, sketching and manipulating images to bring my ideas to life. But over time, I felt the need to break past the limitations of flat visuals and step into a more immersive, dimensional space, that’s when I began exploring 3D.

My first exposure to 3D modeling was through Blender, but I quickly transitioned to 3ds Max. Something about the UI and the workflow clicked better for me, especially after watching time-lapse videos and tutorials where artists created widebody kits using 3ds Max. It felt like the right environment for the kind of work I envisioned doing.

In terms of rendering, I initially experimented with Arnold and Scanline, but later moved to Corona Renderer because of its simplicity and ease of setup. As I began working more with clients and studios, I adopted V-Ray as well, since many production pipelines rely on it. So currently, 3ds Max combined with either Corona or V-Ray forms the core of my 3D concept art workflow.

For post-processing, I still turn to Photoshop and Lightroom for color correction and refining visuals. When it comes to motion work or promotional content, I use Premiere Pro and After Effects. I had some experience with After Effects even before diving deep into 3D, but my usage grew more as I began compositing and editing animations. Nowadays, I primarily use Premiere Pro for my Reels, Shorts, and YouTube content, while After Effects comes into play for more complex visual compositions, especially when collaborating with agencies.

So yeah, it’s been a constant evolution, each tool bringing a new layer of depth to my creative expression.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

I wouldn’t say my work is drastically different from others, we all have our own creative signatures. But if there’s one thing that makes my work stand out, it might be the way I push proportions and visual drama. My widebody kits are really wide, my stanced cars are slammed to the ground, and sometimes I go all-out with exposed components, like the rear-engine Swift concept I did, where the engine is fully visible. I think it’s the boldness and level of detail that resonates with people.

At the same time, I have huge respect for other artists in the scene. I follow many of them and get inspired constantly. Everyone has their own lane and their own vision, that’s the beauty of this space. I believe real artists, the ones who build from their imagination rather than rely on AI, always bring something unique to the table. Even when we’re inspired by others, it’s how we reinterpret ideas that keeps things evolving.

For me, photorealism plays a big role. I like to make my renders pop, sometimes it might even look over-the-top, but that’s part of my visual language. Ultimately, I let the audience decide what hits home for them. I just try to stay true to what I enjoy making.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

Of all the designs I’ve created, the Swift Twin Turbo concept holds a very special place in my heart. I actually designed it nearly five years ago during the early stages of my 3D learning journey. Back then, I was just starting to understand how to model properly, fixing topology, improving my workflow, experimenting with ideas. I remember sitting in front of my PC until 6am, with 3ds Max open on one side and a YouTube tutorial on the other, just trying to figure things out. That car taught me so much, from modeling techniques to patience and persistence.

Recently, I reposted the Swift on my Instagram, especially in response to people calling my renders “AI-generated. ” I wanted to make it very clear: this was handcrafted, from scratch. And the response blew me away. That post hit over 2.1 million likes, with more than 25 million impressions and views. It got shared widely, picked up by YouTubers, blogs, and Instagram pages. It kind of gave my page an identity. The Swift went from a personal project I built out of passion to something that helped define Zephyr Designz for a wider audience.

What makes it even more special is how extreme and out-of-the-box the concept is. It’s wide, raw, exposed, it’s a statement. And the fact that it was part of my foundational learning makes it feel like more than just a render. It’s a marker of how far I’ve come.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

The widebody Prius was a project where I wanted to show how a car often seen as eco-focused could be turned into something aggressive, sporty, and totally unexpected. It was about flipping perception, and people loved how radical it looked. The newer one was the best turn for me to turn it into a track monster.

As for the Hyundai N Vision 74, that car itself was a piece of retro-futuristic design genius. I didn’t want to do too much, just emphasize its wild design language even further. And I added a Mclaren M840t engine to it as well. Both those cars were experiments in how far I could push the balance between respect for the original and a completely new aggressive aesthetic.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

It’s a mix of all three. Sometimes it’s based on audience suggestions, like the Kia Stinger, which people really wanted to see with an aggressive widebody. If the 3D model is available, I’ll buy it to save time. Otherwise, I model it from scratch, which takes about a week because I don’t sit long for personal projects.

Once I have the car model ready, I usually skip sketches and directly start modeling the kit, beginning with a primitive like a tube or cylinder. I form the arch, build the body kit around that, and slowly add details, creases, vents, aggressive styling. The rear fender vent is kind of my trademark now. After modeling, I set the stance and wheels, usually HREs, Vossens, Rotiforms, or Brixton Forged. I finalize the render in 3ds Max using Corona or V-Ray, depending on the project.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

My audience is my biggest motivation. They are the reason I am who I am. They gave me the “Zephyrism” tag, saying things like “When Zephyr touches a car, it turns into a masterpiece.” Even during the recent AI wave where people mistook my work for AI, my audience defended me. I got thousands of story replies, DMs, and supportive comments. That loyalty is what drives me to keep going.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

Yes, there have been a few interesting conversations. Some companies and tuners have reached out, a few even seriously considering building bodykits based on my designs. But nothing is finalized yet. I’m still waiting for the right kind of collaboration, where I can retain my style and have creative freedom.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

I think digital designers are now helping people visualize what’s possible. We can experiment without limits, things that may not be possible in real life just yet. My role is to push boundaries and inspire not just car lovers but maybe even real-world manufacturers. If someone builds a car based on my concept one day, that’s a win.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

AI-generated art might look flashy at first glance, but it often lacks consistency and proportion. You’ll notice that if you ask AI to give something like an M5 a widebody, it might fuse elements from an M4, add styling cues from unrelated models, and blur out the design logic. The proportions end up off, like arches in the wrong place, vents that serve no purpose, or surfaces that wouldn’t even work in the real world. It’s more of a collage than a true design.

My work, on the other hand, is built part by part, with design reasoning behind every vent, every curve. I understand the form and the flow of the car, how light hits it, how stance affects presence, and how aggressive lines can still follow the original car’s DNA. I study how cars are designed in the real world, and then I push that into my own world, so it’s creative and believable.

And the community notices that. They know when something feels genuine. That emotional connection and creative control is something AI just can’t replicate, because this isn’t just about making things look cool, it’s about crafting something from scratch with intent.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

Yes! I’ve been eyeing some Indian electric and hybrid designs that are breaking the norm, things like the Mahindra BE.6, XEV 9E, and Tata Curvv. They show a shift in design thinking, and I’d love to give them a Zephyr treatment. And I’d also love to revisit some old-school JDMs in completely reimagined ways.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

Definitely. That’s a dream, to see one of my renders turn into a real build. There have been conversations, and I hope the right opportunity comes up where I can guide the build and stay true to the design.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

I want to evolve Zephyr Designz into a complete creative automotive design brand, not just digital renders, but maybe even custom bodykit production, clothing, creative collaborations, and more media content. I want to keep it personal, raw, and rooted in car culture.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

Probably the Toyota Prius again, or maybe go wilder with something like the Hyundai Ioniq 6 or even the Lucid Air. Those are blank canvases in my eyes, begging for some aggression and character.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz

In the Indian context, I think Mahindra is doing really exciting stuff, especially under Pratap Bose’s leadership. Their BE series show bold design decisions that were missing in the Indian market for a long time. It’s refreshing to see that level of ambition and individuality, and it’s finally getting attention beyond India too.

Internationally, I’d say Hyundai is on a roll. They’re seriously underrated when it comes to design innovation. The N Vision 74 is a perfect example, retro-inspired yet futuristic, with a design language that merges heritage with performance. It’s rare to see a mainstream brand experiment that boldly, and I admire that.

Brands like Genesis and BYD are also catching my eye. They’re taking risks, breaking away from conventional styling, and bringing something new to the table, which is exactly what the industry needs right now.

Vishnu Suresh – Zephyr Designz