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Former Mercedes-AMG designer Edgar Chu has approximately 1,000 laps around Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife racing circuit under his belt and a new project influenced by his time at the track. From 2010 to 2023, Chu was the senior exterior designer for the performance arm of Mercedes-Benz. It was an era that saw the GT sports car and E63 S receive resounding accolades from motor vehicle experts across the world. But, he didn’t complete the Ring laps in a GT or E63 S. “My logic behind it was I wanted to first improve myself, to become a better driver, before I purchase anything expensive, just in case I crash,” Chu told Newsweek during the Car Design Event CDE Classic at Nationales Automuseum – The Loh Collection. “I bought a 2008 Lotus Elise, which was well known for handling. The engine is a little bit weak for that track, but it’s a good learning point and to start to develop that feeling of the car. And then, over time, I started to modify the car, changing brakes, tires. In the end, it was a whole project,” he said. Edgar Chu mid-interview at CDE Classic. He continued, saying, “I went there every weekend. Of course, I spent a lot of money learning and doing stuff. For me, it was also a learning process, because when you just look at design, you only see the design part, but when you move out of design, you start to get involved with the technique and how the car has to be driven. You start to have a different understanding and start to see a broader picture.” Now he has another project in the works. As the founder and chief design officer of Rev Auto Design, Chu is working to bring the HWA EVO to life. It’s a clear tribute to the Mercedes-Benz 190 EVO II, but Chu passionately explains that it’s not a restomod. This is a whole new car. Taking a page from a heralded car isn’t without its mental hurdles. Chu said, “I always feel like doing such a design is like you’re making a sequel movie. The second one always has bigger shoes to fill than the first one. How do you make it exciting, and what happens if you did not match the spirit or content of the first one?” As he somewhat apprehensively approached the project, he repeated a mantra he learned years ago: It is just paper; it won’t bite. “I think it’s important for design, as a designer, to keep your mind open, to try things, and then you can always bring it back to reality, and not to wait or fear of that you might make a mistake,” Chu said. He admits that, “it is a challenge to design a better car than the [original] EVO.” Though its body may look familiar, the HWA EVO has a fresh carbon fiber body, apart from the cant rails, which provide roof-level structural support for the car. It’s a look with a price tag that will likely appeal to a niche group of enthusiasts. Edgar Chu presenting at CDE Classic. Leaving the stability of a career at one of the world’s most prestigious automakers for a startup operation was a big risk. “I had a lot of mixed feelings. If I stayed at Mercedes-AMG, I would have probably slowly climbed the [corporate] ladder. They had offered me that before I tried to leave – that level had a decent salary and retirement plan… But, instead of doing that, I took the risk to join this project because of the passion I have for the car, and to move out of my comfort zone,” Chu said. He continued, saying, “I think it’s scary, at least for me as a designer, to be comfortable. [You want to] challenge yourself and improve and learn. And, I know that I’m a quite disciplined person, so I also have some savings set aside. So, I thought, ‘Why not now?’ I’m already 48, if I don’t do it now, the opportunity will probably never come again, and that’s why I took the chance.” Testing and calibration of the HWA EVO is currently underway, with deliveries scheduled to begin soon. Pricing for the model starts at around $770,000.
