Dave Marek Retires From Honda – Don’t Be Me

Nothing great lasts forever. Dave Marek officially retiring from his role as an R&D executive advisor of American Honda R&D is proof of that.

Right up to the start of January 2026, Marek has been working for decades with Honda design studios in the U.S. and around the world supporting automotive design and new business activities. Marek joined the company at Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA) in 1987 and, since that time, has contributed primarily to the designs of its North American-developed products.

Interview by John Grafman

The following exclusive interview with Dave Marek provides a glimpse at his career and future.

John Grafman / AutoDesignO: From marker sketches on vellum to the latest digital advances, you’ve seen it all. How do you feel about the evolution of design and the products we are seeing at the end of your career at Honda?

Spending A Lot Of Time On The Artwork You’re Styling

Dave Marek: Oh, it’s funny because [with] the vellum sketches, you’re spending a lot of time on the artwork you’re styling, but you’re just kind of crafting the rendering and pretty pictures. There was a lot less models in the lineup, and you had a lot more time to work on the presentation of it. I think now with tools the way they are and pretty much the evolution of [design], we always did packaging – start with the package 1st and then render over that and [with] pretty detailed renderings, measured, and things like that.

But once you’ve got tools, for me it’s sped it up immensely. As an example, I started using an airbrush instead of markers and chalk because the chalk was taking too long and I would airbrush the back (of the vellum paper) and it was like 10 times faster. But I think once you got into [digital], the tools changed. From the first Photoshop illustrator, those kind of things, especially in the transition to digital [accelerated development].

Also, a lot of the expectation of the vehicle became quite a bit different too with government regulations coming in, and a lot of all kinds of information that that wasn’t really thought of at the time, and manufacturing techniques, and things like that. I’ve kind of seen it grow up like I did, but it’s weird. One of the things that I would say about the digital world, concept making and preparing a presentation – not just the sketches, but the whole stem to stern presentation, and buy-in for a project, it was so much better to have digital tools to do that kind of stuff.

AutoDesignO: What are a few of the more memorable achievements during your era at Honda?

Trips To Japan Were Huge

Dave Marek: Just going to Japan the first time would be huge. I really embraced it. I wasn’t tentative, or I was really excited, and it was great. And so, my first couple of trips to Japan were huge for me just to see the inner workings of Honda and meet Mr. Honda (Soichiro Honda). I mean, if you wanna a real memorable achievement that was one of them. Becoming friends with a couple of presidents. Nobuhiko Kawamoto and I were pretty close. The first wagon. The Element, of course. 

And then there was Acura at the twilight of my career. Working with Jon Ikeda (currently SVP of Honda Racing Corporation USA, previously VP of Acura), we were really trying to make the brand feel powerful and relevant again—bringing Precision Crafted Performance back in a way you could actually see and feel, not just hear in an ad. That period stands out as much as anything I’ve done and one I’ll always be proud of.

ADO: What words of advice do you have for Yasutake Tsuchi as he is now responsible for leading Acura design direction and working with design studios in the U.S.?

My Advice Is – Don’t Be Me… Be You

Marek: My advice is – don’t be me… be you… and he will. I think that I ran a course of inspiration and got to a certain point, and now he can take it to the next level. He’s perfect for that! Yeah, I think that’s my advice, and he’s gonna do that. I want him to know that anything he needs, I’ve got his back. But I think that’s it. It’s more about don’t be afraid and try new things and build on the precision crafted performance. And make it his own because you know, it’s easy to say ‘Well, Dave did this, and Dave did that’, and now it’s different and it’s cool – and it should be. Change is good and it’s invigorating… sometimes. So, I think that’s going to help him. And I’m always here in case he needs any advice. I can tell him a bar in every town, of course, and he knows that (laughs). He’s well aware of that, including Tokyo.

ADO: In retiring from Honda, will you now be taking up fishing, bowling, and golf, or will you still be involved with artistic, creative endeavors?

Marek: You know, my dad, he grew up in the Northwest, and he and his brother go fishing in Alaska. And being in Tahoe, it’s like my dad loved fishing and I didn’t. So that answers that one. Bowling, you know, it’s fun, but you got to wear somebody else’s shoes (laughs). And then golf. I grew up by golf courses too, so I golfed for my dad. I just feel like I don’t have the time to devote to it.

I’m already inundated with artistic creative endeavors. So, I was always doing liveries for race cars, and I’m doing tons of that now, including some of the Acura stuff that we’re going to race at Daytona.

The Most Fun I’ve Had In The Design Business

Speaking of an achievement with Bill [Yex] doing that Acura ARX, that’s one of the most fun I’ve had in the design business because it was during COVID and it was just us. Then it won its first race. It’s like, holy crap, we won! It was such a great thing and a memorable achievement. And we won our first race andwe were second [place], too. So, it was like, holy crap, a slam dunk. Yeah. Nothing is more inspiring than that. It’s like, we’re doing this, and all the time.

But I think the other thing is, back to the marker sketches to digital advances, I’ve always felt that I didn’t have enough time to nurture in my head certain processes, or how to utilize digital tools doing liveries, or anything actually. And so, I’m going to devote time to that process.

And I’ll do a shameless plug for what we’re doing. An art show / artist designer show at Lions Museum in March (Sat Mar 14, 2026 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM PDT), and I’ll be speaking. And one of the things that I’m speaking about is doing liveries in a digital age. Kenny Youngblood is super famous for doing the 70s funny cars and paintings, race car paintings, and he’s amazing. He’s going to do a talk on how he did it, analog back in the 70s and 80s.

Liveries In A Digital Age

And then I’m going to talk about how the advancements that have come with 3D, because I map everything on 3D and do like any video you want just to see what it looks like. You know, it should be great because his stuff is still why I do it. He was a huge inspiration to me and it’s kind of cool that we’re friends, and he’s going to do that.

But Pete Nicholas (Dave’s friend outside of the design industry) will say – “You’re at the bar and Dave does a sketch of a car on a napkin, and they make a clay model, and it’s a Civic…”, and he then goes, “that’s all you need to know”. And I went, yeah, that’s pretty much it. Exactl!. Yeah, if you boil it down, that’s kind of what it is, well… I liked it. It was so succinct. That’s literally what napkin sketches are – the best, right? That process is so great, you know.

There’s not a road map, really. I mean, the road map is that’s good and that’s bad. It’s subjective. But you know, 9 out of 10 people look at a sketch and go, dude, that’s it! And I think what happens when you become the boss. You have the power to go, ‘yeah, that one’s good, we’re gonna make that.’ And I think a lot of people are tentative when they do that, they don’t just go, ‘OK, we’re making that’ because you have to make a choice.

And None Of It’s Personal

And it’s hard sometimes. It’s personal, and you don’t want to hurt people’s feelings, but I always try to make it. Here’s why I’m picking this one… and none of it’s personal. This is a great sketch we’re making that – who doesn’t want to make this kind of thing!

————————————————————

 

In Marek’s previous role as Honda’s design project leader for the U.S., he led the design for a number of milestone products, including the 1994 Honda Accord Wagon, 2003 Honda Element and 2006 Honda Ridgeline. Significantly, Marek led the design of the first Acura model to be designed, developed and produced in America, the 1997 Acura CL.

In 2014, Marek was named Acura Creative Director, becoming Acura Executive Creative Director in 2016.

In 2019, Marek led the design of the unique bodywork and livery for the 2019 IMSA Acura Team Penske ARX-05 prototypes, which made their racing debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in January 2019.

Bringing Acura Precision Crafted Performance DNA To Life

On April 1, 2021, his role moved within American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) as part of a corporate restructuring that led to the integration of the auto styling operations of HRA into AHM. During this time, Marek played a critical role in bringing Acura Precision Crafted Performance DNA to life in the brand’s products, including in concept vehicles. This includes the series of EV concept models, most recently, the Acura Performance EV Concept, previewing the brand’s next generation all-electric vehicle design.

In April 2024, Marek assumed his current role as R&D executive advisor.

Marek earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design, graduating with honors from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. He continues to be involved with his alma mater, including serving as an instructor since 1989, bringing numerous ArtCenter-sponsored projects to the California Department of Transportation, and being elected to the ArtCenter Alumni Council.

Marek’s work has been published in numerous enthusiast magazines, including Road & Track, Racer, Street Rodder and Car Graphic, as well as online at showrods.com and zero2sixtydesign.com. Marek also has created fine art and graphics for various championship racing teams, including Honda Racing.

Taking Over Marek’s Responsibilities

Taking over Marek’s responsibilities is Yasutake Tsuchida, the Acura Creative Director and vice president of R&D at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM). In this role, Tsuchida is responsible for leading Acura design direction and working with design studios in the U.S. and around the world supporting automotive design and new business activities. 

Tsuchida joined Honda in March 2024 as senior chief designer, creative director at Honda R&D Co., Ltd. Design Center in Japan.

In July 2024, he moved to Torrance, California to become the vice president of R&D at AHM, overseeing production design and advanced design.

In April 2025, Tsuchida assumed his current role as Acura Creative Director and vice president of R&D at AHM.

Prior to joining Honda, Tsuchida spent 25 years with Mazda in Japan and the U.S., most recently serving as senior director of design for Mazda North American Operations, based in Irvine, California. 

Tsuchida was named a 2021 Rising Star by Automotive News, which recognizes individuals under the age of 45 who display the talent and dedication necessary to become leaders within the automotive industry. 

Tsuchida studied design at the Kanazawa College of Art in Ishikawa, Japan.

Related Images: