Vermeersch has worked with Pininfarina since he graduated with a first in Industrial Design Engineering from the Delft University of Technology in 1992. He's never known another employer and about 30 seconds into our telephone conversation it becomes clear he has found his creative home.

'For us this was a very interesting project because we wanted to transmit both the legendary design of Ferrari's classical long hood in the front with the cabin sitting at the rear of the car,' says Vermeersch. 'We had to combine that with a language that fully communicates the high performance of the car. If you look at its outline, you'll see the classical proportions combined with a different result where we are trying to push the design more forward to the front, rather than leaning to the back.

'That results in a combination of a classical look for the car and the feel that it is extremely sporty. That comes through altering the inclination of the lines of the car.'

What helps both parties involved in the production of the Fiorano is the fact that the two companies have, over the years, formed an almost symbiotic relationship; their development and reputations have grown hand in hand.

'Our relationship goes a long way back - right back to the founders of both companies, Enzo Ferrari and Battista 'Pinin' Farina,' says Vermeersch. 'There was a close collaboration between those two. And what you get when you work alongside someone for so long is that you develop a very thorough understanding of each other. From both sides there is a constant effort to excel in contributions we give to each other.

'We become involved in the project the moment Ferrari decide which kind of the car they want to make. When that is defined, we come into the process.'

Vermeersch's own relationship with Ferrari began almost as soon as he joined Pininfarina. 'When you join Pininfarina, you are constantly given different roles. Your job is always changing and you are involved in many projects rather than just concentrating on one,' he says. 'That way we have people who are experienced in a variety of things who can then come at projects from different angles.'

Once Ferrari decides it is time for a new model, it takes its concepts to Pininfarina and work begins on deciding just how the design of the car will take shape; and that means everything, from the door handles to the hub caps.

'It is a beautiful relationship,' says Vermeersch. 'From a design point of view, you start from having a thorough understanding of what Ferrari is - that is the guideline when you are developing these sorts of cars. We have worked more than 50 years with Ferrari so everyone has grown up with Ferrari. Everybody breathes it. We have a passionate understanding of what it is and that's where the designs come from.'

The 599 GTB Fiorano is a prime example of how Ferrari pushes the boundaries when it comes to design, but keeps an emphasis on retaining what is at the very essence of the brand.

'The cars are all very different but they are still all very Ferrari,' Vermeersch says. 'There is an honesty to the shape and the dynamics. When you talk about Ferrari you talk about it almost being a love affair with the car. That is the connection between the design team right through to the person who buys the car. It is difficult to put that down into a couple of words.'

And that love affair has spread to Hong Kong. For Vermeersch, who was here recently as a guest speaker during Business of Design Week, to see Ferraris on the streets of our bustling metropolis was a pure joy. 'I had known how strong the market was in Hong Kong,' he says. 'I was only there shortly but got to see a few Ferraris and that is a wonderful thing for me, to see them on the streets.'

What also seems to have Vermeersch beaming is the reaction to the 599 GTB Fiorano in Italy, where people take their brands - and any tampering with them - very personally.

'In Italy the reaction to the car was very positive,' he says. 'It seems to have hit the right balance between, on the one hand, surprising the market - because that's what you need when you release a new product - while at the same time recognising the Ferrari image and what the market expects from the brand.

'It is about having enough respect for the huge heritage that Ferrari has, and then at the same time introducing designs that reflect what Ferrari is at its essence - a truly innovative company.'