We all knew it was coming: Ford is (finally) developing a unified design language. From the early 00′s “new edge” design, to the overly geometric design of the 24/7, to today’s “kinetic design” in Europe, Ford is one company who rarely stands still when it comes to developing and nurturing a design language.
That is all about to change, and most of us are up tempo that this will help unify Ford design worldwide, as well as bring some great design talent and ideas Stateside.
Read on for the article from Automotive News.
Ford’s Design Chief Mays plans to overhaul unit, create single global design language for Ford brand
J Mays, Ford’s group vice president of design and chief creative officer, plans to reorganize the automaker’s design department as it shifts to a single global design language for the Ford brand.
“Everyone’s focus will be slightly shifted,” he said, while declining to share details. Work on that new design language is “coming along extremely well,” Mays noted. “I’m so pleased with the professional approach that Peter Horbury and Martin (Smith) have taken on driving us to the right answer.”
The design language will succeed both the kinetic design theme now rolling out on Ford of Europe products and what Ford calls the “Bold American” design theme seen on United States market vehicles such as the Edge crossover and the Fusion sedan. Smith heads up the kinetic work in Europe, while Horbury oversees North American design.
While both themes still are fairly fresh, those designs will age, according to Mays. So Ford is planning a look that can succeed today’s designs six years or so into the future. While the successor design language will be global, regional tailoring will be done, he said.
Mays says the probable sale of some of Ford’s luxury brands also will change his focus. The automaker currently is taking bids for Jaguar and Land Rover and is reviewing Volvo. It sold the bulk of Aston Martin earlier this year.
“Until we sold Aston Martin, there we were with eight brands, and my job was described as an inch deep and a mile wide,” Mays said. “And now it’s an inch wide and a mile deep.”
He said the transformation of the Ford brand globally is the number one challenge.