J Mays Overhauling Ford's Design

He is finally figuring out that the world hates most of his designs (like his Art Center alumnus Chris Bangle at BMW). The key is whether this move comes too late for him or Ford. The Mustang is about the only silver lining at Ford that is keeping this hulk alive by artifical means... this is what you get when you are believing your own press J!

Personally, I think that they should kick him (and Thomas) out like the folks at Pinanfarina did to Okuyama san.

Brad

J Mays set to overhaul Ford's global design

Posted Nov 6th 2007 8:56AM by Dan RothFiled under: Trends, Etc., Ford

Rather than have disparate design wings flung across the globe, all speaking in a different tongue, Ford's tasking J Mays with teaching everyone the design equivalent of Esperanto. The new, unified, global design language will replace the "Kinetic Design" that Ford of Europe employs, as well as superseding the "Bold American" motif we get here in the United States. We're not likely to see the Edge pick up any Mondeo themes any time soon, but Mays is looking forward about six years to see the convergence come to fruition on a new generation of vehicles.

Ford is looking inward, trying to divest some of the PAG largesse while simultaneously reinvigorating the core Ford brand. New, cohesive, and most of all exciting design is key to transforming Ford, and Mays will serve as overlord from his London base of operations. While you'd think that something as important as global design for such a huge automaker would be cloistered in the bowels Dearborn, Mays says that Alan Mulally is comfortable with him working remote. We think it will be good to have the design chief living abroad, able to take in a wider sampling of automotive fashion than what we can find here in the US.

Besides, we're sure there's an XK in the Mays garage, ready to rip on down to Carnaby Street to study fashionistas in their natural habitat.