Peter Horbury returns to head Volvo design; Moray Callum in as Ford's design chief

[RichardJensen]

I don't see why European designed compacts can't fare well in the US.

 

If anything, the US market and the European market have grown closer in the decade making the viability of "World Cars."

And, as I've said, for practical purposes, Fiesta & Focus need to share most of their body work. Margins are too thin to go overboard differentiating these models.

 

But, as you step up from the Focus, you start to deal more and more with the particular expectations of two very different places. One need only look at the model differentiation between the US & Europe for Toyota & Honda, and the identical models sold on both sides of the Atlantic by Volkswagen to see which company is succeeding in the US.

[MKII]

But, as you step up from the Focus, you start to deal more and more with the particular expectations of two very different places.

 

What are those particular expectations of the two very different places?

 

When Ford says stuff like "converging tastes of global consumers" do you think these statements are based on research, or is this only Ford execs predictions ?

Edited April 6, 2009 by MKII

[jpd80]

What are those particular expectations?

Living in the USA is completely different to living in Europe with high fuel prices.

It then follows that vehicles and the expectations of buyers is completely different.

[RichardJensen]

"converging tastes of global consumers"

Its execu-speak. It is not backed up by relevant real world experience.

 

Gas prices have pushed Americans into smaller cars, but Americans neither prefer them to larger cars nor are they willing to support a tax regime that forces them into smaller cars.

 

Americans own more cars on average, and spend more time in them than Europeans. Americans have more and larger families. Americans take 'road trips' with a view to seeing things not driving 180 clicks on the Autobahn.

 

America has nowhere near Europe's population density and even if America's population centers are getting more dense, Ford's core market is in the much less densely settled heartlands.

 

'converging tastes' is also belied by a fractured political landscape, and it's a statement that is, after all this, so vague as to be supportable simply by saying, "Americans like tiny electronic gadgets almost as much as Europeans do."

[silvrsvt]

And since they have stretched that across all models it is cheapening the brand. Luxury or elegance, to me, should be understated. that grill is just too BOLD. It smaks of plasticine. Do you always want to see a Lincoln as an also ran?

 

How is a common styling trait cheapening the brand? Thats like saying the kidney grill on BMW makes it cheap

[Critic]

How is a common styling trait cheapening the brand? Thats like saying the kidney grill on BMW makes it cheap

No, I said that grille on all Lincolns smaks of Plasticine and cheapnes the brand. Actually it doesn't look much different now than a Mercury Grill.

 

That? That grille is suppose to tell people "It's a Lincoln!" It surely will.

[RichardJensen]

Plasticine is an oil-based clay. You mean plastichrome, right? Of course BMW grilles are either plastic plastic or plastichrome as well.

[pcsario]

How is a common styling trait cheapening the brand? Thats like saying the kidney grill on BMW makes it cheap

 

A grill is not the same thing as a face. Look at the shapes used for the headlights.

 

And yes, I know they aren't technnically the same in all Lincolns, but still... the look doesn't allow for much flexibility.

 

Look at the MKT concept Vs. reality. This language doesn't translate that well in production sheetmetal. (I've been within inches of both, btw) Almost all the cues are there, but it doesn't gel like it did in the concept. The same thing would've probably happened to a production MKR. The kind of precision shown in that sheetmetal is simply not found presently on any production car I know of.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the grille is the first thing to be modified by Callum, they will probably keep the idea, but refine its execution and use different proportions that flow better on production sheetmetal, and also allow greater flexibility in design.

Edited April 6, 2009 by pcsario

[Critic]

OK.. Plasticine Plastichrome. plastic.. plastic...

I know the 'X' is plastic, but at least it has mimicked the Continental look and nailed it.

 

Ford reached back into heritage for the style of the front end, but to me, the modern interpretation of it fell short.

 

 

 

Cadillac has some good grilles, no doubt about that. It's the minor details in the grill that impart a richness to them.

 

What I don't like is the Baleen look to the new Lincoln Grill, Again too BOLD. Stop bean counting every part, and on your Flagship's offer a poor-man a rich-man's look and show some detail in the material selection instead of just a style interpretation look to it all.. Even the Mercury's have the same look now as the Lincoln's, but without the gull-wing. Just the vertical slat. Buick and some Chinese have that same look,. Put some money into that grille, make it a screen door if you must, but add a richness to it.

[Critic]

Look at the MKT concept Vs. reality. This language doesn't translate that well in production sheetmetal. (I've been within inches of both, btw) Almost all the cues are there, but it doesn't gel like it did in the concept. The same thing would've probably happened to a production MKR. The kind of precision shown in that sheetmetal is simply not found presently on any production car I know of.

I have never seen an actual 'T' in person. But I caught the same feeling looking at the concept and then actual production pictures. Something just wasn't right. In fact it has now completely turned me off to looking at ANY concept foto's at all. I know I will be disappointed. It still hurts to think what happened with that 'T' Perhaps another thing is, do not show a concept without door-handles. When they have to be used in actual production, no matter how great the styling is, they can kill a look.

 

I had such great hope for a BIG Lincoln comeback with that 'T'. Oh I hate what it is now.. From a 5 to an 8 seat mini-van. I'm not dissing anything else about the Interior, I knew that would never make it in production, nor the glass top. It's just too over the top for nothing more than a damn Lincoln mini-van..

 

I'm so burned up about that 'T' it kills me.