New directions in design

Automotive Industries, Dec, 2001 by Andrea Wielgat

Renault aims to repeat the success of the Scenic with the very avant-garde Avantime and Vel Satis concepts, and subsequent production vehicles. While these vehicles have been both criticized and praised in the press, most design experts agree that the company is taking a chance with them.

CCS's Olsen calls the Avantime a daring move by a company that has had little success developing a premium sedan. The coupe breaks new ground in packaging in that segment. "If this succeeds it could be Patrick's greatest triumph," Olsen notes.

It would also further prove that design is very much at the heart of strategy -- a belief of le Quement's that is also shared by Renault's board. And while design evolves, this belief will not change.

"In terms of a design statement, our search will be to make sure our cars will be as attractive as we can make them," le Quement says. "We shall try to make them even more emotional and flowing and dynamic," he promises.

American Luxury: Easier Said Than Done

Gerry McGovern's first visit to Detroit as head of Lincoln design included a panic attack. It foreshadowed a rough year.

"If you actually want to change things because you feel passionately about it, and you know in your heart that they have to change if you're to succeed on the things that you're promising people, then it gets tough," McGovern asserts.

But this outspoken Brit did want to change things, even if it ruffled some dealer feathers along the way. "It's starting to get easier because the whole picture is starting to get clearer," he admits.

McGovern, 44, joined the Ford family in 1999 as design director for Lincoln-Mercury McGovern has worked with the former Chrysler Corp., PSA Peugeot Citroen and Rover Cars. But it was his work as the director of Land Rover Design -- he's credited with the Freelander -- that helped him win the spot at Lincoln.

"Gerry's keen understanding of luxury vehicles and his passion and appreciation for high quality; aspirational designs will help us refine Lincoln design and grow the brand to appeal to a wider set of consumers," said J Mays, Ford's vicepresident of design, when McGovern was named to the position

And so began McGovern's quest to understand where Lincoln was and where it wanted to go. It was clear to him that while Lincoln was seen as a luxury brand, it did not have the same premium-brand cachet and equity as Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

"What we want to do is become comparable with those brands in terms of quality and in terms of intrinsic integrity of the product," he says. "But at the same time we don't want to emulate them."

Lincoln needed its own luxury genetics -- the "design DNA" that's become an industry buzzword to stand out in the crowd of premium vehicles. 'This isn't a five minute job," he says. "I recognize that it's going to take time. It's doable."

But defining American luxury is easier said than done. "I think it's a contradiction in terms," he asserts. "As far as Lincoln is concerned, I think American Luxury is used to define the fact that it is a luxury product or presented as a luxury product"