Only weeks ago newspapers reported that Ford Motor Company had lost its number two spot to rival Japanese automaker Toyota — the shot heard across the automotive world. While these figures are now in dispute, it's quite clear that the Big Three is no longer an American only club.
American automakers produce inferior products in the same categories dominated by Japanese, German, and Korean brands. Detroit's only saving grace is the pick-up and the ultra large SUV, without which General Motors would surely find itself hanging out with Chrysler, who lost it's key to the Big Three bathroom a long time ago.
If Ford expects to regain and hold it's honorable place in the industry then it must at least show the same level of progress as it's competitors. Instead it would seem that design is being passed off as innovation. Nothing but masks of steal and machinery.
At this years North American International Auto Show, Ford promised a "product revolution of epic proportions" with no less than five vehicles for 2005. Three are merely redesigns of current models. Of the two that are left, one is for show, the other for dough.
The Ford GT was brought back from retirement to attract (I assume) car collectors and people with a small penis. The new GT is visually stunning but we've seen this already — back in 1966.
Automotive design has come along way from the 1960's yet Ford has simply cloned a former model. I can't imagine how many design students and auto engineers could have come up with something better. Not in the manner that the Corvette and Thunderbird was massacred in the 1970's and 80's but at least put some tail fins on the damn thing, or use a different color racing stripe.
It's 2005 — time to move on and come up with new ideas. Where is the innovation? And why are we still using tires?
The new Ford Five Hundred is a mid-size sedan that Slate magazine calls, "[the] car that's supposed to save ford." With such an important job the Five Hundred should be quite a head turner. Instead it's a Taurus crammed into a package that is a complete visual knock-off of the Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat.
This is not by accident. In 1997, Ford hired auto designer J Mays, who designed vehicles for Audi, BMW, and Volkswagen — where he designed the new VW Bug. Personally I like the look of this car but when comparing the list of features and quality of the Five Hundred next to an Audi or Volkswagen, it fails to compete. This model will only serve those people who feel the need to support American manufacturing but want to drive a car that looks more sophisticated than their cousin's Pontiac Grand Prix.
I'm surprised that Mr. Mays would simply port an existing design with the Five Hundred. The new Beetle is a modern reflection of it's predecessor, not a copy. A contemporary nod to nostalgia. With the portfolio that J has, why use a cookie cutter?
I expect that a company with billions of dollars at it's command should constantly discover new and better ways to live. Apple has done this twice with the invention of the Macintosh and iPod. So why is it that our largest corporations can not find the thrill and necessity of innovation as they once did during the first decades of the industry? Why are we being shoveled crap that's made to look like something new?
When the Big Three is gone and waxing poetic about the salad days of their by gone monopoly I won't shed a tear or even give it a second thought. Until they can get off their complacency, I'll keep driving my Volkswagen, the perfect package of form and function — design and innovation.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
Apple did it wth the Mac and Sony did it with the BetaMax. I'm not saying either are bad but take a look at their current market share. That will speak for itself.
Take a look at BMW's current market share. Maybe 3% or so? And we all know what a failure BMW is. Seriously, the silly market share argument dried up long ago. Profit is what matters and Apple and Sony have plenty of it.
> The Ford GT was brought back from retirement to attract (I assume) car collectors and people with a small penis.
HAW HAW HAW!
I gotta say I love the throwback designs from Ford (GT, '05 Mustang) and others. The closer to the originals, the better. Take a look at the Thunderbird -- quite far from the original -- and its (assumed) paltry showing in the market.
Actually, innovation is still happening some places. Just not at Ford. Chevy seems to be having a small influx of creativity. Have you seen their truck convertible? Okay, it looks like hell in yellow, but I actually love the design. Retro yet new.
Then again, it seems every new design is "retro yet new."
Thankfully I need not worry about my penis size.
Calling Ford and GM "American" auto companies is simply incorrect. While both these companies go to great pains to raise their sales in the U.S. by reenforcing the image that they're American companies, nearly all of their cars are made in places that are not America. These car corporations havn't been American since the 80's when they moved most of their factories out of the U.S. The fact the room in which the C.E.O. of Ford has meetings is located within the borders of the U.S. does not make Ford any more "American" than Nintendo, or Sanrio.
Ford, GM, and Chrysler are American corporations ir-regardless of where their products are manufactured. Whereas Nintendo is very much a Japanese company that does business in the United States.
My Mom asked me the other day why Toyota's still considered a foreign vehicle when the bulk of the cars they sell in the US are built... in the US. HQ is still in Japan, so they're a foreign manufacturer; so it goes with Ford, GM, and DCX (Daimler-Chrysler).
I'm with you on the Ford GT, Greg, but I consider the throwback a blessing. Have you seen what they did to the Shelby Cobra? In a word: ew. I don't care if Shelby was involved at every step; it's icky.
And to Blake, the SSR looks niiiiiiiiiice in person and in fire-engine red. (:
I drive an Infiniti Q45 and my last car was a Porsche. I buy whatever seems the best bang for the buck. If I could find a "American" car with great styling, features, and performance for a good price that is what I would buy.
Until American manufacturers can compete with an equivalent product to the Japanese and the Germans (hell, even the British and the French) they will continue to see their market share erode. Deservedly so.
The one area that it costs relatively little to compete in is in form. I would like to see American manufacturers step outside the box more frequently. I love the "new" GT, too bad I can't afford it. I have seen a few signs of late that the American brands are willing to experiment. So I remain hopeful that before I die I'll buy another American car.
I too have to say that I prefer the older designs.
the nature of good design is progress not regress.
Nice article Greg. In response to your question:
"So why is it that our largest corporations can not find the thrill and necessity of innovation as they once did during the first decades of the industry?"
I believe part of the blame must be squarely shouldered by the direction-setters in each company. Many perceive "good design" to be to the detriment of the bottom line, because it involves the subjective qualities. Whereas easily quantifiable aspects of production (or service) are more easily seen as correlating to revenues and then profits. Then there's the whole "short-term profits vs. long-time viability" dilema to contend with.
But it must be stated, just because a task is difficult doesn't make it not be undertaken.
I agree with you... American car manufactures have almost completely disregarded design as priority in their thinking.
I want that car and I don't even have a penis!
my first car was a cherry '65 chevy impala super sport from my best friend when she turned 102...my granny.
she was my only joy, my soul and my best friend. I re-did her landau top, found all new emblems at pick-a-part, repainted and re-vamped her from head to [toe] wheel. She was big enough to have a picnic in and purred really [really] loud. When I went away to college, I drained her oil and put her up on blocks. That year,
my brother sold her off for cocaine. From that day on...I don't really care about cars anymore. my parents gave me their old SUV to make up for my brothers' lapse in judgement...which, i felt was really sweet of them...however I did go through major car-culture shock at the beginning. if i were to get another car, of my own choosing...i'd get a '64 impala super sport ice-blue hardtop with
fat wheels, white leather interior the 'ladylike' matching ice-blue kleenex box accessory...
but, word up granny- nothing could replace your love.
Your loving granddaughter,
Battlecat
"Why are we being shoveled crap that's made to look like something new?"
Unfortunately, most North American consumers have no idea what good design really is and it is reflected in their furniture, appliances, clothing and even in their homes' architecture. It follows cars would be chosen with the same mundane fashion sense. The fact that just about every type of consumer good is fraught with useless features and bad ergonomics demonstrates that the most valued characteristic is price and not performance.
Of course, there are exceptions, but that is not the rule. The continued proliferation of discount chains and shopping clubs only means that real value is being lost at the retail level. That can only translate into de-valued manufacture and thus, cheap design.
We get what we pay for and nowhere is that more obvious than in automobiles.
My ex girlfriend's father always gave me grief about driving a Honda - he was a Ford man, and swore he would always "drive American." I tried to explain my Civic was actually built in California, by American workers with American steel and many made-in-America parts, whereas his Ford was built in Mexico with components assembled mostly in Asia and Latin America. There is no longer such thing as an "American car" - or for that matter, a Japanese car or English car. It's the same mindset that is in favour of the Cuba embargo because they are all "godless Commies." These silly outdated notions should evaporate when that generation finally starts dying off in a few years.
Nice article, but I figured I would note that if they had made the GT look anything but the original GT, it "wouldn't be" a GT. People who are lacking drive a Hummer; those who want to keep up with an Italian buy a GT.
I happen to like the new GT, but no American car could ever have the sheer beauty -- both in sound and looks -- that is an Italian car.
I am an American, and it sadens me to say that the GT is typical of what American car company poopheads do when they try really hard to design something great. On the contrary, it's only by accident does this country build attractive and innovative automobiles. So whenever Ford makes their retro *statement*, the response is usually in the form of laughter (Thunderbird), or a big question mark. This GT looks EXACTLY like the original. What a waste of a wonderful opportunity. Good design can't save American car companies, we need automotive leadership that puts value in design, before designers can show us the future. Of course it doesn't help when customers actually buy the poopy new designs, and it equally doesn't help when they we continue buying the 'status quo' models. Design is in a perpetual quagmire in this country, because we have very few people in charge like Steve Jobs.
if it's not manufactured in the US the what good is it calling it an american company.
I like the new mini though much improved. I wonder if there's a convertable version.
What's even more impressive (or threatening, of you're a Detroit executive) is the fact that Toyota has muscled its way into that high position while pouring huge amounts of research money into technology that won't be profitable for a long time--hybrid cars, fuel cells, all sorts of stuff that will vault it to the number-one spot when the price of oil gets too high for even Middle East adventurism to bring back down. Can't wait to hear the calls for protectionism when that day rolls around and the great-grandson of the Prius is stomping eco-friendly holes in all of the U.S. makers' offerings.
US design is not all bad. Tom Gale has been a good designer for DaimlerChrysler. He is rumored to be part of the reason that Daimler bought the US company.
I love Retro, I don't care what it is!
I got a real Cobra emblem on the front door of my AMD dually box too! ;)
It has nothing to do with a penis...
Its all g-forces & HORSEPOWER baby! =)
Its a beautiful thing!
gmoney,
let me put it this way - chrysler/daimlerchrysler may have produced the least laughable american design in recent times. that by no means equates to good design in my book. Good American vehicle design is virtually non-existant, except if you're perhaps talking from purely a style standpoint - still then are there rare few
Ford has produced imo some nice looking things - Focus, F150 of recent have been good attempts by designers to *seep* through the gaps in the stubborn executive bureaucracy/marketing juggernaut. (the rear quartersection of the Focus has some problems which came about after the design left paper)
Ford needs to brand itself as the VW of the US. That's where the history of the product line comes from. If they stuck to a single mantra instead of trying to be everything to everybody at once, designs wouldn't be so discombulated and committee'd to death