The Most Influential Car Designers
Men and cars are two inseparable entities. Though not all men have cars, but believe me, all men have at least drawn or imagined a car to put on their hands to its steering wheel. But it takes a really gifted human being to make a drawing or a vision drive in the highway, and to earn money from it. From askmen.com, Thomas Bey named some of the car design masters. Here they are:
Luc Donckerwolke - Lamborghini
Luc Donckerwolke has enough multi-cultural exposure to fill a passport. He was born in Peru, he is currently a citizen of Belgium and he studied in Africa, Europe and South America. His experience also translates through his designs: bold, yet embraceable. He has been with the Audi group continuously since 1996 and with the Audi-owned Lamborghini since 1998. He is responsible for the A4 Avant, the Lamborghini Gallardo, the Murciélago, and the gorgeous Miura concept. Lamborghini’s resurgence in the market can be partly due to Audi calling the shots, but a huge chunk of that credit belongs to Donckerwolke.
Peter Pfeiffer - Mercedes-Benz
It’s a big deal to accomplish the creation of a look that suggests elegance, superior engineering and power in equal doses. To accomplish this repeatedly for nearly three decades is something of a miracle. Peter Pfeiffer has been delivering this miracle since his design leadership began in 1978, 10 years after he joined Benz. Yes, he’s been responsible for every Benz car design of the last 28 years — it’s an unheard-of tenure in this industry. Quick, try to think of a Mercedes design dud. Not easy, is it? More than any individual model, Pfeiffer’s collective body of work stands as a remarkable testament to his talent.
Camilo Pardo - Ford
Imagine that you’re suddenly tasked with creating a modern interpretation of one of your company’s most historically important models. Do you panic? If you’re Camilo Pardo, you pen the design of a career and wow us all with the Ford GT. Actually, the GT is just one of Pardo’s great works; he has also treated us to the modern Shelby Cobra and GR-1 concept cars. As he has said: “Being an artist really complements my car designs. I can’t imagine having one without the other. Both require me to deal with proportions, emotions and creativity, which all lead to perfect execution.”
Tom Peters - General Motors
No, this isn’t the In Search of Excellence writer, but that does describe GM’s Tom Peters rather well. Essentially, the book’s title could be his objective. The designer and muscle car lover has proven it: Chevrolet’s C6 Corvette, redesigned by Peters for 2005, shed the flab of past Vettes while simultaneously recalling design features of past models in subtle, positive ways. As if that weren’t enough, he’s also the man behind the Cadillac XLR. The XLR’s taut skin suggests a bit of understated aggression, implying that it is perfectly comparable to its Mercedes and Jaguar peers. Overall, excellence found, you might say.
Ken Okuyama - Pininfarina
The Italian design firm Pininfarina is responsible for some of the most memorable Ferrari lines. When it came time to design a car bearing the name of the late Enzo Ferrari, the studio didn’t take the assignment lightly. They called upon Ken Okuyama to get the job done. It seems Pininfarina’s decisions — like their designs — are well-chosen. Okuyama’s talent has been enjoyed by GM, Porsche and other design studios in Asia, Europe and North America. Known for his cooperative nature, he allows the input of others while preserving the integrity of his design.
Chris Bangle - BMW Group
I presume Chris Bangle is blessed with a great deal of patience and perseverance. When he radically redesigned the BMW 7 Series (with BMW air flow sensor) for 2002, many raised an eyebrow, while purists fainted. When they came to, there was talk of marching on Munich with torches and pitchforks. Bangle stood by his design and BMW stood by Bangle. In hindsight, the 7 Series appears to have been merely ahead of its time rather than a sign of the apocalypse. Since then, Bangle’s designs have only bolstered the rest of the BMW line. And since he’s the man behind the looks of Mini and Rolls-Royce — also both wildly successful — the purists have been hushed.
