Horbury: Unique "Looks" at FoMoCo?

[nadepalma]

SOURCE: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../61113016/1024

Unique Looks for Lincoln
Design boss favors different sheet metal, launch schedule from Ford vehicles
By AMY WILSON | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Published 11/13/06, 2:58 pm et



ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- In the future, Lincoln vehicles should sport mostly distinct exterior sheet metal and be introduced on a separate timetable from their Ford platform mates, Ford Motor Co.'s top U.S. designer says.

Lincoln and Mercury vehicle styling must diverge more sharply from that of their Ford-brand siblings, said Peter Horbury, North American design chief for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury.

The automaker has more work to do to separate the look of its domestic-brand vehicles, which are increasingly being built on common platforms, Horbury said.

"The next step is to be independent in the areas you can see, touch and feel," said Horbury, who was interviewed at a press event here. "We're more than half way but not all the way."

The Lincoln MKS sedan, which will go on sale in 2008, will be the best example of separation, he said.

Based on the same platform as the Ford Five Hundred sedan, the concept version of the MKS shares "not a single piece" of its exterior with the Ford, Horbury said. The Five Hundred went on sale in 2004, and an updated version is due by mid-2007.

"To be honest, the more differentiation we can create, the more we can build a stronger brand for Lincoln, which stands on its own," Horbury said. "It also helps to make the Fords look like something else, like something special."

The level of exterior differentiation on other future Lincolns probably will fall somewhere between the MKS and the 2007 MKX crossover, he said. The MKX shares about 50 percent of its exterior sheet metal with the 2007 Ford Edge.

Finances dictate some level of commonality on Lincoln programs. "If you just use the (same) windows, you save a fortune," Horbury said.

Launching the vehicles on separate timetables will help divert attention from any similarities.

"There's no hiding the fact that the MKX is closely related to the Ford Edge and the MKZ is closely related to the (Ford) Fusion and the (Mercury) Milan," Horbury said. "But the way ahead will be a lot more individual."

Horbury said he has been somewhat surprised that the Zephyr, the MKZ's predecessor, has been accepted as a Lincoln and "not a Ford with a different grille." The sedan was launched as the Zephyr for the 2006 model year. It was given a new name, new engine and available all-wheel-drive for the 2007 model year.

Ford and Mercury vehicles are more likely to continue on closer launch timetables with more shared elements.

A distinct Mercury model would be nice, "but is it necessary?" Horbury said. Ford designers must make sure there is no confusion between the Fords and Mercurys, but they can do an awful lot with color and materials, he said.

Said Horbury: "If there's any confusion today, there will be less confusion going forward on what is a Lincoln, what is a Ford and what is a Mercury."

MORE HERE

[nadepalma]

More on this from AutoBlog:

Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/13/f...e-engineering/

Ford's head of design says 'no' to blatant badge engineering
Posted Nov 13th 2006 3:56PM by Frank Filipponio

We recently told you about Ford's not-so-earth-shattering announcement that shared platforms are the key to future success. Judging by your comments, this should have been the assumption rather than the proclamation. But a couple of you pointed out what could be the tragic flaw in this plan - badge engineering gone bad. Well, Peter Horbury, design chief for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, has stepped up to assure us this won't be a problem if he has anything to say about it. And being in his position, he has a lot to say about it.

Although the marketing department seems to be capable of differentiating the various platform mates within the FoMoCo family, buyers aren't always as capable of discerning the differences. "The next step is to be independent in the areas you can see, touch and feel," said Horbury at a recent press event. Horbury added that the '08 Lincoln MKS sedan will be the best example of this separation. Although built on the same platform as the Ford Five Hundred the MKS exterior shares "not a single piece" with the Ford. "To be honest, the more differentiation we can create, the more we can build a stronger brand for Lincoln, which stands on its own," Horbury said. "It also helps to make the Fords look like something else, like something special."

MORE HERE

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by AutoWeek

Ford and Mercury vehicles are more likely to continue on closer launch timetables with more shared elements.

A distinct Mercury model would be nice, "but is it necessary?" Horbury said. Ford designers must make sure there is no confusion between the Fords and Mercurys, but they can do an awful lot with color and materials, he said.

Said Horbury: "If there's any confusion today, there will be less confusion going forward on what is a Lincoln, what is a Ford and what is a Mercury."

Well that last bit is both dis-heartening and upsetting for Mercury. Sounds like he wants to have more differentiation for Mercury as a brand -- but not as much as giving them a completely unique product. Which also kinda goes back on what he says earlier in this comments (and on the AutoBlog comments) that making Lincoln more distinct will not only help Lincoln stand out, but also make Ford's own products stand out more. Well how much is it gonna stand out if Mercury continues to look too much like Ford products?

That's just me complaining -- I understand the economics of it -- but I hope that he makes more of an effort to make Mercury look more "unique", and it doesn't include just "doing an awful lot with color and materials" which seems the cheap way of differentiating.

On that last, it makes you wonder, how can GM afford to make the Aura, G6 and Malibu look so different from each other and they share very little visually (at least on the exterior), yet Ford is stick screwing around with Mercury instead of giving them something distinctive?!

Maybe GM has figured out what Ford can't?

[Media!]

Horbury needs to go honestly. He talks and talks and talks and nothing ever happens. Nothing, it is completely sickning. How many times over the last two years have we heard about this exact same thing from him? Once a month sounds right.


Huh........ I don't have faith in him.

[paul8488]

It's sad that such obvious things need to be stated (and this goes for GM too). "Our luxury brand shouldn't look like our basic brand!" Wow, that's deep. How is that not a basic part of why Lincoln (and Mercury) exists, but instead something they're thinking they should work towards?

[GM-Joe]

Well, the way I see it is that if you're gonna list something for $8900 more, as in the MKZ versus the Edge, then you're paying for exclusiveness, not commonality.

If I bought an ES350 (hell would need to freeze over), I'd be pretty upset to see it parked next to a Camry.

[SigEpCutlass]

So by Unique...they mean ugly? I don't know why the hell Lincoln changed their vehicles to be so tasteless. The Lincoln LS was a beautiful example of a nice car design. Unfortunately, some moron at FoMoCo though it was a brilliant idea to kill it.

[dav305z]

It's pretty sad that they're trying to achieve GM's level of rebadging sophistication. Different sheetmetal just isn't enough these days, and isn't much of a goal to strive for. They need to have different cars or close their divisions.

[saturnsteve]

They need to do something. I remember when a Lincoln was a great car, you actually felt like you had something special. My Grandfather would buy a new Lincoln every three years, and I remember those cars very well.

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by Media!

Horbury needs to go honestly. He talks and talks and talks and nothing ever happens. Nothing, it is completely sickning. How many times over the last two years have we heard about this exact same thing from him? Once a month sounds right.


Huh........ I don't have faith in him.

I'm starting to feel the same way, but I also understand that product cycles are long and they require big lead-times. I say give him another year or two then kick him to the curb. He obviously has talent because he was able to turn Volvo around and get a great design language going over there. But by the same token, he needs to be more forceful here in the States regarding Ford, Lincoln, Mercury. It's not enough to talk; he must deliver.

I kinda look at it the way I did the situation with Wayne Cherry, Ed Welburn and Bob Lutz. A lot of folks that saw the transition from John Zarella to Bob Lutz and Wayne Cherry (who was stiffled at GM) to Ed Welburn thought that the results would be almost instantaneous -- but we're only starting to see the fruits of their efforts NOW and it's five years down the road from when (Lutz) was hired. I think that GM has some terrific stuff in the pipeline, but it takes time.

But with Horbury, yeah, he deserves the benefit of the doubt -- but if he can't show us a sketch, hint at anything solid outside of "wait til you see" and he's been there for a few years, then I think he may have to move on.

Which brings me to the next point -- I've been very vocal about the need for differentiation between Ford and Mercury and to a smaller extent Lincoln -- but maybe the problem isn't Horbury: maybe it's J Mays?

Just a thought.

[Butz]

Next step, make Lincoln a global brand. They could position it between Jaguar and Volvo.

[56 Starchief]

yea, J Mays sucks horribly. that's all I have to say. one of the most uncreative people in the business.

[FoMoCo Fan]

We've heard this before from Ford. And it didn't happen. But that's not Horbury's fault. But he still should be fired. Because the new Naviflator IS his fault and it's an automotive abomination.

[01cavalier]

Originally Posted by SigEpCutlass

So by Unique...they mean ugly? I don't know why the hell Lincoln changed their vehicles to be so tasteless. The Lincoln LS was a beautiful example of a nice car design. Unfortunately, some moron at FoMoCo though it was a brilliant idea to kill it.

It was quite a nice car, even if the styling was a bit bland. Too bad Ford neglected it by barely advertising it. I often forget that they sold it. It also seems like the CTS stole attention from it.

[ghughes]

the MKS drawings look like POS to me, a weak 7-series,acura-monster copy. Ford used to have some really great concepts and innovations coming out- the continental, the mark 10, the '49, Meta-one; What is going on? Especially at Lincoln-