Svensson on Ford Design & More

This is Chris Svensson:

He grew up in the U.K., in Sunderland. He said that even as a little kid, his goal was to work at Ford. His dad worked there. There were Fords in the garage. His first car was a Ford.

He also, he explained, happened to be a good artist.

So one thing led to another, and Svensson, having gotten degrees in Design from Coventry University and the Royal Academy of Art, joined Ford in 1992. In Germany.

He’s been with Ford ever since.

In June 2010, Svensson was named design director of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, based in Melbourne, Australia.

Ford moved him to Dearborn in 2013, as exterior design director, The Americas. (“The Americas” means North and South America for Ford.)

This past January, Svennson was named Design Director, The Americas.

Seems like Svensson’s childhood objective is paying off.

Svensson, on this episode of “Autoline After Hours,” talks with Chris Paukert of Autoblog, and co-hosts John McElroy and me about a variety of products, ranging from the way that design/engineering/manufacturing are integrated to how technology—from sensors to alternative powertrains—are having an effect on how cars are designed.

And Paukert, McElroy and I discuss a variety of issues, from GM’s continuing recall and reputation problems to hybrids and diesels.

The Mustang at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York

The media introduction of the original Mustang in 1964.  Yes, that man is Lee Iacocca.

[If you are reading this on April 14, you may be interested to know that Svensson is setting off today from Dearborn to New York City in a 1965 Mustang—built, he points out in 1964, so it is of the original year—that he’s had restored, driving along the original route that was taken by Ford 50 years ago for the Mustang, a car that, Svensson points out, is one of the few nameplates with uninterrupted production for 50 years (the other? The Porsche 911).]