FORD OFFERS RARE PEEK INSIDE IRVINE DESIGN STUDIO
This is interesting, check it out: http://tinyurl.com/mznerh
From OC Register
Ford Motor Co. on Monday gave media folks such as us here at Auto Motion a peek behind the doors at its West Coast design studio in Irvine.
Under the leadership of Freeman Thomas, the design studio employs about 15 people and has been responsible for helping create cars such as the Ford Flex, Lincoln MKX and the hot little Lincoln C concept car, which was unveiled in January at the Detroit auto show and was on prominent display for journalists to see Monday.
Ford’s West Coast communications office, which is housed in the same building, has held a series of private tours to Irvine officials and business graduates of UCLA and USC.
In addition to showing off the design talent housed in the building a Premier Place, near the Irvine Spectrum, Ford officials said they are holding the tours to let local folks know that Ford is indeed planning to stay in Irvine.
Ford recently sold the building that houses its Irvine headquarters to Transpacific Development Co.
Irvine-based Taco Bell will now occupy Ford’s former offices. Ford’s communications branch has since moved a few yards to another office, but has signed a 10-year lease to be in the building. (Read full story on Ford’s big move.)
John Clinard, Ford’s manager of Western region communications, said Ford neither plans to hire or shed employees at the design center for the foreseeable future.
“It’s just the right size to do what they do. There are no changes planned for the future whatsoever.”
After a brief presentation on Ford’s general strategy for hybrids in the coming years and a pre-recorded video pep talk by CEO Allan Mulally, it was onto the Freeman Thomas’ design center.
The highlight was seeing in person — and sitting in — the Lincoln C concept. While the car has a compact footprint, its interior is said to be the same size as a 1961 Lincoln. While it’s just a one-off prototype now, there is a possibility that the Lincoln C will one day roll onto dealer lots. Speculating on what might be under the hood, Ford reps mused that it could be a fuel-efficient, 1.6-liter four cylinder.
But the Lincoln C concept also emphasizes another kind of efficiency: that its six-passenger interior space.
“We are re-inventing volume,” Thomas said of his team’s efforts to make the most efficient use of a car’s interior space. “(We can now get) a 61 Lincoln’s space in the size of a VW Golf.”
Below are some photos from the behind-the-scenes tour. Click any to get a better view. (Note the suicide-style doors on the Lincoln C that are reminiscent of those on the 1961 Lincoln.)
This is interesting, check it out: http://tinyurl.com/mznerh
From OC Register
Ford Motor Co. on Monday gave media folks such as us here at Auto Motion a peek behind the doors at its West Coast design studio in Irvine.
Under the leadership of Freeman Thomas, the design studio employs about 15 people and has been responsible for helping create cars such as the Ford Flex, Lincoln MKX and the hot little Lincoln C concept car, which was unveiled in January at the Detroit auto show and was on prominent display for journalists to see Monday.
Ford’s West Coast communications office, which is housed in the same building, has held a series of private tours to Irvine officials and business graduates of UCLA and USC.
In addition to showing off the design talent housed in the building a Premier Place, near the Irvine Spectrum, Ford officials said they are holding the tours to let local folks know that Ford is indeed planning to stay in Irvine.
Ford recently sold the building that houses its Irvine headquarters to Transpacific Development Co.
Irvine-based Taco Bell will now occupy Ford’s former offices. Ford’s communications branch has since moved a few yards to another office, but has signed a 10-year lease to be in the building. (Read full story on Ford’s big move.)
John Clinard, Ford’s manager of Western region communications, said Ford neither plans to hire or shed employees at the design center for the foreseeable future.
“It’s just the right size to do what they do. There are no changes planned for the future whatsoever.”
After a brief presentation on Ford’s general strategy for hybrids in the coming years and a pre-recorded video pep talk by CEO Allan Mulally, it was onto the Freeman Thomas’ design center.
The highlight was seeing in person — and sitting in — the Lincoln C concept. While the car has a compact footprint, its interior is said to be the same size as a 1961 Lincoln. While it’s just a one-off prototype now, there is a possibility that the Lincoln C will one day roll onto dealer lots. Speculating on what might be under the hood, Ford reps mused that it could be a fuel-efficient, 1.6-liter four cylinder.
But the Lincoln C concept also emphasizes another kind of efficiency: that its six-passenger interior space.
“We are re-inventing volume,” Thomas said of his team’s efforts to make the most efficient use of a car’s interior space. “(We can now get) a 61 Lincoln’s space in the size of a VW Golf.”
Below are some photos from the behind-the-scenes tour. Click any to get a better view. (Note the suicide-style doors on the Lincoln C that are reminiscent of those on the 1961 Lincoln.)
