Imagine that... good design sells in the mid-size category
The Chrysler 300 is an overwhelming success for Chrysler. Ford's Five Hundred wasn't nearly as big a hit despite on paper being a strong competitor. The Chrysler's advantage, of course, is bold design. The 300 has it, the Ford not so much. Automotive News even quotes an unnamed Ford exec saying the Five Hundred got a new look and a new name because, "it can't do any worse than it has been." Ouch. Ford CEO Alan Mulally himself is quoted saying the Five Hundred's original look "may have been too conservative." Ya think?
The Automotive News article points out that in the past, bold design in the mid-size sedan category was considered suicide. Take the third-gen Taurus. The car's iconic jelly-bean shape went oval and sales dived. Honda and Toyota have historically counted on their evolutionary design strategy to sell tons of Camrys and Accords. But, as the article says, even those two Japanese companies are seeing how some well-placed design cues may appeal to even conservative car buyers' emotions – if done well.
Continue reading after the jump.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
Automotive News says Toyota saw Mazda's new 3 and Honda's new Civic and sent its next-gen Corolla back to the design shop for some dressing up. GM, possibly the all-time Sultan of Staid, has seen the light as well, and has a potentially huge hit on its hands with the new Malibu. That car's new design was directly influenced by Vice Chairman Bob Lutz after he saw what the company had planned for 2004. Automotive News recounts that car's development as told by Lutz and reveals a little about how things work at GM.
Since Automotive News is subscription only, we'll paraphrase that anecdote for you. Lutz saw the design for the 2004 Malibu and demanded to see what research led to its not-so-exciting design. At first Lutz is told the car "did great in the research," to which he expressed his incredulity and again insisted on seeing the research documents. Eventually he got the paperwork that showed the car tanked in focus groups. Lutz said, as quoted in AN, "The one on the Malibu was slightly less disastrous than the others, so he was correct when he told me, "It was the best clinic of any car we've had in the last five years.' "And if you know anything at all about Bob Lutz, he will not stand for that kind of development, and so pushed for the Malibu you see now.
Better-looking mid-size sedans? Yes, please. We'll take as many as we can get.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
rem83 5:10PM (10/01/2007)
300 and Taurus/500 midsize? wow, this whole size thing really has gotten out of control...
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john riley 5:14PM (10/01/2007)
I thought the sales of the 300 had fallen off?
So are the Camry and Accord a lot more exciting than the Ford too?
Sure, styling counts, but maybe not all that much in this segment. I think the lesson for Ford is that you can't do a half-hearted launch. This thing started life with an engine that was too small and the wrong transmission. The 300 started life with a an optional killer engine (and RWD).
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john 5:18PM (10/01/2007)
You're right. The Taurus and 300 are definitely full-size. What else is bigger? The crown vic, but that is in a league of its own.
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1337 5:21PM (10/01/2007)
Ford has bold ideas, Chrysler has bold styling. Neither have quality control.
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Tim 8:08PM (10/01/2007)
Second that. I can't stand seeing the cheap green LCD displays in fords in the US. Actually in a bold move Ford has made it light blue. Ford please give us something fresh. Start with the mustang interior!
AlfaMike 10:08AM (10/02/2007)
Autoblog - thanks for this article, it's very well done, and emphasizes an industry truism that tends to get overlooked by advertising campaigns and corporate doublespeak - that good design really does sell. Esp like the clear side by side photos. A Mazda3/Focus or Mazda3/Aveo comparo would work as well.
Tim - Ford interiors are quite nice - it's the Ford exteriors (of the cars esp) that are vanilla plain and instantly forgettable...
Court 10:37AM (10/02/2007)
1337 - I coudn't have said it any better myself. What you said was SO TRUE.
MoonRover 5:24PM (10/01/2007)
The Five Hundred is not selling because the front is a dead ringer for an Old Ford Tempo. The designer of that car should have his or her pencils taken and his drawing hand tied behind him or her. The look is old stoggy and has the appeal of Roseanne Barr walking away.
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Tim 5:31PM (10/01/2007)
That would be J mays I believe.
Richard 6:20PM (10/01/2007)
What did J Mays design that was successful?
That is not to ask: "what designs did J Mays freshen, whose freshening was a success?"
Richard 6:22PM (10/01/2007)
P.S.: Don't you think that the 500/ Taurus addition of the now obligatory fender vent will start a surge in sales that brings Ford back into the black?
Blake 11:09PM (10/01/2007)
I believe J Mays was at the head of the VW Beetle redesign. I'd say that was successful.
Jimmy2x 8:51AM (10/03/2007)
MoonRiver
"The Five Hundred is not selling because the front is a dead ringer for an Old Ford Tempo."
Funny - that is also the very 1st thing that I thought when I saw one in the showroom.
Tim 5:30PM (10/01/2007)
The 04 Malibu was touted as a game changer. It shared parts with Opel, new engines, new chassis blah blah blah. The hype quickly died down after introduction.
Take one look at the new accord and you see that the Malibu will again play the bridesmaid. The car is already out as the Saturn aura and the G6. Last I checked they are not exactly setting the sales charts on fire. Bob dressing it up in chevy drag doesn't make it a game changer
Why can't GM get dead serious about midsize. I'll wait for the net gen.
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PatPage 12:57PM (10/02/2007)
Tim,
The big game changer for the 08 Malibu is the 4 cylinder matched to 6 speed automatic which neither the G6 or Aura have. That combination plus the nicer design and high content pit the 08 Malubi more directly against the Camry and Accord buyers.
jas12niss 5:34PM (10/01/2007)
Chrysler 300, RWD and bold design. Ford 500, FWD and Japanese design.
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Bryan 6:05PM (10/01/2007)
And what Japanese car would the Five Hundred look like? If anything, it had a Mercedes look to it.
3cubed minus 3squared plus1 9:56PM (10/01/2007)
The Fivehundred actually looks like the last gen Lexus LS to me.
Anonymust 5:53PM (10/01/2007)
Design sells cars? Demming would disagree. His ideas have made the Japanese what they are. It's all about 'Quality World'. I am sorry to say that this generation of American products are not in American's quality world and that is why the Big 3's sales are hemorrhaging. It took took Toyota and Honda decades to establish themselves and it is going to take a while for American companies to undo this damage. They shoulda listened to Demming. The Japanese did and are now laughing.
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MoonRover 7:08PM (10/01/2007)
Design gets the customer into the showroom, just as it gets the pretty girl a date to the prom... If a vehicle has a attractive appearance and draws the customer into the showroom, the battle is halfway over. With todays quality being so close to even, design and turning your neighbor green with envy will win out every time....... Why do people look at themselves in store windows while driving by? It's not the quality they are looking at. "Looks", that is why Cinderella got the prince and the ugly stepsisters(though both strong as mules) are now working at the local "toot and tell it".