Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[BMW names Marc Girard head of interior design]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/bmw-names-marc-girard-head-of-interior-design/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/bmw-names-marc-girard-head-of-interior-design/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/bmw-names-marc-girard-head-of-interior-design/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The field of car design has been about as stable as an active volcano lately, with several major automakers replacing their design chiefs in quick succession. Over the past couple of weeks, Volvo's styling guru Steve Mattin quit, and he was replaced by Ford designer Peter Horbury, whose post in turn was taken up by Moray Callum. Before that, Volkswagen designer Derek Jenkins defected to Mazda, while Mazda's chief designer Laurens van der Acker was replaced by Ikuo Maeda. But in advance of all that, Chris Bangle sent shockwaves through the industry (in typical Bangle style) by leaving BMW. Adrian van Hooydonk was promoted to take his place, but after Munich's interior designer Michael Ninic died suddenly last year, Hooydonk was stretched a little thin.

The latest appointment, however, should help alleviate some of the pressure, as Marc Girard has been named head of BMW's interior design department. The French designer, educated at the Art Center College of Design, has been with the BMW Group for some 15 years now, and has been responsible for the cabins on several Bimmer and MINI models of late. It's a logical move for the Bavarian automaker, and a well-deserved step up for the talented cabinsmith.

[Source: Car Design News]

BMW names Marc Girard head of interior design originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Following hot on the heels of reports that Volkswagen designer Derek Jenkins had defected to Mazda to head up its North American design office comes news that the Japanese automaker has replaced its global design chief, Laurens van der Acker, with Ikuo Maeda.

Van der Acker joins Volvo's Steve Mattin in leaving the design division of Ford's foreign operations, but Mazda's styling department should be left in capable hands with Maeda-san at the wheel. Maeda's been with the Zoom-Zoom company since April 1982, and has held a number of influential design positions within the Mazda hierarchy, having headed up its Design Strategic Studio and Yokohama design studio in the Eighties before moving to Detroit to work for parent company Ford. Maeda would then return to Mazda in 2000, where he spearheaded the design of the RX-8 and new Mazda2. In his new position atop the Mazda design totem-poll, Maeda will be working out of the company's headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan.

[Source: Mazda]

Laurens van der Acker steps down as Mazda design chief, Ikuo Maeda steps up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Over the last three decades, there's been a common thread making Mercedes designs instantly recognizable and a lot of credit for that belongs to MBZ design boss Peter Pfeiffer. After forty years at Mercedes-Benz, and thirty years overseeing design, Pfeiffer is headed for retirement within the next 12 months. It was under Pfeiffer's pen that Mercedes turned out some of its most important cars. Vehicles like the 190, the W126 S-Class, original E-Class, and more recent work like the R, M, and G-class non-cars, to name a few. Gorden Wagener, president of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design in North America is a name being bandied about as Pfeiffer's replacement, and Mercedes will be making an official announcement soon. After such a long stint under the same chief, it will be interesting to see whether Mercedes design changes, and if so, how those changes will be received by the public.

[Source: Autoweek]

Mercedes design head stepping down originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda has a new styling chief. Dutchman Laurens Van den Acker will be putting the rather cumbersome appliqué "General Manager of the Design Division of Mazda Motor Corporation" on his office door, replacing Moray Callum (design head since 2001) who has been appointed to Ford's automotive design director post.

Van den Acker comes to Mazda from parent company Ford, where he was the automaker's Dearborn-resident Chief Designer, Strategic Design. The gifted multilingual designer has had a hand in a number of Blue Oval concepts from the last few years, including the Bronco, 427, 24/7 and Model U. Production-wise, some of his influence can be seen on the Escape and Mercury Mariner.

In light of Callum's move, Patrick Schiavone will be Ford's Design director for trucks.

The promotions are effective immediately.

[Sources: Mazdanews.com; Ford; Mazda]

(Tip nod: Igor)

Mazda names Laurens Van den Acker new design chief originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 May 2006 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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