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FORD
FORD
Car Design History - Automobile manufacturer
The
German subsidiary of the American company enjoys a far-reaching level
of independence in the development of new models, playing a leading role
in the world of automobile manufacture in Europe. At first, Ford Cologne
was not famous for its exciting design concepts. The public's surprise
was therefore all the greater when in the mid-1990s; Ford launched a small
car which caused a visual revolution: the Ford Ka. Developed
under the aegis of designer-in-chief Claude Lobo, this
model also heralded the arrival of a new type of body style on the market
which became known as "New Edge design" because of its pointed
corners and sharp edges.
In reality this was not the German company s first new aesthetic departure.
The first innovation took place in 1960 when the Cologne-based Ford plant
launched a new model; the Taunus 17 M, which soon acquired the
nickname "Badewanne" (bathtub) because of its curved sides and
striking rounded shape. Until then Germany had merely reproduced American
concepts on a reduced scale. For instance, the first post-war model, the
Taunus 12 M, had still been developed in Detroit. But the new
Taunus 17 M was the first European-style car in which there was "no
superfluous chrome ornamentation."
At the
end of the 1960s, Ford surprised the market with another model: the Capri,
a fastback coupe on a saloon car chassis, was a real innovation. The German
variation of the Ford Mustang, it was available with numerous extras and
special body finishes. It was produced for sixteen years, a record for
the company. At the end of the 1990s, Lobo's successor, Chris
Bird, further developed the wedge and triangular shapes, concentrating
on new proportions and solid lines, thus giving Ford a sharper and completely
different image. Models like the Focus sedan are part of this
new design offensive.
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FORD
Car History
Ford-Werke
AG, Cologne |
| 1931 |
Ford
works established in Cologne |
| 1968 |
development
center opens |
| 1990 |
Design
Computer System shortens development time |
| 1995 |
company
reorganization: Cologne builds small and medium sized models |
| 1997 |
new
development center in Aachen |
FORD
Car Models History |
| 1931 |
Model
A |
| 1937 |
V8
sports car |
| 1952 |
Taunus
12 M sedan |
| 1957 |
Taunus
17 M sedan |
| 1960 |
Taunus
17 M "aerodynamic" sedan |
| 1966 |
Ford
Fiesta small sedan |
| 1969 |
Ford
Capri Coupe |
| 1986 |
Sierra
sedan |
| 1996 |
Ford
Ka small sedan |
| 1999 |
Focus
sedan |
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