Originally posted by Derek: I would go with BMW's Chris Bangle since I am a BMW enthusiast
Come on. That's too easy.
What about Gandini, Guigiaro and Bertoni? Not only were they responsible for the Miura, Golf and DS, but a host of other influential vehicles as well. The Italians clearly take the cake.
Harley Earl. Not necessarily as a designer himself but as the maestro of designers. He created and institionalized design organizations. His success in the managing of the design process ensured that the need for design was recognized within the organization and allowed design to win aesthetic battles.
I fully agree with jpk, Earl pioneered auto design and the design process (clay modeling, show cars, Fisher-body craftsmans guild competition etc) and his methods were instrumental in GM taking a large share of the U.S market and surpassing Ford and Chrysler.
But who's the greatest designer ever? is that question even possible to answer considering that every generation has its great designers and considering that a car is a team sport and that there are many talented individuals who contribute to a car program and the final product.
Maybe the question should be who's the greatest design leader ever? Then I would say Harley Earl hands down! or maybe Ivy Rybicki, oh wait minute...
I would still say that Earl has to be number 1 because he institutionalized the complete process that GM and just about everyone else uses. The process did not always create great designs but they were not "one hit wonders" either. The process and the mentality of those within it did mean that design always evolved.
As for Irv. No. Bill Mitchell was far and away better and certainly worth of being Mr. Earl's successor. Mitchell's late period had some issues but his redemption with the 1977 change to sheer look made up for a lot of that.
Chuck Jordan was screwed by the GM board when they selected Irv over him. Chuck was far, far better but Irv was going to be more pliable. If Chuck had of been VP originally then it makes one wonder how much of the decline of GM Design would have not occurred.
Tom Gales deserves a mention. Here is a person that was (apparently) under serious consideration for elevation to Chrysler president. It is hugely important that he was considered because it meant that Design, for the first time ever, was capable of supplying the top candidates not just engineering, sales/marketing, accounting and product planning.
Giugiaro is worth mentioning. More of the individual designer in the earlier years. He led the way to planal based designs. His designs for the original Golf and Scirocco were spectacular. Medusa pre-dated everyone on the transition to rounded forms.
@jpk: True, Chuck Jordan was Bill Mitchell’s handpicked successor, and he was a better designer but his “temper” made him some powerful enemies in high places, and the board wanted a design executive that was more “politic” (in other words one they could control) thus Irv, for example, when the Cadillac Allante was commissioned to Pininfarina, Earl or Mitchell would have fought that decision but Irv just let it slide, and this had dire consequences on the morale of GM Design staff and it showed a weakness in Irv’s leadership quality!
In their book A century of automotive style, Michael Lamm and Dave Holls state that Irv was the design Executive GM wanted not the one they needed...enough said!
Without a doubt, Irv was everything the Board thought they wanted. Bad news is that the decision instead delivered exactly what they deserved.
Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell and Chuck Jordan were each different in their design style. Yet Mitchell and Jordan shared the same strong vision of what design was to achieve and ran the organization imperially.
There were often repeated stories of Mitchell berating division heads over design decisions dragging out "the ghost of Harley Earl." There were people who were supposed to be higher in the organization than Mitchell but he, like Earl before him, conceeded nothing.
Jerry Palmer was Jordan's choice as a successor. Again, the board made their decision and they got what they got.
Hey guys I'm going to the DC Auto Show and was wondering if anyone else was. It would be a awesome place to meet up and see other car designers in this spot. If you are going, please r
