car designers top 10 places to work | FerrariChat

car designers top 10 places to work

Discussion in 'Creative Arts' started by Edward 96GTS, Nov 22, 2013.

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  1. Edward 96GTS

    Edward 96GTS F1 Veteran
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    name the top ten places a designer would want to work. number 1 being the most desirable and why.
     
  2. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

    You go first, Ed.
     
  3. Edward 96GTS

    Edward 96GTS F1 Veteran
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    @ tcar, as the title states, for car designers to answer. since i am not a designer, i will not post as i have no insight to the subject. just posting the question. if you are a car designer, but not model t cars, :) then post away. if not a designer, then please stand on the sidelines with me. thanks
     
  4. msdesignltd

    msdesignltd F1 World Champ
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    Pininfarina, because Pininfarina is Pininfarina and Pininfarina knows Pininfarina.
    Did I mention Pininfarina??
     
  5. Qvb

    Qvb F1 Rookie
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    It depends a lot on your goals and capabilities. Would somebody rather be sketching Ferrari's all day but not get any of them produced or be designing sedans that do get produced. Working at Pininfarina is every designers dream, but it may not be a great place to work. I can almost guarantee that if someone wants to see their designs produced, the best place to work is Hotwheels.
     
  6. HotShoe

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    I don't think you are going to get an honest answer for this from any active designers in the industry.

    I have several good friends from college in design positions and they are very, very tight lipped about any sort of industry opinion. There is a code of silence when it comes to feedback about their job, projects, etc.

    Let's see, should be interesting.
     
  7. F SPIDER

    F SPIDER F1 Rookie
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    You definitely want an internship at one of the Italian design houses. It is a must on your resume. Do NOT go to any of the major brands if you have any desire to advance in the car design world. It will kill any creative spirit you have....
     
  8. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    and I won't weigh in for obvious reasons :)
    I just want to make sure everyone in my class get jobs
     
  9. HotShoe

    HotShoe F1 Veteran
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    I respectfully disagree. The internship program at the big three rocks. You will learn more there in three months then anywhere else in the world. Not to mention, you'll have access to and learn on the industry's cutting edge tools and technology.

    People like to dump on American design such as GM but IMO the most talented designers in the world are on their staff. It's a shame the public never gets to see their full potential due to "real world constraints".
     
  10. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

    I was being facetious... no one is going to give you a 'top ten' list...

    Maybe some guidelines. Maybe 1 or 2 or generalities...

    You didn't say you were not a designer, but we could infer that...
     
  11. Edward 96GTS

    Edward 96GTS F1 Veteran
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    ^ what part of "since i am not a designer" did you not understand? :)
    ed
     
  12. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    I have to respectfully disagree as well
    I'll comment at length when I get some time
     
  13. Edward 96GTS

    Edward 96GTS F1 Veteran
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    it is a shame that the highly sophisticated mechanicals that GM develops goes unnoticed.
    they need to higlight their success more to the public, so GM cars are perceived as advanced as the europeans.
     
  14. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    let's take a crack at this.
    first of all,it's more difficult to become a car designer than it is to make it into the NFL as a rookie

    just because someone graduates with a degree in Trans Design/Product Design/ Industrial Design,doesn't necessarily mean they will land a job as a car designer
    so where they WANT to go may not necessarily be where they WILL wind up
    after 4 yrs of college and big $$,most are just happy to land a job……anywhere
    but given choices,there are +'s & -'s for every car company
    several questions need to be addressed:
    what vehicles are you most passionate about?
    would you rather be a big fish in a big pond?
    big fish in a small pond?
    small fish in a big pond? etc.
    some people can't exist in a large corporation
    others can't exist in a very small organization

    my philosophy has always been to go where you think you could have the most impact & where you'd learn the most about your craft……after 3-5 yrs then decide where you want to be after you've learned exactly how to put a vehicle together
    larger design organizations like VW,Toyota,GM,etc. allow the opportunity to have a very wide range of projects from cars,trucks,exteriors,interiors,advanced design,components,etc.
    the smaller the design team,sometimes the greater opportunity to have your work selected to get into production,but less diversity in the type of projects worked on
    also larger design teams have studios around the globe.GM has 10,Toyota has several,etc.,so the chance to work in various locations around the globe is something one would add to the decision making process

    many young students want to design Lamborghinis & Ferraris,but those opportunities are as you would expect,very limited
    so then that forces them to think about what kind of vehicles they want to work on and where geographically they want to live

    but in the end,it's a difficult and very personal decision IF they even have several choices
    most grads are happy to get 1 or 2 offers,then decide on $$,location,and opportunity for advancement
     
  15. F SPIDER

    F SPIDER F1 Rookie
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    #15 F SPIDER, Nov 24, 2013
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    I should qualify my statement. To become a successful car designer, you have to breathe car design. Only an obsession and endless practice, practice, practice will get you to the top.

    As Victor Muller would say: Nulla Tenaci Invia Est Via:)
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  16. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    absolutely!
    otherwise it's just a job
     
  17. HotShoe

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    Excellent advice as usual.

    I should also add based on my personal experience that if you don't get that dream offer in design you should aggressively go after a spot in color and trim or, if you can, modeling. It may not be what you want to begin with but it gets you in the door where you can then move around if you can prove your worth. Something, anything in design is better than nothing.

    If you don't get in the club right out of school your odds of getting in later are zero to hill. Ask me how I know… :(
     
  18. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    good advice!
    there are a number of designers that started out as clay modelers and made the transition to designer
    it is the long way around,but it can work
     
  19. anunakki

    anunakki Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    John

    Do you have any students that went on to be vehicle concept designers on films ?
     
  20. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    not any from CCS here in the Motor City that I know of
    I understand several Art Center Trans guys have switched and landed in the entertainment biz
    I think the So Cal location makes it a viable option for Art Center guys
    not so much for the mid waste/rust belt guys :)
    one of my recent students is in So Cal looking for work,and I suggested the movie/EFX biz,but he hasn't made any connections yet
     
  21. msdesignltd

    msdesignltd F1 World Champ
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    #21 msdesignltd, Dec 8, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2013
    Logical place
    Google this video

    Sergio Pininfarina - Designer of the Ferrari 250 GTO, Dino & Testarossa - Wide Open Throttle Ep. 24
    ByMotorTrend80,104 views
     
  22. furmano

    furmano Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Not sure about a full list of ten but I would be happy working for Honda or Audi because they have always had strong design and they produce mass market cars that are based on the real world daily use.

    Working for one of the high end exotic car companies would be fun for a while but designing something that very few people would see, touch or use would be kind of depressing after a while.

    I would work for one of the Big-3 but I'd rather live in SoCal over Michigan.

    -F
     
  23. Designstar

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    #23 Designstar, Dec 17, 2013
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    1. Any studio that gives you a chance to express yourself and bring your ideas and creativity to a program that can make it into production while respecting your work.

    Repeat nine more times and you'll have your top ten list.

    As Jim mentioned, you have a better chance of playing in the NFL than becoming a professional car designer. Until you move around, you have no idea what it's like to work for different companies, what the culture is like. Even different studios within the same company can be completely different. The Jeep studio inside Chrysler was radically different from the studios that were doing the production cars. Different vibe, different psychology, different approach.

    Many designers might say that they dream of working at Pinnifarina just like every driver wants to drive for Ferrari in F1. Ask Ken Okayama why he left what most would consider the ultimate designer dream job. At the end of the day, what any and all professionals designers want in any field is to see the idea in their head exist in the world. That is the definition of success and when realized, its a happiness no one can take away. The best place to work is the place that gives you the best chance to make that happen while respecting your work at the same time. Any studio that does is a place you want to be, regardless of the badge on the car or the logo on the front of the building.
     
  24. VigorousZX

    VigorousZX Formula Junior

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    The automobile industry is really controlled by a handful of conglomerates... and I wont get into who controls those... and these companies practice planned obsolescence, whether its on parts to fail at a certain stage or for designs to be outdated after so many years.
    So you wont find great artist designs making it to the show room floor.

    If an artist is truly talented, he or she should invest in a $2-3K CNC machine kit and carve out designs from foam blocks and go to find investors from there then to end up with no recognition, or be left with a hefty debt.
     
  25. Jeff Kennedy

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    #25 Jeff Kennedy, Dec 19, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2013
    I will be nice and not call your belief of design unmitigated BS with massive naiveté.

    Automotive design is a large scale undertaking with very serious financial consequences. Some of the companies embrace the creative side of the process while many do not see it as anything but a necessary evil while still debating the "necessary". Even who is and is not embracing design changes over time. GM historically through Earl and Mitchell were able to keep design politically powerful in the process. They were able to win the internal battles and move their vision for design forward.

    My take is that the highest levels of the corporation have to be in favor of design leadership for the long term. Harley Earl was successful because of the backing he had from Alfred Sloan. Virgil Exner was successful because the chairman and the board supported him until the end. Chrysler had some great designs under Gale when the leadership included Lutz.

    There are regularly flashes of brilliance from the various companies but the proof is what they do as a follow up. Do they know what it was that made the success or do they keep trying to recycle the one success because they fundamentally don't know why it was a winner. Of course the other way that the flash sometimes occurs is that it miraculously slipped through the bureaucracy only for them to squash the future attempts.

    All the decent studios have serious talent in abundance. It is a function of design management and to an even grater extent senior corporate management if that talent is allowed to flourish.

    Jeff
     

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