car design thread

SketchMonkey on Hyundai Design

 

Autoweek opinion.
Can Chrysler make it?
https://www.autoweek.com/opinion/a65365034/chrysler-brand-future-design-commentary/

 

Location? Peterson?

 

Stellantis just lost over a Billion $. Never a dull moment.

 

GM just reported a $1Billion loss. Stellantis over a $2Billion loss.

 

The latest installment:
https://driventowrite.com/2025/07/23/never-a-dull-moment-part-19/#more-128824

Never a Dull Moment — Part 19


Persistence

Source: GM design

Once the transition between Chuck and Irv was finalized, the Saturn team was facing a new reality of how Chuck Jordan would want to proceed. We thought we were good to go and as Chuck’s assistant Dave Holls assured us, everything would be just fine. Dave was another one of those great designers with a stellar portfolio of great cars. His passion for all things automotive was unparalleled. Dave was a Michigan State graduate like myself, and he looked out for me.

Once I had fully realized Pontiac was now going to be part of my purview, I needed to adjust my attitude and come to the stark realization that I was going to have to re-establish my standing with Chuck and build a relationship with the Pontiac team.

It was 1987, and Pontiac 1 was just beginning the ’92 Grand Am program and it would be a critical assignment, as it played a major role in the Pontiac franchise with over 200K units sold per year. Terry Henline, the Chief, was as intense as one might be, along with being super-talented and very detail oriented. This would be fun.

I still felt bad that I had let Chuck Jordan down and I was committed to turning that whole situation around. I believe he felt responsible as he had hired me, and the Cadillac experience along with his opinion of our Saturn results made him question his judgement. He had so much pressure on him and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As a postscript, years later after Jordan retired, in a turn for the term ‘Irony’, he was being interviewed by a prominent car magazine where the reporter asked the stock question: “What were some of your favorite cars you worked on?” Chuck’s response: “ One I’m proud of are the Saturn cars.” You might imagine me reading that sentiment expressed to the public. Chuck and I had long before ‘made up’, but it was a shock to read his comments in print. So much for my guilt with Saturn.

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Source: GM Design
It was so much fun being a part of the Pontiac Studio. The division was on a roll with the “We build Excitement” mantra. I was always the first one in the studio in the morning and one of the last to leave at night. I made it my mission to dispel any doubts or misgivings regarding my skillset and was told to keep my head down and prove that I was indeed capable.

While we were engaged with the Grand Am program, an all new Grand Prix was going to be fully redesigned as well. Our daily routine included working on Grand Am, facelifts for the Trans Sport, minor changes for the Canadian Pontiacs, along with working with the Koreans on small cars. And there was a Concept vehicle that we had been assigned for the 1991 NAIAS. There was never any down time with my foot planted on the gas pedal 24/7, and I loved it.


As the decade wound down it was time for a change at the satellite studio in California and John Schinella would be returning. Lo and behold, Terry Henline would be replacing him. Now we’ll see what’s what.

Once again, I believed I had done everything in my power; checked all the boxes and was ready for that huge next step, Chief Designer. I went about my daily routine minding my business. Occasionally a saying I had heard years ago from a GM Design veteran: “It’s not what you do, it’s what you look like when your doing it”, kept playing in a continuous loop in my head. Appearances indeed.

Early in 1990, I got a call from Mr. Jordan’s admin to report to his office with Dave Holls, the Director of Design. This was it I thought!! Finally, after watching several of my peers get promoted by Chuck before me, it was going to be my turn. Dave and I proceeded to the hallowed shrine that was the VP’s office and made ourselves comfortable. Here I was once again on the hot seat but under different circumstances and I was ready.

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Source: GM Design
The first comments out of Chuck’s mouth was that I was going to be promoted to the Chief Designer position in the Pontiac 1 Studio. He said everyone from Pontiac management liked what I had done in the studio and my boss Terry had spoken highly of my record. Finally.

Then amazingly, Chuck spent the next several minutes criticising me. I couldn’t believe my ears. Seriously? He was still down on me? And yet, the recurring thought was I that I didn’t care because I was now a Studio Chief. I would finally run my own team and with that, Dave and I excused ourselves and left.

As Dave and I were walking down the hall he put his arm around me and said: “John, I have never felt sorry for someone getting promoted. . . until just now. What did you ever do to Chuck?” And I responded that I really didn’t care; I was now a Chief Designer. The eight years of college, clay modelling, learning the design craft at GM were all were converging to this exact moment. I was flying as high as I had ever been. Persistence had come home to roost and I welcomed it in. No one was ever going to tell me no. Ever.