Snelle Fords overleven het elektrische tijdperk
De ontwerpbaas van het bedrijf zegt dat het zich zal blijven richten op het maken van sportievere auto’s in het EV-tijdperk
Ford is vastbesloten om in de toekomst sportievere auto’s te maken, ondanks de afslanking van het Ford Performance-assortiment voor ST- en RS-modellen in de afgelopen jaren. Nu de Focus ST de Fiesta ST binnenkort met pensioen zal volgen, blijven alleen de Puma ST en de Mustang te koop.
Amko Leenarts – designdirector Ford of Europe
Autocar sprak met Ford of Europe design director Amko Leenarts in een uitgebreid interview over de toekomst van het bedrijf, verderop deze pagina onder Q&A.
Op de vraag of er nog een toekomst is voor snelle Fords, met name in het elektrische tijdperk, zei Leenarts: “Absoluut. Als je naar Ford Performance kijkt, zijn we groter dan ooit: Formule 1, Dakar, WRC, Pikes Peak, Nascar. Ik kan geen ander merk bedenken dat overal aanwezig is, dus dat moet invloed hebben op onze dagelijkse auto’s.”
Hij voegde toe: “Als we dat niet doen, doen we de verkeerde investeringen. Dus het moet wereldwijd overgaan naar onze normale autolijnen.”
Amko Leenarts – designdirector Ford of Europe
Lees hieronder de Q&A verder in het Engels:
Q&A Amko Leenarts, design director, Ford of Europe
We have seen the new Explorer and Capri usher in a new look for Fords. Where is the brand now in terms of its development?
“Twelve months ago, if you walked into a Ford dealership and you wanted to buy an EV, you could only get one (the Mustang Mach-E). At the end of 2024, we’re looking at an entire range at different prices.
“It’s been such an important part of where we build our strategy. We have to stand out and we have to, in the end, offer a really, really wide range of good cars.”
We’ve gone from the likes of the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo all following the same look to this bolder approach. What freedom does that give you as a designer?
“From the moment I took over design in Europe in 2017, I was challenged a lot from the outside. ‘Amko, what do you call the new design philosophy?’ People want to know its name, and then you apply the same recipe, same DNA on each car. This kind of Russian doll strategy has worked for us for a while, and then it doesn’t any more.
Amko Leenarts – designdirector Ford of Europe
“People are looking for vehicles that tell a story, that have a personality. It’s not a Russian doll any more. (For us) it’s still the Ford brand.”
Volkswagen has talked about becoming a ‘loved brand’ again and Ford’s approach is changing too. Have people fallen out of love with mainstream car brands?
“It’s just a logical era. We came from everybody kind of wanting to copy the Germans as an example of great perceived quality. Before that, it was maybe Italian flamboyant design, or there was a period where everything was aero-driven, and then it went out again.
“But they (car makers) all have to reinvent themselves, because just being one millimetre further (on panel gaps])or having slightly better lighting is not enough any more. It has to be a total package and tell a different story.”
Amko Leenarts – designdirector Ford of Europe
Do you think we’re in a good era of car design that we’ll look back on fondly?
“Yeah, I would say so. Even though there are groups of cars that kind of look alike, the variety is bigger than ever. There are small cars, big cars, low cars, high cars, sports cars; there is obviously a whole army of SUVs. But even in that, there is just an enormous amount of differentiation.
“We’ve got an incredible amount of freedom. You’re not restricted any more. On the face, lights can go anywhere. On the rear, you can see that people are experimenting with it. I would say it’s a great time.”
Editor Mark Tisshaw | Autocar.co.uk
