Auto World News Interviews GM Design Chief Ed Welburn
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The folks over at Auto World News have published a transcript of their entire (lengthy) interview with General Motors’ Vice President of Global Design Ed Welburn. Here are the more meaningful responses he gave, as we see it:
Starting with the new 2016 Chevrolet Volt, the car appears smaller than the previous, first-generation model. But, according to Mr. Welburn, “It’s essentially the same size, but there’s a lot more taper in the nose and in the tail, for aerodynamics. It’s a slimmer, trimmer design. On a dimensions sheet, you’re not going to see a significant difference at all.”
He went on to describe the process of meeting the 2016 Volt’s aerodynamic targets:
“It’s not easy, but… aerodynamics can be your friend. It does not inhibit great design. At times, it can be challenging, and not easy to deal with some of the requirements—coefficient of drag, reducing the frontal area, in some cases, downforce—but some of the cool creative solutions come out of that effort.”
Of course, as Auto World News mentions, the next-generation Chevrolet Volt looks substantially more tame and contemporary – both inside and out – than the previous car. Welburn agrees:
“It may not be as out there, particularly the interior, as the original, and not as unusual. This is a distinctive design. It’s not going to get lost in the crowd. The face is obviously Volt when you see the panels, where grilles normally would be. Our research [says] that this really gets at what customers for this type of vehicle are looking for. They’re not looking for a science project.”
When asked about who Mr. Ed Welburn currently sees as a source of competition in design and styling, he very wisely responded that he views every automaker as a potential rival. “I don’t take anyone for granted,” he told the website. “There are some things that I don’t like that sell very well, and I wonder why. I need to understand that better… This is a very competitive industry. Most brands are starting to understand how important design is. Their technologies aren’t going to be exclusive forever, so design is very important.”
Of course, there are some things that Mr. Ed Welburn was unwilling to talk about, such as the design direction of GM’s full-size trucks, and the closely-guarded appearance of the next Cadillac SRX. But Welburn did talk about the progression of Cadillac’s language since the CTS first bowed:
“The first-generation CTS… had hard edges, very hard planes and surfaces. For the second generation, and into the third generation, we retained the creases but put more shape in the surfaces between them. The creases are still there. I wouldn’t call it round. In fact, I would say it is not a round car. It is more sophisticated in its form execution, both in section and in plain view, so it has more shape. It’s a far more sophisticated shape which I believe a luxury car has got to have.”
“For SRX, why don’t we say, it’s not going to be as bold and in-your-face as an Escalade, but it’s not a car, either.”
Finally, on the topic of the lauded Buick Avenir concept – and more precisely, why it’s a Buick rather than a Cadillac:
“Why not? It’s Buick: a grand brand, a premium brand. The vehicle, in a very big way, reflects the work going on in the Buick studio right now. There are several projects under development now, and this celebrates the form vocabulary, the materials, the finishes, the proportions of a number of cars we’re developing right now.”
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If Aveair is the future of Buick, I guess the Opel partnership will be nearing an end.
Yes, the brands share headlights and a few cues, but Opel its a value brand that takes on an almost austair, unaffected design language while Aveair takes advantage of the decorative arts.
Stephen you do not take two things into account.
#1 not ever Buick is going to be an Opel and every Opel is no going to be a Buick. Seen an Adam around here?
#2 I suspect that the car will be a Vauxhall in Europe as it will replace the Zeta there and at Holden. As I also expect it in 2017 going into 2018 when the Zeta dies. It is RWD/AWD ands if Holden gets it the Brits will have RHD too.
The Buicks prime market for this car will be China and the USA.
buick models that can also be opel, or anywhere else. any loss stories are funny. GM’s new strategy of cooperation and sharing of non-eradication. But America has its own design language that has changed, and the time course of American cars are more absorbed into the rest of the world. America design language is more difficult than the rest of the world to bring European-American diasini. designs or products to you America and Europe. But today it is easier. For some time, American cars were totally different. VAG is easier to collaborate and share. Vag Europe and the left hand drive.
GM is a European-Australian-American. The left and right hand drive
GM produces plenty of competitors that other manufacturers are, after all, the better. GM and its products are among the major choice you will have a chance to get a bigger one matches the customers.
Some people have this perception remains that GM is expected to produce only a few models in any brand, and then fight with anyone and all of the customers’s.
Ennam guess this was the attitude of the GM that can be calculated only for a couple of brand and model of all the rest did not care. But now there is a new team and new strategies and plans.
Old GM killed the team.
Some also currently unable to withstand that Buick may be better than any other brand.
Like this story well told, that it is now dealing with all the brands that achieve the best.
All brands are important. and if all goes well it will go even better gm. Buick offers Mb s class competitors, Cadillac offers, and so on. People have a greater choice.
Consider, for example, if it would only turl MB S class. But look at how much of the purchased bmw7 series or Audi A8. If, for example, the Audi A8 and BMW 7 series would be what would happen. All might not want mb s class.
Opel has said that the higher-class sedan is still not coming. be higher suv. and then after a great deal more can be suv sedan. Certainly the larger sedan. Larger and larger sedan sedan has been a must as well. But everyone has their time. Opel is only improved and now may be too early to have a large sedan.
However, I do not know what class it would be bigger sedan because there’s MB-class fighter myself, I still do not even want to because it would be too serious step. Some VW Phaeton or BMW 7 Series or Audi A8 sedan class.
even vw paheton not even been easy. But the new VW Phaeton was a serious step. to the new Phaeton has been easier. VW Phaeton VW was the first ever large sedan