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General Motors Global Design Chief Ed Welburn Sits Down For A Q&A With Automotive News

To say General Motors global design chief Ed Welburn is busy would be an understatement. In a recent interview with Automotive News, Welburn said he’s looking to add to his 900 person-strong design team in Warren, Mich. as they attempt to churn out more new products. According to him, “all of our (GM’s) studios around the world are just running flat out,” making it an exciting time within the automaker’s studio walls.

Welburn says he needs additional employees as car design has become more complex. If you look at a headlight from today and place it next to one from 10 years ago, there’s a good chance the modern light is more complex, both in technology and design. Welburn says this applies to many small parts on a car, like the gauge clusters, for example, making vehicle accessory development “a much more aggressive activity than ever before.”

In addition to acquiring more employees, the significant changes currently going on at Cadillac are also at the forefront of Welburn’s mind. He says the luxury brand’s move to New York changes things for Cadillac and the future of its design “in a positive way.” All Cadillac design work will still be done in Warren, however Cadillac designers will spend more time in New York and other areas where they can be exposed to and influenced by other luxury goods. And Welburn doesn’t mean cars when he says that.

Welburn pulls design inspiration from a variety of places. Last year he left the Paris Auto Show in order to wander the city’s streets in search of boutique fashion stores in which he could get inspiration from. He says he likes to “look at what’s happening in product design, furniture design, even a second look at midcentury design,” when designing interiors and exteriors.

If he had to name an automotive brand in which he respects their design philosophy, it would be Aston Martin. Welburn says he’s attracted to Aston Martin as he enjoys “the execution of the form” and more traditional designs. For interiors, he likes Volkswagen, as the quality is “quite good” even on some of the automaker’s low budget models.

When it comes to the future of GM vehicles, Welburn says the need to reduce mass and improve aerodynamics for efficiency reasons will affect vehicle design. In order to improve aerodynamics, cars will become lower in the front. This way of thinking appears to have been applied in the next-generation Malibu and Cruze, both of which appear lower and wider than their predecessors. Welburn says making a car lower while retaining interior space takes a lot of planning, and those that can do it “are the ones that can be successful.”

Welburn is fast approaching his 10th anniversary as GM’s first-ever global design chief. The 64-year old has big things planned, so check out his Q&A with Automotive News here for some additional insights.

 

Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

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Comments

  1. I’ve always had mixed views on Ed. On the one hand, he probably saved GM (especially in that his fusion ethos has allowed for great international growth).
    On the other hand, GM often plays it too safe these days. Evolutionary design only works when you are the company selling the industry leading product, not a second or third place runner up.
    A lot of you will disagree (or hate me for saying this) but companies such as Kia, Mazda and Benz have been the most innovate I’ve the past half decade from a design standpoint.

    Reply
    1. Welburn did not save GM. In fact, he’s killing GM. There’s no reason for GM to make its vehicle design “complex” as he asserts. His “Art and Science” styling has driven more people away from Cadillac to Audi and Mercedes than he has attracted to the brand. If GM wants to thrive in the future, it needs to diversify its vehicle configurations without complicating its vehicle platforms. Welburn has simply not done anything impressive in this realm. Where are the convertibles, wagons, hatchbacks, shooting brakes, urban cube vans, and aerodynamic hypermiling interstate commuters? Nowhere to be found. Instead, GM continues to put ugly chrome strips and bold grilles on boring sedans with slushbox transmissions and cheap ill-fitting plastic interiors.

      Overall, has GM turned a corner? Perhaps. Bankruptcy does wonders for waking people up. But already we see what should be refined, simple, clean products overcomplicated by a designer who obviously does not have to live with his creations. Livability with a Camaro is poor. Such a huge heavy car with so little practicality. Now that the nostalgia sales bump is winding down, GM needs to offer a better replacement. Or how about the Corvette? No one doubts the fine job that the engineers did, but the styling is so controversial that aftermarket companies are busy penning kits to tone down the more awkward creases — or to take the Corvette in practical directions that for some reason GM is afraid to go. Look at the Callaway Corvette Aerowagon, for example.

      Last but not least, trucks are big business. This is an area where Welburn needs to devote some serious attention, because GM full-size pickups are now losing the sales battle due to boring uninspired styling — not to mention outdated drivetrains. Where is the passion, GM?

      Reply
    2. I couldn’t agree more. I’m a major GM supporter as I drive all GM vehicles, but I’m just not sure what they are thinking a lot of times. Don’t get me wrong they make some great vehicles. GM plays it too conservative and usually fall short of what customers want.
      Example: I just purchased a 60,000 dollar Sierra Denali 4×4 1500. Nice truck, but just doesn’t compare to the 2015 Ford F-150. How did GM let Fird beat them so badly with adampive cruise control, 360 cameras, panoramic mood roof, remote electric tail gate, LED lights all around, electric side steps, center console shifter, lighted illumination all around the interior, aluminum body. GM badly wants to be the #1 truck producer and yet they let Ford come out and make a new model that has higher quality (I don’t like the look of a Ford) out runs, out pulls, out carries, out styles every truck GM makes.
      Let’s look at the Ford Taurus. Go ride in this car and compare it to any Chevy sedan and you’ll see it the design quality.
      Ford Fusion, Mustang, Explorer and I’m sure eventually Ford will knock our socks off with a new Expedition. The old designed current Expedition already matches up and exceeds in function.
      I don’t intend to sound negative as I really am a GM guy, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to continue buying GM cars if Ford is the one who gives me everything all the time. Ford is earning the customers business these days. Ford sales reflect this. Ford makes a nicer truck and a nicer sedan, period. I’m just scared to death Ford will eventually develope a corvette competitor.

      Reply
  2. Yes I can see how not playing it safe really helped in the 80-2001. Just look at the many risk GM took and how they paid off.

    Aztek

    Dust buster mini vans.

    All the Down Sized Cadillac’s.

    and I could go on.

    If you want to hit the market target you have to aim for it and that is what most of the new GM product have done. While they all are not home runs [and tell me a company that always hit those?] GM as done a good job for the most balancing taste, aerodynamics, Crash regulations and a styling that if the car had no name plate you would know what it is.

    If one takes the time to really look at the styling and the flow of many GM cars for the most part they have done well. The devil is in the details like the Impala and CTS.

    It is difficult to style a car today with regulations that have made for the tall nose of the cars and high sides.

    I did not appreciate the styling much of my daily driver Malibu till I washed it. the roof rail flows from the front to the back in the most graceful way and fills into a quarter panel that flairs out well around the 18″ wheel.

    I am not a big fan on the rail lamps but the rest of the car has a flow and style that is graceful and not a copy of anyone else. The nose is all Chevy even if the bow tie was missing you would have no trouble knowing what it is.

    I did not like my Terrain at first but it really has a lot of detail They took a chance going boxy in a rounded world and it has paid off as people who hate rounded designs now have a place to buy and they have in greater numbers each year since intro.

    As for risk and taking chances what bigger risk was there than the HHR? A very polarizing design at a time when most said it was too late after the PT Cruiser. Yet for most years of Its life it sold in numbers greater than six figures in volume and even the last year was close. Try to find a Cavalier wagon that sold in those kinds of numbers?

    While some cry they are not radical enough you must put yourself in the shoes of a product planner. He is not just goof on the internet that can say what ever he feels. His a$$ is on the line if there is a failure. While it is easy to say some of this stuff put your butt on the line and you too will play things a little closer to the target as vs. putting up a hail mary and see if anyone catches on.

    Reply
    1. Ford F-150 has continually been a home run for past 10 years! GM might need to steal a Ford designers. Seriously!

      Reply
  3. I HAVE BEEN DIE CHEVY OWNER SINCE AGE 16 I,M 67 NOW IHAVE A 64 , NOVA, 66 CHEVELLE.2014 HIGH COUNTRY ALSO 98 SILVERADO MY TRUE LOVE IS 70 NOVA WICH I STILL OWN. I WOULD TO SEE A NEW GENERATION OF THE NOVA LIKE YOU DID THE CAMARO AND I WOULD BE AT GM TO BUY NEED TOP OF LINE STREET PERFORMANCE.

    Reply

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