Ford’s new design director based in Melbourne

By Tim Beissmann | August 13th, 2010

Ford’s new director of design for Asia Pacific and Africa will pen the Fords of the future from Australia.

Christopher Svensson was appointed to the role in June and is currently responsible for designing new vehicles developed in Africa, Asia and Australasia.

Reporting to Ford of Europe executive design director, Martin Smith, Mr Svensson is based at Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa Product Development Centre in Melbourne.

Joining Ford in 1992, Mr Svensson began as an exterior designer for Ford of Germany at the Design Studio in Köln. Between 1992 and 1996 he was responsible for the design themes of the Ka, Puma and Cougar and also worked on the first-generation versions of the Focus and Mondeo.

In a year at Ford North America’s Advanced Design Studio Mr Svensson worked on the Mercury MC2 and Ford P2000 Hydrogen concept vehicles.

Returning to Europe in 1997, he oversaw the development of the Fiesta and Fusion, and was more recently involved in the pre-program development of the second-generation Ka and C-Max, third-generation Focus and six-generation Fiesta. He also collaborated on the Visos concept car and the Pink FAB1 from the movie Thunderbirds.

In 2007 he was appointed Ford of Europe’s chief designer of commercial vehicles, working both on interior and exterior designs.

Smithy

Yet more evidence of the FACT that Ford Australia are here to stay for a very long time yet.

smokin’R32

I don’t think anyone ever argued that Ford Aus will exist in the future, the main question was whether it will continue to manufacture cars or become a research and development hub. At the moment its doing both, but (unfortunately) its still a possibility car production might cease in the future

gary

i hope with this appointment that the designs of ford’s car start to have some individuality . they are starting to look the same. this global design is starting to look old and needs some punch sure follow the makes like mercedes, bmw ,audi. they have a global look but the cars are visuallly invidually stunning.

andronicus

I dont agree. I think their design direction is the way to go.
You mention Audi as looking individually stunning….wtf? Yes they make some nice cars but the majority of their offerings at the moment look exactly the same.
Also, this global design movement seems to be working for VW also and I think it is the way to go for Ford.

James

andonicus, i agree! we’ve all seen the latest Audi A4! woah thats boring! i dont understand, i see so many base model 320i BMW’s about, but why pay $55k and the rest for that when you can pick up a top of the range xr5 mondeo with way more stuff for cheaper! and its made in europe and not AFRICA!!! someone help me with this please!

Robert

So he designed the KA…….cool. only fords ugliest car ever

Trouble

He was ‘involved’ in the development of the SECOND generation Ka, not the first gen. The second gen isn’t so bad, looks kinda like a fiesta from the front.