The man tapped to replace former Lincoln Design Director David Woodhouse is someone whose hands have guided the shape and curves of numerous recent Ford and Lincoln products.
As reported by Automotive News, Lincoln Motor Company’s chief designer, Kemal Curic, will replace the Nissan-bound Woodhouse. Having led design work on the new Aviator and upcoming Corsair and brushed aside competitors to win the job of crafting the 2015 Ford Mustang, Curic is an obvious choice for the job.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina-born, German-educated Curic got his start with the company in 2003, when the now 41-year-old joined Ford of Europe. His interest, however, lay overseas. A fan of American muscle, most notably 1960s Mustangs, Curic put his life-long sketch skills to the test by submitting a drawing of what he felt was an appropriate design for the 50th anniversary Mustang.
That sketch led to Curic’s trans-Atlantic relocation as well as the sixth-generation Mustang that bowed for 2015. After four years in the States, Curic jumped to Lincoln in 2014 and was put to work designing the resurrected Continental.
As top dog in Lincoln’s Irvine, California design department, Curic plans to continue the direction taken under Woodhouse’s reign.
“I have been working with David hip to hip; this is what we all have been living and breathing for so long,” Curic told Car Design News.
“The idea is to deliver and build on the great work we’ve been doing. I keep talking about being the progressive American luxury brand. Everything we do starts with a vision and where the brand is going. Quiet flight is our vision, and we will keep using the tenets of beauty, human, gliding, and sanctuary.”
[Image: Lincoln Motor Company]
Did anyone else look for misaligned trim as soon as that picture came up?
You certainly don’t need to look very hard. It practically jumps out. Do you think he even noticed it?
Hopefully his designs will be less sloppy and more cohesive.
Design is the least of their problems.
Trim problems on the new Lincoln. (wasn’t there a problem on the Mexican made mid size car that went thru similar massaging? 3-6 years ago?)
Fiesta Trans problems.
6.0 Powerstroke disaster
I m beginning to think Ford quality really sucks.
Good news: There are no recalls required for styling misses.
I didn’t realize the 6.0L diesel was still causing problems for Ford.
It was the 2014 MKZ.
The commentariat savaged it pretty thoroughly.
Mine has no such issues. It has also been a great car. I still love driving it. It has black mica paint that would embarrass a lot of German cars. It has been utterly reliable.
Anecdotal evidence, of course, but it is has been my experience.
I don’t know what you are talking about. I had two Mexican built Ford midsize sedans and both were well put together and were enjoyable and fun to drive.
He’s more interested in “the tenets of beauty, human, gliding, and sanctuary” than he is about quality control.
He’s a stylist – I don’t think QC is really his job. If anything, I would imagine he would be quite annoyed if the products leave the factory in a sloppy state.
Now, is he good at working with engineering to make designs that can facilitate good QC? I have no idea.
So many BS comments about nothing and most are off topic. TTAC is getting worse every passing year and become troll attractor. Where have all insiders gone?
Yep one leaves three join..Hey do you ever think that Toyota will address their engine slug problem?? Thanks folks I am here all week.
Where in the piece are you seeing this?
Look at the trim just below the Aviator label; it’s not lined up with its mate on the door.
Can you trust a designer that looks like Tony Mustache?
For Lincoln or Cadillac I’d say that the designer you want would look like that.
Why? Why would you think someone who goes around looking peculiarly flamboyant would design a desirable machine?
He is a Muslim. You have a problem with that?