Driving Toward A Snazzier Style

Across the fleet, Ford is putting more faith in designers, says Mays. Hits like the Mustang persuaded top management to give designers more authority over a model's proportions, and there appears to be less bureaucratic meddling. Thomas, who heads design studios in California and Michigan, says he can negotiate vehicle dimensions directly with his counterpart in advanced engineering, eliminating middlemen in marketing, say, who might nibble away at a strong vision. "The only thing that's going to separate our company from the rest is great design," says Mays. Investors just hope Ford can turn those sketches into sales.