This week's snippets of automotive news cover the entire industry, from Land Rover's design vision to Huracan Performante UK feedback, from Citroen wanting some people to dislike their cars and to Seat's electrification plan.
Land Rover "delivers without dilution":
Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern says the whole company has bought into his vision for “delivering without dilution” the innovative designs his team has come up with. McGovern said at Land Rover the car is engineered without compromise to fit the design, whereas at other companies the car is designed around the engineering brief.
Lamborghini R&D boss proud of UK feedback on Huracan Performante:
Lamborghini R&D boss Maurizio Reggiani says he’s most proud of the plaudits given by UK critics to the Huracán Performante. This, he says, is because the UK has the richest history of aerodynamic development in the car industry and it was a “big achievement” for Lamborghini to show that “there are other ways to achieve performance, not just with aerodynamics”.
Citroen wants some people to dislike its cars when first previewed:
Citroen wants some people to dislike its cars when they preview them in early customer clinics, according to company boss Linda Jackson. But there “has to be a higher level of people who love it as over- compensation. You accept that to be different”.
Electric Seat SUV due by 2020:
Seat might not have shown any electric car concepts yet but that “doesn’t mean we are not prepared”, according to boss Luca de Meo. “We will have access to the [electric] platforms the VW Group is developing.” A Seat electric SUV is due by 2020.
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Land Rover innovative ??
Land Rover innovative ?? Thats a joke, innovative is the last thing they are, Gerry just uses a photo copier for his dseigns with the occassional tweak, like making the roof of the evoque slope a bit more than usual or changing the door handles for the Velar. Bland, boring and unimaginative, yes, innovative, certainly not.
Both sides
I would hope that he is committed but I am upset because the new Discovery has lost me as a LR owner of three cars and 15 years standing. Defender might bring me back mind.
Why people go on about Gerry
Why people go on about Gerry is beyond me - he really has the brand running through his veins and is a really nice bloke - at least he says it as it is, and not troll comments based on nothing but negativity that you get here and on Auto Distress
jonboy4969 wrote:
Any new product, and especially car, is full of compromises between design, engineering and finance departments and rightfully so. Land Rover has historically had engineering led products and has unquestionably moved to design led products over the last few years, with massive success.
However to claim that the cars are engineered to the design without design is arrogant in the extreme, implies that their cars are full of engineering compromises (which will affect the usability & function for the customer) and is likely to annoy the engineering department.
I dont think questioning such comments by the head of design is trolling in any way.
What could be considered trolling, although not intended as such, would be to suggest that LR design appears to be a one size fits all solution, which is fine whilst that design is fresh, but once it becomes common place or fashion changes could leave the company in a design led cul de sac, where as a well engineered reputation can endure for decades, well beyond the period within which it is deserved.
Bob Cat Brian wrote: