New GM design cheif...probably.
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From: Chicagoland IL
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From: Ohio
Hmmm... if what are listed here are his most notable achievments, I am concerned:
Throughout his career Welburn has played a direct hand in numerous vehicles, including the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, the 1985 Oldsmobile Calais Indianapolis 500 pace car, the new Chevrolet SSR and concept vehicles such as the Autonomy fuel cell vehicle and Chevrolet Bel Air.
"Clearly he has a flair for exciting design," said Brown
"Clearly he has a flair for exciting design," said Brown
Last edited by Darth Xed; Jul 25, 2003 at 08:02 AM.
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From: Newhall, CA USA
OMG . . . they have the guy who designed the PT Cruiser and they are going to appoint someone who designed two old-fart-mobiles, the hideous butchery of the Bel Air, and the too-ugly-for-Minority-Report Autonomy to design chief? Please, someone save me from corporate seniority and politics!
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From: Yadkinville, NC USA
Ah yes, love that rap sheet. But the guy may be needing a chance to come out of the closet and do some great stuff too, who knows?
Like so many other industries...
Maybe it's not WHAT you do, but WHO you do that gets you ahead.
Pun intended. Both of them.
Like so many other industries...
Maybe it's not WHAT you do, but WHO you do that gets you ahead.
Pun intended. Both of them.
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From: The Golden State
"The GM system, pre-Lutz really deflated the value of design and designer opinions," said Wes Brown, an analyst with Iceology, a division of Los Angeles market consultant Nextrend. "They did market research, then tossed it out and did what they wanted."
Within five months of Lutz's hiring, GM consolidated and restructured its vehicle development and design operations.
Under the changes, Ed Welburn was appointed executive director of design, reporting to Cherry.
In the 1980s and 1990s, GM relied more and more on consumer research, further diluting the influence of designers...
Within five months of Lutz's hiring, GM consolidated and restructured its vehicle development and design operations.
Under the changes, Ed Welburn was appointed executive director of design, reporting to Cherry.
In the 1980s and 1990s, GM relied more and more on consumer research, further diluting the influence of designers...
1. GM stiffled their own stylist & public input on designs
2. This guy can come up with some decent stuff (the 80s isn't exactly a decade of exciting design save Ford's aero-look, and the SSR & Belair aren't bad designs....I just question the wisdom of a production SSR, and the Belair happened to be built off of a chassis of a truck. But, the designs are good, though).
3. Lutz and the rest of the "new" GM have alot of confidence in the guy (that's not a post for minor leaguers).
4. He seems to mark the direction GM want's to take their designs.
If he isn't hamstrung, I think he'll do OK.
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I used to work for Ed Welburn, not directly but under his group. I can tell ya he's a good guy. He's got an eye for slick styles but knows how to play the game in GM to get those styles approved. He'll go far and do well in the new enviornment at GM Design. To help matters he has a easy going personality that meshes well with the top execs in the Finance and Engineering teams. Not like chromedome Chuck Jordan or to an extent Mitchell and Earl, although they were more worthy of the acclaim and respect bestowed upon them.
Cherry has done an ok job but he like so many before him has been always trumped by the bean-counters and to as of the 90's the engineering teams kinda overtook GM Design. But now things have changed a bit and emphasis is being put back on design. Idea's are getting out and styles are changing. The cookie cutter cars that made a laughing stock out of GM Design in the 80's are starting to be lived down.
There is lots of talent and dedication at GM Design to do the best and have the best. And with the vast resources available GM could easily have the best styles around. Yet like so much at GM everything gets dragged down and hot ideas at concept become the Azteck....
Lucky for GM, Wagoner knows he's not the best at styling at engineering so he went out and got the best he could, and has let them do their jobs w/o intervention. Lutz was just one of the people that will help get GM back to its roots and its prime. Things are looking up at GM despite the loss of the F-body!
Cherry has done an ok job but he like so many before him has been always trumped by the bean-counters and to as of the 90's the engineering teams kinda overtook GM Design. But now things have changed a bit and emphasis is being put back on design. Idea's are getting out and styles are changing. The cookie cutter cars that made a laughing stock out of GM Design in the 80's are starting to be lived down.
There is lots of talent and dedication at GM Design to do the best and have the best. And with the vast resources available GM could easily have the best styles around. Yet like so much at GM everything gets dragged down and hot ideas at concept become the Azteck....
Lucky for GM, Wagoner knows he's not the best at styling at engineering so he went out and got the best he could, and has let them do their jobs w/o intervention. Lutz was just one of the people that will help get GM back to its roots and its prime. Things are looking up at GM despite the loss of the F-body!
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From: Ohio
Originally posted by 99SilverSS
I used to work for Ed Welburn, not directly but under his group. I can tell ya he's a good guy. He's got an eye for slick styles but knows how to play the game in GM to get those styles approved. He'll go far and do well in the new enviornment at GM Design. To help matters he has a easy going personality that meshes well with the top execs in the Finance and Engineering teams.
I used to work for Ed Welburn, not directly but under his group. I can tell ya he's a good guy. He's got an eye for slick styles but knows how to play the game in GM to get those styles approved. He'll go far and do well in the new enviornment at GM Design. To help matters he has a easy going personality that meshes well with the top execs in the Finance and Engineering teams.
Thank you for your insight!
It's good to hear this from someone who knows the man!
Can you list more projects that he would have been involved with?
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