Strong-arm hits Blue Oval style council

FOR Ford Australia’s new design director, Scott Strong, Australia represents unfinished business.

As the designer responsible for the successful BA Falcon, he is back to do it all again.

Part of Mr Strong’s new brief is to finalise work on the 2007 Falcon – codenamed Orion – as well as wave his styling wand over the XR and FPV performance Falcons.

In his previous job, Mr Strong was the chief designer for Ford Australia from 1999 to 2001 and oversaw the revamp of the AU Falcon into the successful BA, as well as the start of the Territory 4WD project.

Like the BA, the next-generation Falcon is expected to follow the proven path of being rear-drive, with in-line six-cylinder engines.

Echoing Ford’s global design chief J Mays, Mr Strong also confirmed it would have elements of the Iosis concept car unveiled at last year’s Frankfurt motor show. "I think there’s a bit of that in there, without saying too much. The car looks pretty exciting," he said.

Mr Strong also eluded to the possibility that if budgets allow, Ford would re-invigorate special one-off performance show cars for the key Australian (Sydney) and Melbourne International Motor Shows, as evidenced by his R5 (2000) and R7 (2002) show cars.

In his new role, Mr Strong, 54, will have far wider responsibilities for the brand in Australia and throughout the Asia-Pacific region than before.

"I was excited by the opportunity in India and Asian regions and other things that are in the planning stages as an adjunct to the work that is done here,” he said.

The broader Ford Australia footprint in the region lured the designer from his North American position where he has been director of design for SUVs and people-movers, as well as the head of design on Ford’s high-performance SVT products in the US.

He said Australia effectively represented unfinished business and the new job was a step up for his career.

"That was primarily the thing that got me very excited. It’s an exciting growth region, which Australia as a continent is so nicely positioned to participate in," he said. "It was a personal choice to return.

Left: Ford Shelby GT500.



“From my perspective this is a much bigger job and therefore interesting and challenging, combined with the fact that I had just immensely enjoyed the automotive culture here.

"The thought of being able to come back where muscle cars still live and breath and there’s a real face off between Ford and that other company... it’s a unique thing in the world."Although he has not been given a specific brief, he admitted that there was an expectation that "you continue to lift the bar".

A self-confessed muscle-car lover, the issue of Ford’s high-performance vehicles is close to Mr Strong’s heart, and another reason why he wanted to return Down Under.

As the key driver for the BA XR series cars, he was heartened that the sports models had become almost mainstream Fords. He said it was invigorating to see XRs "everywhere", and he was looking forward to influencing the next-generation XR and Ford Performance Vehicle (FPV) high-performance cars.

"We start with the base car, the core car, and as we firm up sheetmetal on that we march on into the performance vehicles. So I’ll have some opportunity and influence on the performance cars. "That will be fun."Mr Strong’s predecessor Simon Butterworth has already penned much of the work for the next-generation Falcon.

"I’d like to say I’m going to really put my thumbprint on it but actually it’s looking really good," said Mr Strong.

"Aside from maybe offering some advice about a little tweak here and there I think we’re looking pretty good.

"We’re still working on it and will be for a little while as we work our way through the series and performance cars. It will be a winner."In some ways, Mr Strong’s return vindicates his work on the BA Falcon, which he largely designed and Butterworth finished, as well as his initial work on the Territory.

"If I could turn back the clock there were times when I felt like the surrogate mother (with BA) who gave up their baby but didn’t get to come to the christening," he said.

"We try to be grown up about it and realise that it’s just important that we have great cars out there for people. And that’s the way I’ll build on the work that Simon’s done here.

"I think he’s done a great job."Beyond the next-generation Falcon and Territory, Strong is cognisant of the need for Australian-produced product and the continuing role of Ford Australia’s design studio.

"I do think Australia has a great chance of sustaining its role as is, and even growing because it’s such a value right now and globally as an engineering product development group," he said.

"I can tell you that having been over in the US, it was not uncommon for them to use the phrase ‘well in Australia we could get this done for...’"Quite often they would roll out some of the products we do here as examples of how you get a lot for your money.

"I do think Australia is in a very good situation. And again, it’s one of the personal reasons why I’m very excited about being back.

"There is something about a smaller product development group in terms of getting things done efficiently and quickly.

"Sometimes too large of a scale can slow you down. Australia seems to be the right size for delivering a lot for the money that’s invested."Now he is back, the arrival of the VE Commodore, Toyota Aurion and Mitsubishi 380 – and the continuing surge of new 4WD wagons – are not far from Strong’s thoughts.

He said the Australian market would face the same challenges that every manufacturer was facing elsewhere – the pressure of more players entering the market.

"More than ever, it will be on our shoulders to keep our products heads and shoulders above all the other players that are going to come in and try to take a piece of the pie – and they will," he said.

"When you offer customers more choice, then some of them are going to prefer the other one over yours, all things being equal.

"Our challenge is to keep the positive news rolling and keep the brand equity increasing so people stay true to the brand they’ve grown to love."