J Mays, who oversaw the development of the sensational Ford Forty-Nine, New Mustang and GT, Jaguar F-Type and Volvo Safety Car Concept, has been named Ford’s design group vice president.
J Mays, who oversaw the development of the sensational Ford Forty-Nine, New Mustang and GT, Jaguar F-Type and Volvo Safety Car Concept (which was displayed at last year’s Auto Africa motor show at Nasrec), has been named Ford’s design group vice president.
Mays, 48, will report to Ford chief operating officer Nick Scheele. His responsibilities will include leading the design of the more than 65 new Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products that will launch within the next five years. He is also responsible for the 45 new products being launched by Ford of Europe, 35 new products coming from the Premier Automotive Group and 15 new products from Mazda.
The award-winning American designer had been a vice president reporting to Richard Parry-Jones, group vice president of development and chief technical officer.
“Mays’ design cues have made our vehicles distinctive and desirable to customers,” said Bill Ford, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer. “By elevating his position, we are emphasising the importance of product design in our revitalisation programme.”
Mays joined Ford in 1997 and has overseen the development of the 2004 Ford F-150, Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans as well as the 2005 Ford Freestyle, Ford 500 and 427 saloons.
Before he joined Ford, Mays held various leadership positions in design at Audi, BMW and Volkswagen of America.
Mays is a graduate of the Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena, California. His design career was recently the subject of an exhibition called “Retrofuturism: The Car Design of J Mays” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.