Trying to Bring Back Head-Turners at Ford

Trying to Bring Back Head-Turners at Ford
Peter Horbury changed the shape of Volvos from boxes to curves. Now the Ford Motor Company is giving Mr. Horbury, a 54-year-old British designer, a much larger makeover project: get Americans excited about Fords, Lincolns and Mercurys.

A year ago, Ford said that 2004 would be the year of the car and that it would boldly redesign its passenger lineup. General Motors also said it was rededicated to design.

But after a year in which the Big Three's share of the domestic market fell below 60 percent for the first time despite heavy spending on rebates and financing offers, it is clear that Detroit has a way to go.

"We feel very good about the products we have and yet I think we could've and will stretch more," Ford's chief, William Clay Ford Jr., said.

This week, auto executives converged on Detroit for the North American International Auto Show, the industry's show-and-tell for its coming products and the sometimes outlandish concept cars.

With Americans increasingly attracted to aesthetics, whether sold at Target stores or by Apple Computer, the role of design is seen as increasingly important by automakers.

At Ford, the role of Mr. Horbury, Ford's top North American designer for the last year, has been attracting more attention lately.

Last month, Ford said that Mr. Horbury's boss, J Mays, who is the