Name: Geoff Gardiner
Age: 41
Job: Design supervisor, exterior design CD Car, Ford, Cologne, Germany
Key cars: Ford S-Max (concept and production) Isuzu Kai and Zen, Citroen Pluriel
4Car - What's the most significant design element of your latest concept?
Gardiner - 'For me this car does the job. It's very sporty-looking and has lots of space inside. That means the volume is correct. The S-Max is a five- or five plus two-seater. It's for car enthusiasts who want a sporty-looking car but need more space.
'I've got three children and I like sports cars - like the ones done in Italy in the 70s - the Stratos prototype, the Lamborghini Countach, these beautiful one-box shapes. So why can't you make a one-box shape that has space inside it? They don't have to look like buses.'
 |
| Isuzu Zen |
4Car - Design influences?
Gardiner - 'I'm a great fan of the Bertone design house - there was a spirit that created fantastic cars no matter who was designing them.
'The futurist movement in Italy in the 30s were fascinated with how to show movement in a static object. In Boccioni's
Running Man sculptures, he used repetitive elements, or dynamic lines with smooth-flowing surfaces between them - which is what you're getting here. Kinetic design is about that, so I found that quite influential and interesting.'
4Car - What attracted you to car design as a career?
Gardiner - 'When I was doing mechanical engineering I specialised in car body structure and packaging, which gave me a good grounding. So now when I do a design I draw something and naturally think about the feasibility as well, even if it is a show car.
'Some of the show cars I have done have been quite unusual, but you could still make them work. The production S-Max will be available with the same orange body kit as the concept (for around £1,500 extra) from the summer launch: it's the first mummy bus with 20" wheels.'
 |
| Geoff is another admirer of the Bertone Stratos concept |
4Car - What's the next big car design trend?
Gardiner - 'There are two directions: looking for new niche and product - a lot of people [eg VW] are playing around with off-road sports cars - but we also have to develop a new language. Car design in general has been stuck in Bauhaus design for far too long. Now everyone's trying to get more emotional.
'Audi's Walter de'Silva did a lot of promotion for this. The S-Max is really the first Ford vehicle to show this new kinetic design. The Iosis was even stronger, we're building a much stronger design language.'
4Car - What other car firm/design team do you think would be interesting to work for?
Gardiner - 'I admire design teams who are pushing the limits. I think Citroen - who I used to work for - has been doing good work. Usually designers cite Renault too. In terms of production cars I'm actually quite surprised - in a good way - how Alfa is coming on. It's on to something and developing well.'
4Car - What car did you wish you'd designed?
Gardiner - 'The 1970 Lancia Stratos prototype by Bertone. It's the ultimate piece of automotive sculpture.'
 |
| Pontiac Aztek: unpopular with many designers |
4Car - What car are you glad you didn't?
Gardiner - 'That's not a very fair question. There have been some real donkeys around. There's an American one which I think takes the biscuit - the Pontiac Aztek.'
4Car - What shoes are you wearing?
Gardiner - 'Low-cut Doctor Martens, £50. They're so comfortable for a car show where you walk for miles - plus we work with models in clay - which is hard to get off. You can clean these up with WD40 oil.'
4Car - What watch?
Gardiner - 'A slim Calvin Klein, nothing too special. I know designers normally have fantastic watches, but I don't, and I don't know the cost - it was a present.'
Related Links
4Car Interview: Chris BangleChris Bangle, director of design for the BMW group, is probably the most controversial car designer currently working in the industry. 4Car met up with him to talk about his work and design philosophy.
Detroit Designers
4Car cornered five of the hottest car designers in Detroit for a chat about design, the future, favourite shoes, and the ugliest car of all time.
Motor Show: Geneva 2006
Our full show report on all the newest metal on display in Switzerland.
