Automotive stylist

Lynn Poole rides into the program in a Model T Ford, followed by a Thunderbird. Guest Gene Bordinat, vice president of Ford Motor Co. in charge of styling and assistant to George W. Walker, is the chief designer of the Mercury. He explains that in designing a car, he must consider not only what the American public wants but also management's bottom line, since a complete body and chassis change costs the company $75 million. Because of automotive competition, Bordinat can not show forthcoming models, but he does display some "dream cars," such as the XM Turnpike Cruiser and the Taj Mahal, which are impractical to produce but which offer design features applicable to practical cars. He enumerates the steps in creating new models from design to production, including engineering, manufacturing, financing, and safety considerations. A film shows the Ford assembly line and testing labs. Bordinat shows a typical 3/8 scale clay model of the XM Turnpike Cruiser and discusses its design features and proportions. His design ideas come from observing various shapes, and he applies them to auto styling, such as elements of a B-52 bomber appearing as impact units (bumpers) on the Cruiser. Prospective stylists should like automobiles and study art at a school such as the Cleveland Institute of Art. In conclusion Mr. Poole asks Mr. Bordinat to envision cars of the future, which he describes.