Mike Simcoe to head Design, North America.

[V-Car]

The boy has done good! :cool:

From Automotive News.
"Michael Simcoe, an Australian who heads General Motors' Asian design, will lead design of GM's North American cars effective Aug. 1. It shows GM's increasing effort to move rising designers around the globe to gain an international perspective."

Congratulations Mike. :cheers:

[FunkyPig]

That is fantastic!! Mr Monaro hits the bigtime. So will he report directly to GM Design cheif Ed Wellburn?

[mavss]

Mike's cars (VT onwards) are some of the most gorgeous cars on the road, ANYWHERE.

I remember seeing my first VX SS in the flesh - parked in front of Holden's Fishermens Bend headquarters - & I knew I had to have one.

I was going to say that I'd prefer he stayed here in Oz to keep strutting his stuff, but hey - he's given us some of his best work and has probably had a strong say in the VE so time to move on ol' son. Can't do much more than that.

Time for the yanks to get some Simcoe lovin ;)

[TriShield]

I've read about him before, apparently he styled US cars in the late 80s and early 90s before heading to Asia.

I agree, his Holdens are beautiful cars. He obviously has a lot of fans in Detroit, hopefully he can put some stylish pizzazz in the mainstream GM line up here.

And yes, he would be reporting to Ed Wellburn.

[SSbaby]

Probably hand picked by Lutz... no better designer in the GM world than Simcoe, in the last decade, at least.

[mmciau]

Yes, he has left us in Australia with a great series of cars and it is hoped he still continues his influence into the VE series and beyond

Mike

[V-Car]

More here on Mellor's E-News (http://www.mellor.net/mellor/enews.nsf/edition/DEEF63D8B3D25F5CCA256EC900365197/$file/GoAuto_enews245.pdf)

[glennbayard]

Probably hand picked by Lutz... no better designer in the GM world than Simcoe, in the last decade, at least.GM and Pontiac has nothing more than a succession of managers, mainly all inept, that get promoted, fail to win the hearts and souls of North American car buyers, withness unforgiveable market share losses, then retires, moves on, often with golden parachutes. This is ABSOLUTE HISTORICALY CORRECT............no wonder all youth and now mainly everyone else is deserting GM/Pontiac.
Honestly,after building cars for 100 years you would think they would get it right ie car building is not rocket science, just the fundamentals have to be correct ie quality, style, value, satisfaction........just look at the GTO, in all of the US in June it sold less than 600 units.............a few big Infiniti or Honda dealers move than much metal !!!!!ie eveyone of GM and Pontiac managers should be fired!!!

[TriShield]

http://www.autoweek.com/images_content/2004_07/simcoe.jpg
Michael Simcoe led design for the Holden Commodore, Statesman and Monaro.

By DAVE GUILFORD | Automotive News
(08:01 July 06, 2004)

DETROIT - Michael Simcoe, an Australian who heads General Motors' Asian design, will lead design of GM's North American cars effective Aug. 1.

It shows GM's increasing effort to move rising designers around the globe to gain an international perspective.

The move is one of three design leadership changes, a GM spokesman said:

1. Simcoe, 47, will replace Bryan Nesbitt as executive director for unibody vehicles in North America. Simcoe has been executive director for Asia Pacific design since Sept. 1. Simcoe rose in the design ranks of GM's Australian subsidiary, Holden Ltd., becoming design director in 2001. Designs he was responsible for include the Holden Monaro. The 2005 Pontiac GTO is based on the Monaro.

2. David Lyon, 35, will replace Simcoe as head of Asia Pacific design. He is executive director for design of body-on-frame vehicles in North America, a post he took Jan. 1. Previously, he was design director for the truck interior studio and chief designer of the Buick LaCrosse, Centieme and Bengal concept cars.

3. Ken Parkinson, 41, will replace Lyon as executive director for body-on-frame vehicles in North America.

He is director of design for small and mid-sized truck interiors, a post he took June 1. Previously, he was design director for Delta small cars and Epsilon mid-sized cars and spent three years on assignment in Japan.

The changes were triggered by Nesbitt's departure to head Adam Opel AG design in April.

Shortly after Nesbitt moved to Opel, Vice Chairman Robert Lutz said that broadening the global experience of designers would be a priority in picking his replacement.

[TriShield]

no wonder all youth and now mainly everyone else is deserting GM/Pontiac.

:lol:

Ole glenn posts again. You might want to note Pontiac sales as a whole are way up this year (even the Grand Am), and GTO sales remain steady, afterall, it is a niche vehicle. Cadillac unlike the rest of GM and all of Ford enjoyed more sales last month as well.

[mavss]

2. David Lyon, 35, will replace Simcoe as head of Asia Pacific design. He is executive director for design of body-on-frame vehicles in North America, a post he took Jan. 1. Previously, he was design director for the truck interior studio and chief designer of the Buick LaCrosse, Centieme and Bengal concept cars.
I have a suspicion the vehicles mentioned above may give design clues for future products.

[glennbayard]

:lol: d

Ole glenn posts again. You might want to note Pontiac sales as a whole are way up this year (even the Grand Am), and GTO sales remain steady, afterall, it is a niche vehicle. Cadillac unlike the rest of GM and all of Ford enjoyed more sales last month as well.
Boy have you got all your data wrong or simply blinded by reality. Real quickly, GTO sales, target 18K, after 6 months down 200%!!!!! ie that's 6K reality, and sinking fast..........after a 3 decade hiatis, a pent up demand, a rich history, spring time usual peak coup sales.........and it fails miserably, just the facts, no personal insults please!!! The ONLY Pontiac sales registered any increase in past 4 years is through lease sales/rental fleets.........based on lowest price/any kind of product. You know this, or should..........why so defensive.........obviously you have a vested interest in GM!!! Oldsmobile died, Buick dying, Chevrolet cars dying............trucks the only thing keeping it alive, and the competition is eating it alive....................leaves only Cadillac, finally, a division that 'got it finally right'............sorry, just the facts.

[glennbayard]

:lol:

Ole glenn posts again. You might want to note Pontiac sales as a whole are way up this year (even the Grand Am), and GTO sales remain steady, afterall, it is a niche vehicle. Cadillac unlike the rest of GM and all of Ford enjoyed more sales last month as well. Should you have forgotten, EVERYTHING GM/Pontiac did to the GTO quite naturally was WRONG. GM spent a little money, all poor decisions, and you and others sit around pontificating ie BS about how great the idiot Bob Lutz and others are........all of GM/Pontiac management are inept based on their decisions. A very very brief recap, but the changes and results of Pontiac and the GTO are:
Ugly/10 year old front end; Ugly/wrong 17 wheels; No side air bags; Consumed 60% of the trunk with a fuel tank; Removed dead pedal for safety concerns.........then reinstalled for 05; Allegedly spent so much time/effort in sound tuning the exhaust, yet couldn't find 3 inches for a dual splitter; Stuck ugly spoiler on at US port of entry(with a SECOND brake light to add insult to injury..........pathetic.......couldn't customize it yet in past had a thousand options on their poor quality cars!; I could go on and on, but you DO realize this, the very reason everyone testing this car walks out of the dealership to buy a superior G35 coupe, RX8, or 3 series coupe.........ALL ENJOYING RECORD SALES WHILE THE GTO ON DEALER LOTS COLLECT RUST AND DUST IE thank you oh brillant Bob Lutz..............you are a poor excuse for a leader!!

[V-Car]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think he doesnt like Bob Lutz? :rolleyes:

BTW glenn, this thread is about a great Australian Automotive Designer, not your personal vendetta about GM.