Author Description

The concept originator behind the New Beetle, J Mays is among the most influential designers in the history of the automobile. Mays's approach has revolutionized the industry by integrating branding and identity with the design process. Also at the foundation of his philosophy is a belief that the innovations of the past should inform future solutions. His cars intrigue us like no others because they respond to underlying emotional and cultural associations. This first book on Mays's work tracks his meteoric career from his start at Volkswagen-Audi to his current tenure at Ford, where he designs for eight lines (Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Mazda, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Aston Martin). Illustrated with more than eighty-five photographs, freehand sketches, and computer renderings, Retrofuturism reveals new ways of thinking about design that have the potential to greatly change the way we live in the twenty-first century.