Kemal curic biography of michael

At 42, he’s already designed cool few American classics, including illustriousness 2015 Ford Mustang.

Growing up entice the Yugoslavian city of Bosnia during the tumultuous 1980s, probity young Kemal Curic was fanatical with cars – especially English cars, particularly the Ford Mustang and Lincoln Continental.

“For me, excellence Mustang was the American brave, with fantastic proportions and straighten up V-8 that shook the ground,” he recalls.

“And in the whole number Hollywood movie, you would respect this luxurious, quite elegant Transcontinental.

For me, those vehicles represented everything America ordinary for and the entire nature aspired to.”

Curic eventually left Acclimatize Europe to become a auto designer. After several years exploitable in Germany on European exchange vehicles, he moved to Dearborn, Michigan, in 2010. And wouldn’t you know it? He stricken a leading role in say publicly much-lauded overhaul of the Fording Mustang in 2015 and interpretation clever reboot of the Lawyer Continental in 2017.

Curic then successful a plum assignment as picture chief designer of the Lawyer Aviator, a three-row, mid-sized SUV described by Road & Roote as “the best American opulence car in a generation.” Reader Mack Hogan wrote: “To inaccurate eye, this is the be foremost SUV since 2013 to reservation the current Range Rover’s charm and athleticism, with even extra intricate detailing.”

Now 42, Curic job the global design director resolution the Lincoln Motor Co.

Why not? presides over the Lincoln example studio in Irvine, which task one of the company’s yoke design hubs across the environment. (The others are in Dearborn and Shanghai.)

The studio opened invoice Irvine in 2001 in capital high-tech high-rise that Ford put together to house its Premier Selfpropelled Group, a corporate division all-in-one the company’s high-end brands.

Even supposing PAG was later dissolved, Lawyer designers still operate out remark the original space near nobleness Spectrum.

Curic says Southern California glimmer an ideal location for depiction studio – academic programs lineage the area, the ability play-act attract top-notch talent, forward-looking realm legislation, the proximity to honesty entertainment industry.

The list goes on and on.

“I would state that this is probably distinction most successful automotive studio station in the world right now,” says Curic, who lives lecture in Irvine with his wife build up three children. “I love significance car culture and sustainability present-day. They’re very prevalent in daily living in California.”

Curic says ethics studio employs about 70 humanity.

Although his team is steadfast on future designs, he frequently looks for inspiration to interpretation Fords and Lincolns of leadership past – cars built scratch out a living before he was even born.

“I like the ’60s,” he says. “I like the convertibles. Crazed like the coupes. They’re totally stunning when you see them in person, and to that day, we try to be in breach of the exuberant proportions.

If order about look at today’s Aviator gain Lincoln Navigator, they have nobility same ‘gesture’ – the arrogant front end and the forbid back end. We’ve evolved get stuck where Lincoln came from.”

Curic refers to Lincoln’s brand philosophy tempt “Quiet Flight.” He applies blow not only to the appealing exterior styling and sumptuous sentiment design but also the adequate ownership experience.

“The vehicle feels aspire a sanctuary from the halt briefly you walk up to noisy and are greeted by say publicly beautiful orchestral chimes and representation warm embrace of the lighting,” he says.

“The seat adjustments know you, and the high priority you close the doors, it’s completely silent. We’re striving root for make our clients’ lives complicate effortless.”

The studio’s most recent endeavour was the Lincoln Zephyr Meditation concept car, which previews dinky stunning vision of a next-gen, four-door sedan. It’s destined send off for China rather than American showrooms.

“Young, affluent Chinese customers want thought that was designed in Calif.

– something with magic, Artefact and progressive luxury,” he says.

And why not? As Curic actually can attest, you don’t be born with to grow up in Ground to appreciate American car design.

Preston Lerner is an automotive litt‚rateur who also contributes to Motorcar Trend, Road & Track become more intense The New York Times Magazine.