African Americans have made great strides in the auto industry. Earl Lucas is a great example of this triumph. The Ford exterior design manager redesigned the SHO (Super High Output), which was introduced by Ford 20 years ago. Enjoying moderate success through 1999, the reserved vehicle was in need of an extreme makeover. The SHO vaunts an EcoBoost twin-turbocharged engine, generating 365 horsepower.
rolling out caught up with Lucas at the Chicago Auto Show. The lead designer throughout conceptualization and production of the SHO, Lucas talks about seeing his dream come true. –gavin philip godfrey
As a designer, what was your inspiration in revamping the Taurus SHO?
“Of course when you start with Taurus you have to know it’s successful, a product that Ford has had for a long time. The inspiration for us was to make it much more athletic, much more fashionable, something that people truly want to be seen in … a beautiful car.”
2010 Ford Taurus SHO
Even with the SHO’s slick new design, are their reservations that with that current economy people will find it hard to pay the $37,995 sticker price?
“The company understands that it’s hard times out there. However, as a manufacturer, the only thing [we] truly can do is produce cars that people want. We understand that these [are] tough times. What we’ve tried to do is give them an option, give them a range of prices on this product – the ultimate Taurus you can buy, the SHO.”
Describe the feeling of seeing the car you designed come to fruition?
“It is a very, very fulfilling feeling. I knew the car when it was just a blank sheet of paper. I knew the car when it was just a number of words. To now see a manufactured, production car – it’s like having a baby. It’s what designers dream, to have a product that people are responding to – all those late nights, all the hair loss, it paid off and we’re ecstatic about it.”
