Ford’s Chief Design Officer Resigns After Just Three Years On The Job

Ford’s Anthony Lo has resigned from his position as chief design officer after just three years. The 59-year-old has decided to leave the automaker on his own. The Detroit Free Press reports that Lo notified his team by email on Wednesday, May 8.

While the Blue Oval hasn’t issued a statement regarding the sudden departure, a spokesperson told the publication that the automaker is actively seeking a replacement. “In the meantime, a series of interim assignments will assure that work continues uninterrupted.” Ford told CarBuzz that “Anthony has elected to leave Ford to explore new opportunities effective May 14. We’d like to thank Anthony for his leadership and contributions to Ford and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Where Is He Heading?

At this stage, Lo has made no announcements regarding his plans. Before joining the Dearborn-based brand in 2021, the designer worked as Renault’s vice president of exterior design. He steered the French marque into a new direction, revitalizing the Renault and Dacia lineups. He created influential concept cars such as the DeZir and Frendzy during his time at Renault.

Before that, the Hong Kong-born stylist enjoyed a lengthy stint at General Motors Europe, where he was in charge of several design projects for now-defunct Saab, as well as Opel and Vauxhall. His career is varied, having worked at Mercedes-Benz on the striking F200 concept and early Maybach design studies. Lo also served on Audi’s design team in the early ’90s, contributing to the first-generation A4 and the Avus concept. After graduating from the Royal College of Art in London, his career as a designer began at Lotus, where he penned the iconic Carlton. His resume is impressive, to say the least.

Lo Had Great Ideas During His Time At Ford

During his time at the helm of Ford Design, Lo oversaw the sculpting of the new Mustang (S650 generation), arguably one of the best-looking muscle cars of the modern era. Lo had myriad out-of-the-box ideas while working at Ford. After designing the futuristic Lincoln L100 concept, Lo said he wanted to rethink car interiors (introducing new materials that can be replaced), likening it to a home renovation. “If you imagine vehicles having a longer life, then at some point […] you may want to introduce a new interior layout, [or] a new material you can actually put into the vehicles to update [them], like a freshening,” he said.

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Concept cars were very important for Lo. While many companies design striking concept cars, few of them ever translate well into a production series vehicle. Lo believed that concepts were hugely important, describing them as more than just sculptures. Instead, they were a platform to preview new designs and gauge public perception, before implementing them onto production cars. “It’s a platform for us to experience and think, ultimately, how the brand design language should evolve.” Under his guidance, Lo had hoped Ford would produce more concept cars. Sadly, with his sudden departure, we expect this goal to fall by the wayside.