Summer Message - Friday 13th - The Long Socialised Psychological Implanting and Leverage of Fear

Ideally, this web-log would have been a continuation of the Summer Interlude series focused upon methods of drawing with case examples of past concept sketches and descriptive contextual detail.

For necessary reason that content has been delayed until the following installation.

As a content filler, instead it is very prosaic that - referring to today's date - a few words be said about the use of psychological manipulation of initially naive and innocent person and peoples.

Friday the 13th has long been considered as unlucky given the spread of superstition that itself harks back centuries.

Given its appearance at least once a year, and so forever availed to the popular consciousness, it has long been deployed by those who are highly manipulative amongst the more educated, rational and so enlightened as a social tool by which to hold power over others through the use of innate fear.

Such nasty people may even go so far as to secretly and disingenuously create problematic events for the innocent person or persons on that date, simply to add supposed substance to the superstition, and so have it appear material and so for all intense purposed seemingly true.

But of course, this is but one of a myriad of methods for manipulating the innocent (and usually trusting and kind) soul, who can be perennially duped and used for all kinds of purposes.

Such manipulation spans across activities such as contacting the 'other side' via seances, the use of tarot cards, 'mind-reading' etc....all stemming from the abuse of trust and the devious use of private information regards the individual being duped.

This has happened for eons, and became more apparent in the Dark Ages in Europe, to scar the Serfs, utilised again via fantasy superstition with the 'photographed' garden fairies in the late Victorian age (achieved with double exposure film processing), seen with the use of Voodoo for centuries in Africa and the 'Deep South' USA amongst tribes and slaves (upon their own race), via Juju in the Caribbean Islands, as deployed by 'Papa Doc' Duvallier in Haiti (reported by Alan Wicker in 1969) and replayed time and again across the UK by fraudulent 'Spiritualists' such as Doris Stokes, who took money from the betrayed and unsuspecting.

Such acts are deplorable and they should be better recognised as crimes, and not left in the margins of society as mere entertainment, comedic 'hocus pocus' or implying that the innocent and duped are merely gullible and stupid.

Friday the 13th should be a wake-up call to society.

To have those that partake in creating superstition and so fear, or false beliefs, so as to leverage that fear or trust, for typically nastier self-serving means.

Now that the issue if deliberate pyschological abuse is gaining traction on the British Statute book, so should the issue of 'superstition' and all that is effectively criminal that surrounds it.

Summer Interlude - Drawing from the Past - The Construction of Lines of Thought

Herein, the intention is to demonstrate how the very process of sketching focuses the mind and allows for an illustration of thought with little more than simple lines.

The typically underlying drafting lines in drawing, that 'map-out' the picture or object, are typically known as 'construction lines'.  The base for the evolved picture in finished artwork, but very often the innate core of sketching, since sketching typically reflects an item in a visually simplistic form.

But in objects being drafted from thought, not as observed, and so 'visualised' in one's own mind, those lines also operate as the fundamental 'lines of thought' when considering solutions and simplistic descriptions.

As seen here with the conceptualising of a small utility vehicle notionally named the Land Rover 'AID'

[NB 'A.I.D' the acronym for 'Agricultural and Industrial Drone'].
 
The previous weblog focused on the notion of Defender morphing into an affordable EM dual use Tractor-Truck, in the mold of JCB's Fastrac. In the same time period through 1998, another less apparently radical Product Strategy notion was stillborn -  the Land Rover ATV / Quad.

It was previously highlighted as to how the BMW Board sought greater volume maximisation and so scale efficiency from the BMW Motorrad's (Motorcycles') operating cost-base. It had well understood the potential for entering the ATV / Quadbike / Side-by-Side sector whilst also aware that the BMW brand was not a natural segment fit. And that the Land Rover marque was the natural brand for any such product proposal and developed programme.

[NB Land Rover's Marketing Dept had previously applied the name to a short run of mountain bikes (strengthened and with suspension) as a 'brand extension', but it had always reeked of brand exploitation. The notion of Freelander owners in their suburban enclaves buying branded bikes and bike racks to self-substantiate their 'lifestyle' appearance and by doing so proffer the supposed purchase rationality for the vehicle. It was useful if seemingly cynical marketing for additional income streams, but ultimately did not sell as well as expected and did not cover the cost of apportioned overhead and external services costs].
Thankfully the branded bicycle came and went, but the motorised Quad-bike / All Terrain Vehicle idea obviously had far greater credibility to it.

And if the right proposition and  business case could be found - if given enough exploration time - it could add the brand gravitas that the marque itself was arguably losing, given the  understandable business bias toward mainstream Leisure and Luxury SUV / Cross-Over segments.

As a member of the small Business-Technical Strategy team (led by Anne Youngson, with Mike Shepherd, Chris Scaife and Katie Richardson) - I stayed for 4-5 nights a week on a local farm in Wellesbourne close to the Gaydon Design and Engineering Centre.

[NB The BBC's Country File programme on Sunday 25.09.2019 came from Warwickshire and had a piece on Wellesbourne Allotments. It was also serendipitous to see a photographic competition winner called David Brown...same name as the previous Tractor manufacturing mogul, and one time owner of Aston Martin (hence DB moniker), its HQ long since at Gaydon].

It was obviously the 'AGCO' sectors (Agricultural and Construction) aswell as other users such as Utility companies and the Military, that the proposed ATV / Quad / UTV would be targeted.

[NB the term AGCO in no way of reference to the conglomerate AGCO, which itself adopted the previously generically used portmanteau as its own name].

From rural Warwickshire to rural New South Wales, the historical precedent and experience of 'the voice of the customer' was always the same. Users wanted a highly functional "Mobile Tray" and nigh-on absolute (Japanese level) reliability.

It was what had served well for decades upon the rear frames of generations of Land Rovers, Toyotas and Nissans, and was a staple basic vehicle across the world.

Although the BMW Board and so Design Studio were seemingly infatuated with a Copy+ of the standard yet enlarged ATV formula, with its inherent disadvantages of lesser usable space and poor re-configurability, the true answer was recognised as plainly obvious...

...a back to basics "Mobile Tray" with 'Attachable and Reconfigurable 'Scaffold Frame'.

To very simply convey that fact - and vehicle architecture idealism - would require literally a basic set of 'construction lines' created on a Post-It Note.

[NB Indeed the Post-It Note itself was a metaphorical].

So as to illustrate the need for innate task flexible within the real world.

[NB As Confucianists knew well from their Master's teachings in The Dialects  - per the example of the tea cup -  it is not the object that is useful, but the very nature of the empty space it provides].

Although ATVs had started out as 3 wheelers, then sporting 4 wheelers, Honda had soon recognised theu usefulness of a more functionalist machine for farmers and land owners. That model called the Fourtrax ultimately became the 'Foreman', and effectively owned the market in 1998.

Today it is accompanied by a Side-by-Side named the Pioneer UTV; with other Side-by-Sides also known as UTV's (Utility Task Vehicles) today manufactured by America's: Arctic Cat, Polaris, Can Am, John Deere and Massimo....Japan's: Yamaha, Kawasaki and Kubota...Taiwan's Kymco...and China's CF Moto

All of these entering and growing the UTV sector only some years after 1998.

But when BMW was tentatively exploring the market, no true Side-by-Sides UTVs had appeared in any meaningful way, and the Honda FourTrax was effectively the only Utility ATV offering credibly available.

And although useful for very basic loads and tasks, it was also frustratingly limited for its users aswell.

It often could not carry enough on front and rear racks in either mass or volume, which then meant that a large 4x4 or tractor had to be used instead, which itself might be problematic in certain ground conditions or terrain given size and weight.

And even the raft of UTV Side-by-Sides that have since appeared are limited by their very architecture since the typically straddle both Sports and Utility realms and so opposing functional demands. Their rear bed and front rack lengths - though large compared to single occupant straddled ATVs - are still limited and though can carry heavier loads are typically high off the ground, which makes lifting the load to bed or rack level problematic.

In real world terms of AGCO use most, if not all, are still sub-optimal to the needs of users.

Although my time living on the farm was less than a year, it was obvious that during the 1990s that UK Arable and Livestock farming was changing, from the increasing demands then successful Supermarket chains for farming efficiency to reduced their input costs, to the new types of Equipment emerging designed to do just that: from JCB's Fastrac to Challenger's 'light-foot' caterpillar-tracked Tractor.

The kind Farmer who had hosted me had bought one of the first caterpillar-tracked Challenger Tractors in the UK. A massive and powerful beast, yet able to spread the substantial load by 'treating lightly' over his arable fields so as to reduce soil compaction and so boost harvest yields.

His family had a few Honda Quadbikes and they were undoubtedly useful since they  could tow small trailers, but this in itself was inefficient, since it did not conform to the operational efficiency of the ideal: a unified 'Mobile Trailer'.

What was required by the AGCO users of the world was something simple and effective....in the form of a 'Mobile Tray'.

[NB Perhaps the closest interpretation of this ideal had been created by the US Military in 1956 with the M274 half-ton Utlity Platform. It proved so very useful in Korea, Viet nam and elsewhere for both Front-LIne Support and as a Run-a-About on Bases. it lasted over 30 years and had been so useful because it was so basic. By 1998 I'd only caught very few momentary glimpses of the machine in real and cinematic  film footage about Viet Nam.

That had always 'struck a chord' as the near perfect solution. US farmers and many others undoubtedly welcomed those Military Surplus sales from the early to late 1980s].

But beyond being a 'farmer's friend', a 'Mobile Tray' would also be of use to general Light Industry, Construction and also NGO's working in EM regions when providing Aid and Development Assistance; typically building Infrastructure.

It was hoped the dual offering of the new Land Rover AID ATV would also help boost sales of Defender and Discovery to NGOs, since Land Rover could then provide a broader Mobility Package to suit utility customers' various needs.

Hence previous observation of (very obvious) best practice and a rational/objective thought process led to the 3 sketches depicted in the graphic window above.

Once again, as was so typical of the period, the very basic solution laid upon a quick to hand 'Post It Note', and scrap paper. Various scribbles created between Q2 and Q3 1998.

The three very basic renditions show:

1. My much preffered 'Mobile Tray' concept per basic 'flat pack' architecture, compact packaging and reconfigurable functionality.

2. My far less preferred 'Stylised' 1 or 2 person Side-by-Side, lightly referencing Freelander's face (since unlike Defender it smoothly incorporated its light units into the nose, so matching the style trend for increasingly 'car-comfortable' Tractors) and use of Plexiglass as mud and dirt guards yet also allowing view of front wheels, and also aesthetically matching the Plexiglass use on previously mentioned 'Titan'.

As stated, the 'Mobile Tray' obviously offered far greater utility given its simplicity and adaptability and was 'fit for purpose' (another LR trope). Whilst any  'styled' 1 or 2-person ATV would have far less usable space, with only a comparatively small rear bed, possibly hinged front cubby boxes (as shown) and archetypical attachable front rack (not shown).

[NB The Design Students' renderings were slick and sensibly offered slightly more usable space via 'fold-out' features, but were similarly constrained by standard ATV / UTV packaging. And whilst displaying the 4x4 cues (ie sum guards, bars, lamps etc) and slightly better evolved functionality of the Honda (given bigger vehicle footprint and rear bed), the Studio solutions were still sub-optimal compared to the basic 'Tray' format that is so beloved by the typical user who wanted innate function over style. Substance had to supass style, to provide as much carrying volume capacity as could be possibly achieved.

Hence the the two 'Post It Note' sketches:

1. an elongated 'U' shaped platform that spanned between and over the axles / wheels, to provide as much flat space as possible.

In this regard it had visual connotations to the Mini Moke, but without box side sections.

2. Load pace limited only by the drive-train, drivers seat, steering column, basic instruments  and roll-bar (not shown) - taking minimal space. No pedals, since all motive functions hand operated from 'handlebars'.

3. Air-cooled or Oil-cooled motorcycle derived Boxer engine(s).
The sits beneath the single seat, shrouded and vented.

BMW was historically renowned for the durability and torque of its air-cooled 2-cylinder 'R-series' Boxer engines mated to shaft drives ; but had changed to water-cooled In-Line 3 cylinder 'K-series' units by the mid 1980s.

In an effort to minimise product built costs and programme development costs, the initial intent was to ideally utilise a low-revving - so low stressed - yet high-torque air-cooled engine, so as to reduce mass, space, complexity and costs of any water-cooled. That meant redeploying the still retained engine block casting tooling for the 'old' R-series.

Or to even go as far as to create a 'Boxer 4' (as shown) by mating together two R-series units, with use of an intermediate flywheel. This to connect to starter motor and critically to produce a more finely balanced 4 cylinder unit (as shown). The intention of the more powerful 'mated 4' to achieve better balance and smoothness when transferring power to the front and rear axles; very necessary for off-road or sloping wet grass terrain.

If those standards and evolved ideas unfeasible, then the later 3 cylinder K-series which had also recently been 'run-out'. Again re-utilisng its tooling for then less regulated 'Off-Highway' use.

4. 4WD system possibilities:

4a. The Radical Option (shown): The power unit connected to easily detachable fore and aft driveshafts  (each axle with own CVT trans-axle) to assist non-slip traction (ie akin to an auto gearbox) and re-apportion mass across length of vehicle.

or

4b. The Conventional Option: typical ATV power-train set-up with engine-mounted gearbox and transfer-box, prop-shafts fore and aft and basic fore and aft differentials

[NB this configuration attractive given BoM cost, project time etc and would obviously match market convention, but had no technical advantage and actually a compromise compared to more innovative lay-out].

5 Low Centre of Gravity achieved by:

5a.  'U' shaped central load bed, allowing heavy loads to be carried next to driver and critically as low as possible.

5b. Powertrain, occupant seating and specifically the 'low loader' layout of the 'U' shaped platform, set 'between the axles'.

This was very much needed given the spate of ATV roll-overs that had occured (mostly on Sports machines), and so very clear that as much mass as possible must be kept as low and even as possible, to keep the machine well balanced.

5c. Fuel tank and Battery off-set located underneath the platform on load-side, opposite driver, to act as off-set ballast masses.

That assisted by...

6. Rudimentary 'self'-leveling suspension:

6a. (Not air cross-link air, not boge-strut because of cost). Likely torsion-bar system.

6b. Possible user self-wind /self-jack system on strut tower to ensure lateral and longitudinal levels for heavy and multi-stack loads before operating.

6c. Simple off-set ballast method (as per tractor nose weights)

7. Extendable 'fold-out' trays both fore and aft, over axles. To obviously provide addition load-bed length.

8. Load Management via 'Scaffold' Frame system

The need to manage loads was a priority given likelihood of load slip and inevitable need to partition the load. So need for a modular  'scaffold' type system that was easy erect, and could be inter-locked at the 'nodes', yet strong enough for load tie-down via ratchet straps, straps or rope, and could serve as 'wall frames' with use of at-hand materials.

8a. Larger bulkier items to be stored on central cargo floor(s), whilst lighter items on fore and aft trays and light long items lashed overhead.

8b. Stake-side or Curtain partitions for various loads; from loose boxes or hay-bales, to injured / dead livestock.

8c. Heavy and or tall items for ratchet tie-down (eg oxy-acetaline gas cylinders).

8d. Basic 'canvas' roof and roll-up sides as optional weather protection

9. Business Model :

The basic business notion was to gain stronger relationships with customers via improved Customer Care and the ability to co-create Land Rover Utility vehicles.

9a: External "Customer Connection"

Providing for far greater After Sales Service so as to better serve the customer and regain what were declining business connections to Utility customers.

This starting with basic 'Options List' (eg weather protection, additional lighting etc) through to 'on site' Vehicle Servicing and Repair.

9b. Internal "Technology Transfer"

It was intended that new functional solutions could be applied to both the ATV and to Defender 2. Hence the 'Scaffold' system would be modular to both vehicles.

9c. Possible JVs

LR Strategy Unit had also had exploratory talks with Steyr-Daimler-Puch to consider a new Forward Control Military vehicle (internally called 'Condor'), effectively updating or accompanying the Pinzgauer 4x4 and 6x6 and bringing back the iconic Forward Control LR from the past.

Steyr Puch had also long previously manufactured the Haflinger small carry truck (which inspired the FC Pinzgauer). So it made sense to - if the FC project happened - possibly operate a Joint Venture for 'AID' aswell with both LR and SDP branding for different global markets.

Although obviously BMW Motorrad was the prime powertrain and ancilleries provider, there was also opportunity to - if the BMW business case was ultimately problematic - create a new JV with Honda's Motorcycles division.

(NB Thus the run out of Honda platform based 'HH-R' Rover Cars might be renewed with an all new mutual NPD opportunity utilising Honda Motorcycle powertrain and components).  

10. Naming:

The previously shown Defender 2 'Post It Note' sketch, highlighted the lasting influence on myself of the Robotic Drones Huey, Louie and Dewey from the film 'Silent Running'.

Hence they were similarly influential on the initial exploration phase of the  Land Rover ATV, o the use of the term Drone felt fitting.

And so the notional name that of the Land Rover AID (per Agricutural - Industrial - Drone); given its role as basic utilitarian aid.



[NB Also at that time another 'drone' was being re-created in-house at the Gaydon Design and Engineering Centre.

The age old electric 'Carry Cart' used by the Facilities Management to ferry many items (from building-services items to 'Tear Down' vehicle parts) was visually out of kilter with the new building; since it was the typical 1960s archetype. It was ultimately re-skinned with an overt 'Sci-Fi look'. But that was also out of kilter since it had no visual relationship to the building. Had it been re-skinned to match the aesthetics  of the building (SDC architects')  it would have  than exemplified the unification aims behind good Corporate Design Management (as extolled by Frank Pick, in the London Underground manner and many 1980s/1990s examples that had deployed it as part of Privatisation, such as BT plc's Phoneboxes, BAA plc's Airports etc).

It was said by one well known architect that "God is in the Detail", and that Cart could have been far better presented as an integral yet mobile element of the building's innate function and character.

Thus, as as per the Land Rover 'AID' concept, the innate idea that 'less is more' and befitting and reflecting the usage environment. Either way, across 1997-8 the idea of Drones were 'in the air' so to speak, even if on four wheels and so firmly on the ground].

As for the Land Rover ATV in whatever guise - preferred 'Mobile Tray' or even 'Styled'...

....the fact that the Rover Group Board was far more concerned with internal political machinations, accounting matters and their own next personal move if BMW's axe fell, meant that (like previous 'Titan') the opportunity for even cheaply conceived high potential Land Rover model extensions or all new products had little chance of being properly explored, even for high potential opportunities.

And neither would such exploration prosper latterly under Ford ownership, since the business rationale was always inevitably - and rightly - focused upon very necessary cost-down initiatives, most obviously achieved via synergies in shared technical systems, driving down operational overheads and cross group input costs.

So the Land Rover AID prospect - as a true 'beast of burden' (in the M274 'Mechanical Mule' sense) would never make it beyond basic (yet very credible) macro business case development and the accompanying initial 'Post-It Note' sketches.

That a frustrating missed opportunity given the veritable explosion of the UTV sector worldwide.

Sad irony is that it is exactly in times of business turmoil, such as then, that the impact of substantial low cost, meaningful, new business possibilities matters most. That is the real test and mettle of a company's Board.

[NB The now Lord Bamford innately recognised this when JCB was suffering from an influx of ever strengthening AGCO sector competition in the late 1980s/early 1990s, Thus the Fastrac project was born to be of real use to increasingly time and cost conscious UK and European and RoW farmers].

As seen it would take TATA Motor's acquisition to inject the funding that Land Rover (and all JLR) needed. Even if in the striving for profits and business sustainability and so stability, the brand's overall innate persona was taken yet further away from its highly functionalist, solutions providing origins, from agricultural in Argyl to adventure on the African plains.

The sketches here tell of a corporate context from 2 decades ago, yet the the central message today that is drawn from it, is to nurture the preciousness of drawing to evolve one's own thoughts and relay those thoughts to others....whether on Post-It Note, scrap of paper or your own sketch book.

And to critically allow even the basic process of drafting construction lines to open-up various lines of thought and so options for general intellectual inquiry.

Construction lines are the very basis of drawing, from quick sketch to years-long masterpiece, and as such are vitally important as the foundations of a drawing.

It may be (as here) that they form the very body of the work, they are the essence.

Or will in the case of a finished picture, be used to 'build' the picture initially....to delineate the basic schema behind proportions and eye-lines of the finished piece to come; whether landscape, still-life, composition of figures or singular portrait.

In the broader Macro-Economic picture of today, given the still very evident Monetary and Fiscal Economic after-effects of the Great Financial Crisis which to this day still affects the UK economy; the impact of ratcheting-up increasing 'Cold War' politics in trade; and the possibile ramifications of a 'No Deal' BREXIT....

.....it seems that much of British business would do well to analytically reconsider the innate strength of the 'construction lines' behind their own business models, products and services.

Summer Interlude - Drawing on the Past....Elevation of the Sketch

Previous depiction of communicative 3D and 2D sketches were illustrated using thoughts of the time pertaining to: Land Rover potential for Defender 2, Rover Cars potential for New 95 and Rover Cars potential for New R45.

This weblog seeks to convey the basic use of Orthographic Projection when imparting specific elevational viewpoints.

1st and 3rd Angle Projection Drawings were the mainstay of the yesteryear Engineering Industries; and thus the aligned Technical Education that accompanied it. An age of British Standards, transparent draughting paper and 'blueprints'.

Technical Drawing was still a taught discipline in Secondary Comprehensive Schools in the 1980s, even though Britain's Heavy and Light Industries were experiencing fundamental decline in terms of national economic output and so inevitably the slashing of employment numbers.

By 1983/4 and my own first efforts per 'Engineering Drawing', UK domestic Coal, Steel, Ship-Building and Automotive Manufacturing had each in turn been through major restructuring given the pressures of increasing global free-trade. And so sector 'right-sizing', realignments, mergers and acquisitions, stemming from the inability to compete against foreign competition on the world stage. Coal and Ship-Building slimmed, Steel re-organised to become more specialist, and for Autos put under the protection of what was seen as a more capable industrial parent (ie Rover Group under British Aerospace).

Nonetheless, as a naive, ignorant and idealistic 14/15 year old, I fitted what I could regards a fascination with cars into school curriculum subjects. In Art class, one project was the drawing a Porsche 928 S1 with accompanying female; simply by combining and copying  the pictures from two magazines. In Tech Drg class for a split-section project it was the copying of the innards of that Porsche's V8 engine.

So whilst other schoolboys had had posters of Lamborghinis and Ferraris on their bedroom walls, I had none. But what had struck me was Porsche's willingness to experiment within the GT segment with innovative 928. Its simple yet powerful aesthetics (by Mobius and Lapine), its use of mixed materials (steel, aluminium and plastics - front and rear for US impact regulations) and the mass balancing all aluminium 'front-mid' engine together with rear trans-axle, then only seen elsewhere on Alfa-Romeos.

It was ultimately the whole 928 package absorbed my young mind; far more than that which came from Marenallo, Sant'Agata Bolognese or the homegrown cars from Newport Pagnell and elsewhere. Yes a Countach or Testarossa looked the part, but 928 was a technical tour de force. The manner in which the 928 revolutionised both design and engineering was inspiring and in direct contrast to the 911's evolutionary and much compromised layout.

So if a young man was to learn about drawing and technical drawing, then best to draw from the best.

Fourteen years later and after a Masters Degree, when joining Rover Group I was fortunate to have enjoy a largely self-dictated 'roving remit', systematically formulated to spend  time in many of the numerous NPD departments - and thereafter perminantly placed with Land Rover's Strategy Unit; yet still with the freedom of time spent in other departments elsewhere to absorb and question about normative operational practices across the 4 in-house marques of the time.

Besides the planned Product Pipeline, was (amongst the myriad of NPD possibilities) the perenial question regards the updating and eventual replacement of Defender.

Although once a global pioneer that took Jeep's edict and spread it worldwide, by the mid 1990s its international glory days had long past given the constantly evolved and improved Japanese competition in global markets and its abject incompatability with the massive North American truck market. It was in objective terms a diminishing product and could be classified as a 'Dog' within the simplistic but then omnipresent Boston Consulting Matrix.

Throughout the development of original Range Rover, Discovery, P38 Range Rover, Freelander and Discovery 2, the idea of Defender replacement had always obviously been present. But quite simply there was more revenue and profits to be had from other products in Luxury and Leisure classes, and internal recognition that the Utility segment served by Defender was little more than British Farmers, UK and European specialist users primarily Utility Companies, and critically the UK MoD and Foreign Defence Forces.

So updates on the standard vehicle had been basic to meet regulations, provide slight improvements (eg cabin fitments) and the use of 'Specials' such as the 50th Anniversay model for boosted profit margins from the private market. So whilst that gave notional volume sales, greater margins were made from product tailorisation by the SVO Department for commissioned, brief-specified vehicles; from Powerline Cherry-Picker to an MoD 'Wolf' or 'Pulse' variant.

The Vehicle was still simplistic and 'agricultural' in its engineering and spirit, which meant easy adaption of the 110 and 130 chassis by those who required special fitment and easy DIY adaption by the off-road enthusiasts and later urban poseur.

[NB back in the mid 1990s after the 1980s "Sloane Ranger" trend, a beaten-up, mud-splatted Series 1 or 2 still had far more cache in Central London, than anything new and accessory-laden. The old stuff still does.

For the enlightenment of the many foreign readers, the term 'Sloane Ranger' derived from the adjunct of 'Sloane Street/Square and Range Rover' and allusion to 'The Lone Ranger' given association to the 'horsey set'].

But Defender's overall sales volume in real terms was small, it took up space in an expensive Solihull factory and had high labour content, which in a high cost-base nation like the UK even by 1990 was an economic paradox and frustration to anyone with a sharp business mind.

But it was the original Land Rover, the very cornerstone of the brand, and could not be easily axed. On the upside since much of its inhouse and supplier tooling and jig costs and component costs had been much ammortised over the years, on a per unit basis it was providing a decent return, a fact which itself enabled continued virtual hand-building at Solihull. There just was not enough being made, and / or the very business case required fundamental change.

Hence the company faced the ongoing irony of having to secure Defender's future whilst recognising the product stream's innate flaws.

Given that Solihull as a production facility had become far more sophisticated since the original 'Landy' in 1947, what was really ultimately required was that Defender be built and possibly re-invented elsewhere. Yet keeping its current engineering base and so guise - to maintain its original persona and ensure low Cap Ex costs, and boosting margins through much reduced labour input costs.

[NB In 1998 BMW (given its Motorad division) had asked Land Rover to explore the idea of an L-R Quadbike, just before the sector was slowly transforming into Side-by-Sides. BMW was obviously keen to try to apply its motorcycle componentry elsewhere, just as Honda and Kawasaki had done in the past to create and grow the Quadbike segment.

To that end the Design Studio was asked to produce some ideas. Two Coventry University students (Feathers and Platt - if propertly remembered) on work placement produced two renderings that depicted more functionalist Qaudbikes in the L-R manner. In one-person  and two person versions, and larger than conventional Honda (Foreman), to include fold-out carry-trays for wider loads, roll-hoop, additional lighting etc.

That idea foundered since although it would effectively use BMW Motorad powertrain, the remainder was effectively an all-new vehicle, and so too problematic to develop given the demands on Engineering and Procurement, and vitally recognition that Honda was already well entrenched globally in Utility ATVs, with Suzukiand Kawasaki an obvious close threat. And in N.America the likes of Polaris had been home grown.
So given the complexities, dominant segment player and low barriers to entry into the segment, the L-R Quadbike idea was internally quashed].

But, for me, it did spark another idea one weekend in that period.

Well before TATA's take-over of the later entity JLR - as a side-thought I considered the idea of an Indian production centre for Defender that could once again put it centre stage of Emerging Markets.

Defender however, would have to grow its already expansive persona to do more than it had ever done before. It needed to recapture its past personality of Farmer's 'Friend' and Light-Industry and Tradesman's 'Mate', by offering a more complete package.

That meant a somewhat radical re-invention which meant that besides 90, 110 and 130 in their various guises  there would be a new 'Titan' variant.

During one 'Product Day', a number of other manufacturer's models were used and analysed for the solutions utilised in their specific fitness for purpose. Amongst them a Mercedes G-Wagen (per what is now 'Professional' trim guise), Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee (then itself newly trendy in the UK), Mercedes Unimog, then Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pinzgaur  and a JCB Fastrac.

Unsurprisingly, the Mercedes products and the JCB Fast-Tractor were the most interesting.; the Unimog and Pinzguar for innate off-road capability thanks to high ground clearance due to its high torque Portal Axles, and the JCB because it had revolutionised the use of the conventional Tractor for Farmers, now able to use that vehicle as both in-field Tractor, able to speedily travel to the next field on the public highway and be used as a virtual cab unit when towing laden trailers on public roads.  The Unimog and JCB Fastrac had revolutionized their realms of use.

The idea hatched was that current Defender should continue being built at Solihull in SVO guise only for high profit clients; but be primarily built overseas in specific EM locations for export into the UK and specifically design an evolved Defender around EM development needs. Thus replaying the role it had undertaken in the 1950s and 1960s.

So the idea of a capability broadened Defender, re-imagined and re-configured, for their own national and export needs.

This met with Land Rover Marketing's edict of offering "the widest span of off-road/on-road capability" per L-R products, and would offer so much more to take an adapted variant of Defender back to its roots and so regain the brand value of 'Authenticity'.

Hence the basic notion of 'Titan' was born, and the accompanying graphic shows the very basic sketch and a 3-angle projection drawing of that basic idea.

[NB the name chosen precisely because it echoed of the mythological names given to steam traction engines that were so transformative to the production efficiencies of British agriculture in the 19th century].

As a basic concept 'Titan' was directed toward the newly expanding agricultural sectors of EM nations of the time, wherein small farms were being bought-up and locally conglomerated or local areas, or in a cooperative manner multi-families were doing the same so as to gain the advantage of scale.

And that meant for private company or cooperative, the ability to buy or lease new productivity improving equipment of all kinds.

(NB. Obviously 1997 had seen the 'Asian Tiger Crash' but the fundamentals of Agricultural Opportunities remained since so central to national development).

Unlike the US or Russia where by the scale-up of agriculture had been enormous in few short decades, leading to massive Tractors and Combine Harvesters etc, many of the strictly policy-managed EM countries were so reliant on agriculture and sought to avoid major land reforms to keep social stability, that they effectively proactively maintained a still relatively small yet enlarged productive farm units. Whether under family, cooperative or firm ownership.

So any new equipment needed to be better than old tractors and trucks but but also nominally smaller, affordable and ideally perform dual purpose - just as original Jeeps and Landys had been on farm in the USA, Britain and in the old colonies.

The idea was that Defender could get back to its agricultural roots, to include a substantively altered variant that would be inspired by the capabilities of the Mercedes Unimog, Steyr Pinzguar and the JCB Fastrac...as had been experienced first hand during that previous 'Product Day'.

The creation of a substantive business case and convincing product offering could be possibly achived through the deleting and various non-essential components from standard Defender to reduce basic build costs, and thereafter add dedicated functionalism through the addition of variously other dedicated parts.

These where feasible bought-in from what were commercially already available items (eg tractor wheels [using hub adaptor plates], portal hubs, 3-bar link, hydraulic pump) or provided 'at cost' from JV partners, and so CapEx investment would only be for low-cost tooling for simple functional solutions.

It would be a bare-bones Defender frame, cabin and powertrain (obviously diesel engine), to which was added:

1. Re-introduction of Power Take off Unit at rear
1a. to mechanically power stationary equipment
1b. to mechanically power attachable equipment via 3-link hitch
2. Ability to connect to other OEM and newly created LR attachment tools
3. Low crawler ratio in rear differential, aligned to tractor-sourced rear wheels (from JCB,  Kubota, local domestic producers etc)
4. Front portal axle hubs (Steyr-Daimler-Puch) for improved ground clearance (to match height of rear clearance from large rear diameter wheels) and strong traction torque.
5. Simple fold-forward tractor-esque engine cover (with detachable front wheel fenders)
6. Door apertures deploy either Safety Bar or full length translucent 'Plexiglass' plastic  doors
7. Seating simple air vented plastic moldings; Drivers seat sprung, Others as Spec'd rigid.
8. Bank of lights positioned down the A-Pillar behind similar 'Perspex' full length cover (for nightime field-use, so extending the working day)
9. Road-lights front and rear
10. Roof-top rack for task related items
11. Structural rigidity of body improvemed via X,Y,Z  dimensional bracing.    
12. Secure Strong-Box optional for security (eg daily labourer's pay packets)

Land Rover had previously licenced the manufacture of the original Land Rover to many other countries (Germany, Belgium, Iran) but Spain's Santana Motor is the best known since in the late 1950s. (They also licenced Suzuki SJ afterwards) and fundamentally re-engineered their versions of the series 1, 2 and 3 for EM and Military markets. But even that vehicle had typically been only the standard vehicle, since Spanish agriculture post had been through its own reforms regards scale efficiency utilising much FDI and so did not require such a multi-purpose tractor-truck. (That said, Santana did well its its own export markets because it up-graded and tailored the vehicle when Land Rover itself had retracted from global markets).

But by the mid 1990s - after the fall of the Soviet Bloc and new export drives by specific FDI revitalised EM countries - new opportunities appeared highly likely; akin to India's Green Revolution decades before (which itself remained largely static since, and also opportunistic)

Many of those small but transforming countries in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia were growing their agricultural sectors deliberately slowly to help ensure a "rising boat for all" ; as seen with the econometrics of many small scale coffee producers and cocoa producers.

The 'brainwave' was undoubtedly seen as highly unconventional in what was actually an overly conservative business, but it should not have been.

'Titan' filled white space opportunity in foreign markets and would be a natural product extension to Defender. The idea seemingly ripe in a quickly evolving international agricultural sector and could be captured. Just as Honda had done with its 4 wheeled farm orientated Quadbikes in the Western world and EM nations, and JCB had done with Fastrac in Britain and Europe.

It was a dedicated product which not only fulfilled a need in specific farm operations and offered the ability to transport to market, so bypassing the haulage costs of the typical transport 'middle-man'.

[NB Hence obviously the notion of a 'Titan Trailer' (flat-bed with stake-sides and or curtains) used singularly or in pairs].

Moreover, unlike the typical development route for an EM country, wherein numerous conventional tractor companies enter the fray, vie against eachother and so destroy profits, 'Titan' had no immediate rivals.

Unlike the previous licensing deal with Spain's Santana, the business case here was not simply to licence the design itself and provide CKD parts or sell-off old tooling, but to actually grow Land Rover's presence directly in EM regions.

That initially done by expanding the remit and resources of Land Rover's SVO Dept itself a powerful fulcrum for commercial leverage given its long held global Military connections .

To 'prospect', beyond its own political contacts, the SVO division would also rely upon the firm's internationally located dedicated Sales Companies that acted as mini HQs for a specific broad region, itself geographically closer to any new specific EM growth opportunity.

From the Indian and Chinese aspects of the BRICs (as became known) to ex-Soviet Bloc countries to the SE Asian Peninsula, other once heavily Socialist Latin countries following the Brazilian growth path of the 1990s and in time even enclaves like Cuba (as came to pass).

So the business plan was to recapture those lost old 'colonial' markets and capture new specific EM markets. Those whose own agricultural sector either never been policy expanded until then, or had collaped or eroded years before (post-colonialism and under poorly managed 'Independence') and so had been stagnant and inefficient until 1990s rejuvination.

Specific obvious major opportunities within the socio-economically tightly controlled nations of India and China.

So a locally produced re-engineered variant of current Defender via mix of CKD and local parts content and off-the-shelf items, produced at comparitive low cost given then much lower labour rates. Providing potentially substantial new income streams from an expansion of Defender as a revitalised and (ironically) 'generically-tailored' workhorse.

A new segment created by which small and medium sized EM land-holders could use 'Titan' as their own version of a small JCB Fastrac, to revolutionise and so much reduced the 'down-time' inefficiencies experineced in conventional farming and produce distribution; especially so under the cooperative farms model.

If the theory was sound, was well considered, researched and executed it could allow Land Rover to gain new meaningful prominance in lost lands.

And critically provide basis for possible new JV partnerships with international Agricultural and Construction Equipment makers and possibly strong relationships with reburgeoning domestically renowned national vehicle companies

Thus the Defender "Titan" (or whatever best name ultimately chosen) would extend the Defender nameplate to re-expand and re-energise the original utility dimension of the L-R brand - so adding gravitas. Whilst also obviously providing new business possibilities and income streams from then and soon expanding EM regions after the 'opening' of China , India, Eastern Europe, and the Liberalisation of Latin America and Africa, aswell as other specific countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, The Philippines.

Many of these nations and regions were beginning to see their Agricultural sectors undergo 'controlled transformation' which mated new political central controls to laissez-faire  trade mentalities to attract FDI. So as to underpin their own national development needs gained typically from one or more of: the Commodities Boom, Sector Reforms, Labour Reforms and so expansive new waves of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary transformation.

As seen, the primarily identified countries were India and China, given the far more prosaic manner in which their governments were managing Agricultural Policy so as to limit the devastating  impact of massively efficient but socially disruptive Industrial Farming (as had been seen in the USA, Russia and arguably Brazil).

Yet within a Rover Group corporate atmosphere in which internal frictions and factions were seeking to gain divisional prominence aswell as 'up-manage' its BMW parent, such financially harsh and politicised times meant that any such lateral possibility of 'Titan' or anything similarly 'unconventional' - even though it struck all the business boxes - was 'far too left field'.

Inevitably, the notion did not get off the ground for full exploration and so would never get an airing at Board level, even though Land Rover's credentials and steady order book of foreign Military contracts into EM countries could have opened what were inevitably closely aligned  political and business doors.

Past Land Rover variants like the iconic caterpillar-tracked 'Cuthbertson' remain in the brand's and enthusiasts memory, but they sold in very small numbers. 'Titan' was to have been visually similar as a visually obviously task-specific product, but could have potentially seen sales sky-rocket with adept management.

Hence, 'Titan' was the succinct coalition of disparate yet ultimately unified and convincing thoughts as a way to revitalise the Defender nameplate (and critically provide a new enhanced financial basis for the NPD of its eventual successor.

It would have provided a new role for the all too mechanically 'agricultural' vehicle....in its natural home farmland setting...all around the world.

Where the DNA of a yesteryear Series 1 could be genetically spliced with a JCB Fastrac

Back to the importance of drawing and the graphic shows a thumbnail of 'Titan' in a mix of 1st and 3rd Angle Orthographic Projection. Yes it was a bastardisation of the norm, but it served its purpose. it was 'fit for function'.

The vehicle shown in sketch format deliberately without details of ladder frame and axles, so as to focus on the body. (A very basic interpretation of a Portal Axle Hub shown on the 3/4 view).
The drawing was 'off the cuff'; and so very basic and meant to provide only essential understanding of the theoretical product possibility.

And this is how visual communication essentially works in the real world of industry, when creation is 'on the hoof' simply to formulate and convey business ideas.

Automotive magazines and websites invariably purvey finished articles that are meant to 'sell' the idea to the Board or prospective clients, but most drawing done is for thinking aloud and showing basic theorums; whether in Formula One or for EM utility vehilcles.

So don't be intimidated by such drawing proficiency, since it is not the start point of the process, especially when it stems from the imagination.

Like the Land Rover Defender (or any still-born variant), drawing is itself simply a tool and typically the simpler the tool the more useful it is, especially when scribbling for oneself as part of the creative process.

In mythology the Titan were a second generation of gods - hence the suitability of 'Defender-Titan' as a name drawn from the original. The nomenclature was ultimately utilised by Nissan for its  San Diego designed American pick-Up Truck.

So although few radically conceptualised ideas actually come into fruition, for all sorts of reasons in business, that is no reason not to pick-up your own pen or pencil and sketch-out your own thoughts in 1st Angle or 3rd Angle Orthographic Projection.

The quality of the drawing matters less than the quality of the essential thought process and so credibility of overall vision.

Summer Interlude - Drawing on the Past....Yet Again

With the interim focus on the importance of drawing - given its highly assistive nature regards communication (itself increasingly lost in the screen-obsessed world of today) - a 2D sketch from 20 years ago, which itself illustrates that drawing need not necessarily be in 3D.

People who begin to draw see anything in its 3D form as far more complex and so problematic, since depicting of an object from 3 sides with some perspective is invariably harder to achieve convincingly. Not so hard for a cube, sphere or cone (the start-points of learning to draw for perspective and shading) but far more problematic if illustrating something with sophisticated shapes, such as a vehicle.

As ever ability derives from practice, and everyone at whatever age needs to start at the beginning; whether self-taught through stumbling, or better assisted step by step through books or videos, or from more formal one to one teaching.

However, for many drawing is far less easily learned through formal teaching, since the process itself exerts expectations from teacher and self-expectations from student, which prohibits the necessary 'feeling and flow'.

And since no one starts by creating a complex finished work, better to keep it simple, and to do that it means initially limiting to 2D renditions.

However, greater simplicity does not mean any less communicative value, often such illustrations may even provide more easily read information precisely because of its simplicity.

Depending upon the designer, automotive design and industrial design have invariably exaggerated 3D depiction (started in the 1950s but still ever present); with that exageration used to relay the 'spirit' of the vehicle/object. But this artistic licence only seen as fanciful and unrepresentative by the design and packaging engineers who have to specify the exact dimensions of built the vehicle/object.

In industry, the artistic impression invariably becomes disected into its 3D projections, and will be illustrated both in CAD and still invariably 'on the wall'. The old method of side elevation depicted using various thickness and colours of tape to depict hard-points and body-lines still exists given its ease and flexibility, even if it was two decades ago supposedly surpassed by full size computer generated images. The computer obviously allows for the the electronic saving of various schema, but like the continued use of clay models, tape  allows immediate hands-on alterations t happen instantly. This vital to 'massaging'  dimensions and proportions.

Thus, if seeking to realistically design for engineering 'readability' - 2D is vital.
The same when learning to 'absorb' an object, and so draw it. Both as a start point in drawing and as a reference when shifting from 2D drawing to 3D and onto actual making of an item.

The graphic depicted presently here, is that of a basic sketch idea using aesthetic principles I though would better suited the B-C segment Rover (positioned beneath R75) after the initial exploratory work on R55 had started mid-point of the R75 programme, so as to seek to replace medium (under)sized R45.

As well described in Arononline, TATC websites and Big Car on youtube, R55 and R75 were originally planned as Rover's 3 and 5 series competitors; but that brought dismay from the BMW Board in the 4 cylinder building in Munich, concerned about cannibalisation, and so the R30 programme was initiated, to replace R45 with something similar; so R55 became R30, a smaller vehicle ideally produced off of the New Mini platform.

The then current R45 being sold had been born from the R400/200 Honda platform, itself with similar width/ track but shortened and lengthened to produce two vehicles for two length differentiated segments. The new programme was to utilise the R50 New Mini platfom to (highly likely) repeat the same scenario of two platform lengths for the new R45 and later R25 models.

It was one of many projects underway in the then new 'GDEC' (Gaydon Design and Engineering Centre).

Paul Davis was R30's Project Director, with a skeleton staff of Packaging Engineers assisted by Chris Dewing as Product Spec Manager. Paul had sought to apply a more scientific approach to Rover Cars via its Product Attribute using a matrix approach of engineering measurables under 'QFD' (Quality Function Deployment). And Chris was seeking to best appreciate what could be utilised from the simultaneous New Mini project and suitable carry-over items from Rover-BMW parts inventory.

Rovers were to be - to quote one brand attribute - 'effortless'.
However, in reality as far as powertrain was concerned 'the die had already been cast', since the creation of the K-series engine.

It was an engineering marvel, with long-bolt construction and the application of VVC (variable vale control), but it was effectively (and very short-sightedly) designed as a pseudo race-engine: poor in the 'low-down' torque essential for smooth and 'effortless' pull-away, even if strong in 'thrashy' high revs power. In effect unsuited to the characteristics of a Rover.

K-series was brilliant for the revival of the sporting MG marque via MGF before, but not suited to Rover, and certainly not for Land Rover in Freelander. The R200s/25s and R400s/45s lacked that key attribute with Rover engines, though ironically had had them with previous Honda units.

Thus in the real world, the new cars being designed started on at least one technical 'back-foot, unable to meet the most basic of brand led technical requirements and conveniently over-looked in the project teams given the expense of k-series to develop and the need to apply it to as many models  as feasible.

However, much else beyond powertrain provided the upmarket  impression.  

As Head of Rover Cars Design, Richard Woolley was responsible for any ultimate design and as remembered, Ollie Le Grice assisted him by exploring and working-up various basic design philosophies.

The initial style direction being explored for R30 was that of a much 'compacted' R55 and was - and like New Mini - highly 'retro'.

Yet even more curvacious to re-capture the rounded forms of yesteryear 'upright' Rovers embodied by the P4 (itself the original '75'). That 'uprightness' provided a good cabin space for the wheelbase length, and like the P4 itself, its 'blockiness' was softened with rounded surfaces and specific use of confluencing radii.

This well illustrated across the body but heavily utilised in replicating the window surrounds of original P4;  with very defined separate windows, the construction methods of the time providing founded corners to the frame; those rounded edges giving strength to the glass.

This retro design direction then contrasted to the 'futuristic' sheet-glass effect seen previously on R400 (itself adopted from NSU - Audi aero advances) that had been the norm since the mid 1980s. In this 'direction' R55 was to be an unashamed smaller successor to the P4 in terms of overall forms and organic detailing.

But to my mind the solutions being drafted-up were too retro, not so much in overall packaging and form language, but in the detail. The vital importance of retro-futurism of R55 was being unwittingly eroded and at risk of becoming mere 1950s Rover pastiche.

The detail needed to contrast the curvaciousness, not ply yet more curvature on curvaciousness
.
Although there are obvious mainstream and counter-point styling trends which companies will follow to be readily accepted by the public, I had rememebered the very real problem that Nissan USA had had with its then new Infiniti brand in the USA in the early 1990s.

The Board had appointed Jerry Hirshberg as Design Chief in their Studio in La Jolle, San Diego in the mid 1980s to better understand and possibly lead the US market with Infiniti.

He had chosen to follow Japanese tropes for the new 1990s cars with exaggerated organic forms. It had been tried on the European Ford Scorpio and US Ford Taurus, morphing 'aero' into ridiculed 'jelly-mold' . And it was the failure of those cars in the home markets which had originally allowed other 'conventional' European Exec cars in (esp the Germans), and in the USA gave way to the dominance of Camry and Accord, and for Lexus and Acura to take hold, followed by Infiniti.

I had visited Mr Hirshberg in 1993 whilst doing my Masters Degree in Design Management focused on the Auto Industry (scrimping and scraping from an EU provided Student Bursary to do so. That trip also including the Studios of Volkswagen and Mazda, and a niche 'hand-fab' Coach-builder).

Whilst impressed by the facilities at the near beach-side environment, it was clear that the Nissan Design International staff had become either too remote from the realities of the American market, and especially regards the conservatism of US aspirant buyers who were buying into new Japanese luxury at the time. NDI had been set-up to follow the march and market insights Lexus had previously gained, but had become too adenturous...too 'designery'.  

The Infiniti J30 (1992-97) - which was volumetrically internally small for its size, and at the rear even more Ovoid that the 3rd Gen Taurus - 'bombed' when released and so undermined the brand.

The highly organic look was well suited to A, B, B-C and C segment cars in Europe and Japan (eg original Renault Twingo, 1992 Nissan Micra and a host of mainstream others) but wholly unsuited American status cars which required greater visual stature.

[NB Nissan's latest management and financial woes are clear with major cost-cutting needed and new leadership needing to create a turnaround. 27 years on from 1992's academic Design Management visit, and the previously mentioned David Woodhouse has taken that position. Arriving from Lincoln and its innate rediscovered 'linearity' taken from the iconic 1960s Continental, itself reflective of Euro Modernism at the time..

Exactly how Nissan, Infiniti and possibly also Datsun, is re-imagined by his team, remains to be seen. It requires a mixture of good understanding of American and EM markets (into which Datsun can expand and Infiniti can reach), as well as creativity......Critically "Empathetic Creativity"

Getting it right will be vital to add positive earnings to Nissan's presently much depressed financial bottom-line].

So although Rover Cars had far more history and gravitas to deploy such an organic shape in R30, since it would have been idiosyncratic yet suited in the right B-C segment and also loyal to the brand, it needed to avoid becoming a pastiche of itself and becoming lost in the sea of  bulbous cars.

The retro forms most definitely needed subtle yet powerfully contrasting details - set out as linear and angular - to infer the idea of technical precision and so overtones of advancement and futurism. Rover needed that to avoid being seen as 'cute' and so lacking innate stature in that vital volume  segment.

As it was, in its early exploratory designs, R30 was heading toward becoming highly retro, when it needed to be seen as retro-futuristic, to provide the dual character much needed to create its own place amongst the European dominated B-C segment.

The very basic elements of the shown 2D sketch. sought to do just that.

This 'solution' provides for curvaceous flowing upper forms placed upon a strong more rectilinear  base - each side utilising in detail its opposite to rebalance the equation and so provide for a unified whole.

In design terms, the process was almost formulaic to create beauty, but the very language of beauty was well recognised centuries ago: the right mixture of opposing balance.

It had been seen on the brilliantly original Ford Ka with its 'New Edge' design formula though taken to extremis which suited the product category; and again applied for the GT90 concept and elsewhere throughout the range.

Yet herein, for Rover Cars, something similar had to be applied far more subtly to provide greater visual balance and sophistication to suit brand and segment.

Although a 1950s spirit in the overall form is retained including tall 'clean' sides, the retro window surrounds of the Studio sketches are gone in favour of a P6 style, with a sheet-glass effect to unify front and rear of the cabin and sculpted chrome door handles placed as features themselves (also reminiscent of original Land Rover to maintain the brand interconnections of the time) and that shape 'mirrored' (though upside down) in indicator clusters mounted in the tail-edge of the roofline. (The P6 was much influenced by original Citroen DS, which itself had 'rocket-tail' indicators above the rear window). To merge the cabin and rear, the rear handle visually begins the line of the rear boot/deck lid.

A central chrome strip divides the vehicle into solid lower and fluid upper, coalesced by 'deco-aero' wheel arches with (what later became de-riguer positions) front and rear indicator/market lamps, also lozenge in shape to echo the arch -tops.

From the side the front and tail clusters appear near  symmetrical, to provide visual balance,  derived from the P6's arched lamp units, yet turned upside-down.

The original P6 also had a small triangular plastic feature over the front side-light that glowed at the tip of the front wing; that small but iconic object replicated in the wheels as a metaphorical nod to 'moving forward' from the past yet still respecting it: the philosophy of the brand and models.

The Rover Story as told by some good on-line historians tends to focus on the slightly later efforts, more contemporary aesthetic being created and much influenced by crisper lines. including a rounded rear window ( per  Renault's then individualistic Megan) and corollary to the simpler BMW design language, so as simultaneously create both a 1-series vehicle and a second direction for R30.
But that tack did not follow in the 'Heritage Rover' ilk (of the R75 and R55), which under MG-Rover generated Peter Stevens' 'TCV' concept of 2002.

Once again - had Rover Cars not been sold to China - the very identity of Rover would have again changed to appear Germanic; and so the good work put into the brand by Woolley et al would have been lost and the brand again been confusing to potential customers.

Those who wanted German bought German, but there was an alternative mindset customer base who sought to buy something built to same quality levels but with alternative persona; that was why R75 had been born and why R55 had been initiated with its respect of a modern twist on brand heritage; and R30 latterly initiated as an alternative offering in the UK, and something that would specifically satisfy the increasing Anglophiles (many of whom were female) across Europe.    

It said much about the typical short-termist and reactionary aspects of British management within MG-Rover after BMW's divestment, that the previously set design direction that had only just really come into its own with R75, R55 and R30 was to be sacrificed when the pressure was on.

When BMW had been under pressure in the late 1950s it stuck to its guns and made the most of what it had; and eaked out every penny (pfennig) from new investment gained from the Quandts.

It did not 'flip-flop', but set its sights with limited resources and executed the set strategy using an updated old platform (600 to 700).

Ideally, Rover Cars would have done likewise under Alchemy Partners and other similarly invested European and Chinese automotive interests. So as to gain scale and supply-chain efficiency for overall manufacturing and BoM cost-base reductions, so as to re-invest in resaearch and development and so grow the brand in the UK, Europe and China.

But that very unfortunately was not to be.

However, the point of all this - besides providing interesting historical insights -  is ultimately to  literally illustrate that more simplistic 2D drawing is as valid as 3D.

3D is invariably intimidating to someone who has not picked up a pencil or pen for decades, and might feel him or herself unable to do so.

But, with courage and spare time, just closely observe anything and everything for a period, then take-up at first loose and then more precise sketching, and then begin to replicate or imagine and so impress those sights or thoughts onto paper.

Critically, try to for a moment forget you are an adult (with typical woes) and become as open as a child when scribbling and thinking.

To quote the Propellerheads and Shirley Bassey, whether in car design or aspects of life...."Its all just a little bit of History Repeating".

So be that 7 year old once again in spirit...but  with the mind of an adult and so the ability to think in a far more considered way.

Take the odd carefree moment of the Summertime, and begin to create for yourself.

Summer Interlude - Drawing on the Past...Concept Influences

Simply to add further context to the 'Longboat' concept very loosely shown previously and here.

At the time Rover Cars was seeking to convince the public of its technical capabilities, of how traditionalism could be laid over advanced engineering. And so in various terminus railway stations around the UK, and so amongst the normal retail outlets at such stations, created what were showcase technical centres as convincing PR exercises.

The prime example of that technical know-how was the K-series engine; which with its 'long-bolt' architecture, was shown as the company's tour de force, along with other aspects of its new cars.

But far more was required within the brand to convince a German orientated and still somewhat skeptical aspirant buyer.

The hope that R75 would help redefine the marque as alternative yet on par with Audi, Volvo, Saab, and expectations of the R55 project providing a new meaningful product in the B-C segment (see next web-log), it was only natural to begin to think - in a very theorectical manner - about a product above R75 which would itself be a new Flagship for the brand - but would need to arrive from new thinking across the board.

The very generalistic product, manufacturing and overall business strategy was described previously, but what was not explained was the broader notion that the car and Rover could in itself seek to be seen as a metaphorical vehicle that referred to the Best of British Engineering.

Hence, the 'Longboat' concept appeared to have a 'hull' visually sat inside a 'shell', to both provide a distinctive form and aid aerodynamics.

The Viking longboats of yore (the brand's logo) had sailed up what is now the Humber Estuary and the River Hull to and past Hull, itself long established by the Vikings as Vik or Wic (meaning inlet) well before its notional Christian beginnings.

Thus a serendiptious wordplay of the term 'Hull'.

The city of Hull and the Humber (itself a vehicle marque of yesteryear) is renowned for the Humber Bridge, which was when finally actually built (54 years after originally planned) was the longest Suspension Bridge in the world for 16 years. It was a feat of British engineering.

Thus, although the 95/105 Rover concept 'sat' on an adapted Range Rover P38A chassis for cost and ride quality, with the cabin itself part 'suspended' from a superstructure frame - from the Cant Rails (in engineer's lingo) - which itself mated to the turrets of the suspension towers; so mimicking the structural arch of the Hull and Barnsley Rail Bridge, and so correlating Cant Rails and Railway.

Thus the concept deliberately sought to cross-referance and utilise a very alternative idea of a 'Vehicle Suspension Bridge', which itself had direct correlation to a specific part of the country - and once thriving industrial city, itself born from Viking settlement.

The visual 'hull' of the car containing bonnet, cabin and boot, visually 'sat' inside the 'shell'. Although that term is used for a full monocoque BIW (body in white) the term here was used to present three distinct ideas:

1. All enveloping outer-body protection
2. So protecting the innately valuable contents (occupants in cabin - 'the pearl in the shell').
3. Aero/Fluid dynamic research's use of 'Shell Balance' when determining aero surfaces

Hence again the use of a term which had immediate story resonnance to the potential buyer, but also had far deeper technical meaning, so cognitively substantiating and reinforcing the very notion of a shell, yet also providing powerful new understanding of the aero philosophy behind the car per its 'Technical Marketing'.

The air flow so managed by the side surfaces of the bonnet to both drive passing air into a charge cooler via 'Ram Effect' Vanes at high speeds to raise its density and so provide more powerful combustion and so engine power and torque. With also part of that flow used to extract hot engine bay air to provide a theorectical 'Meredith Effect' at high speeds from underneath the car and through internal ducting via the sides. ( This not to be confused with typical underfloor zero treatments).

The structural frame would have been conventional tubular steel for innate strength and predictable impact engineering, but filled with vibration absorbing foam to help further dampen any remaining road-wheel vibrational intrusion from the already much dampened separate chassis riding on  air-suspension.

The frame wrapped in steel and aluminium inner structural panels and aluminium outer skin panels for the cabin and bonnet, and - as previously mentioned - composite front wings, quarter panels and front and rear valances created
from low cost rotational molding techniques. That long since used to create water butts (as mentioned), and vitally well respected robust watercraft, from canoes to dive-boats to speedboats.

And vitally would offer a separate visual cue - of whatever character - compared to the traditional perfect A-surface finishes of the central cabin, so creating a deliberate contrast. And so the ability to create a broad range of visual contrasts using texture, embossing, colourways etc. (The most obvious being that of robust protection, but could extend in whichever design direction imagined).

Ultimately the car was to itself be a metaphorical, visual and technical showcase for the best of past, present and future British Engineering; and would have included a presentation pack that described the idioms of the car; the cultural references and the stories of those people.

From the Viking ships and their cross-continental trading routes, to the airflow routing theories of FW Meredith. Those who helped make Britain over the centuries.

A panopoly of cultural and engineering references to reinforce the name of Rover and have it act as the formal vessel for promoting itself as the epicentre of the best of British Engineering.

That was the Product and Brand Vision ultimately extinguished with BMW's (rationally correct) disposal of the firm.

It was Bernd Pishetsrieder had sought such a vision when Rover Group was bought....but it was Wolfgang Reitzle who recognised the immensity of such a task, when it was divested.

Summer Interlude - Drawing on the Past....Once Again.

Continuation of the previous message regards the importance of old fashioned Drawing and Sketching in our modern world.

With provision of very basic sketch and contextual explanation.

Today, everyday experiences are overtly digital, with 'augmented reality' and 'virtual reality' not so far away given immensely available computing power. But it is the tactility and inter-connectedness between self and the creative medium that allows the human spirit to thrive.

And whilst CAD software such as CATIA has developed to such a degree that highly complex products - from cars to aeroplanes - can be created with an astounding degree of sophistication (delineating different systems, packaging efficiency etc) is essential to industry, the software that that is Microsoft 'Paint' to the drawing tools of an iPad, whilst fun, are in comparison to traditional methods, still artificial in feel, more cumbersome and so less rewarding results.

More than ever people need to draw, to feel more connected the world, and not just subsumed into cyberspace. So as to observe and think in a far more considered way.  Thereby raising consciousness and molding more thoughtful behaviour that could be utilised elsewhere in their lives; from basic social interaction to creation of something that is their very own in 2D or eventually 3D.

The importance of drawing in automotive history very well exemplified by the very setting and exhibits at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The vast majority of those vehicles were first imagined upon paper as formative sketches, then high quality (client or boardroom) renderings, and then at the beginning of engineering development as General Arrangement layouts in 1st or 3rd Projection, as sectional cut-aways and areas of specific detail.

Goodwood provided a cornucopia of automotive wonderment across virtually every vehicle segment, from a current Kamaz Dakar Race truck persistently 'drifting', to a stationary Voisin C30 Scooter-mobile sat as a yesteryear oddity amongst the 'Style et Lux' showcase.

In that rarefied realm of tactile design and use, though the Abarth 205 coupe won the event amongst the parade of Bugattis, Bentleys, Abarths etc, for its sheer aesthetic beauty, it was the breadth and uniqueness of Gabriele Voisin's efforts continue to inspire to this day.

Idiosyncratic vision that sought to infuse his vehicles with alternative zeitgeist influences from other arenas, specifically from Modernist architecture and the Art Deco interiors and details of his era. A juxtapostion of the stark and raw against the sumptuous and vibrant. From piano hinges to simply constructed radiator ornament, so as to deliberately contrast against the conventional sculpt and cast method. His work was Futurism made manifest for people to admire, and the avante-garde set to purchase.

But what of the future?...

As regards the disguised Land Rover Defender shown at Goodwood, it vaguely appears that Head of Design Gerry McGovern has chosen to infuse the new vehicle with much of his mid 1990s efforts for Freelander 1.

Using that vehicle as the apparent new baseline/benchmark for the new aesthetic of what is intended as a new icon.

Round headlights sunken into black or transparent rectangular bezels were the mid 1990s 'go to' cue for L-R Design, seeking to morph old style sealed-beam units with modern halogen and now LED clusters. Similarly, the softening of previously heavily rectilinear body forms, providing more rounded shoulders and edges that could create a visual unity through similar and proportionate radii, And at the rear, the same treatment as front: with previously separate round tail lamps still present but absorbed into unified surround..

McGovern's Freelander did much to align L-R with mainstream vehicle aesthetics, so as to open the brand to the then burgeoning middle-classes, their 'lifestyle' being far closer to Safari Parks and Salsa Classes, rather than rural utility or leisure off-roading. But it together with consumer credit is what allowed L-R to substantially grow its volumes and profitability.

And Freelander 1 is now over two decades old, and may now itself be internally viewed - and by younger focus groups - as representing an 'original' L-R look in the modern era.

All will be seen when finally revealed, but seemingly a major departure from old Defender so as to catch-up with the plethora of modern leisure-utility vehicles, from Hi-Lux's to L200s to  Rangers to Navarras to Amaroks and now the X-class.

[NB there's always been heavy VM reliance on JVs in this sector, as seen with GM-Isuzu in the 1970s, Mazda-Ford in the 1980s, Toyota-VW in the 2010s and now Nissan-Mercedes on verge of 2020s.].

If, as seems likely, Defender becomes uni-body construction; the historic body-on-frame methods will be left to the likes of TATA Motors (JLR's parent), Mahindra, Bajaj and the crop of other EM manufacturers across Asia, South America etc who've adopted and adappted or created their own utiliarian workhorses.

And of course - top of the league - Toyota's 70 (ie 79) series and '200' LandCruiser, the globally dominant heavy-duty utility 4x4 for nearly 4 decades

Replacing Defender was always going to be problematic given its expansive personality stretching from a basic Hi-Lux  to accessory laden G-Wagen, with recognition that Defender did not have the low cost-base of Hi-Lux (or Thailand built Ranger) nor engineering integrity of 'Troopie' LandCruiser or G-Wagen.

So what could Land-Rover do? Either:
A. Follow the popular crowd with a brand-enhanced 'me-too' offering to capture a slice of the large global volume from the Japanese and others?
B. Perhaps re-position between mid (ie Ranger) and full-size (ie F-150) to stand-alone, stay unique?
C. Provide 'me-too' softened styling? (a la Freelander)
D. Or again, stand-alone as the individualistic icon and retain it hard edged visual character?

E. Or perhaps even consideration of an IP exercise for the nameplate, by which Land Rover designs and develops Defender 2, who's production rights are then sold to a multitude of mid-level EM countries seeking their own economic development path forward. With the advantage of technical inter-changability across borders so as to foster trade relations, and simultaneously build bridges with Britain.

Without the raft of research required, natural instinct would suggest B-D-E, to restrengthen its lost attributes and taking an intelligent differentiated approach (not Mass per Toyota, not Niche per G-Wagen) that could be latterly built upon, with the diverse customer base.

Let us hope that Land Rover's Business and Product Strategists put as much critical thinking into Defender 2 as was feasibly possible.

[NB in my time there, my boss's 16 year old daughter came for work-experience. On the walls of her cubicle she pinned the written lyrics of various songs of the time: "Design for Life" by The Manic Street Preachers was very apt for the overall design ideology for Defender 2, and since it was classless -  from the Queen to the NGO worker, and could operate as a unifying emblem to overcome the divisive social stirrings of the period].


Beyond Goodwood, we see how vintage meets digital....

The recent showcasing of Bentley's EXP 100GT concept for 2035. Depicted within its own light-show staged behind a slate grey exterior facade, to provide a deliberately hyper-real impression of the marque in the today.

That's what concept cars are all about...building brand imagery.

The AI based vehicle (itself depicting  Autonomous or Driven modes) invariably succeeds in conveying the essence of Bentley in Grande Tourer guise. Expanded with digital overlay that rhetorically can create an alternative universe for the occupants using polarized glass to screen-off the outside world when required and create a seperate existence internally.

Hence, as with other manufacturers, the technological macro-trends have been infused into physically expanded Bentley design cues representing a Retro-Futurism where bespoke 1930s coach-built proportions and belt-lines meets a 2030s interpretation of the Digital.


An Echo of Another Time....

The event's slate grey exterior prompted a memory about an old sketch with similar philosophical overtones back in 1996 for what was expected to be a re-emerging  Rover Cars, striking its own new future-forward path.

And that sketch still exists because it was not digital, could not be accidentally over-written or deliberately erased by a nefarious other.

That hard-copy proves its existence, unlike our present age in which true fact can be lost when over-written with new 'manufactured facts' created simply by digital reproduction.

The 'cyberisation' of mankind through mass digital reproduction, aligned group think and sensationalist trending news stories that create social feed-back loops, has made individuals ostensibly passive yet emotionally reactive, psychologically attuned and thus far more passive-aggressive; with obvious subtexts to what used to be normal everyday conversations.

Drawing / sketching is the very opposite...it is the personal and 'secular' that rewards ones soul and possibly that of others. It is proactive and merges the logical with the emotional, as becomes seen by the very content of the drawn piece, and the manner in which the lines have been applied to the surface.

David Hockney did wonders to have some older folk become new artists through simplistic use of their iPads and its drawing software - outlines, fill-ins etc - but nothing compares to the tactile use of real materials.

And whilst adult 'colouring-in' books became a fad, and a sad one at that having adults mimic children, that did at least engage people, some of whom will have taken a step further towards becoming true artists.

The following describes that 1996 automotive sketch example set in context...the industrial context.

This from an originally small 5-minute 'thumbnail sketch' , regards what then appeared a much brighter future for Rover Cars under BMW stewardship.    

Itself prompted by various confluences of the time.

That small doodle, enlarged on a photocopier, and initially considered as a background template for overlay efforts when considering possible detail changes; if it ever became necessary - which ultimately it did not.

The influences behind that scribble being:

1. The Design Studio work done by Richard Woolley (and others) on the then new R75

2. The need for a new automotive recipe given zeitgeist counter-trend against the then socially distained set of 'flash and crass' BMW drivers. That brilliantly depicted by Audi UK in its 1995 television advert

3. The similar social commentary by Blur in their record 'Charmless Man'

Hence, the possibility of satiating that emergent 'anti-trend' - that was feeding Audi sales - with larger R95 or R105 models for the 21st century, to provide an alternative flip-side British-values character that may be needed by BMW Group, to off-set potentially lost sales if the counter-trend took hold.


The Design Studio -

Geoff Upex had taken over the Studio with David Arbuckle as his left hand man, George Thompson heading Land-Rover, and Richard Woolley heading Rover Cars working on updates of the small Rover cars and the portions of the new 75 (then codenamed R40), and the initial work on new 'R55' model to replace the Rover 45.

By late 1996 a beautiful two-tone dynoc'd 'clay' of the Rover 75 sat in the Studio, light metallic green upper set over Old English White lower, that nod to yesteryear cosmetics emphasised by the full length chrome strip.

That model set amongst a tailor's dummy wearing Harris Tweed jacket and other similar  'mood board' material. It promised  new era beginnings for a brand that had lost its way to foreign competition, shifted social expectations and consumer values]

Richard's efforts were nigh on perfect, as seen by numerous awards.

The body eminating a curvaceous gracefulness (set against Chris Bangle's angular flame surfacing at BMW) that had presence and subtle grandeur. Whilst the front had a slightly menacing look, the top of the quad lights cut to produce a slight frown and the lower indicator / auxillary lamps, parallel to the lower air intake, with downward curvature that replicated the edges of a predatory 'mouth'.

Whilst being indisputably Rover, the overall 'grace' and the perceived 'pace' (if not the 'space' in saloon guise) also had Jaguar-esque overtones, which actually outshone the contemporary Jaguars designed in period.

[NB Both S and X Types terribly formulaic re-interpretations. Partly because of the hard-point limitations of shared Ford and Lincoln platforms, but mostly because of parent Ford's Senior Managements - through J Mays and New Beetle (now ending production) - had overtly focus on legendary brands becoming 'Retro-ised'. Commercially right for BMW's Mini, but poor aesthetic direction for the crop of potential new owners Jaguar sought given relevant competition and their own psychographics.

Things later put right under Ian Callum, himself now 'ending production' at JLR, and starting afresh for himself].

Had BMW's talks about financial incentives with the British government been successful, likely a different ultimate outcome for Rover Cars with support and so future potential.Something Jon Moulton at Alchemy Partners could also well see, when he made his bid, no doubt to sell Rover Cars on to another (likely foreign) Volume Manufacturer

That BMW-UK Gov discussion was about assistance so as to combat the high strength of the Pound that was affecting EU sales for Rover Group. The sought for help was to help bolster export production into Europe and have the flexibility to set the right pricing levels for what was effectively a perceived upscale niche brand there.

But with the opportunity for hindsight, whilst a struggling underfunded commercial entity in itself, because the company then consisted of Land Rover, Mini, Rover and MG, it was a very rare and stimulating place to be.

After the effects of 1970s British Leyland conglomeration, the Honda JV and BAe ownership, that remaining stable of 4 very different marques allowed designers and engineers to effectively play in their very own sand-box.

The Board - itself arguably initially short-sighted, and later hamstrung by the BMW Board - having the onerous task of allocating limited funding for far too many potential opportunities.


Elsewhere in the Studio....

......Gerry McGovern had completed a very good effort on new Freelander, with a curvaceousness that would go down well with all new brand buyers and specifically the subtle cue of the belt-line echoed in the alloy wheels. An element obvious to a designer's eye, but subliminal to a lay-person who would instead subconsciously view it a unified vehicle aesthetic.

......Dave Woodhouse played up his (playful) 'enfant terrible' characater, with radical renditions of various high and low concept stuff, from a radical Defender to the idea of an MGF Speedster. That part of a trophy-cup race series and limited homologation run of high margin MGF's, all with with aero-screens, aero- bodywork, hard-tonneau cover, stripped-out interior and old-style 1960s sidelights....as depicted in the Pop Art comic book style of Roy Lichtenstein.

.....Oliver Le Grice had created the utterly lovely Spirtual and Spirtual Too concepts as 'design-values' driven re-interpretation of a modern Mini, which used a monobox egg-style body and flat-mounted 3-pot engine under the rear seats. In effect a more expansive and prosaic amalgamation of the then marketed Renault Twingo and soon available Daimler Smart; with an iconography of its own.

.....and much else besides with - if properly remembered - the likes of Marek and Tony variously on various concept and current projects.

The female designers, with specific backgrounds, dealt with Interior Design and Social Trend Plotting - disciplines of their own preference and choosing - so hardly a man's world even 25 years ago.

[NB It was their work on the interiors of R100 and R25 that helped Rover enormously in its new European competitive edge...as later described]


The 1995 Audi UK Advert -

Since the mid 1960s the ex ivy League "East-Coasters" - in their own bid to be socially seperate to the rest of the USA and eulogise their European roots - had been driving various Euro marques, from Alfa Romeo to BMW. But it had been German engineering that won out over Italian, and so increasingly 1600s, 2002s had given way to 3 and 5 series. Those cars seen by others in New York and on Wall Street who aspired to be like their social superiors, likewise bought BMW as the badge of their success.

After the City's 'Big Bang' here in London in 1986, the same trends came across the Atlantic, in an effort to replicate the Wall Street vibe, and so BMW and Porsche became the icons of aspiration....which would soon be followed by the rest of the UK with an increasingly bouyant national 1990s economy.

However, those who lead trends and are socially sensitive to whats happening in society at large, and to their once beloved brand (herein BMW) did not want to be seen as part of the new mainstream. And so they sought Audi as the close substitute, as good technically and in the real world even better in Quattro-drivetrain guise, even if a front-forward transverse five-pot was not as agile as a longitudinal low set straight-six or four.

They had had their Porsche and BMW affairs and were growing-up with a family, a dog and the mandatory house in the country, or driving-in from the Stock-broker belt..so a 4WD estate was the perfect solution that was also more understated and so less gauche.

The initial trend-setters had moved on elsewhere, leaving the wannabee red-braces brigade who believed themselves to be Gordon Gheko, to BMWs and Porches.

Although recognised here in London by 1990 or so, by 1995 that rejection of the obvious and increasingly berated codified vehicles had become slowly recognised by others around the UK.

And so Audi UK sought to make the most of this.

But instead of creating an obvious advert, that subtly stated such things, its Advertising Agency brilliantly used reverse psychology and last second re-affirmation for  the current and  potential Audi buyer.

It opens with a breed of 'City Boy' (then colloqually known as a 'Barrow-Boy' to the old guard) extolling his overtly aspirant personality and lifestyle...yet oddly driving an Audi A4 20-valve (four valves per cylinder).

That's the first cognitive trick played by the Ad Agency, now known as cognitive dissonance.

Audi's target audience, that of the socially informed viewer, knows that the man and the car are not 'sympatico', and so the knowing viewer becomes shocked that Audi has become drawn into such a world, and now seems the new symbol of the wannabee.

After intersected images of the City-Boy in the car and amongst his lifestyle friends, the cognitive dissonance grows yet further.

Toward the end, we see he is on a test-drive and returns to the showroom. Greeted by the Audi salesman - taller, classically better looking, far more demure, the salesman asks how the drive went?
"Nah...not my style...you know what I mean!"

The knowing viewer and audience breath a deep sigh of relief, Audi has not (yet)  been tainted with the money of the crass aspirant; Audi's brand persona left in tact. And so able to draw in those who considered themselves simply well to do, decent, nice and old middle-class... the very opposite o so called 'flash trash'.

It was the best advert of the 1990s; and it succeeded in drawing more and more people away from BMWs and into Audis.

[NB Thankyou to Inchcape Audi for uploading the video on youtube....a slice of socio-economic history].


Blur's 'Charmless Man' -

In April 1996 the song 'Charmless Man' was released by Blur as part of a pperiod that was simultaneously known (and so culturally manufactured) 'Brit-Pop' (revival).

(Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Suede, The Verve etc the musical creators of Brit-Pop, whilst in the Art World, the "YBA's" (Young British Artists consisted of people such as: Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Banksy, Bridget Riley et al. Both artforms deployed a mix of  intellectualised social observation with prime ingredients of either urban 'grunge' or juxtapositions, with an amuse-bouche of both grafitti art and psychedelic graphics that inevitably became de rigeur for the corporate lobby).  

"The story of a Charmless Man" expanded the same social observations made by Audi's Ad Agency; as had become apparent to anyone in London and beyond with any sense of social observation.

[NB Here itself recognised that good literal 'commercial art' was philosophically on par if not infact ahead of  the Art World itself; the City-Boy himself depicted attending new artist Gallery evenings].

The song and video centre on an unpleasant, wealthy and socially ambitious character who epitomised a certain type of go-getting yet wholly toxic 20/30-something City-Boy.

One of a large crowd who see life simply as an extension of the private education matra of 'play the game...play the game'. Himself essentially an English version of the 1980s Patrick Bateman character (violent but presumably without the homocidal tendencies). And his vehicle of choice? The then 'must have' "Whale-Tail" Porsche 911 Targa....of course.

Ultimately his character flaw is that of immense ego predicated upon the need for others' attention. As the lyrics state...."You put it altogether its the model of a charmless man"

The end of the video has reflections of the end of the film 400 Blows by Truffaut as he himself 'breaks-down', runs away from his Porsche (given its manifestation of his Ego which masks his true inner-angst), and opens a door to the band itself and Damien staring straight at him as if staring into his soul.

[NB And also at you the viewer, as if to say 'check yourself' in modern parlance].

The reference to the 400 Blows done to deliberately cross-referance a contemporary band called 'The 400 Blows'; just as Blur's songs cross-referanced other elements of Brit-Pop culture like nemesis Oasis.

Hence, with Blur effectively castigating the worst aspects of ultimately hollow money-worship and social climbing,  this song and video - as with 'Country House' - effectively helped to soften Britain, and create a middle-ground between the still very prevelent Yuppie mentality, by then countrywide (as often typically portrayed by the infamous Estate Agent), and the remnants of the Hippy culture which had previously morphed into Acid House and the early days of the Ibiza scene and aspects of a Drop-Out culture.

'Charmless Man' was much needed commentary that could help an increasingly aspirant nd selfish Britain rediscover its yesteryear values. So as to help tame the zeitgeist, seen with  the awfully predictable dinner party chatter of 20/30-somethings, who were inevitably looking to either test-drive the latest BMW 3-series or seeking one as part of their company renumeration package.

Britain's new middle-class had become the very antithesis of the old middle-class, with  its the liberal-conservative social values, led by typically older upper middle class  people who did not shout about what they did, they just took on the mantle of responsibilities and did it.

And since the demise of Rover (their parents' car of choice) effectively by the late 1970s, they had shifted typically into Volvos, Saabs and Audis.

Hence, after R75, the potential for R95 / R105 was to satiate and grow the still evident and hopefully growing 'Humanist' counter-trend

It had obviously long been recognised that consumer's desire for Premium had become effectively mainstream, as seen with the success of the quality German marques and their then new moves into the lower segments, Audi A2, Merc A-Class, planned BMW 1-series  But it was also recognised that they sold on status badges imbued with not only good quality but much 'technical marketing'....BMW's "Drivers Car", Audi's "Vorsprung durch Technik" etc.

But with the tainting of BMW and argueably likewise Mercedes, there would always be an aspirant  customer base that did not the Germanic, and wanted to escape the mainstream Fords, Vauxhall-Opels, Peugeots.

[NB Renault had actually self-created its own major UK popularity based on the marketing french flair so appealing to the growing female market, but even with great concept cars such as Vel Satis and production cars such as Avantime could not create French Luxury outside of France, since trapped by being too oddball].

And that ultimately meant there was space somewhere between Volkswagen in high-end mainstream and the German premium brands; both in Britain and especially so in Europe as effectively a new alternative entrant, building on success of Rover's small city cars in France, Germany and Italy, themselves seen as upscale given good (female designed) interiors.

Saab and Volvo were enduring a tough time, Saab resorting to a re-engineered but believed simply badge-engineered 9000 from JV platform sharing with FIAT-Lancia, and Volvo extending its aged large car platform with periodic reskins before being absorbed into Ford's PAG division.

So they were increasingly looking tenuous as 'Near Premium' players, which left potential untapped demand and so capacity for any new convincing entrant.

But critically, BMW had been widely successful, growing enormously since the early 1970s, and besides the purchase of Rover Group for its diverse brand portfolio - especially Mini - and access to mainstream B and C segments without diluting its own brand, it was belived that Munich sought to create a strategic fall-back, using an upwardly expanded Rover Cars in case 3,5,7 and new X5 sales flattened-off or even declined in specific markets.

Rover Cars seniors believed that it could access the Audi territory with an increasing portion of the British middle classes seeking an alternative to teutonic German cars with something far 'warmer', distinctly British yet still capable. For people who rejected the stereotypical crassness that BMWs had in the people started to embody.

The creation of a more tasteful 'affordable luxury' option of seperate character eventually in larger car sizes and slowly remove the name Rover from A and B segments, unless they too could be suitably re-invented.

Hence whilst Richard Woolley et al were putting the finishing touches to R75, the (literally) very sketchy R95 and R105 product strategy considerations for a decade plus down the road were being very generally considered in a skunk-works manner.

This outside of the Rover Cars marketing team, who themselves would become eventually involved only years later, after any success  that R75 might enjoy.


The (Very Sketchy) Sketch -

This was one of a few very basically considered body forms created to add far greater gravitas into the brand; drawing on the once illustrious Rover badge ornament.

'Longboat' Body - per Rover's Viking Ship emblem (as then still current)
'Helmet Face' - per previous 'Eric the Viking' bonnet ornament (ceased by the 1940s)

Prow, cabin and stern visually encased within an outer shell; so as to purvey the romantic 1930s long tapered bonnet (with longitudinal BMW IL6 or Rover V8). The 'V' aesthetic to enhance visual dynamic and provide boat-like overtones (akin to classic Launches such as Riva et al).

This reduced frontal area and provided for improved management of overall airflow, to reduce fuel consumption and critically assist NVH (both per wind-noise and tyre noise - itself contained in the wheel envelopes. Ducted and channeled aero to provide that vital element of quietened luxury.

Automated side vents (as vanes and literal coolant veins) enable hot air exit from engine-bay as necessary and provide interesting visual dynamic, bring the car to life and act as just one of the technical story talking-points.

The encompassing 'Shell' with corner Castleations/Turrets - as adopted from orginal Range- Rover for corner visibility (when off-road) but herein when parking and fast apex cornering. So as to create notion of modern-day (1950s) 'Road-Rover', and to convey the cues and perceived strength of the British castle.; accompanied by - if possible - with cabin 'Buttresses' echoing Gothic Cathedrals and Bridges.


The Engineering Strategy -

The basic platform to be theoretically used was an adapted frame and standard component sets from the then P38A Range-Rover. To reduced costs in engineering design, development complexity and make god use of previously cost-ammortised supplier tooling. The reduced weight of the vehicle thus allowing for greater durability of those component sets, obviously especially regards 'chassis' items (steering, suspension, braking etc)

Given the large footprint of the '105' badged model, an extension of the frame in X and Y coordinates for wheelbase and track, and with lower overall loading, the possibility of reduced guage (thickness) of the steel of the ladder chassis onto which the body would placed.

[NB the '105' does not relate to wheelbase length in inches, as the naming system on Land Rover did. Simply repeat of the old Rover model heirachy].

Compared to the P38A, obvious lowering of occupant H-Points (hip points), with extensive use of Rover disguised 5 or 7 series interior hardware, HVAC and electrical systems. Critically use of carry-over air-bag suspension for general ride comfort and the ability to raise and lower ride height for 'town' vs 'highway' driving. (Although 'on air' and not hydraulics, the intention was to mimic  the "magic-carpet" virtues of previous era Citroens (DS/CX/XM) without such complexity and cost.

[NB The softer ride also dampening shock effects on new construction methods and materials].

The repackaged powertrain required that a new single ratio transfer case be set forward compared to Range Rover to avoid cabin intrusion and enable low ground clearance.

As per aesthetic, besides an obvious encased Longboat appearance, the most radical possibility - though highly improbable - was the idea of a' buttress' A pillar which if feasible allowed for the front screen and side windows to become an uninterrupted 180 degree surround entity.

(NB The sketch showing that unlikely possibility to the off-side only, as would be seen on a centre-split 1:5 scale clay model).

The concept was that both narrow and widening 'Prow Front' would provide far better  front impact protection by deflecting the other vehicle away from the cabin, and the forward A-Pillar 'Butress' would operate likewise as deflector elements to also protect the cabin.

The vehicle produced using a mix of traditional and alternative methods. Besides the invisible carry-over elements from Range Rover, the body panels were potentially produced as set of mixed materials. Steel chassis with in-house built steel 'Superleggera/Bird-cage' body frame, upon which steel, aluminium and composite inner-panels and skin panels could be affixed.

The front wings and quarter panels (them-selves impact absorbing and sacrificial in a crash) created from low-cost vacuum-forming  and/or rotational molding methods used by suppliers to the refuse collection industry.

So the best practices taken from other industrial sectors, from the exacting precision of IT hardware outer-cases, to the voluminous, hollow character of rubbish bins and water butts). And with such processes the freedom to create subtle A-surface details, both raised and/or indented for textures, logotype etc.

[NB ironically although basically knowledgeable about refuse vessel production being cheap for the huge quantities made, it was the band Garbage that had prompted that thought earlier in that year].


The Production Strategy -

Given the avoidance of major capital spending on conventional plant tooling etc, and deliberately more labour-intensive practices on interior and exterior (under strict labour agreements) the approach was obviously the merged idiologies of the best of mass-scale manufacture (cost, quality, standardisation) and best of niche manufacture (technical idiosyncracy and hand-built).

A Two Centre Production scheme envisaged to maximise current plant capacity at Solihull and reduce new CapEx needs at Longbridge. The rolling chassis assembled at Solihull along the P38A line, then transported overnight in lower-cost long road-trains to Longbridge.

[NB Herein again the idea prompted by the name Shirley, both the name of a suburb close to Solihull and the motorway, and the name of the lead singer of Garbage].

There a new Rover Cars 'Prestige-Build' Centre (effectively an SVO) itself built by Longbridge employees (under Architect and Civil Engineering oversight) would help fill the excess capacity at Longbridge. So assisting what had been historically fractious Management and Staff industrial relations, and illustrating self-investment into the site.

The production staff (then called 'Associates' per the previous Honda JV influence) would be re-attired in likewise more self-respectful clothing: shirts, ties protected by brown and white technicians coats that were standard issue in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Just as white-collar Britain was 'dressing down' so the Rover
Prestige division would have blue-collar men and women 'dress-up' to reflect a mentality of utmost professionalism.

To avoid typically expensive production-line' costs (involving cradles to support whole cars including engine 'stuff-up'),the new Longbridge line to consist of cantelevered arms supporting under-slung units which held the side 'cant-rails' (or roof rails) of the vehicle frame. Itself built-up until near complete when married-up to the pre-built chassis.

Hence akin to the first mass production schema by Ford and utilised by Austin at Longbridge in the 1920s.


The General Philosophy -

Effectively the re-birth of a luxury saloon with very different avante garde "marine meets archetectural" aesthetics and 'soft-roader' character that was very different from the Teutonic, Germanic competitor set; whilst utilsing the principles of the previously prototyped 1950s Road-Rover, which itself sought product extension of original Land Rover. Itself part of the Marketing Story.

And critically the availability of 2 or AWD capabilities to make the car safe in all conditions (per "Rover Safety bicycle") match Audi's quattro system, and qualify the 'safety' aspect relative to Volvo, by improving front crash dynamics through deflection as much as managing the crumple zone.

And using the best of volume-scale and 'time and motion' streamlined coachbuilding systems. The Prestige Centre itself a showcase from which new customers would personally collect their new cars; so saving on dealer-transfer transportation costs.

Estimated at only 15,000 per year over 5 years (625 cars per day on a 5 day week for 48 weeks of the year); with what ordinarily would be low numbers indicating high unit costs, off-set through reduced with intelligent use of cost-conscious technology transfers from other sectors and creative design, product engineering and manufacturing engineering.

Ultimately the simple scribble was pure theorising and conjecture seeking to create the automotive antidote for the very atttuned buyers who sought to distinguish themselves as seperate to the increasing mainstream premium, which had started to reflect an increasingly egotistical and materialistic society, enraptured with brand-centricism instead of specifically descernable qualities.

And to create a business model that would breath new life into the brand with strong per unit profitability.

With the continuation of BMW engineering excellence as the technical underpinnings the R95/R105 it was to be 'a cut above'. With the then possible opportinity for such brand revision that Rover could move upscale into new 'white space', even moving into Jaguar's effectively defunct Daimler-Sovereign territory.


The Reality of Business -

However, although notionally before its time, and dependent on strong revenues and re-investment from R75, BMW for very good strategic business reasons ultimately went on to divest the Rover Group portfolio to Ford and via a quick but questionable Pheonix Consortium management buyout, so as to cut losses and concentrate on Mini.

Rover Cars and MG would have ideally gone to Alchemy Partners to ensure its mid-term contunuation.

But behind the scenes, the British government was obviously keen to ultimately evolve improved relationships with China, and so via Pheonix Consortium as effectively a stop-gap owner with the temporay creation of MG-Rover.

[NB Itself really only ever a Boys Club for MG Motorsports via X-Power and the commercially irrational decision to revamp the Italian Qvale as an MG X-Power halo car; only adding to cash-burn woes, and so demise].

And so the historic name of Rover - from Victorian Safety bicycle origins and from 1904 with Cars and its 1950s and 1960s domestic, colonial and technical heydays - eventually transmuted to become China's Roewe.

To recite the title of a song by The Verve, that would arrive in 1997, soon after that optomistic sketch in 1996....a 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' of what could have been.
As is so much of Auto industry history; especially when seeking to negotiate the hazards and pitfalls of what was effectively continuation of a brand revival, amongst a plethora of micro-level and macro-level issues and tensions.

Rover was sold to China, and that act, though seen as blasphemous at the time by those in The Midlands, helped UK-China relations at a critical point in global trade history.

It would have been better however to have seen a substantive and well funded Anglo-Sino company formed to rise properly from the ashes as a true Pheonix - so much more than politically useful name.

Alchemy Partners, together with another European VM as partner, could have succeeded in doing just that, with what could have been a British-European-Chinese that bolstered respective businesses across the globe.

Something that would have allowed the UK's Design, Engineering and now AI Services sector to become more heavily entrenched into the Chinese auto-sector, its diverse domestic market and latterday global export market opportunities.

That happened to a degree with Ricardo plc's '2000' plan assisting the set-up of the Rover-Roewe plant in China for SAIC and Nanjing, and qualifying the first batch of vehicles off the line.

But little happened for UK export enterprise between that 'lift and shift' operation and latterday exercises such as Ricardo's recent services to Geely etc.

Perhaps Brexit, if achieved, will provide for that, business leaders both there and here seeking greater integration now that China's own large VMs have made leaps in their own product quality; but still have further to go to become globally competitive on quality.

Ultimately it has been a Slow (Viking) Boat to China, but the possibilities of mixing each country's core engineering competances should allow Britain's Engineering Services sector to once again apply its creative and diverse engineering talents.

And to restate yet again....

.....Behind all of that is the critical ability to draw, so as to communicate to one-self when thinking, and to others when explaining, whether technically, diagramatically or as simple visual aid.

Learn to draw....it will, for many reasons, invariably improve the quality of your life.