Ford's New Design Boss Is Australian And Loves To Race

The biggest jobs in car design rarely go to the most interesting designers. The most important talent for anybody heading up a global team likely to consists of hundreds of stylists, and multiple studios, is likely to be managerial rather than purely creative. But Ford’s announcement that 50-year old Australian Todd Willing is set to become the automaker’s new global Head of Design could be a welcome exception to that rule.

Firstly because Willing is the credited exterior designer for the 2017 Ford GT, widely acknowledged as one of the finest examples of supercar design in recent years. When Road & Track interviewed Horacio Pagani last year, he nominated the GT as his favorite contemporary non-Pagani, his enthusiasm reflected in the fact he owns one. Behind the dry language of the press release announcing his appointment, Willing also has a much more interesting backstory than is common for the C-suite veterans who normally end up heading the biggest design departments.

Born on the island of Tasmania to a garage-owning father, Willing raced karts as a kid and managed to talk his way into doing work experience with Ford’s Australian design studio when he was just 15 years old. He joined Ford full-time in 2003 and worked around the globe, with stints in Japan, Germany, the U.K. and Detroit before returning to Melbourne in Australia as design director of Ford Asia-Pacific. He later went onto become head of design for Ford Trucks, leading the creation of the F-150, Ranger, Maverick and Bronco among others.

Willing’s early love for racing has also grown alongside his design career, and he has been a keen amateur competitor in different cars and series around the world. He has raced in both historic Formula Ford and also in a much more potent March Formula 2 car from 1972, one originally driven by Jean-Pierre Jabouille and François Cevert. More on brand for his new role, Willing has also driven a beautifully prepared 1968 Ford Escort, winning a five-hour saloon endurance race at Laguna Seca during last year’s Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

Now based in Michigan, Willing will be in charge of Ford and Lincoln design worldwide. Lets hope he still has time to go racing.

You Might Also Like

• You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox

• Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners

• The Man Who Signs Every Car