2015 Ford Taurus

Program

BS 58 Transportation Design

Hailed as “the most influential designer since Harley Earl” by “The New York Times,” Jack Telnack shaped some of Ford’s most iconic vehicles. After advancing through the ranks at Ford Design Center in Michigan, Telnack was named chief designer for Ford of Australia, building the design studio there from the ground up. Telnack returned to Dearborn and helmed the brand’s Mustang and Pinto projects. The defining moment in his career came in 1980, when he styled the revolutionary 1986 Ford Taurus. The groundbreaking vehicle bucked “boxy” design conventions with its “aero-look” and soon became the best-selling car in America. Later, Telnack oversaw the design for all of Ford’s worldwide operations, including Jaguar, Aston Martin and the Ghia Studio in Italy. In 1989, he was named “Man of the Year” by Automotive Industries, and in 2008, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.