VX creator does it again.

[mrtew]

I've heard talk about other-people designing the VX recently here and I don't know where it's coming from but I think it's time to set the record straight. Nobody becomes famous for designing interiours, especially ones as ugly as the VXconcept's and he's ALWAYS been famous for the VX more than anything. He used to get the credit on this and the old VX board almost exclusively and he has personally told me that he did the concept and how angry it made him that they ruined it by putting it on a normal truck platform. If his anger stemmed from Isuzu scrapping his brilliant interiour in favour of the Rodeo interiour he would have said so. I do remember that he was so unhappy with the changes GM made to his original design for the Cien showcar that he gave all the credit for its design to the head of GM design and maybe that's what happened with the VX too, and his teammates gladly took it!

http://www.difflock.com/diffmag/issu...zu/index.shtml
Despite its Oriental overtones, the Isuzu VX2 sports coupe project was led by Englishman, Simon Cox who was also responsible for the earlier Vehi-CROSS - equally radical and now on sale in Japan.

http://www.caranddriver.com/buying_g..._imaj_car_news
Indeed, the Imaj was designed and built in Birmingham, England, where native son Simon Cox --late of Isuzu, where he is credited with the Rodeo and VehiCROSS

http://www.caranddriver.com/buying_g...maj_auto_shows
The head stylist was Simon Cox, the British designer who penned the VEHICross.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_VehiCROSS
http://www.wildtoys.com/Vehicross/history.asp
Led by Satomi Murayama, chief designer/manager at Isuzu's European office in Brussels, the design team was comprised of an international group: Simon Cox (Assistant Chief Designer best known for designing the Lotus Elan's interior), Joji Yanaka, Andrew Hill and Nick Robinson. The task was to build a "lightweight but tough, fun but environmentally friendly" SUV.

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f68/...94/index4.html
a little homework reveals that Simon Cox - a Lotus designer - was the designer of the VX.

http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/dream-car/isuzu.htm
Group B rally cars, rally-raiders and the Citroen 2CV were all cited as influences by the designer of Isuzu's 1993 VehiCross, Simon Cox.

http://isuzu-review.blogspot.com/200...ss-review.html
Concept Isuzu VehiCross first appearance before the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in autumn 1993. Unintended Isuzu vanguard faces a car pastors can be explained by the fact that it has created English designer Simon Cox.

http://www.motortrend.com/auto_news/...oss/index.html
The VehiCROSS was designed by Simon Cox, Isuzu's chief stylist in Britain and the same man who penned the visually similar Deseo concept SUV that graced Isuzu's stand at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show.

http://motortrend.automotive.com/343...oss/index.html
The design, penned by Simon Cox under the direction of Satomi Murayama, survived the transition to production without being tamed.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z...Vehicross.aspx
The chief designer/manager for Isuzu's European office in Brussels, Satomi Murayama led a design team comprised of an international group: Simon Cox, Joji Yanaka, Nick Robinson and Andrew Hill.

[nfpgasmask]

So you are saying that indeed, Simon Cox, and NOT Satomi Murayama, is responsible for the EXTERIOR design of the VX?

Bart

[mrtew]

So you are saying that indeed, Simon Cox, and NOT Satomi Murayama, is responsible for the EXTERIOR design of the VX?

Generally the Design Manager or Design Director (Murayama) is "responsible" for the design although the ideas come from the designers under him or her. What you hear about the whole team being vital is very true. But sometimes a design is so striking and original and one designer's (Cox) vision so pure and undeniable that they get the credit alongside their superiour. I've never heard anything about Simon doing the interiour until today. So yes, exteriour. Do you have any source for your information or anything?

[johnnyapollo]

Interesting - the VX production's only similarity to the concept is the exterior shell (although the production model is slightly larger) - everything else and I do mean everything, was scrapped for current production parts - the interior, engine, drive train, wheels and tires - the only thing that bears any resemblence to the prototype is the body styling (general shape and tire mounted in the rear door - even the door configuration was changed from flip-top/side-opening-door to side-opening-door only). I could imagine that Simon would get upset at what was changed.

Looking at some other references - it appears that it's mostly in the Brit magazines that Simon is named as the designer - even in the non-Brit references above they either mention him as part of the team or use the term "penned" meaning that Cox did the concept sketches - so from that aspect he should be given credit for the VX. In the Japanese publications they only mention him as part of the team - the reference to his interior design is in one magazine I have that shows the original prototype "binnacle" dash design, attributed to him by name. I'll take back my earlier statement as I now believe it's incorrect and that Simon should be given his due as the designer since it appears he did the original concept sketches for the exterior as well.

I've got one other reference if I can find it that has an extensive interview with Cox and boss - I'll post an exerpt when I can figure out what I've done with it.

-- John