Bryan Nesbitt
Encyclopedia
Bryan Nesbitt is an automobile
designer and currently head of General Motors Corporation International Operations Design, based in Shanghai, China. Nesbitt is also brand chairman for Wuling
and Baojun
, two automakers with which G.M. joint ventures.
Previously Nesbitt had held the position of GM's North American Exterior Design and Global Architecture Strategy and had been a designer with Chrysler. Several of his more prominent styling contributions have been to the Chrysler PT Cruiser
, the similarly retro
Chevrolet HHR
, the seventh generation Chevrolet Malibu. and the and the 1997 Chrysler CCV
, which had been conceived as a Chinese people’s car with bodywork constructed of recycled plastic bottles.
on January 24, 1969 and had wanted to be an automobile designer since his childhood. He studied Architecture and Industrial Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology
and holds a Bachelor's Degree with Honors in Transportation Design from the Art Center College of Design
in Pasadena, California
.
Speaking of the childhood influences on his design perspective, Nesbitt cited several summer drives across North America in an AMC Gremlin
with his mother:
At DaimlerChrysler
for seven years, Nesbitt designed the 1999 PT Cruiser concept vehicles, the 1998 Chrysler Pronto Cruizer
and the 1997 Chrysler CCV
. Nesbitt joined General Motors in April 2001, as chief designer for the Chevrolet
brand. In January 2002, Nesbitt was appointed executive director in design and body-frame integral architectures for all North American GM brands. Bryan Nesbitt was named Executive Director, GM Europe Design in February 2004, and was responsible for all Opel
, Saab
and Vauxhall
design activities. In June 2007, Bryan returned to the U.S. as the General Motors Vice-President of Design for North America, responsible for all brands marketed and sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico — at the time the brands included Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, SAAB, Saturn, GMC, and Hummer.
In July 2009, GM named Nesbitt the new head of General Motors’ Cadillac premium division.
GM announced his removal from this position on March 2, 2010 and back to his old position as executive director, advanced concept group.
As one of the youngest member among GM Design's leadership ranks, Nesbitt contributed to the design of the Pontiac Solstice
, Pontiac G6
coupe, Cadillac DTS
and BLS
, Buick Lucerne
, Chevrolet Impala
, HHR
and Cobalt
coupe, Saturn Aura
and Sky
, and GMC Acadia
, Saturn Outlook
, and Buick Enclave
.
In a 2001 USA Today
article, Bob Lutz clarified Nesbitt's role in the HHR design:
In a July 2008 interview for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nesbitt spoke of his design philosophy at GM:
Nesbitt won an Automotive Hall Of Fame 2002 Young Leadership And Excellence Award while at GM.
See Also: Bryan Nesbitt, presents the Saab 9-4x BioPower Concept at the Boston Auto Show, Jan 2008
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
designer and currently head of General Motors Corporation International Operations Design, based in Shanghai, China. Nesbitt is also brand chairman for Wuling
SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile
SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile is a joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China and Liuzhou Wuling Motors Co., Ltd...
and Baojun
Baojun
Baojun is a brand of low-cost automobile sold only in China by SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile, a partnership between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation....
, two automakers with which G.M. joint ventures.
Previously Nesbitt had held the position of GM's North American Exterior Design and Global Architecture Strategy and had been a designer with Chrysler. Several of his more prominent styling contributions have been to the Chrysler PT Cruiser
Chrysler PT Cruiser
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a retro styled compact automobile launched by Chrysler as a 5-door hatchback in early 2000 and as a 2-door convertible in early 2005 ....
, the similarly retro
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
Chevrolet HHR
Chevrolet HHR
The Chevrolet HHR was a retro-styled station wagon launched by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model — and designed by Bryan Nesbitt. Smaller than the Equinox, the HHR shared the GM Delta platform with the Chevrolet...
, the seventh generation Chevrolet Malibu. and the and the 1997 Chrysler CCV
Chrysler CCV
The Chrysler CCV was a concept car designed by Bryan Nesbitt to illustrate new means of construction suitable for developing nations.The car is a tall, fairly roomy 4 door sedan, of modest dimensions...
, which had been conceived as a Chinese people’s car with bodywork constructed of recycled plastic bottles.
Background
Bryan Edward Nesbitt was born in Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
on January 24, 1969 and had wanted to be an automobile designer since his childhood. He studied Architecture and Industrial Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
and holds a Bachelor's Degree with Honors in Transportation Design from the Art Center College of Design
Art Center College of Design
Art Center College of Design is a private college located in Pasadena, California, and was cited by BusinessWeek as one of the 60 best design schools in the world. The college’s industrial design program is consistently ranked number one by both DesignIntelligence and U.S...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
.
Speaking of the childhood influences on his design perspective, Nesbitt cited several summer drives across North America in an AMC Gremlin
AMC Gremlin
The AMC Gremlin is a two-door subcompact car produced in the United States and Canada by the American Motors Corporation between 1970 and 1978. AMC reduced its development and manufacturing costs by adapting a shortened Hornet platform with a Kammback-type tail...
with his mother:
Career
DaimlerChrysler
Daimler AG is a German car corporation. By unit sales, it is the thirteenth-largest car manufacturer and second-largest truck manufacturer in the world. In addition to automobiles, Daimler manufactures buses and provides financial services through its Daimler Financial Services arm...
for seven years, Nesbitt designed the 1999 PT Cruiser concept vehicles, the 1998 Chrysler Pronto Cruizer
Chrysler Pronto Cruizer
The Chrysler Pronto Cruizer was a concept car designed by Bryan Nesbitt for Chrysler, then DaimlerChrysler — a design that ultimately evolved into the Chrysler PT Cruiser....
and the 1997 Chrysler CCV
Chrysler CCV
The Chrysler CCV was a concept car designed by Bryan Nesbitt to illustrate new means of construction suitable for developing nations.The car is a tall, fairly roomy 4 door sedan, of modest dimensions...
. Nesbitt joined General Motors in April 2001, as chief designer for the Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
brand. In January 2002, Nesbitt was appointed executive director in design and body-frame integral architectures for all North American GM brands. Bryan Nesbitt was named Executive Director, GM Europe Design in February 2004, and was responsible for all Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
, Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
and Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
design activities. In June 2007, Bryan returned to the U.S. as the General Motors Vice-President of Design for North America, responsible for all brands marketed and sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico — at the time the brands included Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, SAAB, Saturn, GMC, and Hummer.
In July 2009, GM named Nesbitt the new head of General Motors’ Cadillac premium division.
GM announced his removal from this position on March 2, 2010 and back to his old position as executive director, advanced concept group.
As one of the youngest member among GM Design's leadership ranks, Nesbitt contributed to the design of the Pontiac Solstice
Pontiac Solstice
The Pontiac Solstice is a small sports car from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, the Solstice roadster began production in Wilmington, Delaware, starting in mid-2005 for the 2006 model year. The exterior styling of the...
, Pontiac G6
Pontiac G6
The Pontiac G6 was a mid-size car produced under the Pontiac brand of American automaker General Motors.It was introduced in the fall of 2004 to replace the Grand Am. The car was built on the GM Epsilon platform which it shared with the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3 along with other General Motors...
coupe, Cadillac DTS
Cadillac DTS
The Cadillac DTS is a full-size luxury sedan produced by General Motors, an American automobile company. The DTS replaced the Cadillac DeVille as General Motors' largest luxury car for the 2006 model year...
and BLS
Cadillac BLS
The Cadillac BLS is a compact executive car marketed in Europe by Cadillac, a division of General Motors. Based on GM's Epsilon architecture, the BLS is a heavily restyled version of the Saab 9-3. The development was done by Saab and cost more than one billion kronor to design...
, Buick Lucerne
Buick Lucerne
The Buick Lucerne is a full-size car sold by the Buick division of General Motors. Introduced at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show, the Lucerne replaced both the Park Avenue and the LeSabre for the 2006 model year, and was sold through the 2011 model year...
, Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
, HHR
Chevrolet HHR
The Chevrolet HHR was a retro-styled station wagon launched by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model — and designed by Bryan Nesbitt. Smaller than the Equinox, the HHR shared the GM Delta platform with the Chevrolet...
and Cobalt
Chevrolet Cobalt
The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt replaced both the Cavalier and the Prizm as Chevrolet's compact car....
coupe, Saturn Aura
Saturn Aura
The Saturn Aura is a mid-size car produced under the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It debuted as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in January 2005. The production model of the Aura was shown at the 2006 New York Auto Show in April, with production...
and Sky
Saturn Sky
The Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT...
, and GMC Acadia
GMC Acadia
The GMC Acadia is a full-size crossover SUV from GM. The GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook share the new GM Lambda platform. The Acadia went on sale in the United States in December 2006, and in Canada in January, 2007...
, Saturn Outlook
Saturn Outlook
The Saturn Outlook is a crossover SUV that debuted at the New York International Auto Show, and is based on the new GM Lambda platform, which it shares with the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia...
, and Buick Enclave
Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave is a full-size crossover SUV launched in May 2007 as a 2008 model by the Buick division of General Motors. The Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and Saturn Outlook all share the GM Lambda platform. The Enclave was previewed at the 2006 North American International...
.
In a 2001 USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
article, Bob Lutz clarified Nesbitt's role in the HHR design:
In a July 2008 interview for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nesbitt spoke of his design philosophy at GM:
Nesbitt won an Automotive Hall Of Fame 2002 Young Leadership And Excellence Award while at GM.
See also
See Also: Photo of Bryan NesbittSee Also: Bryan Nesbitt, presents the Saab 9-4x BioPower Concept at the Boston Auto Show, Jan 2008