François Castaing
Encyclopedia
François J. CastaingFrançois J. Castaing (born 1945 in France
) is a 27-year veteran automotive executive with Renault
, American Motors
, and Chrysler
. He is an engineering graduate from École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers
in Paris
, and worked in Europe for Gordini
and Renault before being named Vice President for Product Engineering and Development at American Motors Corporation (AMC).
races. After Gordini had been taken over by Renault, he advanced to the position of Renault Sport Technical Director. His record of accomplishment with Renault included stints as a member of a racing-engine development team and as director of racing programs. He had joined AMC
from Renault, which owned 46% of the company. He and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan
in 1980.
SUV that became very profitable for AMC. He designed a new development approach in which teams of engineers focused on a single type of car platform, working on new models as a system from concept to production. This differed from the standard automotive practice of organizing work around departments (project planning, design, engineering, manufacturing, marketing) and components (engine, powertrain, body).
After AMC's buyout in 1987, Chrysler insiders speculated that AMC would take over the larger firm from within. Part of the reason was that AMC's Jeep Cherokee product line alone soon accounted for more than a third of Chrysler's profits. Another area where former AMC people took over Chrysler operations was engineering. Castaing was quickly named Chrysler Motors' new Vice President for Vehicle Engineering. The acquiring company was in desperate need to replicate the culture at AMC and Renault where work was conducted in an atmosphere "of constant change" .
Before the purchase of AMC, Chrysler was suffering a five-year product slump after it hit a home run with its minivans in 1984. It was mainly making K-car
derivatives that looked and drove alike. Chrysler became a producer of smaller cars, thus making it vulnerable to Japanese competitors. Not only was Castaing made Chrysler's point man for fighting the Japanese automakers, but he was also called to engineer a variety of products to fit a growing number of market niches
.
Castaing followed the example that was used in AMC's old Amtek technical center in Detroit. He realigned Chrysler's 6,000-member engineering structure into teams working on a single platform
. Castaing also incorporated the use of simultaneous engineering. The results of switching to the non-linear platform design were significant.
At the time of AMC's buyout, Chrysler was designing the replacement for the then-new Dodge Dynasty
, a mid-size car
. The proposed replacement bore a direct resemblance to the existing Dynasty. However, with the purchase of AMC, a new product design system was instituted and work began by using AMC's Eagle Premier
platform. According to Chrysler's President, Robert Lutz, the in-house design was scrapped entirely and the new design, under Castaing's leadership, was selected. The Chrysler LH-cars
were first to use Castaing's platform approach. These new models were produced in a record 39 months, compared to other Chrysler cars that took more than 50 months. The Eagle Vision
, Dodge Intrepid
, Chrysler Concorde
, LHS
and New Yorker
were all produced in AMC's state of the art
Brampton Assembly
plant in Brampton, Ontario
, Canada
that was built to make the Eagle Premier.
The success of Castaing's system was exemplified not just by the attraction of Daimler-Benz
as the suitor for Chrysler, but by more than just a passing interest from General Motors
and Toyota.
In 1996, Castaing was appointed executive vice president for Chrysler International Operations. After the Daimler-Benz
merger with Chrysler in 1998, he became technical adviser to Bob Eaton
until retirement in 2000.
Castaing was also a member in "Dodge Viper
Team".
, and Valeo
. He also served on the board of the Federation of Americans Scientists. In 2004, TRW Automotive Holdings announced the election of Castaing to the company's board of directors. He also serves on the audit committee
of Amerigon Inc.
In 1998, Castaing became chairman of the New Detroit Science Center
for the education of future generations. Under his leadership, a $30 million capital campaign for the expansion and renovation of the Detroit Science Center was launched, ultimately permitting the Center to reopen to the public in 2001 with dramatically expanded exhibition space. Castaing has continued to leverage his ties to the automobile industry to promote science and engineering education.
Since 1994, Castaing has also served on the Board of Directors for FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the robotics competition for high school students created by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen
.
and Encore (Renault 9 & 11), for being the father of the Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
, as well as being one of the craftsmen of the rescue of Chrysler.
He is a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering
and a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Castaing was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame on October 12, 2010 in Dearborn, Michigan.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a 27-year veteran automotive executive with Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
, American Motors
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
, and Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. He is an engineering graduate from École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers
École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers
Arts et Métiers ParisTech is the French leading engineering school in the fields of mechanics and industrialization.The school trained 85,000 engineers since its foundation in 1780 by the Duke of La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and worked in Europe for Gordini
Gordini
Gordini is a French sports car manufacturer. The firm was founded by Amédée Gordini nicknamed "Le Sorcier" .Gordini competed in Formula One from 1950 to 1956....
and Renault before being named Vice President for Product Engineering and Development at American Motors Corporation (AMC).
With Gordini and Renault
Castaing started his career in motor sports with Gordini in 1968 by working on engines for the 24 Hours of Le Mans24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
races. After Gordini had been taken over by Renault, he advanced to the position of Renault Sport Technical Director. His record of accomplishment with Renault included stints as a member of a racing-engine development team and as director of racing programs. He had joined AMC
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
from Renault, which owned 46% of the company. He and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1980.
With AMC and Chrysler
Castaing was responsible for product engineering and development at AMC. He was critical in the development of the downsized Jeep CherokeeJeep Cherokee (XJ)
The Jeep Cherokee is a unibody compact SUV. It shared the name of the original full-size SJ model, but without a body-on-frame chassis, it set the stage for the modern SUV. Its innovative appearance and sales popularity spawned important imitators as other automakers began to notice that this...
SUV that became very profitable for AMC. He designed a new development approach in which teams of engineers focused on a single type of car platform, working on new models as a system from concept to production. This differed from the standard automotive practice of organizing work around departments (project planning, design, engineering, manufacturing, marketing) and components (engine, powertrain, body).
After AMC's buyout in 1987, Chrysler insiders speculated that AMC would take over the larger firm from within. Part of the reason was that AMC's Jeep Cherokee product line alone soon accounted for more than a third of Chrysler's profits. Another area where former AMC people took over Chrysler operations was engineering. Castaing was quickly named Chrysler Motors' new Vice President for Vehicle Engineering. The acquiring company was in desperate need to replicate the culture at AMC and Renault where work was conducted in an atmosphere "of constant change" .
Before the purchase of AMC, Chrysler was suffering a five-year product slump after it hit a home run with its minivans in 1984. It was mainly making K-car
Chrysler K platform
The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact F-body Aspen and Volaré, but also to compete with intermediates like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont...
derivatives that looked and drove alike. Chrysler became a producer of smaller cars, thus making it vulnerable to Japanese competitors. Not only was Castaing made Chrysler's point man for fighting the Japanese automakers, but he was also called to engineer a variety of products to fit a growing number of market niches
Niche market
A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...
.
Castaing followed the example that was used in AMC's old Amtek technical center in Detroit. He realigned Chrysler's 6,000-member engineering structure into teams working on a single platform
Automobile platform
An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques...
. Castaing also incorporated the use of simultaneous engineering. The results of switching to the non-linear platform design were significant.
At the time of AMC's buyout, Chrysler was designing the replacement for the then-new Dodge Dynasty
Dodge Dynasty
The Dodge Dynasty was a front-wheel drive sedan that was introduced in 1987 as a 1988 model to replace the 600 as Dodge's mid-size car. The Dodge Dynasty was related to the Chrysler New Yorker; both car lines were built on the Chrysler C platform in Belvidere, Illinois.The Dynasty is also similar...
, a mid-size car
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
. The proposed replacement bore a direct resemblance to the existing Dynasty. However, with the purchase of AMC, a new product design system was instituted and work began by using AMC's Eagle Premier
Eagle Premier
The Eagle Premier was a full-size automobile developed by the American Motors Corporation and Renault partnership, inherited by Chrysler Corporation when it acquired AMC in 1987, and marketed from 1987 through 1992...
platform. According to Chrysler's President, Robert Lutz, the in-house design was scrapped entirely and the new design, under Castaing's leadership, was selected. The Chrysler LH-cars
Chrysler LH platform
The LH platform served as the basis for the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler 300M, Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, and the final Chrysler New Yorker. A Plymouth to be called the "Accolade" was planned, but never saw production...
were first to use Castaing's platform approach. These new models were produced in a record 39 months, compared to other Chrysler cars that took more than 50 months. The Eagle Vision
Eagle Vision
The Eagle Vision was a full-size, front-wheel drive sedan, marketed as a sports version of the Chrysler LH platform, produced from 1993-1997. It was sold by the Eagle division of the Chrysler Corporation, replacing the AMC/Renault-designed Eagle Premier...
, Dodge Intrepid
Dodge Intrepid
The Dodge Intrepid is a large four-door, full-size, front-wheel drive sedan car model that was produced for model years 1993 to 2004. It was mechanically related to the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler New Yorker, Eagle Vision, and also the 300M sedans...
, Chrysler Concorde
Chrysler Concorde
The Chrysler Concorde was a large four-door, full-size, front wheel drive sedan produced by Chrysler from 1993 to 2004. It replaced the Chrysler Fifth Avenue on the lineup. One of Chrysler's 3 original Chrysler LH platform models derived from the American Motors/Renault-designed Eagle Premier, it...
, LHS
Chrysler LHS
The Chrysler LHS is a full-size, front wheel drive car based on the Chrysler LH platform.Having been praised throughout its production run as offering a blend of high-end features, along with solid performance, the LHS was marketed as a rival to other cars costing thousands more...
and New Yorker
Chrysler New Yorker
The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile built by the Chrysler Corporation from 1939–1996, serving for several years as the brand's flagship model. A model named the "New York Special" first appeared in the 1930s...
were all produced in AMC's state of the art
State of the art
The state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. It also refers to the level of development reached at any particular time as a result of the latest methodologies employed.- Origin :The earliest use of the term...
Brampton Assembly
Brampton Assembly
Brampton Assembly is a Chrysler automobile factory is located at 2000 Williams Parkway East, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Originally built by American Motors Corporation for US$260 million, the manufacturing plant was specially designed for building the Eagle Premier.-History:In June 1984,...
plant in Brampton, Ontario
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
that was built to make the Eagle Premier.
The success of Castaing's system was exemplified not just by the attraction of Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and internal combustion engines; founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest - which was valid until year 2000 - was signed on 1 May 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie., and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, which had...
as the suitor for Chrysler, but by more than just a passing interest from General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and Toyota.
In 1996, Castaing was appointed executive vice president for Chrysler International Operations. After the Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and internal combustion engines; founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest - which was valid until year 2000 - was signed on 1 May 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie., and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, which had...
merger with Chrysler in 1998, he became technical adviser to Bob Eaton
Robert James Eaton
For the professional wrestler, Robert Lee "Bobby" Eaton, see Bobby Eaton.Robert James "Bob" Eaton is a U.S. automobile businessman....
until retirement in 2000.
Castaing was also a member in "Dodge Viper
Dodge Viper
The first prototype was tested in January 1989. It debuted in 1991 with two pre-production models as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 when Dodge was forced to substitute it in place of the Japanese-built Stealth because of complaints from the United Auto Workers, and went on sale in January...
Team".
Retirement
Since leaving DaimlerChrysler, Castaing has served as a member of the board of directors for multiple manufacturing and automobile companies, including Exide, the battery company, Durakon Industries, NextEnergy, Reynard MotorsportReynard Motorsport
Reynard Motorsport was at one time the world's largest racing car manufacturer. Initially based at Bicester and latterly at Reynard Park, Brackley, England the company built successful cars in Formula Ford 1600, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Vauxhall Lotus, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and Indy...
, and Valeo
Valeo
Valeo is a French automotive components manufacturer.-History:The Société Anonyme Française du Ferodo was founded in 1923 in Saint-Ouen, a suburb of Paris...
. He also served on the board of the Federation of Americans Scientists. In 2004, TRW Automotive Holdings announced the election of Castaing to the company's board of directors. He also serves on the audit committee
Audit committee
In a U.S. publicly-traded company, an audit committee is an operating committee of the Board of Directors charged with oversight of financial reporting and disclosure. Committee members are drawn from members of the company's board of directors, with a Chairperson selected from among the committee...
of Amerigon Inc.
In 1998, Castaing became chairman of the New Detroit Science Center
Detroit Science Center
The Detroit Science Center is a science museum in Detroit, Michigan.The Science Center has Michigan’s only Chrysler IMAX Dome Theatre; the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium; the DTE Energy Sparks Theater; the Chrysler Science Stage; an Science Hall for traveling exhibits; hands-on exhibit galleries...
for the education of future generations. Under his leadership, a $30 million capital campaign for the expansion and renovation of the Detroit Science Center was launched, ultimately permitting the Center to reopen to the public in 2001 with dramatically expanded exhibition space. Castaing has continued to leverage his ties to the automobile industry to promote science and engineering education.
Since 1994, Castaing has also served on the Board of Directors for FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the robotics competition for high school students created by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen
Dean Kamen
Dean L. Kamen is an American entrepreneur and inventor from New Hampshire.Born in Rockville Centre, New York, he attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, but dropped out before graduating after five years of private advanced research for drug infusion pump AutoSyringe...
.
Recognition
Castaing was named “Man of the Year” by the French publication "Le Journal de l'Automobile" for his exemplary success in the United States. He was noted for developing the Renault-AMC structure, the launching of Renault AllianceRenault Alliance
The Renault Alliance is a subcompact automobile manufactured and marketed in North America by American Motors Corporation , with 623,573 examples manufactured for model years 1983-1987, and with a three and five-door hatchback variant, the Renault Encore marketed beginning in 1984.The two models...
and Encore (Renault 9 & 11), for being the father of the Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
The Jeep Cherokee is a unibody compact SUV. It shared the name of the original full-size SJ model, but without a body-on-frame chassis, it set the stage for the modern SUV. Its innovative appearance and sales popularity spawned important imitators as other automakers began to notice that this...
, as well as being one of the craftsmen of the rescue of Chrysler.
He is a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
and a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Castaing was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame on October 12, 2010 in Dearborn, Michigan.