Where are the people who designed the original Ford Focus? - Telegraph.co.uk

Then there was the handling… During the launch in Normandy I remember shaking my head in bewilderment at how such an unassuming car could be driven so hard yet so safely. Hindsight might say that the seats weren't that comfortable, it was a bit noisy and that accommodation wasn't massively generous, but the enthusiasm of the team shone through and the Focus was as much a thoroughbred as any Ferrari – on some roads, in some conditions, it would be the quicker car, too.

"It was an incredible, rare privilege to have had the chance to be trusted with billions of the shareholders' money to invest in the Focus and to lead such a talented and dedicated team of people at Ford to develop and deliver it," says Parry-Jones.

Ulrich Eichhorn, who went on to be Bentley's chief engineer, was one of those mercurial talents. "It was a great time and RP-J [Parry?Jones] made it possible for us to do what was impossible at Ford… using people who did not know or care that it was impossible."

People still talk about the original Focus. They should talk about the team who created it, but that never happens in commercial design and engineering. Instead here's an alphabetical name check for 15 of them. Thanks for the ride.

The team that changed family cars

Joe Bakaj Noise, vibration and harshness manager, now head of product development for Ford of Europe

Will Boddie Vice-president, Ford Dunton Small and Medium Vehicle Centre, now retired

John Doughty Chief designer for Focus, now left Ford

Ulrich Eichhorn Head of vehicle dynamics, now Bentley's chief engineer

Rose Mary Farenden Project manager, now Rolls-Royce plc

Gunnar Herrmann Body engineering manager, now vehicle line director Ford global C?segment

Wolfgang Kahlmeier Package manager, now retired

Al Kammerer Vehicle line director, now retired

Franz-Josef Laermann Manager vehicle engineering, now retired after being Ford of Europe's engineering director

Claude Lobo Manager exterior design for Ford of Europe, now retired and living in France

Jac Nasser Chief executive resigned from Ford in 2001, now chairman of mining company BHP Billiton

Richard Parry-Jones Product development head, now runs his own consultancy and is a senior UK government adviser

Tony Pixton Chief programme engineer, now at Mazda

Michael Salonski Package supervisor for Focus, now left Ford

Rolf Vorderbruck Vehicle concepts, now retired