As a teen, J Mays could spot a Mustang a half a mile from the front steps of his father’s auto parts store in Oklahoma: its rear-wheel-drive proportion and shape, coupled with the sound of its throaty engine, was seared into Mays’ memory. Today, even after a 27-year career in the auto industry, Mustang remains one of the favorites for Mays, now the group vice president of Design, and chief creative officer.
Shaping a New Design Direction
In addition to Mustang, the world’s most recognizable automotive icon, Mays is responsible for shaping the design direction for our global brands – Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, and Volvo. In addition, Mays works with individual brands to create and support more long-range strategic design visions.
Leading Concept Development
Mays has led the development of significant concept vehicles including the Ford Fairlane, Shelby GR-1 and ‘427,’ and Volvo Safety Car Concept. He has also played an instrumental role in redesigning our auto show display stand.
In addition, he has been instrumental in creating several key new production models including the Ford GT and Ford Shelby Cobra GT500.
Awards
Mays’ design philosophy and a cross-section of his vehicles were the subject of an exhibition called “Retrofuturism: The Car Design of J Mays” at the Geffen Contemporary of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in November 2002. He received the Harvard Design School annual Excellence in Design Award in February 2002. In September 2002, he received the Don Kubly Professional Attainment Award from the Art Center.
In 2004, he was named among Fast Company magazine’s inaugural “Masters of Design” standouts.
Background
Mays was born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and launched his automotive design career at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Following graduation in 1980, he joined Audi AG in Ingolstadt, Germany as an exterior designer.
He moved to Munich in 1983 to work for BMW and returned to Audi the following year as a senior designer, where he worked to develop production model proposals for both Volkswagen and Audi. The Audi AVUS concept car, an iconic, polished aluminum celebration of Germany’s legacy of automotive performance and technology, marked the highlight of his return.
In 1989, Mays returned to the U.S. as Volkswagen of America’s chief designer in its Simi Valley, California Design Center, where he was responsible for the design and branding of the Volkswagen Concept 1, known today as the New Beetle.
He returned to Germany in 1993 as Audi’s design director responsible for worldwide design strategy, development and execution.
Mays shifted gears in 1995, as vice president of Design Development for SHR Perceptual Management, an ideation, branding and design consultancy that worked for numerous automotive companies, including Ford.
Mays joined Ford Motor Company in 1997 as vice president of Design and was named group vice president in 2003.
