DESIGNER FOR OUR TIMES: GM VP of Design Ed Welburn made his mark on today’s classics

October 24, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

General Motors Vice President Global Design Ed Welburn with the Cadillac Converj electric luxury coupe concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, in January 2009. (Photo by John F. Martin for General Motors)

The past meets the future: Bill Mitchell shakes hands with Ed Welburn in 1971, during the young designer’s internship at GM Design. (Photo courtesy of GM Media Archive)

When car enthusiasts are asked to come up with suitable candidates for an American automotive designer hall of fame, most will likely draw from the past, citing the likes of Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell and Virgil Exner. But in terms of modern-day motorcar designs, there is perhaps no name that stands out more than Ed Welburn, the recently retired Vice President of Design at General Motors.

While he may not be a household name, you’ll be familiar with his work. Designs that Welburn either penned himself or oversaw most notably include the 2006 Chevrolet Camaro concept, which established the fifth-generation Camaro’s muscular retro look and was carried forward to the new sixth-generation car. And then there’s his 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray concept, which directly foreshadowed the highly popular and attractive C7 Corvette.

Welburn joined GM as a designer in 1983 and never looked back, rapidly climbing the corporate ladder. He led GM Design beginning in 2003, and globally from 2005 – the first African American from any automaker to do so. Considering Welburn is only the sixth person to hold that position in GM’s 102-year history makes it all the more impressive.

Ed Welburn with the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray at the 2013 Amelia Island Concours Friday, March 8, 2013 on Amelia Island, Florida. (Photo by Paul Figura for Chevrolet)

Welburn started making his mark on the industry early on, when he penned the shocking 1987 Oldsmobile Aerotech concept. Designed to showcase GM’s then-new 2.3-liter Quad 4 engine, it was crafted with a world speed record in mind, which happened in 1987 with the assistance of a turbocharged, 2.0-liter version of the Quad 4 producing 900 horsepower – and with racing driver A.J. Foyt behind the wheel.

While still working with Oldsmobile design, Welburn oversaw the creation of the Antares concept – modern-looking even by today’s standards. It would later become the Intrigue production car. Cadillac designs, too, were the recipient of Welburn’s magic touch: the 2009 Converj, 2011 Ciel and 2013 Elmiraj concepts were all his doing. After overseeing a significant portion of Cadillac’s design renaissance, he turned his sights on improving Buick’s image, penning the 2015 Avenir and 2016 Avista concepts.

It is important to note that GM was the first automobile manufacturer to single out automotive design – creating a new department in 1927 to “study the question of art and color combinations in General Motors products.” It led to the hiring of Harley Earl.

Ed Welburn retired on July 1, 2016, adding a remarkable chapter to the legacy Earl started long ago. General Motors recognized Welburn for his creative imprint on four decades of iconic vehicles and his leadership in identifying and developing world-class talent. “A designer’s role is to create a beautifully executed exterior with great proportions to draw you in,” Welburn once said, “and an interior environment that invites you into a relationship that develops and grows.”

Here’s a look at just a few Ed Welburn-imprinted GM designs that have crossed the Barrett-Jackson auction block in recent years, all selling for charity:

This 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Sedan (Lot #3001) crossed the block at the 2013 Reno Tahoe Auction, with 100 percent of the $120,000 hammer price going to the SAE Foundation, which serves to help today’s students become tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.

At the 2013 Scottsdale Auction, the first retail production model – VIN #001 – of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (Lot #3016) was sold for $1,100,000, all to benefit Detroit’s College for Creative Studies.

The College for Creative Studies was also the beneficiary of $170,000 from the sale of a first-production 2016 Cadillac CTS-V (Lot #3003).