Here's an interesting excerpt from an article on the Ford Taurus that appeared in today's NY Times:

"The Taurus broke the old mold of car development in Detroit, where designers passed off their ideas to engineers, who threw them over the wall to manufacturing experts, who never talked to the marketing staff. Instead, Taurus got everyone in a room together, creating a new paradigm that companies rushed to copy."

I don't know if the Taurus gave birth to the notion that marketing folks should be designing cars, but that practice sure has taken over auto manufacturing and design. The RWD Volvos - the 240 in particular given its 1960s design roots (via the 140) and sales run into the 1990s - seem to demonstrate the quality that goes into a car designed by ENGINEERS rather than marketing types.

All the more reason to keep them on the road.
-pu
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((1993 245 Classic, 115K)) ((1992 244, M47, 110K)) ((1992 244, 120K)) ((1987 245, 271K - RIP)) San Diego