Friday, August 22, 2014
SALEM
A General Motors automotive designer, originally from Canfield, visited his family’s business along with other designers.
Mark Ferri, who now resides in Troy, Mich., visited Ezio’s Italian Restaurant, which is owned by his parents. Ferri grew up in Canfield and helped with his family’s business. During college, he worked at an internship at GM in which he started designing automobiles and where he eventually started working after graduating in 2000 from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in fine arts.
Accompanying him on his visit was Kirk Bennion, an interior design manager, and Harlan Charles, a marketing manager. The two were among those responsible for many generations of the Camaro and Corvette designs, Ferri said.
The three have worked together to design the 2014 Corvette Stingray C7, where Ferri was the lead design sculptor of the project.
The designers were heading to the Corvettes at Carlisle, the largest Corvette show in the world, in Carlisle, Pa., which takes place today through Sunday. The event features more than 5,000 Corvettes representing all generations of America’s sports car. More than 60,000 people attend the event, Ferri said. They are bringing their own Corvette to show support not only for the sports car but also for the enthusiasm surrounding it. Charles said the enthusiasm for Corvettes is the same as a fan base for movie franchises and NFL teams.
“That was the American dream car from the beginning,” Charles said.
Bennion agreed.
“It’s considered more a reward than a mode of transportation,” he said.
That adds a lot of pressure when it comes to designing new Corvettes. Whether it’s changing or improving classic features, the risk is potentially alienating the customer base.
The biggest challenge is “bridging the gap between current and future customers,” Bennion said.
Charles said the enthusiasm has intensified with the use of the Internet where “every little feature becomes news.”
Despite the risks, Ferri said they always question whether their designs “move the needle enough.”
The ultimate goal is to keep the Corvette relevant, Bennion said.