Robert Cumberford

the Jaguar E-Type is elegant, extremely phallic and a great middle-aged man's compensation[1]... the ultimate automotive expression of phalliform perfection.

GM instead emphasized styling over engineering advancement for the decades that followed – and didn't bring "an aluminum block, fuel-injected, overhead-cam V-6 into production until 2004.

"[14] In 2014 he wrote that there is "no foreseeable future for the Italian coachbuilding firms,"[15] referring to the storied design houses of Bertone, Zagato, Ghia, Pininfarina and Giugiaro.

On prominent automotive figures, Cumberford described Alec Issigonis, who received a knighthood "in recognition of his engineering genius,"[16] as "not terribly innovative in a mechanical sense.

"[17] He wrote in 2004 that intensely controversial car designer Chris Bangle is "a man with the courage of his convictions and of solid character, and he is worthy of our admiration for that alone.

[21] Cumberford grew up in Southern California, the son of a Texas-born housewife and a Scotsman from Chile who worked for L.A.'s streetcar company, the Los Angeles Railway.

[23] In the early 1960s, Cumberford would also have a series of satirical renderings along with a fictional story published in Motor Trend featuring his and childhood friend Stand Mott's work – forecasting possible designs for the much discussed forthcoming "small Chevrolet," what would become the Corvair.

[25] He has lived in France, Mexico, and Switzerland – and has designed automobiles (including the Saab 850 and Renault Arquitectonicaro)[23] race cars, trucks, aircraft, boats, and hovercraft[22] with his companies Cumberford Design International (with offices in New York, Mexico City and Northampton England)[23] and Cumberford Creative – working in the suburbs of Paris from 1996 to 1999[23] on projects for Renault and Citroën.

[42] In 1982, with backing from a computer company, Cumberford designed a flamboyant front-engine, rear-drive two-seater of which two examples were crafted as development prototypes – with body of cast and sheet aluminum; African Mahogany fenders; a 3.2-liter, in-line, BMW-sourced, six-cylinder engine; as well as steering and suspension components from a Citroën CX.