Doug Gaffka

Douglas Fredrick Gaffka is the design director of Ford Motor Company's "Living Legends" vehicle program, a position he has held since April 2001. Ford's Living Legends oversees the development of classic Ford nameplates, like the Thunderbird and Mustang, as well as new vehicle design. Gaffka has been with Ford since 1978, joining the company after graduating from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree the same year. Since joining the company he has held a number of vehicle design-related positions for Ford's North American operations and has worked in Ford's German and Australian operations. Gaffka was the chief designer for the Taurus and Sable vehicle programs in 1994, the Mustang in 1999, and the Thunderbird in 2001. Most recently, Gaffka was the chief designer behind the 2008 Mustang Bullitt and 2010 Mustang.