Wayne K. Cherry (born 1937) is an American car designer educated at Art Center College of Design and employed by General Motors from 1962 through 2004, retiring as Vice President of Design.

Cherry worked for General Motors in the United States from 1962 until 1965, when he moved to the United Kingdom to take a position with General Motors' Vauxhall Motors subsidiary, becoming Design Director at Vauxhall in 1975. In 1983 General Motors consolidated all European passenger car design under Cherry and made him Design Director at General Motors' Adam Opel AG subsidiary. Cherry returned to the United States in 1991 and in 1992 became General Motors Vice President of Design. Cherry retired from General Motors in 2004.

Cherry was one of twenty-five nominees for the 1999 Car Designer of the Century.

Education

In the 1950s, Cherry read an article about the Art Center College of Design and wrote to the college, asking how to become a car designer. The college replied, telling Cherry to submit a portfolio. Cherry submitted a portfolio that included sketches of cars and engines, and was accepted to the college. Cherry graduated with a bachelor's degree in industrial and transportation design in early 1962.

Career

Cherry joined General Motors in 1962 after graduating from the Art Center College of Design, initially working at General Motors in the US as an Associate Creative Designer. Cherry was a member of the team that designed the original Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird and the team that designed the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado.

In 1965 Cherry transferred to General Motors' United Kingdom-based Vauxhall Motors subsidiary and became Assistant Design Director at Vauxhall in 1970. In that same year, the Vauxhall SRVconcept car was shown. Under Cherry, General Motors released the redesigned 1973 Vauxhall Firenza with its aerodynamic "droopsnoot". Cherry became the Design Director for Vauxhall in 1975.

In 1983, General Motors consolidated the design activities of its Vauxhall and Opel subsidiaries. As part of the consolidation plan, Cherry became Design Director at General Motors' Rüsselsheim, Germany-based Adam Opel AG subsidiary and became responsible for overall design of passenger cars in Europe. During his time at Opel, Cherry supervised the design of the Astra, Corsa, Calibra, Tigra, among many others.

Cherry returned to the United States in 1991 to direct the design studios of General Motors' Chevrolet and Geo divisions. In 1992 Cherry became Vice President of Design for General Motors worldwide, the fifth head of design in General Motors' history. While Cherry was Vice President of Design, he oversaw the designs of the Pontiac Solstice, Cadillac Sixteen concept car, Hummer H2, Chevrolet SSR and many other vehicles.

Cherry retired from General Motors on January 1, 2004.

Awards

The 1993 Opel Corsa received 20 international design awards. In 1999, the Global Automotive Elections Foundation nominated Cherry to a group of twenty-five designers competing for Car Designer of the Century. In June, 2013, Cherry received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology.

Notable designs

• original Chevrolet Camaro / Pontiac Firebird
• 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado
• 1973 Vauxhall Firenza
• Opel Astra, Corsa, Calibra, Tigra
• Pontiac Solstice, Cadillac Sixteen concept car, Hummer H2, Chevrolet SSR