A result of their drinking was that some, relaxed and off-guard, tried to impress others with their inside knowledge. Across the years, finely tuned ears in the D.A.C. had gathered many tidbits and occasionally news of great importance.
Then there were leakages through tool-and-die companies. Sometimes the same tooling companies served two, or even three, major auto makers; thus, a seemingly casual dropper-in to a die-making shop might see work in progress for an auto firm other than his own. An experienced designer looking at the female portion of a die could sometimes tell what the entire rear or front end of a competitor's car looked like - then go away and sketch it.
Other tactics were sometimes used by outside agencies whose modi operandi were not scrutinized too closely. They included enlistment of competitors' disaffected employees to purloin papers, and sifting of garbage was not unknown. Once in a while an employee, unconcerned about conflicting loyalties, might be 'planted' in another company. But these were grubby methods which top executives preferred not to hear about in detail.
Adam's thoughts switched back to Farstar and the product policy board.
The auditorium clock showed 9:50 and the company chairman had just arrived, accompanied by the president. The latter, a dynamic leader in the past but now considered 'old school' by Adam and others, would be retiring soon, with Hub Hewitson predicted to succeed him.
A voice beside Adam asked, 'What variances will Farstar have for Canada?'
The questioner was head of the company's Canadian subsidiary, invited here today by courtesy.
'We'll be going into that,' Adam said, but he described the variances anyway. One of the Farstar lines would be given a differing name - Independent - exclusive to Canada, and the exterior hood emblem would be changed to include a maple leaf. Otherwise the can would be identical with Farstar models in the U.S.
The other nodded. 'As long as we have some difference we can point to, that's the main thing.'
Adam understood. Although Canadians drove U.S. cars, produced by U.S. controlled subsidiaries employing U.S. union labor, national vanity in Canada fostered the delusion of an independent auto industry. The Big Three had humored these pretensions for years by naming the heads of their Canadian branches presidents, although in fact such presidents were answerable to vice-presidents in Detroit. The companies, too, had introduced a few 'distinctively Canadian' models. Nowadays, however, Canada was being regarded more and more by all auto makers as just another sales district, and the special models - never more than a facade - were being quietly dropped. The 'Canadianized' Farstar Independent would probably be the last.
At a minute to ten, with the fifteeen decision makers seated, the chairman of the board sipped orange juice, then said whimsically, 'Unless anyone has a better suggestion, we might as well begin.' He glanced at Hub Hewitson. 'Who's starting?'
'Elroy.'
Eyes turned to the Product Development vice-president.
'Mr. Chairman and gentlemen,' the Silver Fox said crisply, 'today we are presenting Farstar with a recommendation to proceed. You've all read your agendas, you know the plan, and you've seen the models in clay. In a moment we'll get down to details, but first this thought: Whatever we call this car, it will not be Farstar. That code name was merely chosen because, compared with Orion, this project seemed a long way distant.
But suddenly it isn't distant any more. It's no longer a Farstar; the need is here, or will be in two years' time which in production terms, as we know, is the same thing.'
Elroy Braithwaite paused, passing a hand across his silver mane, then went on, 'We think this kind of car, which some will call revolutionary, is inevitable anyway. And incidentally' - the Silver Fox motioned to the folder of competitor's drawings on the table in front of Hub Hewitson - 'so do our friends on the other side of town. But we also believe that instead of letting Farstar, or something like it, be forced on us the way some of our activities have been in recent years, we can make it happen, now. I, for one, believe that as a company and an industry it's time we took the offensive more strongly once again, and did some way-out pioneering. That, in essence, is what Farstar is about.
Now we'll consider details,' Braithwaite nodded to Adam, waiting at the lectern. 'Okay, let's go.'
'The slides you are now seeing,' Adam announced as the screen behind him filled, 'show what market research has demonstrated to be a gap in availability, which Farstar will fill, and the market potential of that gap two years from now.'
Adam had rehearsed this presentation many times and knew the words by rote. Generally, through the next two hours, he would 'follow the book,' now open in front of him, though as usual at these meetings there would be interruptions and pointed, penetrating questions.
As the half dozen slides went through, with Adam making brief commentaries, he still had time to think of what Elroy Braithwaite had said moments earlier. The remarks about the company taking a strong offensive had surprised Adam, first because it had not been necessary to make a comment of that kind at all, and also because the Silver Fox had a reputation for caginess and gauging wind directions carefully before committing himself to anything. But perhaps Braithwaite, too, was infected with some of the new thinking and impatience pervading the auto industry as old war horses retired or died and younger men moved up.
Braithwaite's phrase 'way-out pioneering' had reminded Adam, too, of similar words used by Sir Perceval Stuyvesant during their own conversation five weeks ago. Since then, Adam and Perce had spoken by telephone several times. Adam's interest had grown in the possibility of accepting the presidency of Sir Perceval's West Coast company, but Perce continued to agree that any kind of decision be delayed until the Orion's launching and today's presentation of Farstar. After today, however, Adam must decide - either to go to San Francisco for more discussions or to decline Perce's offer entirely.
Adam had talked with Erica, for the second time, about the proffered West Coast job during their two days in the Bahamas. Erica had been definite. 'It has to be your decision absolutely, darling. Oh, of course I'd love to live in San Francisco. Who wouldn't? But I'd rather have you happy in Detroit than unhappy somewhere else, and either way we'll be together.'
Her declaration cheered him, but even after that he remained in doubt, and was still uncertain now.
Hub Hewitson's voice cut brusquely across the Farstar presentation.
'Let's stop a minute and talk about something we might as well face up to. This Farstar is the ugliest son- of-a-bitching car I ever saw.'
It was typical of Hewitson that, while he might support a program, he liked to bring out possible objections himself for frank discussion.
Around the horseshoe table there were several murmurs of assent.
Adam said smoothly - the point had been anticipated - 'We have, of course, been aware of that all along.'
He began explaining the philosophy behind the car: a philosophy expressed by Brett DeLosanto during the after-midnight session months earlier when Brett had said, 'With Picasso in our nostrils, we've been designing cars like they rolled off a Gainsborough canvas.' That had been the night when Adam and Brett had gone together to the teardown room, moving on later to the bull session with Elroy Braithwaite and two young product planners, of whom Castaldy was one. They had emerged with the question and concept: Why not a deliberate, daring attempt to produce a car, ugly by existing standards, yet so suited to needs, environment, and present time - the Age of Utility - that it would become beautiful?
Though there had been adaptations and changes in outlook since, Farstar had retained its basic concept.
Here and now Adam was circumspect about the words he used because a product policy board meeting was no place to wax overly poetic, and notions about Picasso took second place to pragmatism. Nor could he speak of Rowena, though it had been the thought of her which inspired his own thinking that night.
Rowena was still a beautiful memory, and while Adam would never tell Erica about her, he had a conviction that even if he did Erica would understand.
The discussion about the visual look of Farstar ended, though they would return to the subject, Adam
