TOM PRYCE TROPHY 1998
PEIRIANNYDD 0 FRI
Welsh Motoring Writers honour the Ford Motor Company Vice-President and ‘Engineer of Renown'.
In November last year at a special event at Pale Hall, Nr Llandderfel, the Welsh Motoring Writers awarded the 1998 Tom Pryce Trophy to Richard Parry-Jones for his outstanding achievement in transforming Ford’s European production line-up, both in terms of quality and dynamic ability.
Richard is now Group Vice-President. Product Development and Quality for the whole Ford Group worldwide and is based at Ford HQ. Dearborn, just outside Detroit, Michigan, USA. In addition to Ford cars, his responsibility covers all commercial vehicles as well as Jaguar, Aston Martin and Mazda.
Richard’s career is one punctuated with prizes. Car of the Year awards and trophies. Born in Bangor. Gwynedd in 1951, he has become an unofficial ‘Ambassador for Wales’ in the motoring and motor industry world. A degree in mechanical engineering took Richard to Ford from Salford University\in 1969. and since that time he has received a Doctorate from Loughborough for his contribution to the industry. together with Royal Engineering Society and Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Fellowships.
He has created a whole generation of cars -all of which represent a quantum leap on what went before. His work at Ford of Europe (Vehicle Center 1, as it is now known) led to the Mondeo (Car of the Year 1994); the new Fiesta; Ka: Puma; Cougar and latest of all, the Focus, which was awarded Car of the Year 1999. Mondeo is known as Contour/Mystique in the USA and the Cougar is built there, but designed and developed by Vehicle Center 1.
Tom Pryce Trophy
In presenting Richard with the Tom Pryce Trophy for 1998, WMW Group Member Huw Thomas said ‘The great thing about Richard, of course is he’s Welsh! But he's not a sentimental ‘Saint David’s Day Welshman’ who wears his heart on his sleeve or a daffodil in his buttonhole on March 1st He wears his Welshness naturally like the material from which the cloth of his personality is woven. Richard. you have been kind enough to say that you are proud of your links with the Welsh Motoring Writers and contact with us. this evening, it is our turn to say that we are definitely very proud of you!”
The welsh Royal crystal Tom Pryce Trophy 1998 is inscribed: 'Richard Parry-Jones, Peiriannydd o Fri' ('Engineer of Renown'). It commemorates Wales' greatest racing driver who was tragically killed in a freak accident at the South Africa Grand Prix in 1977.
Richard Parry-Jones receives the Tom Pryce Trophy from Welsh Motoring writers Group member Huw Thomas at Pale Hall, Llandderfel.