Design effort inspired by insights from stakeholders beyond the end user
Ingersoll Rand (Club Car)
Sundberg-Ferar collaborated with Ingersoll Rand’s Club Car division on the design of an entirely new flagship golf car: the Precedent™. The challenge was to re-invigorate golf car sales by enhancing the vehicle’s aesthetic design and functional features.
The team conducted robust observational research to fuel the creative process and ultimately developed a golf car design that set the standard for golf car style and comfort — visually distinctive, great to operate, and worthy of Club Car’s premium price point. Patented innovations include the Monsoon™ canopy, which collects rainwater and funnels it down the upright supports and out the underside of the car, helping golfers stay dry.
Market
Commercial Products
To inspire value-added innovation, the team conducted weeks of observational research at Municipal, Daily Fee, and Private golf courses across the U.S., documenting the behaviors of golf car riders and handlers of different golf car brands and models.
Additional input was gained through an extensive series of focus groups and individual interviews with golfers, golf course owners and greens keepers, club pros and managers, and Club Car dealer/distributors. Iterative learning was essential throughout the program, from early Discovery activities, through vehicle Styling and Feature Concept Refinement efforts, to ¼ Scale Model feedback, and ultimately a Product Clinic to evaluate full scale models and new vehicle features.
Club Car: Precedent™ Golf Car
“Every advancement to the golf car to this point has been evolutionary. Precedent is revolutionary.”
Phil Tralies
President and CEO of Club Car Inc.
Human Impact
The design and engineering innovation embodied in the Precedent reflect the wants and needs of all critical stakeholders, enhancing the comfort of vehicle occupants, reducing the time and efforts of maintenance personnel, and protecting the investment of fleet owners.
Business Impact
The Club Car Precedent golf car represented the industry’s first major shift in vehicle design and engineering in more than 20 years and increased the company’s sales by 23% in the following two years. It went on to lead the market in terms of sales from 2004-2016, with the company claiming 50% market share for over 13 years.
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