--- title: John Heffernan · HICONIUM description: John Heffernan in the HICONIUM register — one file carrying their credit. canonical_url: https://hiconium.dev/people/john-heffernan image: https://hiconium.dev/og/people/john-heffernan.png --- > HICONIUM · Index: https://hiconium.dev/llms.txt · Every page: append `.md` or send `Accept: text/markdown`. > Path: [Home](https://hiconium.dev/) › [People](https://hiconium.dev/people) › John Heffernan > On this page: [Shared clay, divided sections](#shared-clay-divided-sections) · [Fluted crowns against lift](#fluted-crowns-against-lift) · [Lamps from the parts bin](#lamps-from-the-parts-bin) · [One file carries this name](#one-file-carries-this-name) People # John Heffernan Co-designer of the Bentley Continental R exterior | Label | Value | | --- | --- | | Nationality | British | The record British automotive designer who, with Ken Greenley, designed the Bentley Continental R exterior. After GM and Audi he founded JC Heffernan Design in 1980. The pair also won Aston Martin’s Virage competition; that coupé was unveiled in Birmingham on 18 October 1988, and the Continental R debuted at Geneva on 5 March 1991. After studying industrial design, Heffernan began his training at General Motors in 1969. At Vauxhall he styled the Chevette interior and was named among the Bedford Boys, with Ken Greenley, Geoff Lawson and Peter Birtwhistle. He later worked for GM Pontiac in Michigan. He joined Audi in 1977, working on the 100, 200 and quattro. In 1980 he set up JC Heffernan Design, taught part-time on the Royal College of Art’s transportation design course, and worked for the British Airports Authority and Leyland Bus. Freelance work brought an informal partnership with Greenley, later called Heffernan Design Associates. In 1984 the pair won Panther’s contract to style the Solo. Rolls-Royce engaged them on Bentley Project 90, shown at Geneva in 1985, and on Corniche replacement studies. Heffernan also worked with Graham Hull and Martin Bourne on Project 90’s lipstick-red interior. Victor Gauntlett then invited Virage designs; from five quarter-scale entries Heffernan’s notchback was chosen. Newport Pagnell skipped a full-size clay. The Virage was unveiled at Birmingham on 18 October 1988. Project Nepal, which became the Continental R, was developed in a Park Ward side-building in London rather than Crewe’s main studio. Heffernan and Greenley split exterior clay work: Greenley developed the bodyside and part of the front, while Heffernan developed the roof and rear, including an integrated spoiler. At Crewe, Graham Hull and Martin Bourne pursued parallel feasibility and design work. The Continental R made its Geneva debut on 5 March 1991. Heffernan then recut the Virage as the supercharged Vantage, adding a new roof and wing panels and taking Alfa SZ lamp covers from Zagato, which Aston then owned. Mulliner later shortened and widened the Continental R into the T. He has since turned to image-making, painting twentieth-century objects. Octane reunited him with a Virage in 2020; Classic Driver interviewed him in 2023. ### Shared clay, divided sections On the Continental R, Heffernan said he and Greenley shared a clay model with the same theme on each side but different sections. Greenley developed the bodyside and part of the front; Heffernan developed the roof, glass surrounds and integrated rear spoiler. ### Fluted crowns against lift Lessons from Project 90 were applied to quarter-scale Continental R models. Heffernan and Greenley developed fluted wing crowns leading to the flat rear deck; Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver reports that the solution reduced rear lift by 40 per cent. ### Lamps from the parts bin On the Virage, engineers rejected Heffernan’s pop-up lamps. He sourced fixed units from the Audi 200 he had known at Ingolstadt. For the later Vantage he used Alfa SZ glass covers, paying Triplex for the tooling Aston could not afford to design itself. The stations 1. 1969–1977 General Motors Designer, Vauxhall then Pontiac 2. 1977–1980 Audi Designer 3. 1980–1990 Royal College of Art Part-time visiting lecturer, transportation design 4. 1980– JC Heffernan Design / Heffernan Design Associates Founder The house [![Bentley](https://hiconium.dev/images/marques/full/bentley.svg)](https://hiconium.dev/manufacturers/bentley) Credited through John Heffernan Associates. In the register ## One file carries this name - [Bentley Continental R Exterior designer · John Heffernan Associates With Ken Greenley he modelled the production exterior on a shared clay in Park Ward’s London fire-station studio. Heffernan developed the roof, glass surrounds and integrated rear spoiler; Greenley the bodyside and part of the front. They also designed the fluted wing crowns that reduced rear lift. 1991–2003 €120k 1991–2003 €120k Rating 80.0](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/bentley/continental-r) The files above are the register's own record of this name. [The people index](https://hiconium.dev/people) holds everyone the register credits. In their words > “Ken and I shared the clay. The themes we did on each side were the same, but the differences were in the section” John Heffernan · Classic Driver, 2023 Sources - [classicdriver.com](https://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/cars/designer-john-heffernan-reinvented-aston-martin-and-bentley-these-two-cars) - [octane-magazine.com](https://www.octane-magazine.com/articles/features/the-virage-the-last-aston-martin-developed-pre-ford-deserves-a-bigger-legacy/) - [classicandsportscar.com](https://www.classicandsportscar.com/gallery/car-designers-pick-most-beautiful-classics-ever) - [classicandsportscar.com](https://www.classicandsportscar.com/gallery/most-beautiful-classics-ever-do-you-agree-experts) - [classicandsportscar.com](https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/inside-vauxhalls-ideas-factory) - [caranddriver.com](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a44689291/1988-panther-solo-2-drive/) - [evo.co.uk](https://www.evo.co.uk/bentley/205496/bentley-continental-r-mulliner-review-history-and-specs) - [media.astonmartin.com](https://media.astonmartin.com/virage/?lang=eng) - [manuals.plus](https://manuals.plus/m/efe4c7229725df2f4493b1fe370aa205a38b14faa1d7b0c4135c6b105b218b70.pdf) - [porschecarshistory.com](https://porschecarshistory.com/wp-content/old/lib/magazines/RR/Rolls-Royce%20a%20Bentley%20Driver%20%E2%80%94%20Issue%201%202017.pdf) - [johnheffernan.co.uk](https://johnheffernan.co.uk/about) - [johnheffernan.co.uk](https://johnheffernan.co.uk/) - [prestigeandperformancecar.com](https://prestigeandperformancecar.com/aston-martin/aston-martin-marek-v8-engine-guide/) - [prestigeandperformancecar.com](https://prestigeandperformancecar.com/bentley/bentley-continental-r-model-guide/) - [designweek.co.uk](https://www.designweek.co.uk/from-the-archives-driving-back-to-the-future/) - [the-independent.com](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/obituary-geoff-lawson-1102980.html) - [driventowrite.com](https://driventowrite.com/2022/02/14/the-reawakening-of-bentley-part-one-bentley-continental-r/) - [thetimes.com](https://www.thetimes.com/travel/advice/burning-buses-x9knsbfpwxh) - [motoringconbrio.com](https://motoringconbrio.com/2010/11/19/designers-on-their-own-designs-as-well-as-on-others/)