Auto Inspire Interview: Richard Vaughan, Rivian’s Luxury Expert "You’d be hard-pressed to think of a part of the vehicle that consumers can see, feel or touch that I haven’t worked on,” says Richard Vaughan The auto industry isn’t what it used to be. Gearheads still are welcome, but so are people with new skills and diverse backgrounds. The Automotive Inspire interview series showcases inspirational stories of people working within the automotive technology industry. It’s difficult to imagine someone who knows more about automotive luxury than Richard Vaughan. He’s written six books about Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin luxury cars. He designed the first fullsize luxury SUV, the 1998 Lincoln Navigator, which spawned an entirely new segment of huge luxury vehicles in the U.S. And he’s a nationally known collector of British luxury cars, from relatively recent models all the way back to the 1950s. But his biggest professional accomplishment is achieving something most of us only dream about: He’s turned his personal passions into a career.