Cars today are obviously much different than the slab-sided Chevys of yesteryear. Just as important as mileage, space, and performance, styling is one of the key factors when it comes to buying a car. In today's high-stakes market, makers are pulling out all the stops to make sure that their lineups not only are plenty attractive, but also work together in a way to form a brand identity. A successful brand identity can allow a car to go whizzing by, and an admirer to exclaim "Wow! look at that Ford!" without ever even having a moment to glance at the badge. To achieve this type of reaction, certain styling elements must be repeated on every vehicle an automaker produces, to create a uniform look throughout.
The double square grilles of a BMW. Seven slats in the front of a Jeep. Squared-off edges of a Volvo. Done right, a consumer can pick an SUV, a sports car, and a minivan out of a parking lot and say they belong together. Done wrong, and you have 'the same sausage in different sizes' - cars that look too similar to the point of being indistinguishable. To express the particular cues used to tie a brand together, stylists have come up with the term design language. Different brands each have their own language, one that is crafted to be inspiring and look good on a range of sizes and proportions. To add to the confusion, each design language is often given a name. Ford abides by what they call "Kinetic Design." Hyundai uses "Fluidic Sculpture." Mazda has the Japanese-inspired "Nagare," and BMW believes in "Flame Surfacing" their cars. Elements are often previewed months or even years ahead in futuristic concept cars unveiled at trade shows that will never see production. Used to showcase design and technology, these models, often non-funtional, create buzz and excitement in an automaker's future offerings.
Unfortunately, too often today can one see design gone wrong. The influx of eco-friendly design trends, retro throwbacks, and wanna-be sports car mentality can result in a less-than-stellar final product, leaving the ultimate consumers in the showroom scratching their heads, asking "What were they thinking?" Case in point: The two most notable recent offenders, The Chrysler PT Cruiser and the Volkswagen Beetle.
The PT was the first of the "new cars that look old" trend, arriving sometime in 1998. The car was an instant success, becoming a household name across the country. The first five years went swimmingly, with sales through the roof. Fittingly, Chrysler was also the first to hit the proverbial brick wall, and the biggest dilemma of retro cars- what's next? The car completely bucked modern-day styling trends, and there was no way to redesign something so clearly stuck in the past. Struggling, the company tried new paint colors and a different dash layout, but the overall design never changed for over a decade. Finally, in 2010, amid languid sales, Chrysler had no choice but to kill off the model, ending a chapter in automotive history. Following a trend too closely will never work out, as the company found. It's important for trends like retro looks to inspire, but not dictate a design. Ford picked a better formula for the 2005 Mustang, aping the iconic 60's design, but with a modern twist. The car has aged beautifully and is easily updated.
Like the PT Cruiser, the fate of the VW Beetle was not much better. New for the 1999 model year, potential customers flocked to dealerships to see the car, only to turn away after sitting in it. Volkswagen was so committed to keeping the original shape and dimensional packaging of the original car that ergonomic faults greatly interfered with driving. The steering wheel was four feet away from the windshield. The trunk opening was pathetically small. Headroom in the backseat was nonexistent. The engine compartment wasn't large enough for a sufficient engine, so the Beetle was underpowered for its entire eleven year lifespan, which is about ninety seven in car-years. The problems were remedied in the newly-unvieled model, which take a more liberal approach to the classic.
In today's world, it no longer seems like a car just look good. It must match the line, have some type of arduous marketing-speak, and take into consideration what's on the news at night. It might be time to return to the simplicity of the 1957 Chevrolet hardtops- where the only design language was English.
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