Car Body Design - Publications

Delivering a Message Through Color and Material

Thu, 19 Nov 2009

The Story of Nissan's Color Designers

Henry Ford once famously said that customers could have his cars in any color they wanted, "so long as it's black." Automotive colors have come a long way since then, from the Hot Pinks of the Elvis-influenced '50s to the '70s American muscle cars' "Plum Crazy" (purple) and "Anti-Establish Mint" (green) and back to the more subtle color palettes of today.

But whether wild or mild, automotive paint colors don't just happen. They are the work of a specialized group of people within a design department known as "Color Designers".

While color designers do what most people think they do, decide a car's body colors, they also do much, much more - including the selection of interior colors and materials. They are, in essence, the "coordinators of colors and materials", expressing various views of the world through the combination of hues and textures.

The Story Behind the Design of the New Nissan Z

Thu, 12 Nov 2009

Automotive design is a highly specialized process, as much of an art as it is a science. It is also often an intense competition among carefully selected exterior or interior design specialists. So when it came time to create the next generation of Nissan's iconic Z - a completely original sports car that has come to symbolize Nissan - a competition was held. Only unlike normal Nissan design competitions, this one was open to anyone in Nissan's design operations, regardless of title, specialty or experience.

The rules of the competition were simple. Entrants had to use free time outside work to prepare their designs. With its strong Japanese roots and blending of inner strength and delicacy, the shape of the Nissan Z has evolved over several generations. But each generation has retained the basic stance and air of the original, identifiable at a glance as a Z.

"We received over 100 sketches from around the world, all brimming with 'Z-ness.' No verbal explanation is needed to see that 'Z-ness' has been rooted in the mind of every designer," says Kazuki Yamazaki, the designer in charge of the Nissan Z exterior. The new Z design reflects the input and passion of these many contributors.

J Mays: Ford's Global Design Chief on why 'the computer is today's hotrod'

Tue, 10 Nov 2009

Roland Barthes suggested that cars were the modern day equivalent of Gothic Cathedrals, 'the Supreme creation of an era. Conceived with passion by unknown artists'.

That's still true to this day. While fashion designers and architects have become household names and outright superstars, car designers are little known, often lost in the cloak of their brand's identity.

Of all the names that the average non-car nerd may have heard of, three are most likely to stand out: Patrick le Quement, Chris Bangle, and J Mays. So with le Quement retiring after 22 years as head of Renault design, and Bangle recently leaving BMW under unclear circumstances, this leaves Mays as arguably the most publicly recognisable car designer in the world right now.

Designing the New Murano Exterior

Thu, 05 Nov 2009

Nissan's Design Division has always embraced designers of different nationalities, experience levels and cultural backgrounds - in the belief that stimulating exchanges among staff members from various backgrounds leads to novel designs that transcend convention, not only in the design field, but across the board.

This philosophy was beautifully demonstrated recently in the creation of the second- generation Murano crossover SUV. The Murano's inspiring exterior design is the product of two key designers, Jungkyu Choi and Toshiyuki Abe, born in two different countries, ten years apart, and with very different design experiences and areas of expertise.

Jungkyu Choi, born and raised in South Korea, was still a college student when the first- generation Murano was introduced. "When I first saw the original Murano, it gave me a strong impression of refined design, quite different from your standard off-road SUV," says Choi. "The design of the Murano, which I saw in a photo, was one of the reasons I was eager to work at Nissan, even though I didn't speak a word of Japanese."

How New Buicks Took Shape in China

Mon, 02 Nov 2009

The idea of creating a new Buick in a design studio in China, as General Motors has done with the 2010 LaCrosse, is not as loopy as it might sound. Buicks have a certain cachet in China, dating back some eight decades to when the emperor bought one.

But today�s commercial imperative is more compelling than nostalgia: sales of Buicks in China first outpaced sales in the United States in 2006, and the margin is considerable today. For the first nine months of 2009, for instance, Buick sold 312,798 vehicles in China; in the United States, it sold 72,389.

Talking Design with Ken Okuyama

Fri, 30 Oct 2009

Automotive designer Ken Okuyama talks about current automotive designs and where the industry is going in the future.

Ken Okuyama talks about automotive design from a position of deep experience. Currently (2002) the Chair of the Transportation Design Department at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, Okuyama has held senior design positions at Pininfarina, Porsche and GM.

Examples of his work run the gamut from the sleek Ferrari Rossa sports car to the Metrocubo, a practical box on wheels with dual sliding doors. AD&P sat down with Okuyama to get his thoughts on the current state of automotive design and where he thinks it�s going in the future.

Banal curves leave their traces on auto design

Thu, 29 Oct 2009

Cologne, Germany - "Everything was better in the old days." As people get older they tend to glorify the past. Psychologists believe that's because positive experiences stay longer in our memories than negative, thus making the past seem better than the present.

Car enthusiasts, on the other hand, see that differently. When it comes to the development of automobile design they don't think it is a mere matter of perception that classic cars such as the Jaguar E Type, Citroen's DS or the Mercedes SL are better looking and more exciting than their modern counterparts - they believe car design has simply gotten worse.

Professor Paolo Tumminelli of the Goodbrands Institute for Automotive Culture in Cologne, Germany is critical of what he calls "the same old mishmash." He believes that "everything has been said which needs to be said" in auto design.

The interior design of the Nissan Teana

Wed, 28 Oct 2009

Introducing the concept of "Modern Living" in a car, the first generation Nissan Teana was released in 2003. In contrast to previous models, the approach of mainly focusing on the inside of the car earned positive feedback from customers in and outside of Japan.

When creating the first Teana, Nissan's designers conducted a thorough investigation into the lifestyle of Teana's target users. They gave disposable cameras to around 30 prospective customers and asked them to take pictures of their favorite items in their homes - an learning process which has never been carried out before.

After developing and analyzing the pictures, it turned out that many customers were very design- conscious when it came to the interior of their homes and that the term "modern" was a significant concept to each one of them. The design keyword "Japanese Modern DNA" was derived from these findings and was eventually replaced by the theme "Modern Living".

The Aesthetics of Asymmetry - Stories Behind the Design of the Cube

Tue, 20 Oct 2009

"Taking a break from a hectic day, I was drinking a cup of coffee in the company canteen and thinking: 'Wouldn't it be nice if I could create a basic car that has this same kind of relaxed atmosphere, with a design that wouldn't fade, even over 20 years?' It wouldn't be just another classic European compact, but one born from distinctively Japanese ideas.

"I thought of the common Japanese situation of a car having to frequently back up on tight roads, and I got a flash: cut the rear window asymmetrically to expand the rear view and help drivers back out with confidence."

The World of Clay Modelers

Thu, 15 Oct 2009

Clay models are a miniature model made from industrial clay. They are a way to transform a sketch drawn by a car designer into a three-dimensional object so it can be studied and reviewed.

The process of designing cars starts with over a hundred of sketches. As ideas are refined, those sketches are narrowed down to a select few, which are then converted to 3D data points by a digital modeler, and then converted into quarter-size clay models with an automated cutter.

Young auto designer plucked from obscurity to design breakthrough Acura ZDX

Mon, 28 Sep 2009

At just 25, a new graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., was freshly hired by Honda and detailed to make sketches for a blue-sky, what-if project involving some kind of vehicle for passionate folks.

That�s what Michelle Christensen was doing when others at Honda, working on a more specific project, were wowed by her drawings. �We said, these sketches are so great, we have to do this,� recalls Gary Everet, chief engineer for what became the Acura ZDX, a sporty, coupe-like crossover SUV.

Can Design Save Chrysler?

Fri, 28 Aug 2009

A recent shuffle of Chrysler Group's design team could be just what the company needs to effect a quick turnaround after bankruptcy, industry analysts say.

The automaker has promoted three men from within to head design for its Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands. These freshly created positions�part of a broader restructuring effort�will report to Ralph Gilles, senior vice president of product design.

General Motors design landmark gets second life - as a school

Thu, 27 Aug 2009

"The profession was invented in this room,� says Richard Rogers, president of the College for Creative Studies (CCS), as he stands in the dusty construction site that used to be the General Motors Argonaut Building. �And this is where Harley Earl's office was.�

Looking across the top floor of the building, it is easy to see a circle of concrete like the landing mark of a flying saucer. The circle is the remnant of an early platform for clay models, developed here for the first time as design tools for mass-production autos.

Glossary of automotive design

Mon, 24 Aug 2009

A glossary of terms as relating to automotive design. Some terms may be found at car body style.

Aston Martin One 77: Design Analysis

Sun, 23 Aug 2009

When a new model comes to the market from any car maker, being a exclusive company with few cars a year or a mass production company with millions of cars a year, the very first question is: Do you like it? This come before how fast, how much, how big, new technology� Everything seems to be second to the looks. I don�t say the others are not important, but it seems that the first thing of concern always is the appeal in terms of looks.

So here we are at a first in Style4cars short history, a design analysis of one of the most exciting cars to emerge on the market in the last year. Just for the propose of this we are going to use the mock-up images where the volumes and the lines of the car are easier to be appreciated.

Renault Design Chief Lauds Korea's Potential

Sat, 22 Aug 2009

Even after the huge and fast development of Korea's auto industry, some critics are still skeptical on its competitiveness in design. Technology-wise, Korean cars are almost on a par with many global major players, but fall behind them when it comes to design, they say.

Patrick LeQuement, senior vice president and design chief of Renault, is firmly against that view. "Korea has many good designers and excellent schools. For both Renault and Korea, this means high hopes for creativity,'' he told The Korea Times.

Local Motors Interview

Fri, 21 Aug 2009

Local Motors is a relatively new American car company and design community, but one which has grown very popular very quickly.

Local Motors is more than just a place to give and receive feedback on your design ideas. It is a whole new idea in designing cars, and one that offers the chance of seeing your sketches becoming reality!

In this interview CEO Jay Rogers explains his ideas behind the company and community, as well as explaining why you should become involved.

Restarting Car Design

Thu, 20 Aug 2009

As Munich-based Professor Peter Naumann sees things, the current crisis in the automobile industry has to be seen as an opportunity for a new beginning.

In this article, originally published in form, he makes a case for a new type of automobile designer, one who is involved in the entire development process and adopts a problem-oriented approach to his work instead of merely specialising in styling.

Integrated High Speed Video Becomes Mainstream for Automotive Test Applications

Thu, 20 Aug 2009

Modern impact and test systems integrate video and data capture to provide a greater understanding of specimen failure modes.

High rate tests, such as performed on servo-hydraulically powered and instrumented impact test apparatus have, become widely used as a method of investigating the properties of materials and structures. As technology moves forward, so does the quality of the instrumentation, with gradual improvements in all areas: accuracy, dynamic range, bandwidth and sometimes cost.

The quantities most commonly measured during a high-rate event are force and acceleration, and the technologies for doing so are relatively mature. Sample deflection is also an important value that often needs to be determined, but this is not so easily done at the high rates of deformation typically encountered.

Tata Nano: Design Analysis

Wed, 19 Aug 2009

One of the most difficult design analysis is the Tata�s Nano model. Let�s start from the beginning with the conclusion: it is not a beautiful car! End.

But it is one of the most controversial and interesting of all the recent cars. Let me tell you why. It separates the world in two distinct groups: one that sees the car as the poor family�s holy grail of third world, and the other one as the demon that, if it will sell in the numbers expected by Tata, will simply end the life on earth. But as I said before we have to see why the Nano looks the way it looks.

Ode to the Cup Holder

Tue, 18 Aug 2009

It changed our relationship with car interiors and forced manufacturers to innovate.

The cup holder, in its modern automotive incarnation, is about 30 years old. It merits its own Wikipedia entry, which claims it was invented in 1943 by somebody named James Guillow. Well, who knows, really? However, the cup holder as we know it achieved industrial-design celebrity status in the 1980s, and it's been proliferating ever since.

(via CarDesignFetish, Core77)

Tesla Model S: Design Analysis

Sat, 15 Aug 2009

So one of the most important cars on the market at this moment, and not just because it is the very new model from Tesla the American company that builded the very first saloon electric car that you can own not just rent or lease.

As we decided from the very first article, in the design analysis of the cars featured here, we are not interested in anything more than the aesthetics of these cars. We don�t care if it is going to be a commercial success, or not, if it is too expensive, how fast, how many� so on. But in this article we are going to look a bit more to all this facts, because the Model S is such a new car in many ways that it is impossible to ignore the meaning of this first �real� electric car.

Intelligent Design: To Save Itself, GM Needs Style

Wed, 12 Aug 2009

With General Motors fresh out of bankruptcy, veteran GM exec Robert A. Lutz took to the Internet this week to do some crotchety cheerleading in a chat at the company's Web site.

One questioner had the temerity to write: "In my group it is just uncool to drive a GM car -- even if they are as good as the imports." He asked Mr. Lutz how he planned to turn that attitude around.

Interview with Earl Lucas, 2010 Ford Taurus designer

Mon, 10 Aug 2009

At the press conference for the 2010 Ford Taurus, I had the good fortune to spend some time with Earl Lucas, lead exterior designer for the automobile. A Dallas native, the affable Lucas has been drawing cars since he was three years old.

Lucas credits a visit to the College for Creative Studies in Detroit with awakening him to the fact that he could indulge his childhood passion and make a comfortable living doing so. Majoring in transportation design at CCS, Lucas had an opportunity to work with some of the best design professionals in the auto industry.

After graduation, Lucas designed aircraft interiors, some of which were commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei. Decorated with gold, platinum and other precious jewels, in the Sultan�s planes, Lucas also got to incorporate another of his passions, jewelry making.

In addition to the 2010 Taurus, Lucas did the 2003 Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition.

Is It Time for An Open-Source Car?

Fri, 07 Aug 2009

In the Internet age, a company with limited funds and no track record can build a successful business with nothing more than a good idea and some powerful technology. It's not easy, but it can be done. The same entrepreneurial spirit is coming to the auto industry.

As cars become more and more like high-tech gadgets on wheels, a crop of new companies is trying to put "open source" or "crowdsourcing" concepts to use in making the next great hybrid, plug-in, or fuel cell car.

Three of these companies � Riversimple, OScar, and Local Motors � are up and running, but far from the practical step of actually building cars, much less becoming viable businesses.