Feb 19
The Big 3, Part I: Three Automotive Design Trends that Need to Die.
As we peruse over galleries upon galleries, and blog upon blog, staring (glaring?) at hot new vehicle designs appearing at auto shows around the world, we all come to the realization that there are certain design trends that have worn out their welcome.
We at CDf would like to know what your top 3 design trends are that need to disappear, whether they be aesthetic, package, or technology. We’ll incorporate your responses into a full feature article that we are working on.
So tell us: What 3 Design Trends Would You Like to See Disappear?
9 Comments so far
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one thing i do want to end is the generic audi front end where headlights and bottom air openings line up.
Whatever that door bump protection cladding crap is called, it needs to go. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t actually do anything! (Trying to count the times I’ve been dinged by a Yukon/Hummer door above that plastic on two hands is a fruitless adventure, not to mention the times my quarter panel has taken a bruising in an angled space!)
Not sure if this is just in my mind from the pic, but I definately LOATHE fake vents, and it seems Ford is especially guilty of this, but I also have an image in mind of a late model Pontiac Grand Am with about 16 vents hot glued onto the hood.
And I will actually have to disagree with Vaughan on this one, it really bothers me when graphic elements don’t mesh - case and point, the hood shut line on the Saab 9-4x - why does it jog up and down from grille openings to the headlamps? If i follow the visual line created by the contrast line (where light area meets dark area, not talking about the physical shut line here) from left to right, it actually goes up-down-up-down-up. Too busy! However, if this were simplified into just one jog instead of three, it could work quite nicely.
Well, there’s my three. Sorry if that was really long winded!
OOOH sorry I’ve got one more - the traditional T-style upright IP. BRICK!
and here’s a link for that Saab pic. http://www.autoblog.com/photos/detroit-2008-saab-9-4x-biopower-concept-1/534995/
I agree with the “T” thing. When will the interior be truly redesigned and function rethought? New layouts, structure, buttons, and forms….
Lack of commitment to a concept car. If you’re going to give me something to gawk at with no intention of delivering, please keep teasing me. BUT I’m tired of mellow-dramatic design. Take all the deails off a vehicle and look at the form. It’s it’s not intriguing, pitch it and get back to sketching. Adding vents, port holes, wheel flair extentions, ground effect packages and false intakes will NOT make the car more interesting. It needs to stand on it’s own first.
Interiors suffer from stiff forms that are uninviting. The common radio knobs, the HVAC, the nav… Volvo has finally done something interesting with their center stack (S80) but it’s still the “T” that dshed and Stokes are talking about.
Seats that are blocky and have no form. I realize America (and the rest of the world) is growing an once a minute, but I’m skinny. I hate crawling in a car where the seat belt doesn’t touch because the seats are so sunk for extra weight. The seat isn’t designed to sink it just does due to criteria. The seat backs are too thick there is a bunch of opportunity to create a want for a consumer and in a small car, you can gain a ton of room. We have the technology- but that’s a whole new subject.
you guys should do a vote for the top 3 things we love in our cars.
Stokes - yes I agree its nice to have some unity/simplicity, but its that robotic gridded out seeming tic tac toe front end that I’m getting tired of.
1 Turn signals on side mirrors, do we really need those? I think they bother the most on lower end cars trying to look like they are more than they are.
2 Paddle shifters or any other variation of a stick. Unless you’re trying beat an F1 Ferrari on the track, I just don’t see the point. I would love to see a regular 6 speed manual that would have an automatic position. It would be useful for when you’re in stop and go traffic and tired of having fun.
3 Huge rims on SUVs. I’m sorry but low profile tires on an SUV just look out of place.
1. Fender vents…functional or fake, they have ran their course and need to go
2.wood anything…unless it is used in a way that doesn’t look like applied plastic veneer (like almost all applications on the market, even “real-wood” options). Try using it in a way that actually looks like a substrate, sculpture, or theme, and not just an added “skin” to other forms. Essentially, what is the next material trend that says luxory, or sport etc. that isn’t wood or carbon-fiber? We need a truely fresh material approach.
3.Anything trying to be somethng it is not. i.e. silver painted plastic to act as “bright work” on cheaper cars. Similar to my #2 I guess. Whatever happened to celebrating what a car did well while acknowledging it’s shortcomings? (C.O.P.O Camaro anyone, in which it was about muscle and nothing else…therefore it had muscle…and nothing else) Is there a way to actually not put plastic wheel covers on a car that really has black steelies and do it in a way that is unique or new? Can we get past trying to trick everyone that all cars, regardless of cost are the same?
Retro needs to go. There are a lot of directions out there, and some of them actually point forward! It was good for a time, but that time is past (again).
Could someone please find another way to get into and out of vehicles? The recent revival and subsequent E-bay sale of the Disappearing Car Door has prompted a lot of thought on this lately, although that design lacks weather protection. Gull wings pose structural challenges, and Scissors style openings are so Lamborghini 1982. Let’s find a way to get in and out that doesn’t look like the screen door on the cottage at the lake.
My final “trends that need to go away” wish is a huge one. I wish that legislation would stop designing cars for us. Bring back the car seats without seatbelts and headrests. Bring back carefree motoring and a fear of the Police. Hmmm… Maybe I don’t really want “Retro” to go away just yet!