Car Design: NAIAS 2009 Roundup

This year's Detroit auto show was shaping up to be a giant gloomfest but the actual metal on the ground held some reason for hope, even if a number of big manufacturers like Nissan decided to take a pass entirely. Here were some of the highlights from the new introductions.

Ford Taurus (Production)

Ford is touting their new 2010 Taurus as the reincarnation of the 1986 Taurus that helped save the company and lead it to the top of the American car industry for several years. The comparison is overblown as the '86 model was a design breakthrough for a mainstream American sedan - the '10 is quite handsome but is no trendsetter.

The sculpted hood and fenders, thoughtful headlight styling, and strong side surfacing all give a look of quality and class. All of the detailing is meticulous in a way that often escapes American cars. The rear end is among the car's best aspects with a playful slash on the rear fenders suggesting a continuation of the strong fold in the doors and a sweeping downward accent that's echoed in the angle of the bumper seam and the taillights as well as the roof and window lines. The taillights themselves echo Ford's earlier Interceptor concept and are the signature filigree on this car.

The only real bum notes, and they are minor, are the fussy side window treatment that sees an awful lot of blacked-out space in the rear quarter window that leads to the leading edge of the chrome accent. If you squint it can nearly give a fastback cant to the roofline but that serves to make the front doors seem unusually small. The other is the grille - Ford deserves kudos for not doing a uniform approach to it's three-bar grille motif - this has a distinctive look separate from the newly upgraded Fusion. On the other hand there is an unmistakable echo of Subaru's Legacy in the grille forms and headlight relationship.

Though not drop-dead gorgeous (Chevy's year-old Malibu is still more arresting) this is a worthy entry into the competitive sedan market.

Chrysler 200C (Concept)

The whiff of desperation hangs heavy over Chrysler and their hodgepodge of jerry-rigged electric models on display were rather pathetic. And yet, this unexpected surprise was both welcome and poignant. Based on a cut-down 300C chassis, the 200C is the rear-wheel drive midsized car the awful Sebring should have been. Newly promoted chief designer Ralph Gillies has his imprint all over this car. Had this been a production model rather than a concept the hosannas would have been ringing loud and clear across Cobo Hall.

Unfortunately the situation is so dire that it's unlikely Chrysler will survive to even get this to the New York Auto Show, let alone production. Sadly, the tight fists at Chrysler's owner Cerberus, run by Bush Treasury Secretary John Snow, know next to nothing about the car industry and installed a guy at the head of Chrysler, Bob Nardelli, who knows even less. Of course why would Snow know anything about what makes for successful leadership? In the car world, it's about product, guys.

As for design the 200C is voluptuous, with rounded generous forms that never cross the line into flabby. The front wisely moves the Chrysler grille away from art deco and into the future, framing it with carved headlight cutouts that flow from the aggressive flared wheel openings.

The roofline is triumphant, echoing the gangster-like 300C but putting a completely different spin on it with a more distinct flow into the rear window and into the finely formed shoulder-line. That shoulder-line becomes a lip that runs through the taillights around the rear deck, which also gets a pinched spoiler that visually emerges from the bumper seam. Chrysler has said that they might be able to put this body on a front wheel drive platform, perhaps Nissan's Altima structure if rumor is to be believed. Let's hope they can pull it off.

Cadillac Converj (Concept)

Running on the plug-in electric underpinnings of the upcoming Chevy Volt, the atrociously spelled Converj suggests another way to find some profit in green technology. A luxury version of the platform could help offset the expense of building these hightech new cars.

From a design standpoint this is a further evolution of Cadillac's current language but for all the swoopiness and angular stance there is an anodyne quality to the exercise that makes it unexciting. The various tucked in slots at the front, rear, and sides feel a bit contrived, as does the exceptionally wide shoulderlines. The head and taillight treatments are very well done as is the shape of the side window glass. Expect a lot of changes if this gets the greenlight for production.

Audi Sportback (Concept)

The one new design that inspired outright lust at the Detroit show, Audi's Sportback concept previews an upcoming production model. In the name of all that is right in the world, Audi ought not to change a single centimeter of this entrant in the burgeoning 4-door coupe field.

It starts with Audi's signature brilliant headlamps flanking a superbly reformed version of their grille with radical inset vents that define the front bumper forms. Crisply folded forms travel over the sides, the lower one rising, the upper one undulating into the roofline and rear decklid.

The flow of rear window into trunklid is reminiscent of Aston-Martin but the kicked-up quarter windows and inset taillamps give the car a distinctive stance. In fact, only Aston's upcoming Rapide seems set to rival the Audi for looks in this class, and the Audi is likely to cost many thousands less. It's good to see Audi design back on track.

Lincoln Concept C (Concept)

Lincoln's Concept C is a fascinating look at how Lincoln design cues could play out on a car based on the small Ford Focus platform. The car is defined by it's sharp form separation into upper and lower body areas, emphasizing the unusual width. The clean simple detailing allows for a muscular and luxurious feel.

A third break is made by the color change of the roof panel, beginning at the pillars. This is one of the best examples of Lincoln's new front end look, which can look awkward in other applications. Now that Lincoln and Volvo (for now) are Ford's only premium players, could Lincoln be tapped to take on BMW's very successful Mini?

Car Design: Paris Auto Show '08 Part One

The Paris show kicks off the long circuit of car shows that culminates with New York next Spring and as such can be seen as a bellwether for what sorts of designs and concepts are at the top of designers minds this season. Judging on the evidence here the two big trends are electric cars and big four door exotic sedans.

Blockbusters were few but there were some notable debuts:


The Lamborghini Estoque Concept is their entry into the burgeoning four-door supercar market alongside Porsche's upcoming Panamera and Aston-Martin's long-awaited Rapide. The reception to the Estoque was somewhat muted - compared to the typical Lambo it seems downright restrained.

It's at the front end - like the Porsche and Aston - where the most resemblance to it's stablemates is conveyed. The harder edges of the Reventon are finding it's way into other Lamborghini vehicles and the sinister rectangular headlights add a bit of distinction to the familiar shapes on the face.

The very aggressive rear (see pic above) is masterfully shaped and detailed - there is perhaps a hint of the Dodge Charger concept but the rear three quarter view is probably the car's best.

Where things get less certain are the bland midsection and ultra-low roofline. The window and roof shapes lack some distinction and the smooth sides don't seem well integrated with the dramatic rear flanks.

At the opposite end of the spectrum was Nissan's neat electric NuVu concept. NuVu has a very unusual undulating greenhouse which flows skirt-like around the wheels. The detailing is extremely well done, from the chamfered wheel arches to the bumper cutlines to the "brows" over the headlamp units.

Though the proportions may seem a bit clown-car like the eye is drawn to the unusual shapes and the harmonious balance of elements. One of Nissan design's best recent concepts.

Design: New York Auto Show -- Focusing in on The Micro in a Macro Show

The fender sweep with integrated air extractor on the Nissan GT-R

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the glitter, the lights, the free booze and food during the press days at an auto show. What's hard is to find those little snatches of detail or pleasing design cues that make it all worthwhile. Here are some of the nice bits that caught my eye at the New York Auto show:

The intersection of two side character indents on the massive BMW CS Concept -- one indent peters out in a slight upward flourish as the other dives just aft to echo the first one. The broad rounded shoulderline provides the metallic canvas.

The shoulder on the new Nissan Maxima joins with the a-pillar to form a plane that travels down the front end. The hood spills over the peak of the line formed by the outer edge of the pillar making an unusual undulating shape.



The wild organic looking confetti at the rear sides of Mazda's Furai concept. Though busy, they contrast nicely with the all business race car smoothness of the rest of the body. Pure decorative whimsy.

I've always been partial to Aston Martin's mirror mounts, from the metal V-shaped brackets of the Vantage (top picture) to the new carbon fiber ones below.

The superbly handled intersecting planes and shapes at the rear of Cadillac's CTS Coupe Concept. Note how well the trademark vertical taillamps are integrated into the play of sharp angles.

The rear of Toyota's new Venza crossover shows that the Japanese giant has been learning some slick design lingo. Look at the playful relationship of the upkicked bumper seam which visually points to the upper curve of the neat taillight. Meanwhile the wraparound edge of the taillight shoots off in the opposite direction to create a surface edge on the back bumper itself.

If Aston Martin is all about cool mirror mounts then Audi is the go-to brand for exciting headlight jewelry on production models such as the A5 (top) and a4(below).

Dear Nissan Forum,

I never thought this would happen to me. I attend a large Northeastern auto show and noticed your Forum Concept sitting there with it's door wiiiiiide open. I noticed the very cool relationship of the side mirrors with the front quarter window shapes when the opened door juxtaposes them. I'm a fan of curves and this effect gives us several from the mirror edge to the mirror surround to the window shape to the window trim.

When viewed from inside the spectacular leather, wood and chrome encrusted interior the mirrors echo the small pillar windows making a single lovely distended oval shape when viewed as a unit.

Design: New York Auto Show -- Scion Hako Coupe

Toyota's youthful Scion division introduced the new Hako Coupe showcar with some dude in a suit yesterday going "Blah blah youth blah blah youth, youth blah blah blah youth youth..oh and young!" So like, oldsters, stop buying Scions because their high rooflines and good visibility make them ideal vehicles for the wheelchair bound and those to tired to stoop.

Anyhoo, the Hako is inspired by the youth of Japan being inspired by youthful American hot rods etc. Scion's exec invited the press to hate on the Viagra inspired windshield angle and Zellweger-esque frontal treatment because the olds never get what the kids dig. Me, I like it.
Where it gets really dopey rather than, er...dope, is the cameras built into the sides of the car (those are the little round lenses in the front fenders). Apparently the "youths" will share video of goofy looking passers-by and questionable driving with each other. They might even download it!
From the back you can see the cool wraparound inset window line.

Design: New York Auto Show -- Hyundai Smokes Out its New Genesis Coupe

Wheeeee! Hyundai treated us journalists to a life and underwear changing experience as two stuntwomen drove the new Genesis coupe into the limited confines of the Javits Center, tires squealing. The cars were flung about with abandon, and several times seemed to be making a beeline for the press stands.
The cars themselves are quite handsome, with a distinctive dropped rear quarter window and parallel side accent lines. Though just short of stunning they do offer a stylistic alternative to other big V8 powered rear wheel drive coupes like the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. It's most reminiscent of an inflated last-gen Acura coupe with just a touch of BMW 6-series.
I was still hiding under the bleachers when the flashpots went off so I missed a shot of the flames shooting up. I can tell you that the Javits Hall immediately began to fill up with smoke and not a few journalists were reduced to hacking and eye-rubbing. I of course always carry a gas mask with me.
Check out the vid below for the full madness of this debut stunt, the high pitched girlish screaming is coming from me:

Design: New York Auto Show -- Pontiac Solstice Coupe and Sport Truck

Pontiac showed the G8 based Sport Truck concept which is basically an Australian market Holden given the Pontiac treatment, as is it's G8 sibling. It's also the answer to a question no-one is asking. The awkward marriage between car and pickup truck was aesthetically pleasing on some Chevy El Caminos and Ford Rancheros, but it has no Pontiac precedent and the practicality is nil. Is there really a market for people who want the performance of the very cool G8, minus a back seat and any covered secure storage space?

The Solstice Coupe makes marginally more sense (check out that guy's obstructed eyeline in the pic above -- a low roofline will do that) but looks infinitely better. GM's style guys have given the roofed version of Pontiac's already sweet looking convertible a lovely tuchus -- U-shaped rear glass and all. Pity the visibility and headroom are close to nil. At least the center panel comes off for sunny days but where to put it?

Design: New York Auto Show -- Nissan Denki Cube

Planet of Sight and Sound are lucky enough to be at the New York Auto Show this year so expect lots of neat stuff today and tomorrow.

Nissan's Cube is already on it's second generation in Japan, and the Denki Cube unveiled at this year's New York Auto show is a perforated and tweaked version of the production model with the added distinction of a lithium ion battery. So just like your laptop, the Denki plugs in at night to recharge. Just check out the mini-lightning inside the cool ionized headlight pupils above. Nissan also announced that the next Cube will definitely be coming stateside.
The production Cube is already a lot more interesting than the closest relevant models in the United States market, Scion's xB and Honda's Fit so I applaud Nissan in bringing the next-gen over.

The interior is bright enough to require sunglasses but it's smooth modernity is refreshing. In the C-Pillar below you can see that this cool box comes with it's own "cool box" ... a mini fridge.

Design: Geneva Roundup

Here are a few more of the notable designs that were on display at this year's Geneva auto show.

Nissan's Infiniti division showed off their new FX crossover, part of a big push for the brand in Europe. The original FX was one of the original crossover vehicles, combining attributes of an SUV and a car. The theme is the same as the outgoing model but more refined. The biggest change is at the front, with it's aggressively swept back headlamps and sculpted front fenders. The relationship between the large grille and the bumper along with the headlamps is especially well handled, as are the new downward swooping character lines on the sides. The side vents are a bit much however.

GM's struggling Saab division showed off the 9-X Biohybrid. This is believed to presage a new small Saab to compete with Volvo's C30 and upscale versions of Volkswagen's European Golf. This is a tamer version of the new design language that so far has only made it to Saab concepts but judging by the clean powerful lines of this hatchback GM ought to press to get this produced with minimal changes. Especially nice is the glasshouse which seems to flow straight back from the windshield thanks to the blacked-out a-pillar. The little jog in the beltline that comes off the front fenders and hood and into the doors is a great touch.

Another entrant in the upscale hatch category is Volkswagen's new Scirocco, on sale next year (though not in the U.S.) The big news here is the face, which is new to Volkswagen and which ex-Alfa Romeo and Seat designer Walter da Silva hints will spread across the VW range. It's strong, with the flowing bumper cutouts for the headlamps joining the hood accents which then morph into the a-pillars. In a big departure from tradition the VW badge is atop the hood rather than set in the center of the grille. The design is aggressive and pleasant, but also seems a bit characterless and similar to others from Peugeot and Renault in the roofline and details.

Former Pininfarina man Ken Okuyama has his own design firm now, and is looking to put the K.O. 7 into production. The idea of a single seat racer for the street has been seeing a lot of expression lately, notably in the Ariel Atom from the UK, but the finish and detailing of Okuyama's baby brought much appreciation from onlookers at the show.

Design: Swiss Speed-Freak Sbarro Dangles Pendolauto in Front of Geneva Crowd

Eccentric Swiss tuner Franco Sbarro can be relied upon to unleash a wild creation every year at the Geneva show and this year was no different. Rather than a car he has brought out the Pendolauto -- a kind of four-wheeled motorcycle for the road that actually leans into corners.

The futuristic design which includes transparent wheels is quite arresting. The interlocking of the outer aluminum-like shell with what looks to be an inner leather or vinyl covered surface is particularly nice. Unlikely to be available to buy, unless you happen to be the Sultan of Brunei.

Design: Wood Worshippers Morgan Go Hydrogen with LIFECar

British boutique car company Morgan, of the 40 year heritage, long waiting lists, and wood chassis, introduced the stunning hydrogen powered LIFECar concept at the Geneva show this week. They could be accused of...ahem...not seeing the forest for the tress considering their historically extensive use of wood but this represents a big leap forward for the companies environmental standing.

More to the point is the swoopy retro-futurist bodywork. The proportions are typically Morgan: 30s style long hood with external fenders but the art deco execution is reminiscent of coachbuilt French beauties of the interwar period. The beautiful brushed aluminum wheel covers are a nod to land speed record vehicles.

The detailing on the headlights is perfect, as is the relationship between the simple forms of the roof, the fenders, and the grille. The LIFECar is all about the majesty of proportion.

Inside Morgan indulges it's wood lust with an alluring mix of aluminum and leather as well as dead, polished luxuriant treeskin.