Forbes ten auto design trends

I decided to post the Forbes list of 10 auto design trends here so we can debate/talk about them. Plus, the Forbes site put only one trend per page, and frankly, I know alot of us aren’t going to make it past #3 clicking through the pages. Here they are:

  1. Higher beltlines (Chrysler 300, Merc CLS)
  2. Larger grilles & side vents (Audi/VW)

Notable quote:

“They [side vents] are the signal of a luxury car now,” says Ford’s design director for North America Patrick Schiavone.

I guess that’s why they are on the 2008 Focus?

  1. Aggressive faces
  2. Hardtop convertibles

Didn’t this all start with the Mitsu GTO?

  1. Elaborate sunroofs

I’ve been complaining about the lack of decent sunroofs in the American market for 5 years now. Maybe some automakers have heard me?

  1. Headlights & tailights as jewelry

Man Forbes is behind in the times. Ever since the DOT restrictions were changed 20 years ago, every automake has been putting more and more design into headlights.

  1. Larger wheels, duh
  2. New paints (mattes)
  3. Interior lighting (new new Mini, Mustang)
  4. Expressively small (I think someone started a thread on this…?)

Whole article at:
http://www.forbesautos.com/advice/toptens/future-design-trends-2007/01-intro.html

Yeah- if that article were published in 2004 I might have given it credence. This is all just a summary of existing trends. Nothing new.

you said it. nothing to see here. keep moving along.

a 12 year old with a single copy of autotrader could have made this list.

hardly trends for the “future” of auto design.

R