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While one usually looks upon the manufacture of an automobile as an engineering accomplishment, there is that part of its making that is art. Although when most people think of art, they definitely don’t think of automobiles. And when they visualize automakers they visualize engineers not artists. Yet the part of the car that most of us interact with, the seats, the steering wheel, the dashboard are the work of artists more than engineers.
For the interior of the automobile as well as the exterior, the color, the trim, the materials that line the door panels and encase the seats are the products of automotive designers. These are the people who bring art to the industry.
They are defined as “the professionals involved in development of appearance and to some extent the ergo dynamics of road vehicles.” In the American automotive industry, they generally operate as a team. One stylist will be responsible for the exterior. Another will design the interior, deciding upon such concepts as the shape and placement of the instrument panel, seats, and door trim panel, headliner, etc. And a third will work with the colors and materials.
While these professionals certainly have knowledge of ergonomics and engineering, they are basically artists and very often trained in art schools. Every year, schools with transportation design majors send hundreds of eager young graduates into design studios to become part of these teams. And though they play a major role in making our daily commuting lives comfortable they are basically unknown.
However, a few have emerged from anonymity and made a name for themselves and these few have also worked independently, designing the entire vehicle not just a part thereof.
Harvey Earl, who worked for General Motors from 1927 to 1958, was one of these. In fact, Earl is credited with pioneering the art of auto design in the American industry. It was Earl who introduced the idea of “pre-styling the auto body” through the use of two-dimensional drawings and clay models. Earl’s designs, from the 1927 LaSalle to the 1958 Firebird were trendsetters. Earl was responsible for such innovations as tail fins and panoramic curved windshields.
And on the other side of the Atlantic, two other artists are more than famous for their innovations in design.
Giorgetto Giugiaro who was born in Italy in 1938 is a prolific artist whose designs include over 200 cars plus cameras, keyboard cases and pasta. The 1980 Fiat Panda, VW Golf and 1971 Alfa Sud are just a few of his products.
Giugiaro was responsible for the ‘folded paper’ era of the ’70′s featuring cars with straight lines and sharp edges. The Lancia Megagamma, the first multi-purpose vehicle, was also a Giugiaro creation. The Lancia was the inspiration behind the Nissan Prairie, the first MPV to enjoy mass sales.
Giugiara received the Car Designer of the Century Award in 1999 and has also been awarded a place in the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.
Another Italian designer of repute is Marcello Gandini. Gandini, only 19 days younger than Giugiaro, designed his first concept car when he was just 20 years old. He is responsible for the Lamborghini Miura.
It is men like these who continue to inspire the young graduates and fuel their dreams to stand out from the pack. And they are also the ones responsible for our creature comforts as we belt ourselves into the driver’s seat.