That’s how you talk about car design
In the previous episode in which car designer Niels van Roij explains the terms used in his profession, it was about the Hofmeister kink, among other things. Now another typical BMW term comes by, the sharknose. We have arrived at the letters O to S.
O
Overhang:
When viewed from the side of a car, the overhang is the part that extends in front of and behind the wheel arches. The overhang does a lot to the visual qualities of a car. Classic American cars often had 12 to 24 inches of sheet metal protruding from the front and rear. In the modern era, smaller overhangs have become the style of choice. It makes the car easier and better to drive.
The relationship between body overhangs and wheelbase is critical to achieving good visual balance: too much overhang is undesirable. Uneven overhangs will add a certain visual dynamic to the design. A car with equal overhangs looks static. A rear-wheel drive sports car often has a shorter front overhang and a relatively long rear overhang. A mid-engined supercar has the exact opposite: a long front overhang and a short, cropped tail.
P
Powerdome:
This is a term for a bulge on the hood that gives the impression of muscular strength underneath. This was often used in the United States in particular, but due to the often less good fairing, we now see flatter bonnets much more often.
proportions:
A car’s proportions define its visual weight and how it sits on its wheels. We explain more about this in the first Masterclass film.
R
rake:
The angle of the windshield, or rear window, when viewed from the side of the car. The old Defender was a good example of a vehicle with almost no windshield rake. Modern vehicles have more lean angle for less wind noise and better aerodynamics. Range Rovers, Minis and Land Rovers often still have a small windscreen rake from a stylistic point of view. With regard to the rake of the rear, the same applies here: the more rake, the more dynamic a car looks. Think of an old Volvo V70 with a straight rear versus a BMW 3 Series Touring which has a much more dynamic design. Both excellently drawn in light of it brand DNA.
S
Shoulder:
The shoulder can be viewed from the side or from the front and rear of the car, as it is the outward curve of the body. The emphasis of the shoulder is usually above the wheels, although the first Volvo S80 and second V70 and S60, for example, had a very pronounced shoulder running the entire length of the car. Some cars, such as some models of the VW Golf, completely lack the shoulders, as the roof and sides meet in one continuous line.
Shark nose:
Car designers often look to nature for inspiration. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, many cars had a nose design called a sharknose because of its forward-leaning shape reminiscent of a shark’s snout. That meant a negative slope of the grille and headlight surfaces, coupled with a pointed, tapered top view.
The body of the BMW 6 Series was elegant, typical BMW, with aggressive ‘shark nose’ styling, emphasizing the coupé’s luxury and performance potential. The dramatic, forward-leaning profile of the 6 Series has a dynamic appearance.
The sharknose was frequently used in the past. But due to its negative effect on aerodynamics, we only find stylistic links to this nose, with forward-tilted graphic elements of the grilles and lighting units. But a really forward tilted nose is unfortunately no longer justifiable.
(Text ends after photo Chevrolet Corvette)
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl