The corporate nose
Discussion
Whilst flicking through the classifieds, it occurred to me how much more interesting car design might be if it were not for the concept of "the corporate nose".
Why do almost all manufacturers feel their range must have contorted versions of the same design? If you're in the market for an Audi A1, does it really matter that it has the same style nose as the A8?
There are surely no cost savings as the parts aren't shared, and the nose still has to be designed to fit the shape and dimensions of each model so there's no efficiency saving there.
Is it just one of those things where one manufacturer took the initiative and the rest followed, fearing they might miss out, or have they always attempted to share a common design across a range, but the technology has never enabled them to do it as accurately as they do today?
Why do almost all manufacturers feel their range must have contorted versions of the same design? If you're in the market for an Audi A1, does it really matter that it has the same style nose as the A8?
There are surely no cost savings as the parts aren't shared, and the nose still has to be designed to fit the shape and dimensions of each model so there's no efficiency saving there.
Is it just one of those things where one manufacturer took the initiative and the rest followed, fearing they might miss out, or have they always attempted to share a common design across a range, but the technology has never enabled them to do it as accurately as they do today?
I think it's stupid tbh. Ok with BMW, credit where credit is due. They've stuck to the design and make it work on all their models.
But all these others that bodge on dodgy crap looking grills is just stupid. Yes - Vauxhall I'm talking about you.
And what makes it even more pointless is, give it a year or so and they'll go and change them all. So what was the point in creating an identity to only throw it away?
But all these others that bodge on dodgy crap looking grills is just stupid. Yes - Vauxhall I'm talking about you.
And what makes it even more pointless is, give it a year or so and they'll go and change them all. So what was the point in creating an identity to only throw it away?
Prof Prolapse said:
The reason is brand familiarity isn't it?
Audi would rather you recognised all their cars as Audi's after all.
I also imagine they rather like the way the front end looks, so want to keep it similar rather than endlessly redesigning things in a hit and miss approach.
I think both of those reasons are a bit deluding though.Audi would rather you recognised all their cars as Audi's after all.
I also imagine they rather like the way the front end looks, so want to keep it similar rather than endlessly redesigning things in a hit and miss approach.
Goochie said:
The Pug RCZ has to be the worst case of corporate nose job.
Couldn't agree more - the back of it is lovely looking, especially with that curvy back window/roof affair they've got going on. And then they go and make it look like a cut-and-shut by bodging the front of a 308 on it!Hateful people.
300bhp/ton said:
Prof Prolapse said:
The reason is brand familiarity isn't it?
Audi would rather you recognised all their cars as Audi's after all.
I also imagine they rather like the way the front end looks, so want to keep it similar rather than endlessly redesigning things in a hit and miss approach.
I think both of those reasons are a bit deluding though.Audi would rather you recognised all their cars as Audi's after all.
I also imagine they rather like the way the front end looks, so want to keep it similar rather than endlessly redesigning things in a hit and miss approach.
While I can understand the reasons for why a company might want to stick the same corporate nose on all it's cars to promote it's identity, I think there are good and bad ways of doing this. Some companies litterally do a copy and paste and stick the nose onto every car they make (I'm looking at you Porsche) even if the proportions or design won't suit the different sizes of car. This is just lazy. You can incorporate an identity without making every car look identical.
Another very annoying thing is the prominence of these new faces. Quite often these days, the badge\front face of cars is effin huge! Why? It looks sh*te. Bigger isn't always better.
Another very annoying thing is the prominence of these new faces. Quite often these days, the badge\front face of cars is effin huge! Why? It looks sh*te. Bigger isn't always better.
Guvernator said:
While I can understand the reasons for why a company might want to stick the same corporate nose on all it's cars to promote it's identity, I think there are good and bad ways of doing this. Some companies litterally do a copy and paste and stick the nose onto every car they make (I'm looking at you Porsche) even if the proportions or design won't suit the different sizes of car. This is just lazy. You can incorporate an identity without making every car look identical.
Not sure I agree on the Porsche one.I don't think they have done a copy and paste at all. What they've done is make all their cars look like a Porsche. In the same way anyone can tell what a Rolls Royce looks like or what a Mini/MINI looks like.
Cut and paste is more this:
Looked good here, new V grill for flagship model
Turned a good looking car into a less good looking car
And finally, completely pointless. Nobody would buy a Corsa based on the sole fact it had the same V grill as an Omega
With Porsche they haven't used the exact same thing on each car, they've simply made them all look Porsche.
McSam said:
It's so that every man on the street who knows nothing about cars can easily and immediately recognise what it is from a distance.
Obvious, isn't it?
But for what reason? And if its so people can tell a car make, how come car makers then change their corporate look too often for this to be of use.Obvious, isn't it?
McSam said:
It's so that every man on the street who knows nothing about cars can easily and immediately recognise what it is from a distance.
Obvious, isn't it?
That it's down to recognition is obvious, yes, but how does that help sell cars? How does recognition of a big executive saloon influence you when you're looking at small hatchbacks?Obvious, isn't it?
Mitsubishi were one of the brands I was looking at actually. It's quite amusing to flick through their car range and find they all look the same
300bhp/ton said:
Not sure I agree on the Porsche one.
I don't think they have done a copy and paste at all. What they've done is make all their cars look like a Porsche. In the same way anyone can tell what a Rolls Royce looks like or what a Mini/MINI looks like.
Cut and paste is more this:
Looked good here, new V grill for flagship model
Turned a good looking car into a less good looking car
And finally, completely pointless. Nobody would buy a Corsa based on the sole fact it had the same V grill as an Omega
With Porsche they haven't used the exact same thing on each car, they've simply made them all look Porsche.
Sorry I have to disagree, sticking the features of a 911 onto a Cayenne did no favours for the look of that SUV. It just ended up looking like a 911 on stilts. What was the point of this? It didn't need to be like this, they could have made subtle changes to make it more cohesive and indeed this is what they have done with the newer facelifts of the Cayenne model as they realised their mistake. A face which suits a svelt coupe doesn't suit a hulking 4x4, Porsche learnt this the hard way. The fact that the Cayenne was a sales success was despite the looks, not because of them.I don't think they have done a copy and paste at all. What they've done is make all their cars look like a Porsche. In the same way anyone can tell what a Rolls Royce looks like or what a Mini/MINI looks like.
Cut and paste is more this:
Looked good here, new V grill for flagship model
Turned a good looking car into a less good looking car
And finally, completely pointless. Nobody would buy a Corsa based on the sole fact it had the same V grill as an Omega
With Porsche they haven't used the exact same thing on each car, they've simply made them all look Porsche.
300bhp/ton said:
With Porsche they haven't used the exact same thing on each car, they've simply made them all look Porsche.
Still a corporate nose though, isn't it?
I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with different cars from the same brand looking similar, in the same way as I look a bit like my mum, my dad, and I'd have a similar nose to my brother if I had one.
Obviously there are hundreds of cars out there, and sometimes someone will think that the front end of one is a monstrosity, but someone else will like it.
I do have a nose, just not a brother.
Halo effect?
If it looks similar people think they are similar. If you look at all the platform sharing and engine sharing going on then ask people if they would prefer a new Toyota Aygo or a Citroen C1 their answer will be entirely based on what they think of the brand as fundamentally they're the same car and the prices reflect that.
If it looks similar people think they are similar. If you look at all the platform sharing and engine sharing going on then ask people if they would prefer a new Toyota Aygo or a Citroen C1 their answer will be entirely based on what they think of the brand as fundamentally they're the same car and the prices reflect that.
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