it seems as if I’ve discovered a hot issue with my post of february, 9th. car design becomes an important issue not only for car manufacturers.
the latest edition of business week both print and online makes “designer cars” the international cover story. according to editor gail edmondson:
“Never before has design been so vital to an auto maker’s success — maybe even to its survival. Sure, there have always been great-looking cars — cars that juiced sales and set trends, from the 1950s Cadillacs with their rakish tail fins to Nissan’s racy 240Z and the ultra-aerodynamic, arrow-shaped Audi 100. But reliability, horsepower, and handling loomed large then, too, separating brands distinctly in consumers’ minds.
Now, a decade-long drive to close the quality and engineering gap among car manufacturers around the world has left the companies competing increasingly on, well, looks. “Design is the No. 1 selling point these days,” asserts James Kelly, professor of transportation design at the Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences in Germany.”
