Which car design traits come to mind when you think of the United States? A flat-nosed, boxy pickup truck or extra-wide muscle car, probably. What about Germany? An elegant sedan or coupe with smooth, flowing lines. Italy? Likely a curvy or wedge-shaped sports car. The truth is that most of these design stereotypes that live in our heads, while not entirely inaccurate, are outdated. Automakers are deeply grounded to their homelands in spirit, but when it comes to conceiving, building, and selling a product, they often cross borders in the name of efficiency and profits. Or as we call it nowadays, globalization.
Globalization has shaped every corner of the automotive industry not only in terms of manufacturing, but also car design. Whether it’s an American car company opening plants in Turkey or design studios in Germany, or a Japanese automaker setting up an entire product pipeline in the U.S., the hardware, software, and brainpower behind today’s cars are the collective effort of multi-national teams catering to multi-national buyers. And according to legendary designer Luc Donckerwolke, it has neutralized car design.
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