[aniketi]

Now a days lots of companies are making efforts to looks all there cars same. Examples are VW, Tata, Fiat, Hyundai etc. Most of the cars they are launching are having same looks.

I am really surprised with this. Why same look? Why they want a family look to all there cars. Prime examples are Tata Aria, Vento, New Verna etc. I seriously thinks that Aria would have looked much better if Tata had opted other than family look. They should have taken look like Land Rover from the front instead of looking like Vista & Manza.Even look similar to Safari would have looked better.

One of my friend didn't bought Vento as it looks same as Polo & other VW cars. One of my friend didn't like new Verna as he thinks it looked same as i20 from front. Many people didn't like Xylo due to its Mahindra looks.

So my question here is Why family looks? Are they thinking that they will create brand value by it? Or they want people to recognize there cars by same look? What's your take guys?

[volkman10]

Family look on automobiles and other equipments is being followed by all Global companies.
For products of the same class the family look will bring the following to the manufacturer.

• Brand identity
• Tooling commonality - Hence reduction in cost of final product
• Design cost - Lower
• Parts interchangable
• Common designs and hence solutions
• Lower inventory
• Lesser parts in terms of variants
• Availabilty to customer - quicker
• Lower cost of spare parts.

Above are points benefiting the manufacturer and in some indirectly to the customer.

Cheers!

[the-rare-one]

I can think of 2 reasons:

1. Yes it makes it familiar as you said &
2. The cost of design, production, support (includes training) on the product (Save cost and increase profit margin)

[Klub Class]

On a different note, wouldn't the owner of a the lower segment car (say, VW Polo) feel more happy since it resembles VW Vento, when viewed from front?

Originally Posted by aniketi

Examples are VW, Tata, Fiat, Hyundai etc

Fiat?

For the record, none of the *current offerings* from the Fiat India stable looks alike. You've obviously missed Maruti.

EDIT: Seeing your profile picture and your signature , I'm sure that you own a Maruti Dzire. So, how about sharing your thoughts since your car resembles Maruti Swift, (which is obviously cheaper than your car)?

[nik_kapur]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Family look on automobiles and other equipments is being followed by all Global companies.
For products of the same class the family look will bring the following to the manufacturer.

• Brand identity
• Tooling commonality - Hence reduction in cost of final product
• Design cost - Lower
• Parts interchangable
• Common designs and hence solutions
• Lower inventory
• Lesser parts in terms of variants
• Availabilty to customer - quicker
• Lower cost of spare parts.

Above are points benefiting the manufacturer and in some indirectly to the customer.

Cheers!

Dont agree with all your points.

How does a similar looking front end result in interchangeable parts in cars? As in if we look at the Jetta, Vento and Passat, they may look similar but you can use a single part from the Vento on the Jetta and Vice Versa.

Yes, in the case of Vento and Polo they have common parts. But that is a result of the Vento being based on the Polo and has nothing to do with common family look argument. The Polo and the Vento are basically the same cars and the common family look argument stands for cars developed individually and made to follow a family look.

Also, i dont agree that the spare parts costs lower ! Why would that be in the case of Verna, New Avante, New Sonata? All cars have similar looking parts but the parts are not the same and hence cost savings arent possible.

[SRK]

One answer for the question would be brand identity.
Its like you know what company the car belongs just by having a look at it.

Eg: Mercedes, Audi, BMW.

But the case may not always be the same. Sometimes, companies do let the designers go out of the way and create a different design.
Suzuki has a range which doesn't look like they are from the same family but they are also now adopting the new Kizashi kind of style on the newer models.

Having a brand identity is important in todays time as there are more and more companies hitting the Indian soil.

I currently feel that most of VW's car look almost the same head-on. They need to maintain some kind of difference, else the most expensive product will look like the one priced at the lowest.

By your point is valid too, I would prefer different styling on all ranges. Its only the logo that should remain common.

[infotech58]

I think the prime reason is brand identity. BMW and Audi have been maintaining similar designs for all their cars since long.
Another reason may be lower design costs.

[odyssey045]

Wow. Thats really an interesting perspective.. A low cost sporty looking car should definitely be appealing! Not all that powerful, but then impress people with the looks..

[RaSing]

Its not only the cars , but all the gadgets in the markets have a family look too. Like the apple ipod, ipad , iphone and most of the HTC mobile devices and tablets

[aniketi]

Thanks guys for your replies. I know that companies can save some money on design part but i dont think they will save on cost of the parts. Parts will be different in cars. E.g. parts in Passat & in Vento will surely be different. Some parts may be common in like of Vento & polo, Vista & Manza, Swift & Dzire etc as they are one car only except the boot part.

With similar design they can create brand identity but people may get bored with same designs in all segments like in case of VW, Mahindra or Hyundai. Customer who is paying 25 L for Passat may not like similar look for 8-10 L Vento. I guess thats the reason Jetta & Passat didn't do well in the Indian market. Aria also facing similar issues. Front look awkward for 15+ Lacs car.

BMW & Audi are in different segment all together. Also they have common styling in same segment not across the segment. Audi sedans & SUV has different looks. Same with BMW. Here Tata has 4 Lac Vista hatch & 15 Lac Aria crossover has similar looks. VW has entry level hatch Polo & there high level luxury segment car Passat having similar looks.

This is all my opinions. You may not agree with me. But i guess having same styling across all models & segments will make customer unhappy http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images...rustration.gif

[ashutoshb]

IMHO, it works well when the brand itself is aspirational and when it is top down.

Example:
A 5 series is aspirational for me. But I don't have the cash for it, I can settle for its smaller sibling, the 3. It looks like its elder sibling and has the brand identity of a true bimmer. Plus they all do have a similar face but yet so different.

Can't really say the same for Hyundai.

[Gooney]

I think brand identity is the biggest driver for making similar looking cars (especially the front - headlamps, grille and the rearend). BMW's identity is in its grille, a merc can be recognized by its headlamp design, so does a Rolls Royce, a Jag and a Porsche by its entire front portion. To establish this, you neeed lineage and history (The five, or six maybe, slits between the headlamps that is characteristic of all Jeeps is a Chrysler trademark, and is illegal to copy).

In fact this is so important, that newer auto companies (mostly Chinese) are buring the midnight oil to develop a physical brand identity.

Also, I read someone mentioning the Punto and the Linea. AFAIK, both the models were meant to be extensions of one concept (a car in this case) - Punto, a point - so a hatchback; Linea, line - so a sedan, to give the impression of a flowing line. And I personally feel that Fiat designers did an amazing job of it!!!

Originally Posted by volkman10

Family look on automobiles and other equipments is being followed by all Global companies.
For products of the same class the family look will bring the following to the manufacturer.

• Common designs and hence solutions
• Lower inventory
• Availabilty to customer - quicker
• Lower cost of spare parts.

Above are points benefiting the manufacturer and in some indirectly to the customer.

Cheers!

I have problems with these reasons and the most with 'Lower inventory.' How? I may be missing something here and it would be great if you can explain these points.

[vb-saan]

Good topic. As many mentioned, the brand identity is the key here.
But off-late, I do feel that the manufacturers are taking an easy route. For e.g.; take the case of BMW. Earlier, even without the so called family look, they had created an identity with their awesome kidney grille. But I am a bit disappointed with their lastest avatars. The 5 and 7 looks so similar, and I am quite sure that upcoming 3 will be smaller replica. Same is the case with the X5 and the new X3. Tad boring I should say!

That said, I should say that Mercedes is trying something different by giving a distinct look to the C, E etc.

[anachronix]

Originally Posted by aniketi

Thanks guys for your replies. I know that companies can save some money on design part but i dont think they will save on cost of the parts. Parts will be different in cars. E.g. parts in Passat & in Vento will surely be different. Some parts may be common in like of Vento & polo, Vista & Manza, Swift & Dzire etc as they are one car only except the boot part.

With similar design they can create brand identity but people may get bored with same designs in all segments like in case of VW, Mahindra or Hyundai. Customer who is paying 25 L for Passat may not like similar look for 8-10 L Vento. I guess thats the reason Jetta & Passat didn't do well in the Indian market. Aria also facing similar issues. Front look awkward for 15+ Lacs car.

BMW & Audi are in different segment all together. Also they have common styling in same segment not across the segment. Audi sedans & SUV has different looks. Same with BMW. Here Tata has 4 Lac Vista hatch & 15 Lac Aria crossover has similar looks. VW has entry level hatch Polo & there high level luxury segment car Passat having similar looks.

This is all my opinions. You may not agree with me. But i guess having same styling across all models & segments will make customer unhappy http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images...rustration.gif

Aria & Vista look the same? From which angle mate?

BTW, if you think the front look awkward in the Aria for a 15Lakh car thats your opinion. I have met a few folks who like the beauty of the Dzire, but its butt ugly to me. How does it matter? I personally like the looks of the Aria!

This family looks was a trend started by the BMW and its being currently overdone by VW. I was kinda relieved when I saw the new Beetle and it dint have the Scirocco type headlights!

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by aniketi

I know that companies can save some money on design part but i dont think they will save on cost of the parts. Parts will be different in cars. E.g. parts in Passat & in Vento will surely be different. Some parts may be common in like of Vento & polo, Vista & Manza, Swift & Dzire etc as they are one car only except the boot part.

I believe it could save some amount on designing & parts. While we are talking here extensively about the external styling, there could be differences on the cost part. But I am sure the interiors are mostly kept alike for cost savings [Swift / Dzire / Ritz / SX4]. In a way its irritating to see multiple cars having the same / similar parts in cars belonging to different segments. Anyone who pays a higher premium would want some distinguishing factor externally & internally.

Originally Posted by aniketi

BMW & Audi are in different segment all together. Also they have common styling in same segment not across the segment. Audi sedans & SUV has different looks. Same with BMW.

Frankly after the launch of F10 5 series, I have serious problems in distinguishing a 3 series & a 5 series. The headlights are so similar.

Originally Posted by aniketi

Aria also facing similar issues. Front look awkward for 15+ Lacs car.

I dont think Aria suffers from sales due to the "looks" factor. I see a problem with the brand image which restricts people from plonking a 15L on a TATA product.