[pranavGTI]

I would say it is not an art but a "Creation with constraints". With a long term focus on never ageing style, Keeping the comapny's DNA to the core, adding advanced controls, meeting target market needs (demograph, cross country etc) everything should be factored.

[arbaz906]

Allow me to present one of the many stunning masterpieces from the Centro Stile at Lamborghini.



Even if car design isn't completely an art, it does begin as an art wherein passion, gives it wild strokes and lines and some 30" wheels thrown in just for the heck of it. But then sense prevails and design takes over to tame down the wild animal but not without loosing any of it's jaw-dropping charm.

Another one from the Italians, the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante - a car as flamboyant as the name.

[naveenroy]

Interesting topic! I love classical art, sculptures and the like. I hate "Modern" art. Bleh. Yuck. But take me to the National Gallery of Art and I will spend 3 hours. In one section.

Is automotive design a form of art? Of course. I really don't know why anyone would even think otherwise.

Which reminds me and forgive me for being OT - a nephew is very talented and loves sketching and designing. He is looking for someone to guide him through a career path towards automobile designing or the like. Can someone help him? Please PM?

[venkyhere]

I carry a rather blunt explanation in my head
art = something which exists, but has no purpose of existence other than to provide sensory pleasure to humans
artistic = adding some sensory quality to an object that otherwise does not need it, for it to function for the purpose it is meant for.

That way, painting is an art ; car design is artistic

[MaheshY1]

I think, artists have very limited breathing room these days. The emissions norms, safety norms, and then the design limitations as one car shares its frame, powertrain, and drivetrain with a dozen other cars; they all limit what an artist can do with with the clay.

Even though I value function over form, if the form is really that good, then I'm willing to look past some of its ergonomic flaws. They rarely meet, but when they do, I find it difficult to get it out of my head for several weeks. Examples include the Bonneville Bobber and its faux carburetors and heat sinks. It's even got a hardtail look and hides its monoshock under the beautiful floating saddle.



I love cars that can drift -- stock. So the 86 is obviously high on my list. But the Miata still outranks it even with a softer setup. Because it's gorgeous to look at. The lines flow like waves from the fender to the trunk. It looks like it was designed to stay topless.



My favorites also include the boxy examples like Ford Flex and Jimny.

[vb-saan]

If expression of creativity and imagination can be considered as art, automotive designing is a form of artistic expression. And its not just the exteriors, even the interiors of some cars can give that artistic appeal. For example, I like the way some of the French brands (e.g.; Citroen) play with the designs; some work and some may not but at least their designers never shy away from expressing themselves.

[gkveda]

In my view, If cars were designed based on pure artistic imagination only without science involved, then, it would be a tragedy to sit in such cars. If they are designed purely based on Science without Art involvement, then, there wont be any car lovers at all.

So, my personal opinion, it is just like the first shloka from Raghuvamsha (Sanskrit) by Shri Kalidasa

Vaagarthaaviva Samprikthou Vaagartha prathipattaye |
jagatah pitaraou vande parvathi parameshwarau ||

Meaning: Parvathi and Parameshwara are like Words and their meanings. Words and their meanings can never be separated.(Similarly, Parvathi and Parameshwara can never be separated.).

Words cannot be separated from their meaning and meaning cannot exist without the words that expresses the meaning. Similarly, Parvathi and Parameshwara can never be separated (They co-exist like words and their meaning.)

Applying the same principle here, in Automotive Designs, Art cannot exist alone without science and science either. They co-exist without a possibility of demarking whether it is art OR science.

[aniyo]

Range Rover Evoque mainly sold because of its styling. So much so that many higher up Range Rover took inspiration from that design.
Yes the car design evokes emotions and people are ready to pay for it. No Doubt!

Lower in the price bracket, even Civic was the best looking in its class so had a fan following.

[aniyo]

I missed to mention one point, not only the design but the colour combination is also so important and this purely is art.

Like Red looks smashing hot on Cedia and Octavia vRS not so much on any other sedan.
Like Chevy Beat is the only car I know which could carry the green colour nicely.

The interior is so stylish in few cars and bare bone basic function in others. Again this area of car design is more artistic than body design.

[jeeva]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Which reminds me and forgive me for being OT - a nephew is very talented and loves sketching and designing. He is looking for someone to guide him through a career path towards automobile designing or the like. Can someone help him? Please PM?

MS Ramiah College of technology, Bangalore or the famed NID.
New Product Design (Automotive).

[MoTo_meister]

[quote=GTO;4457108]According to Google'bhai, the definition of art is:


That can definitely be applied to cars. Whether cheap cars or the exotic, styling is a big, big emotional draw. And you could say that more people appreciate the styling of a car than say, a painting.


Yes sir, I completely agree. I think I speak on every automobile enthusiast’s behalf that for us, cars are poetry in motion.
Here’s a video by none other than- Jeremy Clarkson which explains the same:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ8xDia5RNY

At this point, I would like to add that I recently graduated 12th Class and I am now pursuing Automobile Design at DYPDC, Pune. With whatever I’ve been acquainted with since college began a month ago, I definitely think that Automobile Design is well and truly a form of art. In the past month, we’ve had lectures on ‘Aesthetics and Creative Appreciation’ and ‘History Of Design’ both of which imparted us with knowledge on various eras and forms of designing such as Post-modernism, Dadaism etc. With my current lectures as Interactive Design (which includes Smart home, Internet Of Things and Connected devices/apps) and Photography (wherein we were given various assignments of different genres of photography, with primarily studio/product photography. Attached below are some pictures from the same).

[pinin]

Interesting!

Who in his/her right frame of mind would think otherwise? When done right, any form of design is an art.

Where do you think the handle 'Pinin' comes from?!

-Pinin