Automotive design: more than aesthetics

The headlights, the curves, the reflections of the paint on the bodywork... no matter what you see first, the aesthetics of a vehicle must captivate the eye. But it also serves to establish the brand's identity.

Contrary to what you might think, producing a new vehicle is a process that takes several years, and hard teamwork with other divisions within the same brand.

The Car Guide takes a look at the world of automotive design. To do so, we spoke to two General Motors stylists.

Setting the standard

Cadillac has the wind in its sails when it comes to car sales, and this is part of the strategy to bring it back to the "Standard of the World". This philosophy implies a representation of success and prestige.

To achieve this, Cadillac went back to the drawing board to create a "Vision Model" - a vehicle that would set the benchmark for the automaker's future image, particularly in terms of electrification. The result is the Celestiq sedan, Cadillac's new design flagship. Many of the car's distinctive features, such as the illuminated front bumper and slimmed-down headlamps, can be found not only on the Lyriq, but also on subsequent products, such as the Escalade IQ, Vistiq and Optiq.

"With an electric platform, we no longer need to have ventilation at the front for the grille and so on. So [we] decided to redefine this front end and use a motif that will also speak to the brand. In general, we use the Cadillac coat of arms a lot as a starting point [...] It's part of our heritage," says Laetitia Lopez, head of CMF (Color, Materials, Finish) design.

Then it was a matter of finding various elements that would "link" the logo to the grille and to the new light choreography that animates the front end. "[The latter] will further embellish the front end and bring the vehicle to life - in a way - because the grille and the lamps are now talking to each other," she explains. In fact, vehicles with internal combustion engines have a fixed grille - only the headlights and lamps perform a light sequence.

Similarly for the interior, the team had to determine which elements and materials to choose in order to best represent the spirit of the brand. "With Cadillac, we want it to be authentic. So there's this strategy of having real wood, real carbon, etc.," she continues.

This idea is also reflected in the technology. For example, the Cadillac Escalade IQ incorporates a huge 55-inch screen that stretches from pillar to post to recreate the ambience of a home theater. Divided into three sections, it serves both as a dashboard and multimedia system for the driver, and as an entertainment monitor for the passenger. For discerning ears, the AKG Studio Reference audio system with 40 speakers is also available...

Restoring an image

Buick has also had a good year in terms of sales in 2023, thanks to the implementation of a new marketing strategy and, of course, product design. Last year, Buick unveiled the Wildcat concept, the figurehead of the new visual identity.

In sedan format, the prototype will never be marketed, unlike the Celestiq. This is an interesting decision, given that the automaker's range no longer includes cars. With this in mind, we asked Kevin Nougarede, Buick's interior and exterior designer, why he started with a sedan to represent the brand's new identity, rather than an SUV.

We're more attracted by the proportions of a coupé," he says. It's more interesting when you want to communicate a new design, a logo, a front end. It always has more impact, and it's more fun to work with lower, wider proportions. In fact, the new Buick Envista - despite being an SUV - features the prototype's receding roofline, headlights and plunging "Shark Nose" snout.

In fact, the Encore GX and Envision have been updated with this signature front-end styling. "[We wanted to] express a certain purity with the new styling language, which you see on the Envista especially," adds Kevin.

Finally, we asked him how long it takes to design and prepare a vehicle before it goes into production. To this question, the designer replied that it takes approximately four years.

From now on, you'll undoubtedly see automotive styling in a whole new light!