Execs vent, as fake follows function

[mkaresh]

Rick Kranz
Automotive News
May 28, 2007 - 1:00 am

General Motors' John Manoogian is concerned that a wave of low-cost copycats will destroy the latest automotive design trend -- functional side vents.

Brands such as Cadillac and Land Rover have been adding chrome-covered, functional, sometimes beautifully detailed air vents to the front fenders of their vehicles. Now brands with less prestige are adapting designs that offer the perception of functionality.

Either way, the intent is the same.

"It is a good way to add detail to the side of the car," says Manoogian, GM's director of design for premium, midluxury vehicles. "It is like someone wearing a piece of jewelry. Your eye tends to go to that as kind of a focal point. It is a nice little exclamation point."

Full article, sub req'd: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../70524013/1144

My take: clearly a fad that will soon run its course

[JM9777]

My take is they tend to look about as good as the design and engineering effort that went into them. The vents on the 2008 CTS are beautiful, and there was clearly a ton of thought put into their shape as well as how they are constructed (just look at the incredibly complex fender stamping surrounding them). On the other hand, the vents in the Escalade and 2008 STS were tacked on after the car was designed, and they look like it.

I hope we don't see them on every new car in the next few years. Well-executed portholes for Buick and side vents for Cadillac are one thing, but putting vents on Saturn VUEs and (hypothetically) Chevrolet Aveos are another.

[mkaresh]

I don't know about the Aveo. But how about the 2008 Focus?

[regfootball]

i am in favor of removing all chrome off most cars. I am getting sick of all the excess chrome on cars again these days.

[mgescuro]

Wait... the Cadillac side vents are FUNCTIONAL????
That's certainly news to me.

The CTS's vents are nicely done. They follow the body line, and actually create a beautiful eye catching angle.
The Escalade looks like somebody put a sticker of a vent on the side... and the STS looks like Spiderman splooged on the fender.

If Cadillac decides to but a side vent on the XLR, it better be analogous to the CTS; otherwise, it will just look like just another tacky add on.

I don't know why GM is complaining. It's not like they were the first to come up with this side vent idea. Land Rover and Jaguar had them prior to any Cadillac. And BMW and Aston had them before LR and Jaguar.
What they should be complaining about is now the increasing ubiquity of the side vents AND the big block or strip of chrome that is suddenly appearing on every new car from a variety of automakers AND the silver plastic/aluminum/chrome embedded in the foglights. First R-Class... then CTS... then 9-3...

All of this will backfire in the coming years as tasteless and tacky add-ons.

[asim]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

I don't know about the Aveo. But how about the 2008 Focus?

The 2008 Focus is just plain ugly. With or without sidevents won't make a big difference on the ugliness of the car. lol

[redimpss5]

Buick had those in the 50's!

[awalbert88]

After I saw the "M3" vents on a Civic, I felt that the styling cue was dead.

[hunchman]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Wait... the Cadillac side vents are FUNCTIONAL????
That's certainly news to me.

The CTS's vents are nicely done. They follow the body line, and actually create a beautiful eye catching angle.
The Escalade looks like somebody put a sticker of a vent on the side... and the STS looks like Spiderman splooged on the fender.

If Cadillac decides to but a side vent on the XLR, it better be analogous to the CTS; otherwise, it will just look like just another tacky add on.

I don't know why GM is complaining. It's not like they were the first to come up with this side vent idea. Land Rover and Jaguar had them prior to any Cadillac. And BMW and Aston had them before LR and Jaguar.
What they should be complaining about is now the increasing ubiquity of the side vents AND the big block or strip of chrome that is suddenly appearing on every new car from a variety of automakers AND the silver plastic/aluminum/chrome embedded in the foglights. First R-Class... then CTS... then 9-3...

All of this will backfire in the coming years as tasteless and tacky add-ons.

Um mg your age is showing GM had these things decades ago.........now the million dollar question ..What was the name given to these vents?

[HoeyHimself]

Fake vents are like fake gold, when it's obvious and out of place, it's tacky and trashy.

[TuffG929]

It's a pretty serious charge to level at what is, admittedly, a trend. But John Manoogian, Cadillac's lead exterior designer, believes that fake side vents will wipe out the current trend of stylized-yet-functional side vents. Manoogian says "I've seen Chrysler 300s where guys are buying these stick-on portholes, and I'm thinking, 'What are these people thinking?' They are literally stick-on parts." Yet imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and if every other carmaker (including Saturn) and aftermarket shop has hopped on your coat tails... we'd think you'd pat yourself...


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[Cabana Boy]

So what? It looks good on both.
It seems to fit into the character lines of the Focus anyway - which looks pretty good BTW.

[Buick61]

The vents are to the late 2000s as were tailfins to the late 1950s.

EVERYTHING seems to be getting them. Ford is the biggest abuser.

I mean, they're on the Taurus(!) for gosh sakes.

[igor]

1) no the sidevents look awful on the Focus

2) the Escallade vents ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL ...!!! are they? They are simpyl different because there is an actual HOLE in the sheet metal under them, unlike the #M kind on the Focus ..

but that does not make them any better ... like the CTS Vents .. very fex cars actually use functional side vents. Ford will actually on all cars with the new TwinForce engines - the 2 turbos needs a hood scoop or a side vent ..

IGor

[TuffG929]

Originally Posted by igor

1) no the sidevents look awful on the Focus

2) the Escallade vents ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL ...!!! are they? They are simpyl different because there is an actual HOLE in the sheet metal under them, unlike the #M kind on the Focus ..

but that does not make them any better ... like the CTS Vents .. very fex cars actually use functional side vents. Ford will actually on all cars with the new TwinForce engines - the 2 turbos needs a hood scoop or a side vent ..

IGor

How do you define "Functional"? As far as I know, they are only supposed to release hot air.