Chinacentric Automotive Design

[mikmak]

What will be China's contribution to Automotive trends of the future?

Michael McWilliams
mikmak
GMInsidenews.com
Australian Correspondent

21 August 2009

What creates an automotive trend? Is it aesthetic appeal? Perhaps it's practicality....I don't think so. While it would be fool hardy to dismiss social conscience, even this latest wave of public pressure will not be the primary influence in the next automotive cultural shift.

As always, it is the largest market that determines the trend. For 6 decades, this has been the US market. During the 50's, America was experiencing growth at a level previously unfathomable. Winged beasts of metal and chrome adorned the landscape and driveways across the country, each one a louder patriotic trumpet of national success than the last. The aspirational lifestyle of carefree road trips, wind caressing your wife's beehive, as she smiled across at you in the latest luxury convertible, was reinforced through popular cinema. The fins and wings can be seen in rival markets of the time, as other countries clumsily attempted to portray a vicarious level of success.

It was all repeated through the Muscle car era and that brief but proportionately horrific era of minvans. But, as globalisation gained speed, the influence of car design has become the product of a desire to reduce overheads borne of more stringent regulation and a demand for greater return from investors. Safety, research and development of rapidly increasingly complex systems, and, the administrative burden of operating empires that span the globe, have all detracted from the effort that was once put into automotive aesthetics.

The most recent example, of course, was the SUV craze. In a return to the "mine is bigger and shinier than yours" theme of the 50's and 60's, SUV's where relatively cheap to make and represented an opportunity to charge more for older technology. It has driven marques normally associated with the opposite end of the automotive spectrum, to ditch their nomex gloves and helmet in favour of picking up the kids from soccer. BMW, Porsche, Mercedes Benz and Audi have all followed the US, releasing their own interpretation of the SUV phenomenon, with varying effectiveness.

You can't fault the logic. There is no doubt that if these companies had stuck to their traditionalist guns, they would have been swept away in the current financial debacle. Instead, they have generated enough cash, through the perceived value of automotive acreage/dollar, to weather the storm, at least for a little longer. Unfortunately, it was this very pursuit of a market vulnerable to resource prices, that left many with yards full of rapidly diminishing returns.

But what now? The US still maintains significant cultural influence in many parts of the world, with dominance in the music industry as well as popular film, but this is all driven by one thing. Cold Hard Cash. Which is something, as well as the leverage on resource demand that being the largest market used to command, that the US is desperately running low on.

Search any media outlet and the trend is clear. China is fast becoming the centre of the car market. Possibly this year, and almost certainly in 2010, China will overtake the US in automotive sales. With a rapidly growing (rather than shrinking) middle class, it will be a matter of years before more profitable models will start penetrating the mass market. So where does that leave the SUV? What do they drive in China and how will this effect what YOU will be driving in the future?

At 7%, SUV's are hardly a significant part of the Chinese market. Even more tellingly, the Chinese government's own Automotive stimulus package provides reduced taxes for vehicles with engines <1.6L and subsidies for sub 1.3L capacities.

How long will it be before China realises their own ability to wield cultural influence? How long before the Chinese instill their own needs on the automotive trends of tomorrow, leaving an everlasting mark on the history of personal transport that, for so long, had been the domain of American culture? After decades of faux practicality that only SUVs could provide, one can only hope that China remembers what truly made Cadillac the standard of the world. A passionate commitment to style, that conveyed an idealistic national identity.

[skylark68]

Great article. I agree that design will be influenced by China more and more in the future. If the Park Avenue, Riviera concept, and LaCrosse are any indication, that won't be such a bad thing.

I think that the American market will still be vitally important to any car maker wishing to be a success however, and there will probably be design schemes with Chinese and American themes morphed into a single car.

[mikmak]

Thanks skylark68. And I agree, whilst China is going to be a higher unit market, they still rely on lower value vehicles at the moment. Their design influence will grow proportionately with their $profit/unit.

[camaro_freak]

and admins I don't care if I get knocked some points on this, I'm going to say it anyways.

I think it stinks to high heaven to have American cars (designed for Americans) from China or anywhere else for that matter. If we can't design our own cars then why bother? Have we become that dependent on other countries? We already import most of our domestic vehicles now (made in Mexico or Canada, or the Australia). Do we need to import the design too?

This new Buick resurgence that is happening is a slap in the face to the oldest remaining American GM brand. When a domestic brand gets better product there then we get here, something is wrong.

Are we just going to give everything up to China in the end? Should we just rollover and give up our "super power" status to them as well?

America used to be creative and innnovative and a beacon for the future... It would appear that GM is leading the charge to pass that mantle over to the Chinese just to make an extra buck.

I have nothing against Chinese people but this needs to be stopped.

[AMcA]

I particularly appreciate the Chinese approach to interiors. Just look at the new LaCrosse. They've got a flair for this sort of thing.

[GMusa]

and admins I don't care if I get knocked some points on this, I'm going to say it anyways.

I think it stinks to high heaven to have American cars (designed for Americans) from China or anywhere else for that matter. If we can't design our own cars then why bother? Have we become that dependent on other countries? We already import most of our domestic vehicles now (made in Mexico or Canada, or the Australia). Do we need to import the design too?

This new Buick resurgence that is happening is a slap in the face to the oldest remaining American GM brand. When a domestic brand gets better product then we get here, something is wrong.

Are we just going to give everything up to China in the end? Should we just rollover and give up our "super power" status to them as well?

America used to be creative and innnovative and a beacon for the future... It would appear that GM is leading the charge to pass that mantle over to the Chinese just to make an extra buck.

I have nothing against Chinese people but this needs to be stopped.

i agree.

[StormHunter77]

and admins I don't care if I get knocked some points on this, I'm going to say it anyways.

I think it stinks to high heaven to have American cars (designed for Americans) from China or anywhere else for that matter. If we can't design our own cars then why bother? Have we become that dependent on other countries? We already import most of our domestic vehicles now (made in Mexico or Canada, or the Australia). Do we need to import the design too?

This new Buick resurgence that is happening is a slap in the face to the oldest remaining American GM brand. When a domestic brand gets better product then we get here, something is wrong.

Are we just going to give everything up to China in the end? Should we just rollover and give up our "super power" status to them as well?

America used to be creative and innnovative and a beacon for the future... It would appear that GM is leading the charge to pass that mantle over to the Chinese just to make an extra buck.

I have nothing against Chinese people but this needs to be stopped.

I agree as well.

[neshapop]

and admins I don't care if I get knocked some points on this, I'm going to say it anyways.

I think it stinks to high heaven to have American cars (designed for Americans) from China or anywhere else for that matter. If we can't design our own cars then why bother? Have we become that dependent on other countries? We already import most of our domestic vehicles now (made in Mexico or Canada, or the Australia). Do we need to import the design too?

This new Buick resurgence that is happening is a slap in the face to the oldest remaining American GM brand. When a domestic brand gets better product then we get here, something is wrong.

Are we just going to give everything up to China in the end? Should we just rollover and give up our "super power" status to them as well?

America used to be creative and innnovative and a beacon for the future... It would appear that GM is leading the charge to pass that mantle over to the Chinese just to make an extra buck.

I have nothing against Chinese people but this needs to be stopped.

USA is getting into the same pattern as UK 40 years ago, get rid of your industry and be safe haven for Entertainment, Finance and Real Estate. Everything else will be just too expensive to make or provide as a service and forget about Superpower tag.

Just history 101

[KingElvis]

China has an aggressive policy of industrialization. The US has an aggressive policy - since at least Reagan - of de-industrialization and out-sourcing.

We chose the path of exchanging debt for real goods and producing an economy top heavy in 'financial services' (meaning tricking minorities out of their money with sub prime loans) and filled out with dead-end retail McJobs provided by union busting McDonalds others.

This was a choice elites made in both political parties - particularly in the Clinton administration when China got Most Favored Nation trade status (after promising in '92 to 'get tough' on China).

It should also be noted that at the time, trade liberalization was sold as a way to bring China around to recognizing human rights. In fact China has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Capitalism and Totalitarianism make excellent bedfellows, not odd ones as the trade liberalization advocates claimed.

If we change our trade and industrial policies we have a chance at again competing with the rest of the world, but we have to face the fact that we chose this path. It was one also taken by other 'financialized' imperial powers like Spain in the 16th Century and Britain in the late 19th Century...and look what happened to their power once they decimated their industrial base.

[gagt02]

USA is getting into the same pattern as UK 40 years ago, get rid of your industry and be safe haven for Entertainment, Finance and Real Estate. Everything else will be just too expensive to make or provide as a service and forget about Superpower tag.

Just history 101

History 101... every superpower must come to an end...

[Uzzy]

The term "Chinese Automotive Design" is an oxymoron. Aside from the Buick products, everything I've ever seen that came out of China has been either heavily influenced by, or just blatantly copied from, various other vehicle designs.

[johnny smallblock]

and admins I don't care if I get knocked some points on this, I'm going to say it anyways.

I think it stinks to high heaven to have American cars (designed for Americans) from China or anywhere else for that matter. If we can't design our own cars then why bother? Have we become that dependent on other countries? We already import most of our domestic vehicles now (made in Mexico or Canada, or the Australia). Do we need to import the design too?

This new Buick resurgence that is happening is a slap in the face to the oldest remaining American GM brand. When a domestic brand gets better product then we get here, something is wrong.

Are we just going to give everything up to China in the end? Should we just rollover and give up our "super power" status to them as well?

America used to be creative and innnovative and a beacon for the future... It would appear that GM is leading the charge to pass that mantle over to the Chinese just to make an extra buck.

I have nothing against Chinese people but this needs to be stopped.

i agree.

I agree as well.

USA is getting into the same pattern as UK 40 years ago, get rid of your industry and be safe haven for Entertainment, Finance and Real Estate. Everything else will be just too expensive to make or provide as a service and forget about Superpower tag.

Just history 101

Fire the workers. Break the unions. And no one is left to buy your products. Attention will shift to the markets where people have money to spend. That could be China or anywhere else.

[Hurricane]

Excellent article!

[neshapop]

Fire the workers. Break the unions. And no one is left to buy your products. Attention will shift to the markets where people have money to spend. That could be China or anywhere else.

People will do what their governments do, borrow the money to keep the illusion of good standard and pass the debt to our little ones. Credit cards and bank loans made this lifestyle very easy, no nation in this planet cannot compete with our ability to dig ourselves into deeper debt just to keep up with Joneses at the edge of bankruptcy.

[XP300]

A well written article Michael. I've lived through those 6 decades and have seen it all. My favorite cars are those of the mid to late 1950's, when style ruled and cars were restyled yearly.

To those who complain about cars being designed in China, I agree with you, but I understand that things change and this phase will also pass. Make sure your kids get an education (Become Automotive Designers) and more than anything, have a love of cars. We have some great designers right here and sooner or later they will get their chance.

We are moving into an era of "World Cars". Companies can't afford to build one car for the US, another for Australia and a third for Europe. They have to build cars whose platforms are the basis for cars in all three (or more) places.

As for Australia, I have a 66 year old Koala (Teddy Bear) that was brought back from there by a neighbor during WWII. It has a special place on a shelf in my office. It's my bond to Australia, the GI's of WWII and my childhood.