3) France: France is classicism in all its splendour. Proud heirs of the light and royalty era, empire of reason and aristocratic splendour, French culture is filled with elegance and good taste, sprinkled with a touch of snobbism. Whether it's architecture, fashion, or modern art, the French will always privilege finding that subtle detail that will make their creations a "work of art". They twist the art of speaking like no one else in the world and sometimes maintain too much of a cult of their past glory.
Automobile designs coming out of France are quite the image of their beautiful country. Models of extraordinary designs were born there. We only have to think about the Citroën Traction or DS to convince ourselves. And the cockpits are often as magnificent and plush as a living room. But that country's automotive industry seems to fear coming back to America.
I've actually filmed a commercial for Citroën three years ago and we've had a long discussion on this matter. It was clear to me that if they seemed tempted to cross the ocean once again, their failure in the seventies was painful to them. I happened to have a student job at that time working for Elf, the French oil company, and all the bosses without exception were driving Citroëns, including one that drove the Sport Maserati model. What a car that was!
4) Germany: Germans are recognized for their discipline, their concern for a job well done, their rigor that borders on intransigent. It's also one the cradles of philosophical thinking. Whether talking about Marx, Hegel, Luther or Freud, the Germans have developed a deep thinking in everything they undertake.
The Bahaus school was born in the beginning of the 20th century. That school of design that is famous today was also based on critical thinking in the society of that time and adopted an approach that privileged the simplicity of lines and a functional aspect. Frills, tinsel, and fireworks were thrown out the door. This spirit we could qualify as "form over function" found itself later on in the spirit of the automobile.
Talking of Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, BMW or even Volkswagen, the spirit of Germanic design is easily found in them. We can never make a mistake when seeing one of these brands on the street. They don't change their design, they evolve it. They don't give up to fashions; they adapt them in their way of working. There is in German cars this sense of rigor and will of continuity that we find in their thinking. German cars, as opposed to Italian ones, charm us by their depth more than their curves.
5) Japan: The land of the rising sun is also the land of contrast. Between the warrior past and philosophical zen, the beauty of its scenery and violence of its tsunamis, Japan's culture is very "inner". Everyone who has been in contact with their art, their architecture and their technology were impressed with their manic concern of the smallest detail. They tend towards perfection until they get very far, sometimes even too far. Nevertheless, they have adapted the influence of foreign places and sometimes even improve on it.
That attention to detail and obsession of perfection have durably installed themselves in the automotive industry. All the brands of that country have succeeded to adapt themselves and are inspired by the big brands to eventually challenge them on their own territory. Whether we're talking about the rotary engine, originally from Germany, or luxury vehicles, they are imposing themselves thanks to their attention to detail and hard work. However, they still have difficulties transpiring their philosophy with a design that is truly their own. Their automotive design is still too much beneath the skin.
Let's not forget, though, as opposed to their European counterparts, the Japanese automotive industry is still quite young. They will know how to refine their own design in the coming years.
Automobile designs coming out of France are quite the image of their beautiful country. Models of extraordinary designs were born there. We only have to think about the Citroën Traction or DS to convince ourselves. And the cockpits are often as magnificent and plush as a living room. But that country's automotive industry seems to fear coming back to America.
I've actually filmed a commercial for Citroën three years ago and we've had a long discussion on this matter. It was clear to me that if they seemed tempted to cross the ocean once again, their failure in the seventies was painful to them. I happened to have a student job at that time working for Elf, the French oil company, and all the bosses without exception were driving Citroëns, including one that drove the Sport Maserati model. What a car that was!
4) Germany: Germans are recognized for their discipline, their concern for a job well done, their rigor that borders on intransigent. It's also one the cradles of philosophical thinking. Whether talking about Marx, Hegel, Luther or Freud, the Germans have developed a deep thinking in everything they undertake.
The Bahaus school was born in the beginning of the 20th century. That school of design that is famous today was also based on critical thinking in the society of that time and adopted an approach that privileged the simplicity of lines and a functional aspect. Frills, tinsel, and fireworks were thrown out the door. This spirit we could qualify as "form over function" found itself later on in the spirit of the automobile.
Talking of Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, BMW or even Volkswagen, the spirit of Germanic design is easily found in them. We can never make a mistake when seeing one of these brands on the street. They don't change their design, they evolve it. They don't give up to fashions; they adapt them in their way of working. There is in German cars this sense of rigor and will of continuity that we find in their thinking. German cars, as opposed to Italian ones, charm us by their depth more than their curves.
5) Japan: The land of the rising sun is also the land of contrast. Between the warrior past and philosophical zen, the beauty of its scenery and violence of its tsunamis, Japan's culture is very "inner". Everyone who has been in contact with their art, their architecture and their technology were impressed with their manic concern of the smallest detail. They tend towards perfection until they get very far, sometimes even too far. Nevertheless, they have adapted the influence of foreign places and sometimes even improve on it.
That attention to detail and obsession of perfection have durably installed themselves in the automotive industry. All the brands of that country have succeeded to adapt themselves and are inspired by the big brands to eventually challenge them on their own territory. Whether we're talking about the rotary engine, originally from Germany, or luxury vehicles, they are imposing themselves thanks to their attention to detail and hard work. However, they still have difficulties transpiring their philosophy with a design that is truly their own. Their automotive design is still too much beneath the skin.
Let's not forget, though, as opposed to their European counterparts, the Japanese automotive industry is still quite young. They will know how to refine their own design in the coming years.