Archives for : April2020

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Automotive Design

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Automotive Design



Welcome to the design section of Car Design Online. This area includes information on most of the pre-production elements of automotive design. These include the creative elements of vehicle development, such as sketching and modelling, as well as other important considerations, namely aerodynamics and ergonomics.


Aerodynamics

In this section we take a look at the science of aerodynamics and how manufacturers use CAD and wind-tunnel testing to perfect new vehicles.


Ergonomics

An increasingly important aspect of automotive design, this section on ergonomics and anthropometrics looks at design for human form and behaviour.


Modelling

Whether virtual or actual, realising a design in 3D has always been a critical element of vehicle development. From clay to CAD, we look at the different methods and practices.


Sketching

From a designer’s initial idea to fully resolved renderings; we take a look at how ideas are realised in 2D.




Volvo’s VMCC team investigate two-seater commuters
A look at the design evolution of this Italian sports car manufacturer
Volvo’s Californian design centre looks to the future for new ideas












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renault logo a retrospective

Renault Logo – A Retrospective

2015 sees Renault update its logo; not for the first time. We take a look back at 118 years of Renault and its logos.

 

1898: Birth of a company

Renault was founded in 1898 by the three brothers Louis, Marcel and Fernand Renault. The company was initially called “Renault-Frères” and the first logo in 1900 featured the brother’s initials, with two entwined Rs in an “Art Nouveau” medallion. Used primarily on internal documents, this emblem was not used on brand vehicles, which could be recognized only by the name “Renault-Frères” on the running board and the initials LR (for Louis Renault) carved onto the wheel hubs.

In 1906, the medallion was replaced by an image of the Renault that won the first French Grand Prix, shown inside a gear wheel. On becoming the sole manager of the company, Louis Renault changed the name from “Renault-Frères” to “Société des Automobiles Renault” in 1910. At the end of the First World War, due to its contribution to the Allied victory by producing FT17 tanks, Renault modified its logo to feature this celebrated armoured vehicle. In 1922, Louis Renault changed again the name of its company to “Société Anonyme des Usines Renault”.

In 1923, Renault decided for the first time to place a front-end logo on its vehicles to make them more easily identifiable. It adopted a round grille with the name of Renault in the centre. This logo was both functional and essential since behind the grille at the front of the bonnet was… the horn! Regulations required this function to be positioned at the front behind a metal grille. Tailored to the specific snout shape of Renault’s “Alligator” bonnet, the logo was split in two by a central line.

 

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1925: The adoption of the diamond

The round logo of 1923 soon gained more angular contours, better suited to the dihedral-shaped bonnets with their two plane faces and central dividing line. The diamond was used alongside the round grille from 1924, appearing on the front of the 40-CV Type NM executive tourer. This geometrical symbol was definitively adopted in 1925. In the first instance, the diamond was used exclusively on luxury sports vehicles identified by the name Stella from 1929.

Over the 1930s, the identity evolved gradually and was progressively adopted across the company. During this period, the company also gained a famous brand signature: “Renault, l’Automobile de France” (“Renault, The Automobile of France”).

The nationalization of Renault on January 16, 1945 marked a change in status. The company became the Régie Nationale des Usines Renault. The name “Renault” was used as the commercial brand. The brand signature evolved to become: “Plus que jamais, Renault, l’Automobile de France” (“More than ever, Renault, the Automobile of France”). From 1946, these changes were also reflected in the diamond logo, which was published in colour for the first time on official documents. Yellow became the emblematic colour of the brand.

The diamond became indistinguishable from Renault and was included in all documents and adverts. In 1959, from the Renault 4, the cars and the sales network began to use a new, narrower logo called the Pointe de Diamant or diamond tip. The emblem still included the name “Renault” etched in slimmer lettering but the words “Régie Nationale” disappeared. Positioned in some cases on the right of the asymmetric grille (as on the Renault 8, for example), the logo was also used as a decorative feature on the body sides (particularly on the rear wings of the Renault 16). On internal documents, the black-and-white logo always had a yellow background.

 

1972: The famous Vasarely diamond

To further underline the strength of the diamond, the company decided in 1972 to make it wider with cleaner lines. The diamond became more prominent and the name of Renault was no longer included. The company decided to bring into play its Art & Industry policy, set up in 1967, with contributors including painter and visual artist Victor Vasarely. Working with his son Yvaral, the founder of op art created a logo based on parallel lines. The result was both simple and intricate, high-tech and visually attractive. The Renault 5 became the first model to feature the “new diamond”.

Since 1963, Renault asked the agency Publicis to create its advertising campaigns. In 1985, this agency came up with one of the company’s most emblematic signatures: “Renault, Des Voitures à Vivre” (“Renault, cars for living”). Twenty years after the Vasarely logo, Renault decided to review its visual identity to express the quality standards embodied by the brand. The 1992 logo was equally elegant but simpler and stronger with its 3D relief. It was an emblem suggesting the quality and robust strength of brand products. Renault’s name also appeared under the diamond in each document or advert.

In 2000, the brand adopted the brand signature “Créateur d’Automobiles” (“Creator of Automobiles”) and updated its visual identity, placing the diamond symbol inside a yellow square to bring out its relief and substance in 2004. Three years later, the international signature became “RENAULT – Drive the Change”, heralding Renault’s innovation in new territories with the arrival of the electric vehicle range.

 

2015: Renault – Passion for life

With the renewal of the range well underway, Renault has chosen this moment to launch a new Brand signature, ‘RENAULT – Passion for life’. At the same time as the new brand signature, Renault’s Corporate Design Department has carried out a review of the brand’s graphic identity. The Renault diamond has been made bolder and has been freed from the confinement of its surrounding outline – it now shared the attributes of the generous, higher-status, brighter logo that adorns the front of the brand’s latest models. The Renault yellow, which has been made brighter and warmer, is visible as a vertical strip to the logo’s right. This evolution concerns all the company’s marketing and communication materials – from advertising, both audio and visual (TV, print, posters, radio, etc), to websites, exhibition stands, special events, merchandising, and clothing.





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renault beautifully resurrects alpine brand with nostalgic concept

Renault Beautifully Resurrects Alpine Brand with Nostalgic Concept

At the home of the world-famous Monte Carlo Rally and on the Col de Turini, site of some of racing’s most memorable moments, Groupe Renault announced its plans for a new Alpine sports car, and unveiled the Alpine Vision show car.

 

“Motorsports and sports cars are deeply rooted in the DNA of Groupe Renault,” Groupe Renault Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn said. “Earlier this month we announced our return to Formula One with a Renault team, and today we are announcing Alpine. This is an exciting next step in our strategy to leverage talent and technology between road and track, and we look forward to reaching new customers in the sport premium cars segment.”

The Alpine Vision concept combines sensual design with outstanding agility, true to the great Alpine A110 Berlinette loved and admired by enthusiasts around the world. Alpine Vision is powered by a new 4 cylinder turbocharged engine, built by experts at Renault Sport, and its low weight will allow the car to achieve 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4.5 seconds – the target for the future production model.

Alpine will be managed by a small team of passionate experts within Groupe Renault, with one sole mission – to meet and exceed the expectations of the demanding sport premium customer. Michael van der Sande will lead as Alpine managing director, and Antony Villain will head Alpine design. Alpine will draw on the extensive resources of Groupe Renault, and Renault Sport.

“All of us at Alpine are proud to have been entrusted with the task of bringing back Alpine to sports car lovers around the world”, said Michael van der Sande, Alpine managing director. “Our job is to faithfully re-interpret famous Alpines of the past and project Alpine into the future with a beautifully designed, agile, high-performance sports car. Our Alpine Vision show car is immediately recognizable as an Alpine yet resolutely modern. We look forward to revealing the production model later this year.”

Over the next 12 months, the Alpine team will focus on developing a car, closely based on the show car in terms of design, weight, handling, agility and attention to detail. Priorities will also include building out the team and the network, and finally, to pursue racing. The current Signatech-Alpine Racing Team has already won two European endurance championships, and won the LMP2 class in the World Endurance Championship last year in Shanghai; and this year, the team will enter two Alpine LMP2 cars in the World Endurance Championship, including Le Mans.

Made in Dieppe, France, the new Alpine will go on sale in 2017 initially in Europe, followed by other markets worldwide.




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renault a journey through advertising

Renault: A Journey Through Advertising

The long and glorious passion story between Renault and the French can be told through advertising. By reflecting ̶ and sometimes anticipating ̶ social change, Renault adverts turn an amused and understanding eye on France and the lives of French people, mirroring their individual and collective unconscious.

 

1898: Advertising to promote the company name

Renault’s first advert was a real challenge: Louis Renault drove up the steep slope of rue Lepic in Montmartre Paris, with his Voiturette Type A. He was the first to achieve this feat, which won him his first orders. The company used motorsports as a way to promote its name. Renault won many city-to-city races, making a name for itself in both France and Europe. In the early 20th century, the adverts used by the company, which was first named “Renault Frères” and then just “Renault”, were a reflection of their times, with thick, elaborate lettering and drawings of cars to emphasize speed and aerodynamics. The adverts sought to showcase French prestige, expertise and the other major field of progress of the time: aviation. Renault linked its image with that of the pioneering aviator, Hélène Boucher.

 

To welcome its customers in style, Renault displayed its products on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris from 1910, one of the first vehicle manufacturers to do so. With this showroom at the heart of the French capital, the brand was able to showcase its range on the premises occupied today by l’Atelier Renault. In the Edwardian era and between the two world wars, Renault sold luxury cars, relying on its reputation and its name to attract new customers. Brand identity was nurtured by the reflected glory of the FT17 tank, which played a decisive role in the first world war, and expressed in the form of the so-called “alligator” bonnets. The first logo appeared only in 1923, with the brand adopting the diamond shape in 1925. In 1934, Renault adopted an advertising slogan that would remain famous, even after 1944: “L’Automobile de France”. The brand naturally associated itself with France. Today, for French people, Renault remains France’s leading company, as indicated by the latest survey from the Viavoice Institute.

 

1946: Advertising during the post-war boom

After the Liberation, Renault contributed to the rebuilding of France with a range of cars, commercial vehicles and buses suited to all types of use. Renault was now a state-owned company tasked with building popular, affordable cars. In 1946, it launched the 4CV, a car that marked the start of the post-war boom years. At the same time, cars became more affordable, reflecting a new sense of freedom. With the 4CV, celebrated in the well known poster by illustrator Raymond Savignac, the French could enjoy their paid holiday leave and head for the sun via the Nationale 7 road immortalized in a song by Charles Trenet.

French society underwent many changes in the post-war years, including the baby boom, the development of city suburbs and the women’s liberation movement. All these changes brought the brand new customers. The workforce also gained new social rights. Renault was the first company to offer a third week of paid holiday (1955), followed by a fourth (1962) before this became law.

 

 

In 1963, Renault signed a partnership with Publicis for advertising communications. That same year, the dealership on the Champs-Elysées became the “Pub Renault”, a warm and friendly place tasked with showcasing the brand. Advertising now used photographs to present the cars, rather than drawings. The long-serving Renault 4 kept pace with all these changes: the first campaign in 1961 highlighted its fuel economy, while the 1963 version celebrated the more feminine spirit of the “Parisienne” version. A decade later, Michel Fugain sang, “fais un tour en Renault 4, demande-lui beaucoup !” (“go for a drive in the Renault 4 and expect it to deliver the maximum”). In the 1980s, the Renault 4 became a car for young people and also for shopping malls, with the slogan, “Elle supermarche bien”, a play on “bien marcher” (to work well) and “supermarché” (supermarket). In this way, Renault advertising for the 4L accompanied the French public during thirty years of social change.

 

 

1972: Advertising in a time of crisis

The Renault 5 was an offbeat vehicle. Designed from its launch in 1972 for young people keen to break with the past: it was very much a product of the May 1968 demonstrations. The Renault 5 played on its bright colours to get itself noticed and this was reflected in the advertising, which focused on the car’s friendly, appealing looks and replaced the headlamps with big blue eyes. The “5” became a character in its own right, presented on TV in a joyous brightly coloured comic strip with a mischievous tone: “I am the Renault 5. In the city and on the road, they call me Supercar”. Following the oil shock, however, its other main advantage became the fuel economy of the GTL version (4.5l / 100 km). The Renault 5 became an anti-crisis vehicle expressing the social transition: its synthetic bumpers made it ideal for urban driving and awkward parking. At the same time, the customer base became younger (25% of owners under 30 at the moment of purchase) with a larger proportion of women (31%).

 

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In the 1970s, the Renault line-up included a vehicle for every budget, from the city car (Renault 4 and 5) to the executive saloon (Renault 16) via a vehicle for the mid-range budget (Renault 6), alongside LCVs, trucks and tractors. With a range designed to meet every need, the brand played a real social role in the marketing of products tailored to all.

In the 1970s/1980s, Renault opted for innovation in the shape of the turbocharger. Based on a patent filed by Louis Renault in 1902, this development made its debut in endurance racing at the Le Mans 24-hour event and then on the Formula 1 track, where Renault vehicles proudly sported yellow, the brand’s emblematic colour. With the success of these vehicles, Renault transferred this technology to the road, particularly with the 5 Turbo. This constant quest for speed was echoed in TV advertising campaigns, with the Renault 9 and 11 putting on a burst of speed to save a truck with failed brakes, and the Renault 21 Turbo being chased down a German motorway by the Polizei, who stop the driver before letting him go.

 

Renault_69774_global_en

 

1984: Renault, cars for living

Des voitures à vivre (cars for living) is the emblematic Renault slogan from the 1980s and the one that best reflects the brand’s thinking across the decades. The slogan was developed by Publicis and launched with the “Tranches de vie” (slices of life) film, to the backing of “Johnny and Mary” by Robert Palmer. This song could be heard in various forms in most Renault campaigns through to the 1990s. Des voitures à vivre further established Renault’s ability to reflect the needs and aspirations of men, women and families: from the Renault 16 to Twingo, via Espace, the first MPV, Renault is present alongside French men and women, at every moment in their lives.

A specialist in small cars, Renault renewed the genre in the early 1990s with Twingo and Clio. A small one-box vehicle with round, cheery features, Twingo encouraged customers to “invent a lifestyle to go with the car”, while Clio brought the qualities of upmarket vehicles within everybody’s reach, showing that “size matters”. At the same time, its price tag made it affordable on any budget. A few years later, Renault went public. This gave the company an opportunity to communicate on the almost physical ties between the brand and its customers. In 1997, Renault launched a celebrated campaign with the slogan “ça ne marchera jamais” (it will never work), aimed at the sceptics who remained unconvinced by the brand’s bold moves. To celebrate its success in Formula 1, Renault showed its mechanics in the guise of gangsters: after six world championship titles, “it’s not a sporting record, it’s a hold-up!”

 

Humour and a bold, creative approach are the hallmark of advertising at Renault. By taking risks and challenging received ideas through its campaigns, Renault can demonstrate the safety of brand models, with a ballet of cars crashing into each other for example, or maybe refer to the cultural and social realities of French people through blended families or gay marriage, or celebrate a break in the wall… of sound with its emblematic electric vehicle, the silent ZOE.

2015: Renault – Passion for life

In 2010, Renault adopted a new design strategy, starting with the concept car DeZir, a declaration of love for cars. Renault’s design renewal, based on a life cycle concept, took practical shape in 2012 with the launch of New Clio, a vehDesicle of sensual forms with Flame Red bodywork to revive the flame burning in the hearts of car fans everywhere. Following the launches of Captur, New Twingo and New Espace, it is time for Renault to support the renewal of the brand with a new advertising slogan: “Passion for life” and, more specifically for France “La vie, avec passion”. With this signature, Renault remains loyal to the values expressed by “cars for living”. “Passion for life” is a tribute to life, lived to the full, vibrant and exciting, warm and creative, bold and free, because people are at the heart of Renault’s DNA.

Renault has also decided to deploy a new tagline to support its promotional offers: the French Touch. Embodied by the actor Nicolas Carpentier, this series of films plays on received ideas, cultural stereotypes and humour. Sometimes featuring popular celebrities such as judoka Teddy Riner or basketball player Tony Parker, the “French Touch” adverts convey the image of a familiar brand that is close to people and understands them.

In 2015, Renault called on an international icon, actor Kevin Spacey, hero of “House of Cards”. At the wheel of New Espace, the man who spends his life playing other people, from a father going through a mid-life crisis to the President of the US via a disreputable crook… he can at last play his own role and enjoy the passing of time at the wheel of his Espace… Another original way to celebrate life, once more with passion!





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reinventing the steering wheel

Reinventing the Steering Wheel

  • With the addition of many tech and convenience features, the all-new Ford Mustang steering wheel is now the most advanced in pony car history
  • The all-new Mustang steering wheel is the most advanced ever – the addition of new technical features follow a long line of innovations
  • Mustang steering wheel has undergone many styling changes since its debut in 1964

When Mustang first debuted in 1964 it singlehandedly defined the Pony Car segment and has been setting the standard for design ever since. It has influenced trends in every aspect of vehicle styling including the steering wheel. The all-new Mustang carries on that leadership trend. From bare aluminum and resin, to Alcantara-wrapped with drive-mode and steering-effort control, Ford is reinventing the wheel.

 

1964: The first-generation Mustang was a worldwide sensation. An original design America couldn’t get enough of, it established the classic long nose, tight cabin, abrupt trunk proportion stance, which has become Mustang’s signature look. The Mustang interior had its own appeal, with a twin cockpit layout and what would become an iconic steering wheel with three bare-aluminum spokes and a simulated wood rim with a center horn ring. The wheel’s large 16-inch diameter allowed for easy turning, as power steering was optional equipment.

1967: As Mustang matured, new features were added to make it more functional and more convenient for enthusiast buyers. A tilt-away wheel with seven adjustments was available. This allowed drivers to choose the steering position that fit their preference, while also improving vehicle entry and exit without sacrificing looks or practicality. A new faster ratio (20.3:1) power steering system became available in 1967, making turn-in quicker for a sportier feel.

1968: Safety became a priority, and a collapsible steering column was added to Mustang to aid in reducing the possibility of injury in a crash. To bolster this feature, the redesigned two-spoke steering wheel featured a larger, cushioned center section. The center hub horn control was replaced with the small, metal half-circle on the bottom half.

1974: With the launch of the all-new second-generation Mustang II, design took a new, contemporary direction. The three-spoke wheel was replaced with a leather-wrapped two-spoke wheel. Mustang II introduced available power rack-and-pinion steering – allowing cars equipped with that feature to have a smaller 15-inch wheel as opposed to the standard 16-inch one.

1979: With introduction of the much-loved Fox Body Mustang, more European design language was adopted inside and out. The two-spoke wheel from Mustang II was replaced with a four-spoke wheel, which was later shared with other Ford products. Wiper and light controls moved to a steering column stalk. The Fox Mustang steering wheel was a harbinger, incorporating vehicle controls for the first time. Cruise control was offered on manual transmission-equipped cars, with the feature controlled by buttons on the steering wheel.

1984: Mustang was developed into a high-performance variant with the legendary Special Vehicle Operations Mustang. In addition to the high-output turbocharged four-cylinder engine, SVO Mustang’s performance upgrades included an aggressive tilting three-spoke steering wheel featuring a thicker rim and smaller outside diameter for a sportier look and feel. The Ford logo and “SVO” are embossed into the leather on the center of the wheel.

1990: Mustang received its first airbag as standard equipment. Because the airbag was located in the center of the steering wheel, the horn was moved from the center to two spoke-mounted buttons, easily accessible by the natural position of the driver’s thumbs. Cruise control buttons were also placed in a more ergonomic position.

1994: The launch of the fourth-generation Mustang included a nod to the original 1964 pony car, with a twin cockpit layout and sculpted modern styling for the steering wheel and airbag. Various buttons became easier to use, while allowing for the driver to keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Horn buttons were replaced with a hinged airbag cover, acting as horn control at the wheel’s center.

2005: Based on the 1965-1967 Mustang design, this three-spoke wheel appeared on the fifth-generation Mustang. This wheel was available with standard urethane spokes, or optional aluminum spokes with the interior upgrade package. Unlike the steering wheels it was based on, this rim came wrapped in leather.

2010: Many buttons were added for SYNC voice control technology, including volume, phone, audio input selections and track/station selectors. The center badge changed from over-molded acrylic to high-quality spun aluminum with a polished aluminum horse, or snake in the case of Shelby GT500. Aluminum spokes hooking into the leather mimicked design elements of the center stack to impart a universal theme throughout the cabin. Contrast stitching in the steering wheel was available with the interior upgrade package.

2013: In further refinement of the Mustang steering wheel as the in-car tech control center, the wheel was revised to include a four-way control button, plus an “OK” button for instrument cluster screen control. Boss 302 and Shelby GT500 Mustangs got a race-inspired Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel.

2015: A totally redesigned steering wheel for the all-new 50th anniversary Mustang incorporates more controls than ever. Up to 20 buttons can be found on the wheel of the sixth-generation pony car, controlling everything from adaptive cruise control to SYNC functionality. Buttons on the right side of the wheel control SYNC and the radio, while buttons on the left deal with the driving controls and gauge cluster screen. Paddle shifters are available with automatic transmission-equipped Mustang for the first time – mounted on the rear of the steering wheel. The circle airbag in this wheel had to be specially designed to keep with Mustang heritage, as it’s the only steering wheel in Ford’s lineup with a circle airbag. It is also the company’s smallest diameter wheel, at just 14 inches. The aluminum spokes are trimmed back from the rim so the driver’s hands only touch leather when holding the wheel.

GT350: The Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustangs represent the most track-capable street-legal Mustangs to date, and feature a race-inspired flat-bottom steering wheel with additional driver controls. Shelby drivers can make myriad adjustments to the car without taking their hands from the wheel. Wheel-adjustable features include electric power steering effort, MagneRide suspension settings, advanced drive mode selections and exhaust tuning. As with race car steering wheels, the rim is wrapped in Alcantara, and GT350R includes a stripe on the center at the top, which is designed to let the driver know when the wheel is at true center. For Shelby Cobra, the logo appears on the center of the wheel – the only place inside the car where the logo can be found. Spokes are finished in a darker hue than on Mustang GT – complementing the aggressive nature of Shelby Mustang.





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Additional Modelling Processes

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Additional Modelling Processes

A technician oversees the milling of this Hummer model. The image shows a full size model being milled from high-density foam by a machine that has been given three-dimensional data from previously completed CAD models.








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