Re: Missing Links

Thanks for your thoughts on modernism and post modernism B&N.

Regarding Green's latest column, if the auto industry is to be criticized for being slow to pick up on trends, then I think auto journalism could be criticized for being slow to pick up on trends in the auto industry. The VW badges on the Golf have been getting steadily bigger and more prominent for over 25 years now.

You mention the larger world of industrial design. I wonder if you are familiar with this book "The Conran Directory of Design - Edited by Stephen Bayley"? It's about 25 years old now, but still available at Amazon. It was the first book that I bought on the broader subject of design, and I still think it is a good intro to the topic. Of course, with Bayley behind it there is some coverage of car design and famous car designers - which I view as a plus. Given the age of the book, there is no coverage of Apple, but Braun and Dieter Rams are there! Overall, I find the book helps me see car design in context with technology and other everyday products of the 20th C such as telephones, typewriters, appliances, cameras, corporate logos, architecture and furniture.

Re: Missing Links

Two good design books, both by Bayley: "Sex, Drink and Fast Cars" from 1987, and "General Knowledge"  from 2002. (I´m repeating myself here.) I´d like to qualify that by saying that after I moved into my present line of work I realised that books like Bayley´s and books by Penny Sparke, for example, were not actually that representative. Bayley is more of a cultural commentator and he uses design as a lens or cipher. And he´s very good at this too. I´d say he is probably sensitive to the semantics of design. Penny Sparke is a design historian. Her books are nice catalogues of work done. In neither of the authors´ books is there much about how design is done and what are the key constraints. In the world of Bayley design is about iPods, Volvos, fine living and the high-end consumer goods that go with it. In Penny Sparke´s world, design is embodied in a set of objects about whose means of production one learns little. Her books are usually nice to look at but don´t say a whole lot about the wicked problems of making a thing that provides for a want or need.

I´ll refer readers again to C. Edson Armee´s book "The Art of American Car Design." It´s out of print but worth the money and time to get it if you want an insight on the car design process.

Re: Missing Links

B&N: Good stuff, although you don't mention if you have seen the Conran directory or not. I have one of Penny Sparke's books. I need to take another look at it before passing judgement. So back to missing links.....

THE MINIVAN

Pushing things further back still, to 1948 and the Renault Juvaquatre Taxi.

Re: Missing Links

THE FASTBACK SUV

I’ve previously put forward the 1953 Volvo TP21 Sugga as the more attractive parent of the BMW X6 but the Gaz M-72 Pobeda from 1955, though 2 years younger, has an even more sporty profile.
 

Re: Missing Links

Robinstp. It's not often a vehicle catches me out, but until 3 or 4 years ago I'd never heard of a Volvo Sugga. Then one day, in a traffic jam, I found myself sitting beside one for about 10 minutes. Now I'm a cold-fish Brit and I can sit next to a Veyron for half an hour and not give the driver the pleasure of even a flick of the eyes. But that made me stare in envy.  And the Gaz is even madder, although in fairness the one above does have monster tyres. For more information, here's a website.