Hi everybody
I am following for several days the chats, thoughts and debates about the last Detroit Competition, and more especially the way votes work within the LM competitions. According to your views and some personal feeling, I'd like to bring my 2 cents.
First I am glad to see such a constructive and respectful exchange. Everyone has found out the quality of the Michigan project and the community's vote gives legitimacy to this 1st prize. Congratulations Carbofos!
Before talking about the general aspect of votes and competition, I would like to elaborate a bit about (Euro) Style. When I saw the Michigan project, besides the great rendering and sensual shapes, I didn't feel a Car from and for Detroit, but a subtle and inspired melt between a Pininfarina Sintesis, a Citroën C-Airdream, a Bertone Jet 2 and a Tesla S. Not the worst references, but very European, what some of you highlighted before... It seemed to be the right opportunity to start again the debate about US cars' identity Vs imports' spirit in the LM competitions.
On one hand it's justified because as everyone, when I think American cars, I figure Muscle Cars, Hot Rods, Customs, the GT40, or the PT Cruiser and 300C for John Doe's personal car. That is America for the foreigner I am, and a Ford five hundred is not as authentically American to me.
On the other hand, the imports are not as specific nowadays. Just some questions... Which is more exotic? Driving an Alfa Romeo in the 60's when the Big 3 represented 90% of the domestic market or driving a Toyota in 2008 when the Big 3 represents less than 50% (and it was before the crisis!). Does Volvo engineers take care about American customers first or about Swedish ones when they conceive cars (almost half of the world production is sold in the US)? Is the Hyundai Genesis an American car for an American driver (conceived for the USA to compete against the Mustang)?
I am not meaning that culture and history are useless cliches. I strongly believe in these 2 aspects. But what was an implicit cultural difference yesterday is a marketing argument that each company tries to defend today... And we have to deal (and play) with this state of things.
Tesla and Fisker chose to start from a blank page, but I assume they are writing a genuine page of the American automotive industry, as the Muscle Cars did 40 years ago.
Local Motors is on the same scheme and is moreover inspired by a worldwide community, to create exciting American cars. All the styles, influences and trends are welcome as long as it's justified and authentic. Maybe this last point has been underestimated recently.
...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thoughts on LM Car Design Competitions (part 1)
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4 comments:
I agree "all the styles, influences and trends are welcome"...
This is what makes LM a great opportunity. The design can be a mix of many things, but...be sure the vehicle design uses these influences in a way to reflect the geographic region/ culture you are designing for.
All of these attributes makes each LM vehicle unique within the U.S.
As a Detroiter, which entry was your favorite design in the Dtown competition, dshed?
This is detroit444 and I just want to say Yes, yes and yes. I agree with you. I have always agreed.
When I started to complain about the detroit winner not looking like a detroit car many felt the same way. When I said it was eurostyle, many said the same. You agree with me about that in this blog. I want the world to take detroit in a new direction and not just one that is a rehash of muscle car past.
I was surprised when jrogers took it as an attack on eurostyle, like I suffer from predjudice or that I don't have an open mind. That is not me and that was not my point. I have said many times that some of the most famous American cars have been influenced by the Eurostyle, the mustang and many cars from the 30's and 40's are examples.
I AGREE that world influence can and should shape the future of American style after all our country is made up of people from all over the world. That is the big picture. That is not what my point was that started this whole thing. My thought was that if so many people agreed with me that the winner didn't feel like "detroit" then why did it win? It had to be some flaw in the vote system which allowed people to vote on beauty rather than the brief. That is fixed now and many told me they were inspired by me for speeking my mind and they want come back to the community. That will make LM better in the long run. jrogers should be thank me rather then make me seem like a closed minded American.
Take a look at the winner interview of the boston competition. The first question is "what was your inspiration?" He says American hot rods. Second question "why is this car fit for boston?" He talks of history. That is what the detroit competion was about. Boston is not the the motor city yet their winner refelcts that, Detroit should have too. Our winner said he wanted something that would contrast detroit's industiral side. That is fine but the opposite of the brief. Where does it show our history? We made the world of cars, where does it reflect that? It is a great design but... we all know its not detroit. We are a proud city and want something to represent us and make us proud or our history not contrast us. That was the point. Hence the debate and the change in the vote system.
The discussion following the competion was not about attacking eurostyle. Mihai has never been to the US but he nailed the style with that boston bullet. So that proves someone not from detroit or the US can design for the people there. That is what those of us in Detroit were wanting to see with our competion. So yes, use influences from around the world to design detroit a car that represents them.
dshed above said what I always thought " I agree "all the styles, influences and trends are welcome"...
This is what makes LM a great opportunity. The design can be a mix of many things, but...be sure the vehicle design uses these influences in a way to reflect the geographic region/ culture you are designing for." My point exactly.
Aurel, you say what I believe, what I was trying to say all along. I am glad I was a part of it and that it brought the community together. I am happy with the vote system and I am glad to hear your thoughts. Thanks.
BTW, I don't hate carbofor's design, I like it and I think with a few Detroitish changes to the front end it could, in the end be a car a Detroiter would be proud to drive. LM had competitions for changes to the rally fighter how about this? Sound like a competition?
Detroit/Chris - sorry for the delay in my response. I think you did represent your point of view very eloquently during our many chats. I think the idea to take this design and make it more "Detroit" is an interesting one.
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