This project tries to combine my love of both history and automotive design, along with some infographic design which always fascinates me.
The purpose of this project is to create a timeline of automotive history, cataloging an entire brands history into simple, easy-to-recognise images for each design over time. Each vehicle drawing is created as simply as possible, with only main shape and important character and shutlines shown to give only the most relevant information. I found this was the easiest way to compare two vehicles designed almost a hundred years apart.
The eventual goal is to complete a broad range of vehicle histories from different brands around the world in order to tell a story of the ever changing shape of automotive design.
By positioning the vehicles in a timeline based on the year of their introduction (with a line stretching the lifespan of the vehicle for sale in the market described) and arranging them in order of size or market position, it becomes clear to see the lineage of design for each vehicle.
As the project continued, it became easier to discover trends and further analyse the designs through time. For example, just looking along the primary passenger car range of VW (Beetle and Golf) the change in shape through time is clear; from open fendered pre war design, to the shoebox shape of the Type 3 and 412 in the 1960s. The influence of Giorgetto Giugiaro in the design of the 1973-75 range of vehicles along with the move to FWD gives rise to a sudden change for VW and the designs become more straight edged and cab forward. The VW design ethos is then carried through to modern day with only minor shape changes, with the main character lines an design features being carried through the years to retain brand recognition.
Throughout the entire timeline the entire shape-change of the automotible in the twentieth century can be seen. Vehicles get lower whilst wheel and wheelarch openings get larger. Cabins move further and further forward from the beginning of the Front wheel drive era and beltlines slowly rise and become more raked down towards the nose of the car in the modern period.
All images copyright Michael Gillett 2016. No reproduction without permission.
