It's in the details....
Did you know that 70-80 percent of what you experience in the interior of a car is purely subjective, sensual, perception? In simple terms it’s what you see, touch (feel), smell and hear while sitting inside your car but cannot directly point to when asked. It’s still integral in forming your perception of the car.
It gets even more interesting when you know that about 30 percent of the above comprises what you don’t see, just touch, smell and hear.
These factoids are vital when designing the interior of a car as they go beyond the styling - “the looks” - into perceptual quality. To use a simple example…the buttons that you use to control the radio functions or the automatic climatic control. Each of us has our own perception of how they should feel and click when they turn; similarly the gear shifter knob, the steering wheel or even the car key fob.
The sum of these detailed experiences unconsciously adds to our perception of the car and whether we would consider buying it.
So it is in the detail…as they say.
The key denominators to get to the right results are choosing high caliber components that fulfill our high quality standards and at the same time fit the sculptural yet precise form language that we have created for Opel and Vauxhall. This needs to be combined with a focus on perfect fit and finish of these components.
That is why we have a team of engineers working side by side with designers that focus on what we call “Design Appearance Quality”, to ensure that all the “Key Components” of a car that you interact with on a day to day basis, look, feel and operate beautifully.
The design and engineering teams are there from the very first sketch. They basically translate the sketch, clay models and surface data into production reality.
Even before the first pen is put to paper, it’s this team that goes out and starts searching and benchmarking all aspects of the vehicle, including decorative finishes and materials, to ensure the foundations of the design are sound.
The new Insignia is a really good example on how designers and engineers work together. Over 800 parts went into the appearance of the Insignia, from the leather and fabrics on the seats, to the chrome decorations around the gear shifter to the pyramid structure found on some of the Insignia buttons in the interior.
So maybe the next time you get into a car. Before you look around, close your eyes and try to touch and feel what’s inside - it’s an interesting experience.
Mark Adams, GM Europe Vice President of Design
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- Posted in Design |
- Comments (1)
Comments (1)
A. Woodruffe said:
Hi Mark,
May I first congratulate you and the rest of the GM design team in once again producing one of the most amazing concepts in the last couple years with the Saab 9-X Bio-Hybrid. A car that is so desperately needed in Saab’s portfolio more so than the 9-4x or even as far to say a new 9-5.
Trying not to teach one how to suck eggs, both exterior and interior are important. A vehicle needs that eye-catcher look and seeing the official pictures of the all new Insignia, we can see GM are very much intending a premium class vehicle. Which is a must when considering that after 10 years of progressive design and marketing Volkswagen have finally established themselves in this area with the new Passat CC. It is inevitable that OPEL must follow and in the process will maintain a clear differentiation from GME’s main-stream Chevrolet brand. However; the proof of the pudding is in the eating and as a perfectly golden-brown baked pie may leave one’s mouth watering, it would all be for nothing if the cook did not add the correct filling. The right amount of mix combined with succulent juices with those subtle flavors which you can’t quite make out, leaves you needing yet another slice. So often has it been quoted that it is what is on the inside that counts.
I do hope the interior of the Insignia is as good as the pictures seem to suggest and not filled with cheap looking plastics and feeble switch-gear. I sincerely hope that Rüsselsheim has baked the perfect Apfeltorte.
However Mark; my real question is if this level of quality can be expected of OPEL where does this leave Saab? The outgoing Vectra had better quality than the 9-3 in some departments, the Insignia with it’s better driving dynamics, interior quality and more technically advanced engines will leave all of Saab’s current products in such a sad state of affairs that some could easily question the viability of a brand that barely produces 130,000 units pa. Steve Shannon has been quoted in saying that the 9-4x will carry 97% of the original concept and we can assume that the boot warmer compartment, ski-carrier, and white leather will not make production, which is understandable. Kjell-Ake Eriksson said the vehicle will seat 5 and noticing various spyshots on the internet it seems for at least these test mules, the acrylic interior facia has been eliminated. What assurances can GM give to the potential buyers out there that future Saabs will carry the ‘ice-block’ theme that has attributed to a multitude of concept awards. That the interiors will revert back to their own individual ‘form over function’ design and that finally GM will release the funds to truly make Saab the alternative to Audi. With the interior quality to match its price tag and finally carry a distinct level of luxury over their Rüsselsheim stable-mates?
Best regards
Anthony