If you are someone who wants to show your personality and special quirks with your automobile, then the first thing you would want to do is check out the best designs in the auto world. Sleek designs often mean pleasing to the eyes and good for aerodynamics. However, some car makers even take it to the next level and ensure that every car they produce is a work of art and a head-turner.
IndianAuto has compiled a list of 5 car manufacturers that have the best designs, and if all of them happen to be luxury car companies, there is nothing to do about it because we all know that aesthetically pleasing cars in most cases do not have the most pleasing price tags.
European cars often have to bear the stereotypes of “function over form”, but think twice about that stereotype when you talk about BMW.
If you have ever seen quite a few BMW cars in your life, you would notice that they have a special beast-like strong masculine vibe about them that allows you to know it is a BMW from a glance. The distinct kidney grille, the organic lights, and the intelligent OLEDs are some of the traits of a typical BMW vehicle.
BMW’s philosophies in car design are “less is more” and “form follows function”, but that does not mean the form is not well taken care of. Each car takes years to be designed and fine-tuned to perfections from the outside to the inside. The design process involves internal competitions from all the designers in three design centres located all over the world (California, Munich, and Shanghai), and the result of that grilling competition is a car that no one can complain about.
It takes years for each BMW car to be designed and the effort is all worth it
Audi is super famous in the entertainment world - from Hollywood blockbusters like Taken, Transformers 2, Iron Man, Skyfall, Fifty Shades Darker, etc. to best-selling video games like Call of Duty, the Need For Speed franchise, the Gran Turismo franchise, Grand Theft Auto V, Final Fantasy XV, etc. You can almost see Audi in any expensive entertainment projects out there. And Audi cars are everywhere for a simple reason: they are freaking beautiful!
If BMW has a somewhat menacing tone to its design, Audi is as elegantly beautiful as a perfectly tailored suit, which is one of the manufacturer's goals with car design. While each model has its own characteristics, the shared DNA that connects them all is to “show character, bring technology to life, and truly add currency to the Audi brand”. Staying true to those values, no matter if it is a sports car, an SUV, or a hatchback, Audi car always has minimal embellishments, sleek edges, and large surfaces.
The purpose of Audi’s car design is to elicit emotional reactions
The beauty of McLaren car needs 300 km/h to be fully appreciated, but commoners like most of us who cannot afford one can somewhat appreciate its beauty in our own way (aka looking from afar).
Different from BMW’s design language, which is mostly inspired by the biggest trends of the time, McLaren draws its inspiration from nature, specifically the animal kingdom. The image of a bird, a whale shark, a tailfin, or wings when flying is some of the things that designers at McLaren use to incorporate in their cars. They say that Mother Nature does not only provide them with the most beautiful form that is not affected by fleeting “fashion”, but also teaches them the best lines and shapes for performance. In a McLaren car, there is no place for excessive decorations or styling features, as every line has aerodynamic function and every surface is made to work. Yet, the result is still a masterpiece kind of car. Perhaps, Mother Nature knows best after all.
McLaren cars may look futuristic, but they are inspired by the good old animal kingdom
Koenigsegg Automotive AB, the Swedish manufacturer of high-performance sports cars, is a car maker that was born quite late (in 1994) and only produces a few car each year. However, all the cars they have come up with are simply magical in both performance and design.
Because Koenigsegg’s goal in creating cars is to enhance vehicle performance, every single detail of a Koenigsegg car is looked at and sculpted with the utmost care. The design of Koenigsegg vehicles is not as sleek and futuristic as other supercars, but their somewhat bulkiness and a few rounded angles give this retro yet timeless vibe. The team admits that they never follow trends and only works their best to provide a car with unique look, tighter lines, and aggressive stance. And they sure deliver it with each vehicle.
The body of each car is made from carbon fibre/aluminium hybrid or diamond-coated carbon fibre, which allows the vehicle to be substantially lighter than competitor’s sports cars. The material also does not adds to the incredible aerodynamics of the car but also gives it a glossy luxurious finish.
Koenigsegg is a relatively new car maker but its design is among the best in the world
Despite the fact that they have the most absurd and questionable names for their vehicles, the car brand that comes up with the best design in our opinions is Pagani. (For real though, can you tell us with absolute certainty whether it is Huayra or Hyuara or Huyara?) Nonetheless, you are very welcome to voice your opinion about the most beautiful designs you have seen in the automobile world in the comment below, but for now, let’s find out what is so great about Pagani cars.
Taking several years to be designed, Pagani cars are just the best cars your eyes could have ever seen. The cabin is positioned forward and the rear end is elegantly elongated, creating this dreamy, sleek, fit, and quite sexy shape. Every line and corner is studied carefully with regards to the aerodynamic performances so any fortunate people who manages to sit in this art piece can enjoy the coolness of the wind and the thrill of high speed it provides. In spite of the ability to race with the wind, Pagani cars are designed in a way that enables the air flow to keep the vehicles on the road and stable under all conditions
Pagani cars are the very definition of automobile design