eclat2emira
Emira Maniac
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Featured
- #1
Trying to deconstruct the Emira design and understand why it appeals to us all so much is not easy. Has anyone noticed that no-one is raving about any single aspect as the main highlight or reason it looks so good? "It's the intakes" "It's the rear deck" It's the profile..." Nope.
In my view this is because it is the whole design that works - it is one of the most cohesive designs I've ever seen. Everything relates to everything else, everything has a reason to be there and a role to play, whether is to contribute flow, balance, reduce visual mass or create a sense of movement and dynamism. I've prepared some marked up photos and notes below, using the Ferrari 488 as a comparison - one someone else correctly highlighted as similar and relevant, albeit it is larger, a lot more expensive and a less successful design for reasons highlighted below.
Many of the comments about the 488 would apply to other cars such as the Corvette C8 - the reason for the comparison is not to knock other cars, I'm a fan of these too - it's simply to highlight where the Emira styling is more successful and why.
A small note that may be useful (as someone who used to mis-use the term design when actually referring to styling) I think it was Gordon Murray who explained it something like this:
"Design" technically applies to the entire layout, engineering, packaging and construction of a car.
"Styling" is more appropriate for how you choose to "clothe" the whole, once you have a lot of the construction hard points set, such as wheelbase, layout, key dims. The Emira could have looked very different indeed with different styling, even with the same design of chassis, engine, wheelbase, etc.
On that note....
These forward rake of these 2 lines gives "go-ahead" - the reason the Emira looks like it is moving even when it is standing still.
Here you can see how well the lines flow from front to rear, none of them straight or horizontal - giving the Emira an organic form and one of the reasons it is so easy on the eye. Think of it like a flowing river, with no boulders blocking the flow or creating turbulence.
Here I've outlined some of the forms and volumes, which all share a common form and repeat beside and within each other. Some of them come and go with the light direction and different angles as the subtle body creases fade out. Some are colour-sensitive in terms of which are dominant - but it is all harmonious.
The image above highlights harmony and go-ahead. The lines all sharing common angles is no accident and again lends cohesion and a sense of movement.
One of my favourite views, for me this perfectly captures the fluidity of the design. The volume of the rear haunches is commonly used, as it is very successfully used here, to suggest power similar to many 4-legged predators. The way this volume blends into the rest of the form, while also creating some wonderful lines is simply masterful.
The one area of visual tension is where the upper rearmost aspect of the side window profile meets the roof-line and here one of the most successful parts of the Evora styling has been recycled, allowing this line to continue rather than come to a juddering halt by blending it with the top of the rear screen. This creates a perfect focal point and location for the badge.
Onto the 488 now, please bear in mind I am a Ferrari fan, just not a fan of some recent styling; the gorgeous Roma is a welcome return to beauty and fluidity over aggression and brutality.
This first one is quite simple but took me a while to cotton on to - but I knew something wasn't sitting right. There is a real point of symmetry here which is robbing the 488 of a cab forward or rearward look. Ask any artist and they'll say something sitting in the centre rarely works.
If you look at the image below and in turn cover the front 1/6th and rear 1/6th with your hand (where I've added lines) you'll see it immediately looks better as the proportions change and it becomes cab forward or cab rearward.
Below are two aspects that baffle me. The overall shape of the 488 is pretty damn nice and quite organic - but then you have some mismatching angles and very blocky, linear shapes which just seem to fight with the shape rather than work with it.
The horizontal lines (door crease and rear arch panel join) kill the flow. Nothing leads the eye anywhere to help the flow - everything is literally going off at tangents. You can say it's dramatic but I don't find it remotely beautiful.
A game changer for me is a black roof on the 488 - this allows the shape of the main body volume to flow, and gives a rear-heavy emphasis which works. Look at how the green line flows - that is classic Ferrari. The orange line shows where the unfortunate horizontal crease starts to weaken the appeal.
Had this crease had a more organic flow and upward kick (see below) like the Emira then the whole 488 shape starts to work for me.
I've just realised it will only let me add 10 images - I can add the remaining two or three if that's of interest...
I'm not a car designer or stylist but I am an artist and understand flow, form and cohesion. You may agree or strongly disagree with any or all of this but if it has got you looking at the Emira with a shade more insight as to why you love it then this has been worthwhile.
.
In my view this is because it is the whole design that works - it is one of the most cohesive designs I've ever seen. Everything relates to everything else, everything has a reason to be there and a role to play, whether is to contribute flow, balance, reduce visual mass or create a sense of movement and dynamism. I've prepared some marked up photos and notes below, using the Ferrari 488 as a comparison - one someone else correctly highlighted as similar and relevant, albeit it is larger, a lot more expensive and a less successful design for reasons highlighted below.
Many of the comments about the 488 would apply to other cars such as the Corvette C8 - the reason for the comparison is not to knock other cars, I'm a fan of these too - it's simply to highlight where the Emira styling is more successful and why.
A small note that may be useful (as someone who used to mis-use the term design when actually referring to styling) I think it was Gordon Murray who explained it something like this:
"Design" technically applies to the entire layout, engineering, packaging and construction of a car.
"Styling" is more appropriate for how you choose to "clothe" the whole, once you have a lot of the construction hard points set, such as wheelbase, layout, key dims. The Emira could have looked very different indeed with different styling, even with the same design of chassis, engine, wheelbase, etc.
On that note....
These forward rake of these 2 lines gives "go-ahead" - the reason the Emira looks like it is moving even when it is standing still.
Here you can see how well the lines flow from front to rear, none of them straight or horizontal - giving the Emira an organic form and one of the reasons it is so easy on the eye. Think of it like a flowing river, with no boulders blocking the flow or creating turbulence.
Here I've outlined some of the forms and volumes, which all share a common form and repeat beside and within each other. Some of them come and go with the light direction and different angles as the subtle body creases fade out. Some are colour-sensitive in terms of which are dominant - but it is all harmonious.
The image above highlights harmony and go-ahead. The lines all sharing common angles is no accident and again lends cohesion and a sense of movement.
One of my favourite views, for me this perfectly captures the fluidity of the design. The volume of the rear haunches is commonly used, as it is very successfully used here, to suggest power similar to many 4-legged predators. The way this volume blends into the rest of the form, while also creating some wonderful lines is simply masterful.
The one area of visual tension is where the upper rearmost aspect of the side window profile meets the roof-line and here one of the most successful parts of the Evora styling has been recycled, allowing this line to continue rather than come to a juddering halt by blending it with the top of the rear screen. This creates a perfect focal point and location for the badge.
Onto the 488 now, please bear in mind I am a Ferrari fan, just not a fan of some recent styling; the gorgeous Roma is a welcome return to beauty and fluidity over aggression and brutality.
This first one is quite simple but took me a while to cotton on to - but I knew something wasn't sitting right. There is a real point of symmetry here which is robbing the 488 of a cab forward or rearward look. Ask any artist and they'll say something sitting in the centre rarely works.
If you look at the image below and in turn cover the front 1/6th and rear 1/6th with your hand (where I've added lines) you'll see it immediately looks better as the proportions change and it becomes cab forward or cab rearward.
Below are two aspects that baffle me. The overall shape of the 488 is pretty damn nice and quite organic - but then you have some mismatching angles and very blocky, linear shapes which just seem to fight with the shape rather than work with it.
The horizontal lines (door crease and rear arch panel join) kill the flow. Nothing leads the eye anywhere to help the flow - everything is literally going off at tangents. You can say it's dramatic but I don't find it remotely beautiful.
A game changer for me is a black roof on the 488 - this allows the shape of the main body volume to flow, and gives a rear-heavy emphasis which works. Look at how the green line flows - that is classic Ferrari. The orange line shows where the unfortunate horizontal crease starts to weaken the appeal.
Had this crease had a more organic flow and upward kick (see below) like the Emira then the whole 488 shape starts to work for me.
I've just realised it will only let me add 10 images - I can add the remaining two or three if that's of interest...
I'm not a car designer or stylist but I am an artist and understand flow, form and cohesion. You may agree or strongly disagree with any or all of this but if it has got you looking at the Emira with a shade more insight as to why you love it then this has been worthwhile.
.
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