Design Details: Side Window Kinks

"Amoore100" (amoore100) 08/20/2015 at 21:22 • Filed to: Design Details, BMW, Saab, Hofmeister

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Today’s topic for Design Details will be the dividing line between a car’s rear window design and its rearmost pillar. The most famous of these features is of course BMW’s Hofmeister Kink:

But this thread isn’t limited to sedans: vehicles with D pillars can have the same effect: in Saabs this is known as the “hockey stick curve” and is applied from sedans to wagons alike:

So what does Oppo think?

What are the most distinctive side window-pillar patterns on cars?

Nibby > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 21:28

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Not distinctive, but some SUVs and crossovers have kinks too

AM > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 21:28

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I’m gonna go with Cadillac because a lot of automakers don’t use sharp points anymore.

blacktruck18 > AM 08/20/2015 at 21:34

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I really like that about the “art and science” design style. It definitely isn’t amorphous like 98% of the modern cars on sale today.

Wobbles the Mind > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 21:35

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Tell me it isn’t the most interesting part of current Infinitis.

JRapp: now as good as new again > AM 08/20/2015 at 21:36

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Audi’s still do, as well Merc’s:

JRapp: now as good as new again > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 21:38

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I think the Genesis Coupe’s rear window kink is pretty distinctive.

AM > blacktruck18 08/20/2015 at 21:38

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Couldn't agree more. Their cars look like someone actually sculpted them rather than putting some wheels on a blob like everyone else seems to be doing.

Amoore100 > Wobbles the Mind 08/20/2015 at 21:38

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Too bad. It is.

Amoore100 > JRapp: now as good as new again 08/20/2015 at 21:40

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Quite.

AM > JRapp: now as good as new again 08/20/2015 at 21:40

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True, but they have more of a rounded edge at the back whereas Cadillac is almost needle like.

Wobbles the Mind > JRapp: now as good as new again 08/20/2015 at 21:53

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I don’t know, could be a Honda.

Alex B > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 21:58

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The QX80/QX56 is pretty destincive.

Amoore100 > Alex B 08/20/2015 at 22:05

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Everyone says it looks hideous but IMO it looks pretty good actually in a distinctive way...

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 22:06

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Ew.

Alex B > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 22:07

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I really like the QX80 too. It's such a comfortable vehicle. The interior is vey nice as well. I would definitely own one someday.

Amoore100 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 08/20/2015 at 22:12

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Agreed.

Amoore100 > Alex B 08/20/2015 at 22:16

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I wouldn’t go that far myself. My heart is already set on another foreign luxury SUV that looks even better, but you know me and my devotion :)

Amoore100 > Wobbles the Mind 08/20/2015 at 22:29

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Or a Kia.

Wait wrong way. Make it a Buick instead.

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 22:50

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Color me in the it looks hideous crowd. I think it looks like a partly melted Armada. If they’d just move the damn headllights up to line up with the top of the grill instead of the bottom, it would look alot better in my eyes.

Amoore100 > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP 08/20/2015 at 22:51

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That just goes to show how split the feelings of everyone are about its styling :)

And I still don’t think I would own one...

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Amoore100 08/20/2015 at 22:57

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Here is a quick & dirty photoshop, tell me this doesn't look better.

Amoore100 > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP 08/20/2015 at 23:36

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I guess...lipstick on a pig you could say...the problem is that in the original everything is just ugly enough to work but in the Photoshop the nose is fixed but everything else seems a bit too garish in comparison...

Horkin' Up Dangle Hams > JRapp: now as good as new again 08/21/2015 at 02:46

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I rather like it, too.

Alex B > Amoore100 08/21/2015 at 09:33

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Oh yes, the XC90 is a great SUV. I can own both at at once. ;-)

Alex B > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP 08/21/2015 at 09:33

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Wow! I do like that better... Nice work.

Svend > Amoore100 08/21/2015 at 21:32

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How about the ‘flick’ on the rear doors such as the Skoda Octavia Mk3 and Superb Mk3.

I quite like it though the tooling and expense of having two types of rear door for the hatchback (with the ‘flick’) and the estate (without) doesn’t make sense.

Amoore100 > Svend 08/21/2015 at 21:35

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That is quite nice although unusual to have a window end before the door seam, so I wonder if visibility in the rear is compromised at all...

Amoore100 > Alex B 08/21/2015 at 21:37

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Don’t forget the Q7 in your profile image!

Alex B > Amoore100 08/21/2015 at 21:41

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True. The current gen Q7 is not as good as the first gen in my opinion. The new one looks off in proportions. Almost like a Chinese XC90 knock off.

Svend > Amoore100 08/21/2015 at 21:46

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It’s been done before on other cars but I can’t recall which.

I can’t really see how it would affect the visibility but I think it’s a nice styling cue. Like the ‘C’ in the rear lights which is a Skoda thing.

Amoore100 > Alex B 08/21/2015 at 21:55

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Agreed. And in the older ones, you got an interior like this:

HRNGGGGGG

Alex B > Amoore100 08/21/2015 at 22:05

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YES I LOVE THAT.

My neighbor has a 2014 Q7 Prestige. The interior is black/ dark brown, but it does have the panoramic roof.

I actually was unaware of how great it was. Definitely would like to own one of the some day... With a Carmax warranty of course! :P

Amoore100 > Alex B 08/21/2015 at 22:09

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I imagine nothing better than sitting in a Q7 with a panoramic roof in the rain parked in a forest or something...outside and yet inside simultaneously...

Alex B > Amoore100 08/21/2015 at 22:16

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Or even in the snow.

I love going for rides in the light fluffy snowfall, where the sky is completely grey, but visibility is not reduced. I imagine doing that in a Q7 with panoramic roof would be sublime.

Amoore100 > Svend 08/21/2015 at 22:32

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Interesting design detail...I wonder if the ‘C’ means anything or if it just looks good...

Amoore100 > Alex B 08/21/2015 at 22:35

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That’s basically what’s shown in that picture and it looks amazing...there are some days where I hate California sunshine with a passion...

Alex B > Amoore100 08/21/2015 at 22:39

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Yeah! It’s amazing. I can understand why you would feel that way. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but there was a very high chance we were going to move to San Jose summer of 2014. As great as it seemed, I would miss the seasons. Snow is great. :-)

Svend > Amoore100 08/22/2015 at 04:49

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Ithink it just looks good and became a thing with Skoda.