Design Details: False Faces

[amoore100]

@e90m3 the van, or its buyers?

[Krusty Walnut]

@amoore100 The Explorer Police Interceptor Grill is mostly fake. I'm guessing the regular version is similar. I believe the new Mustang is the same as well as the R8.

[flatisflat]

@amoore100 None of this catfish mouth is for the radiator or any air intake whatsoever.

[Roadkilled]

@amoore100

Does the slit between the headlights count as a false grill?

How about a rear-engine air-cooled vehicle?

That's a big grill considering what's behind it.

[fintail]

@amoore100 Not ICE, but on this note, I actually prefer the fake-fake (a fake of a fake) grille of the earlier Model S to the grille-less version:

The current design language makes me think of this:

[amoore100]

@Roadkilled Yes! I actually wanted to cover rear-engined buses as well, but I figured no one except me (and maybe @Miss-Mercedes?) cares

[amoore100]

@fintail I actually do like the Model S facelift, if only because I think the real opening where the badge sits now gives the face more depth:

In general I just hate the look of gloss-black plastic

[fintail]

@amoore100 Yeah they missed out with the glossy part - should have textured it or offered it in patterns, might look good in plaid or paisley etc

[Nauraushaun]

You should do another in false lights, head and tail. More and more it seems the headlight and tail light clusters are just for style, and maybe drl or parking lights, while the actual main lighting cluster is way lower down.
modern cars are all about fake unfortunately.

[RamblinRover]

@amoore100 I actually really liked the Oldsmobile design language which ran the other way - stealing a little bit of extra air while not looking like it had a grill between the headlights at all.

[amoore100]

@Nauraushaun said in Design Details: False Faces:

modern cars are all about fake unfortunately.

Sadly yes. 'Eyebrow' DRLs are definitely on my list! And I've already covered clamshell trunks which often have 'fake-out' taillights, as well as all-red taillights which often move other bulbs to the bumper!

[ranwhenparked]

@amoore100 yeah, I like the facelift, too, reminds me of the Kaiser Darrin, wish they had given the Model 3 the same treatment

[KITT222]

@amoore100

This is another of those things that's older than one may think. Grilles have been fashion statements since the second they stopped being bare radiators. The execution also varies wildly, and can look okay or horrible depending on the effort made.

[PlaysWellWithNOthers]

@KITT222 The B3 VW Passat comes to mind, even though, no fake grill, no grill at all.

My sister had a Bordeaux red wagon one back in the day.

Also, our motorhome, though it was a Diesel Pusher, had a significant grille (the A/C condenser, windshield fluid reservoir and horns were behind it).

[amoore100]

@PlaysWellWithNOthers said in Design Details: False Faces:

The B3 VW Passat comes to mind, even though, no fake grill, no grill at all.

This is an interesting one because I was going to use the 'facelift' B4 (VW calls it a new gen but it's obviously a revised B3) Passat as an example, but they might have actually carved out some airflow through there? It's kind of unclear.

Rear-engined Class A RVs are another prime suspect as with the RR buses I mentioned above!

[іди на хуй Влад - formerly known as Distraxi]

@amoore100 said in Design Details: False Faces:

you get better aero when you’re not disrupting airflow at the leading edge of the hood, thus it’s better to get most of your radiator air down low.

Hence this: it bough them the few mph of top speed they needed to claim the "fastest production car.... in the world" title.

[Nauraushaun]

@KITT222 said in Design Details: False Faces:

This is another of those things that's older than one may think. Grilles have been fashion statements since the second they stopped being bare radiators. The execution also varies wildly, and can look okay or horrible depending on the effort made.

I think this is a shame. In so many ways, car design reflects the function of the car. Such as mid-engined cars being cab forward and with intakes behind the doors. But somehow the grille thing reflects the function off cars 70 years ago though it had nothing to do with today's designs. It's all wrong.