Leaner, Meaner Machines
The L.A. Auto Show is about much more than showing off shiny new vehicles. Southern California is home to the largest collection of automaker design studios in the country, so the ideas, trends and materials being created in our part of the country are shaping rides around the world. And they make for fascinating attractions.
For instance, this year’s show included Design L.A., an event on Thursday that showcased concepts from a dozen world-renowned auto design studios, including nine submissions for the 10th annual L.A. Auto Show Design Challenge. Participants in this year’s Design Challenge, “Biomimicry & Mobility 2025: Nature’s Answer to Human Challenges,” were asked to focus on issues such as congestion, pollution, sustainability, flexibility and safety and to “design a mobility solution that mimics nature to solve the challenges.” Participating brands included BMW, Subaru, Toyota and Mazda — all of which have design facilities in Southern California.
Eco-friendliness, along with technological advances, seem to be influencing today’s automotive design trends in our neck of the woods. But while the auto show reflects and caters to SoCal’s vast auto market, it also nods to design fashions fueled by more distant drivers — and their passengers.
“The impact of the Chinese premium chauffeur-driven market can be seen in the new Mercedes S-Class, updated Audi A8 and the new extended-wheelbase Range Rover,” said Rob Huber, vice president of innovation at Faurecia Automotive. “The interiors are designed increasingly around the experience for the second-row passenger, with continuous ambient LED lighting, premium materials and finishes brought to seat-backs, accommodation for reclined first-class passenger relaxation and integrated connected wide-format displays along with greater control over all of these features.”
Faurecia, itself a longtime L.A. Auto Show exhibitor, designs and manufactures automotive parts — everything from seats and dashboards to exhaust systems and exterior modules. The company has contributed to numerous vehicles appearing downtown this year, including the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Colorado and BMW X5.
As far as the Design Challenge’s call to “mimic nature” is concerned, automakers might not quite be there yet. But they’re getting closer. Lightweight materials such as carbon fiber, high-strength steel and aluminum continue to assist car companies in meeting the fuel-efficiency demands of increasingly “green” (and wallet-watching) consumers, as well as ever-more-stringent federal mandates.
“Composites like carbon fiber are developed and tested in the ultra-high-performance markets and limited-volume high-performance models [but] are becoming more affordable — enough to be used in the construction of the new Corvette and the BMW i range,” Huber said. “This is not quite mainstream, but certainly more accessible and fully integrated.”
Volvo, for example, reinforces passenger compartments in its cars and crossovers with ultra-high-strength steel to help maintain its legendary safety standards. In October, the Swedish automaker also unveiled battery-infused carbon-fiber body panels that could ultimately cut down on the bulky battery packs that have been the bane of electric vehicle design to date.
Aerodynamics, which can also have a dramatic effect on a car’s fuel efficiency — around 60% of engine power at highway speeds is used simply to overcome air resistance — are a perennial auto show talking point, and this year’s L.A. event is no exception; representatives at Mercedes-Benz are claiming that the marque’s sporty new CLA sedan will be the most aerodynamic production car in the world, with a drag coefficient of just 0.22 (compared with 0.25 for the famously slippery Toyota Prius or 0.28 for a Chevrolet Volt). The coupe-like CLA slices through air thanks to a combination of numerous innovative features, including specially designed A-pillars, low-drag wheels and a uniquely shaped muffler.
“The Cadillac ELR … and BMW i8 are both showing how to merge the best of efficient aerodynamics with evocative premium styling that defies the historic image of electric vehicles,” Huber said.
—Paul Rogers, Brand Publishing Writer
