Design Essay: Wood and Metal Trends at the Detroit Auto Show

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Design Essay: Wood and Metal Trends at the Detroit Auto Show
by Fiona Doskocz    29 Jan 2007

Wood and metal accents have been used in automobiles since the beginning, but at the Detroit Auto Show this year it was impressive to see a reintroduction of integrity and authenticity in these traditional materials.

Many new interpretations of wood and metal were seen but it was the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe that captured a truly artisan approach. Ian Cameron, Chief Designer of Rolls-Royce design, spoke about the use of real materials keeping their appearance true to their origin versus the "look-a-like" copies seen on other vehicles.  All the materials on this vehicle were intended to not only have a sumptuous elegance but also have practical use.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead CoupeNaturally, one of the first things you see is the silver 'Spirit of Ecstasy' glistening on top of a commanding grille and in front of an immaculate stainless steel hood. The highly-polished, hand finished surface emphasized the detailed craftsmanship expected in a Rolls-Royce vehicle. Without paint to hide any 'sins', the hood requires extensive handwork to achieve this shimmering feature. The color and contrast of stainless steel created a classic sports car line against the more traditional blue exterior paint and the emphasis of metal was carried through into the interior as more a familiar 'crosscar' accent trim.

Throughout the show, metal accents were not only left in their original form but used as jewels or as art with distinctive graphics.  Designers appear to be exploring different effects and moving away from the typical brushed, small technical look or solid (matte or chrome) metal appearance.

Volvo captured both a classic and a 'statement making' approach with its metal interior accents. The S80 had a two-way brushed finish with a linen-type look softening the metal appearance rather than the typical small geometrics we have seen in the past. At the other extreme was the Volvo C30, a new small car with high impact. The contrasting brown trim on the exterior wheel arches draws your attention and once you open the door, you are greeted with a beautiful piece of art in the center stack. The large scale flower-inspired graphic brings out the integrity of the aluminium through a dual gloss effect that captures the light and the simple shape of the center stack acts as a canvas for the graphic to come to life. This was a nice departure from the more usual approach when the product's contour takes the major visual role instead of the surface treatment.

The Mini Cooper S also took a very graphic approach to its metal accents. An optical grid and optical brushed look gave the door and IP a new vibrancy. However, the impact was not quite as obvious as the Volvo C30 because the metal graphics were somewhat overpowered by the many contours, surfaces, colors and connecting parts.

The GM Holden Efijy and Lincoln MKR concept cars both utilized chrome as a 'jewel-like' accent with the impact being enhanced when placed next to a ceramic 'look' white surface.

Wood used in its traditional form was present at many of the manufacturers but the newest approaches seen were the use of a solid 'butcher block' effect on the Nissan Bevel concept and linear grained woods.

Linear effects were seen in versions with a strong contrast like the CADillac XLR that used an engineered wood with multiple depths of color similar to the Citroen C4. The Maserati QP also had a single type of wood that featured dark vertical bands in the wood when used on the center stack. The more subtle linear grained woods were seen on the Audi Q7 and the bamboo-like appearance on the BMW 530xi. Finally, the Lincoln MKR concept used a rich deep straight grained black oak to cover a large area flowing from the IP, over the console and into the rear.

On the Phantom Drophead Coupe, wood inlays created a linear marine feel in the solid teak decking reminiscent of the 1930s America's Cup J-Class yacht. The teak was selected for its inherent moisture and decay resistance, while its golden yellow hue was a perfect contrast to the more classic blue exterior paint. A rich red wood trim highlights the transition from the deck into the interior and also features on both the IP and doors. The oiled finish to the teak wood takes center stage when surrounded by the light cream leather, juxtaposing the image of luxury and wealth against a more industrial highly-polished stainless steel.

With every auto show there are many new trends in materials but at Detroit it was the reintroduction of wood cladding and metals in their purest form (or with added graphics) that brought new flavor to surfaces that are often forgotten or only traditionally executed.

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