Got a car design question? Our industry insider has your answer!

Hopefully my series of articles has given you a general idea of what goes on inside the members-only area of the design studio at a car company. After all we discussed what makes good car design, how they are designed, who does what in the studio, how 2-D turns into 3-D, design realization, and even discussed what you need to become a car designer.

Ordinarily, even the specialist and car-design-centric media outlets see only what the OEMs want them to see. And even then, any sneak peeks are usually part of the sales- and marketing-focused design “story” leading up to the launch of a new model. The true picture only emerges years after the event, if at all.

This is why I’ve tried to give a broad overview of what goes on, but there’s bound to be something you would like to know that I haven’t yet addressed. My goal here is to share my experience, and in doing so further remove the veil off this often-mysterious corner of the industry. Want to help? Email me your burning auto design questions so I can best serve you! To assure you no question is too silly or obscure, here are some examples:

Q: How much does a designer earn?

A: A little.

Q: How much coffee gets drunk?

A: A lot.

Q: Are all designers impeccably dressed style icons?

A: Well, I am …

Maybe you want to know why some cars have those little protrusions on the rear wheel arch? Or why the hood panel gap is always so much wider than the others? Absolutely anything is on the table, but remember I’m not an engineer or a marketer, so my answers will come from a highly specific place in the industry.