When Lexus decided to create a new signature design for its cars, the spindle design came on top. That shook many customers, and some of them considered that it looked like it came from the Predator from the famous movie, while others thought that it was just ugly. Well... the Japanese brand's sales results proved them wrong.
Lexus needed a new front fascia. It didn't want to look just like any other car on the market, with a simple trapezoidal slatted grille. And the company's head of design Yasuo Kajino stated at the Detroit Motor Show, "We have a challenge. Lexus is a young brand, and our lineup is still very small compared to those of our rivals. We need to get noticed, and the way to do that is strong design."
When the Japanese automaker introduced the new spindle grille, most customers focused more on the cars' qualities than the front fascia. They appreciated the interiors, the features, and the comfortable ride. On the technical side, most of this brand's products were based on Toyotas, which were reckoned for their reliability, not their design.
The Japanese automaker's bosses asked Kajino-san for a bolder, more challenging design. Yet, he had to listen to the customers since they were paying for vehicles. And surprisingly, "they love what they see," he added.
Everything started with the company's best-looking vehicle from those times, the famous supercar Lexus LFA. Then, the design team took inspiration from the lines that could be applied to the entire range. Indeed, the LFA features a slight spindle contour formed by the hood and the lower grille. In addition, the angry-looking headlights further emphasized the spindle design. These elements were so powerful that the car was easy to recognize by pretty much anyone who had at least a slight interest in cars.
Photo: Lexus
Starting from those lines, the Kajino's team imagined more shapes. So it cut deeper lines and reshaped the cars' hoods to emphasize the spindle. In addition, the effect is more notable on the F-Sport models, which come with a full black mesh grille that hides the traditional bumper.
When the team made the new front fascia, they had to create an exciting design for the rest of the Lexus cars. Take the LF-NX, for instance; you can see a diamond shape at the front. Moreover, the LED daytime running lights further emphasizes all Lexus models. They became a trademark thanks to their L-shape.
Just coming up with these two elements and putting them on a vehicle that doesn't have a "design centralizer" where lines could merge or align would have been plain dumb. Kia's new "tiger nose" is one of the best examples of misfit lines. That screams, "we're trying to come up with a new design, but we haven't fully figured it out, so let's take a trapezoid, cut off its lower corners, and ad two indents in the middle." And look at the 2014 Kia Cadenza, looking out like it has been through a failed rhinoplasty.
On the other hand, I don't see why so much hating on the spindle design is going on since those lines had been used on cars for a long time, only they were a bit hidden for an untrained eye. I mean, most modern vehicles come with a V-shaped hood bulge or indent and a trapezoidal-shaped lower grille. So what Lexus did was just to point out the obvious – these lines have been used on modern cars for more than 15 years, and nobody said it was wrong. Check these rides below and see how the V-shaped hood and upper grille lines are accompanied by the trapezoidal lower grille.
I think no one made a fuss when BMW decided to have two rounded grilles instead a full one and call it a "kidney grille"... How can two kidneys be more correct than a spindle. This symbol took you to Toyota's roots when it was making looms?
Photo: BMW
How Lexus' new face influenced sales, you might ask. Well, in December 2013, the automaker had its best sales month in seven years, while in Europe, 2013 IS model sales rose by 65 percent compared to 2012. So yeah, despite what people believe, Lexus' spindle and other new design elements did manage to make a significant change.
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