From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Critique of the American 'styling' trend, its influence on product design, and the push for yearly motorcar model changes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\3\ img194 | |
| Date | 25th July 1939 guessed | |
| ② Styling It is customary in England to use the very strongest terms in referring to the American boom in styling. Agreed that the fad has infected railway trains, architecture, furniture, vacuum cleaners, clocks and watches, petrol pumps, cigarette lighters, and in fact the entire life of man. Agreed that it has inflated the egos of a number of commercial artists, till they have taken upon themselves to streamline the world. Agreed also that a strong incentive to the motorcar industry has been to distinguish their yearly model changes, to such an extent that the year of production now is more evident than the make of car. And finally, that this has been done in an attempt to perpetuate the uneconomic practice of purchasing a new car every year. Still, back of the more hysterical aspects of the movement, has been a constant groping towards making motorcars functionally better. Since 1938 the automobile has changed in shape until it resembles the sort of thing we know it ought to be. The side view of the vehicle has balanced itself up. It now looks as though it was going | ||