Mini, Range Rover, Bentley Continental GT, Audi A3, and Ford Mondeo they have all one thing in common. All these cars look pretty exactly the same as their predecessors. If this similarity between the old and new models just occurred with one car, I would not write it.
However, this became a tradition with the cars that have very high volume. Automotive industry is not that robust to global economic crisis and they had a very bad experience during 2009. Therefore, taking decision in automotive industry became more vital. Especially, introducing a new model is not like old days. A decade ago, a new model means everything will be new. Design, technology, interior and many other things. This tradition still keeps going but in a new way, except exterior design.
High volume cars are the cash cows and no one want to lose them, especially with a new design. And this restricted the path of the designers. Many new car looks very similar to previous model with a higher price tag. This is a very good strategy to keep existing customers and motivate them to purchase the new model by offering better technology and efficiency. However the look did not change that much.
This strategy can save the customers, on the other hand you may lose your existing customer or they may not wish to purchase. Basically, you will buy a new car with new technology but it will look the same. And I hear this from many people, new Mini looks quite similar to my previous one, why I should buy the new one. My previous Mini does not look that old! That’s the result of introducing a new car that looks exactly the previous one.
Why I should buy the new one, while mine does not look that old!
Without a radical design, you will keep your customers loyal to brand and they may repurchase your car, however this repurchase period would be longer as their car does not look that old!
This will be the next problem of automotive industry. And I am sure that, a decade later designers will say that, we do not revise the previous model like in 2010s. We design everything from the scratch.
Keep in mind, Peugeot 207 looked exactly the same as 206 and people did not have the motivation to buy them, New Peugeot 208 is a brand new car and perception of customers definitely altered!
First photo is the old model, second photo is the new model!
Pictures' Copyrights
Mini, Ford, Land Rover, Audi
