A glossary of terms relating to
automotive design.
Some terms may be found at
car classification
Governments and private organizations have developed car classification schemes that are used for various purposes including regulation, description, and categorization of cars.
The International Standard ISO 3833-1977 ''Road vehicles – Types ...
.
0–9
; One-box form: A categorization based on overall form design using rough rectangle volumes. In the case of the one-box, also called a monospace or monovolume,
it is a single continuous volume. Slight wedge formed front or rear are still generally placed in this category. E.g.
buses and the original
Ford Econoline. The equivalent
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
term is ''volume'', which will sometimes be used by the British: "1-volume form".
;Two-box form: A categorization based on overall form design using rough rectangle volumes. In the case of the two-box form, there is usually a "box" representing a separate volume from the a-pillar forward and second box making up the rest. E.g.,
Station wagon
A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
,
shooting-brake,
Scion xB
The Scion xB is a compact car ( subcompact car in its first generation) made by Scion, a now-defunct fully owned division of Toyota, for the United States market. It is a box-shaped, 5-door hatchback.
First generation (XP30; 2003)
The first- ...
(2006). The equivalent
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
term is ''volume'', which will sometimes be used by the British: "2-volume form".
;
Three-box
The configuration of a car body is typically determined by the layout of the engine, passenger and luggage compartments, which can be shared or separately articulated. A key design feature is the car's roof-supporting pillars, designated from fron ...
form: A categorization based on overall form design using rough rectangle volumes. In the case of the three-box form, there is a "box" delineating a separate volume from the a-pillar forward, a second box comprising the passenger volume, and third box comprising the
trunk
Trunk may refer to:
Biology
* Trunk (anatomy), synonym for torso
* Trunk (botany), a tree's central superstructure
* Trunk of corpus callosum, in neuroanatomy
* Elephant trunk, the proboscis of an elephant
Computing
* Trunk (software), in rev ...
area—e.g., a
Sedan. The equivalent
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
term is ''volume'', which will sometimes be used by the British: "3-volume form".
A
;A-line: The line running over the car, from headlight to taillight, tracing the car's silhouette.
B
;Backlight: Rear glass panel.
;
Beltline
The Atlanta BeltLine (also Beltline or Belt Line) is a open and planned loop of multi-use trail and light rail transit system on a former railway corridor around the core of Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta BeltLine is designed to reconnect neig ...
: A demarcation or crease between a vehicles body panels and the side windows. Typically it refers to where an individual wears a
belt
Belt may refer to:
Apparel
* Belt (clothing), a leather or fabric band worn around the waist
* Championship belt, a type of trophy used primarily in combat sports
* Colored belts, such as a black belt or red belt, worn by martial arts practition ...
attached to trousers.
;Batsman's crease: A tangent break feature line running along the centreline of a car. This kind of feature can be seen on many modern
Vauxhall
Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
,
Opel
Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Grou ...
and
Chrysler
Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
models. Literally derived from the break found on the rear side of a
cricket bat
A cricket bat is a specialised piece of equipment used by batters in the sport of cricket to hit the ball, typically consisting of a cane handle attached to a flat-fronted willow-wood blade. It may also be used by a batter who is making ground ...
.
;Bezel: The trim or bodywork that surrounds a light, holds the face of an instrument in position, or decoratively conceals gaps between bodywork and components as an escutcheon. Often chrome or plastic
;Binnacle: The housing for the instrument cluster on top of or as part of the dashboard.
;Bonnet: The hood of the vehicle.
;Boot: The trunk or liftgate of the vehicle.
;Brightwork: Anything reflective added to a car to enhance appearance. May also be called chrome.
;BiW:
Body in White. Base chassis before customisation.
;
Butterfly doors
Butterfly doors are a type of car door sometimes seen on high-performance cars. They are slightly different from scissor doors. While scissor doors move straight up via hinge points at the bottom of a car's A-pillar, butterfly doors move up and ...
: A type of door sometimes seen on high-performance cars. They are similar to scissor doors. While scissor doors move straight up via hinge points at the bottom of the A-pillar, butterfly doors move up and out via hinges along the A-pillar
;Bustle back: First seen on the second generation
Cadillac Seville, this was a short lived design trend. Inspired by the English coachbuilder
Hooper & Co.'s "Empress Line" designs from the early 1950s, these were a unique take on trunk-body integration allowing for a shortened trunk and a rakish rear end.
C
;Cab: Short for cabin. The enclosed compartment of a vehicle which contains the driver and passengers.
;Cab back: The cab of the vehicle is moved to the rear of the vehicle. Cars such as a 1970s Corvette could be considered cab back design.
;Cab forward: The cab of the vehicle is pushed forward. This design aesthetic was popular with Chrysler in the 1990s with the introduction of their
LH platform cars.
;Carrosserie: Bodywork of a vehicle. Also the workshop at which automotive body work is built on a prototype or low volume production basis, typically with extensive handwork.
;Character line: A line creased into the side of a car to give it visual interest. (interchangeable with swage line) Sometimes implemented by a rubbing strip.
;Chrome: Brightwork using
chrome plating.
;Cladding: Material (usually plastic) added to exterior of the car which isn't structurally necessary. May be functional to keep out dirt/debris as in underbody cladding, or may be cosmetic.
;Control panel: Generally used in a car or truck for heating and cooling inside car environment according to the passenger requirements. Basically it is divided into different modes, blower speed functions, AC, temperature, and fresh recirculation of air. Worldwide control panel manufacturers are BHTC, Delphi, Visteon, Valeo, etc.
;Cowl: The base of the windshield.
D
;
Dagmar bumpers: A slang term for chrome conical shaped styling elements which began to appear on the front bumper/grille assemblies of certain American automobiles following World War II. The term is derived from the notable physical attributes of
Dagmar, a buxom early 1950s television personality known for low-cut gowns and pronouncedly conical bra cups.
;Daylight Opening (DLO):
US DOT Term: For openings on the side of the vehicle, other than a door opening, the locus of all points where a horizontal line, perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal centerline, is tangent to the periphery of the opening.
:
US DOT Term: For openings on the front and rear of the vehicle, other than a door opening, daylight opening means the locus of all points where a horizontal line, parallel to the vehicle longitudinal centerline is tangent to the periphery of the opening.
;Daytime Running Lamp (DRL): A
daytime running lamp (DRL, also daytime running light) is an automotive lighting and bicycle lighting device on the front of a roadgoing motor vehicle or bicycle,
automatically switched on when the vehicle is in drive, emitting white, yellow, or amber light. Their job isn't to help the driver see the road but to help other road users see the vehicle.
;Dash-to-Axle (ratio): The critical relationship between front wheel centers and the windshield base. The most notable differences can be seen between cars with
front-engine, front-wheel drive layout
In automotive design, a front-engine, front-wheel-drive (FWD) layout, or FF layout, places both the internal combustion engine and driven roadwheels at the front of the vehicle.
Usage implications
Historically, this designation was used reg ...
and
front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout: the former tend to have longer front overhangs with a smaller dash-to-axle ratios, while the latter have shorter front overhangs with much greater dash-to-axle. Most so called premium vehicles (equipped with rear wheel drive) feature a relatively long dash-to-axle ratio.
;Deck: The horizontal surface at the rear of the car, which usually serves as the trunk lid.
;Dog leg: The area behind the rear door on a four-door car. This area is part of the quarter panel just behind the door and in front of the rear wheel house.
;Down the Road Graphics (DRG): The styling of the front end of the car, which people will instantly recognize and associate with a manufacturer. For example, the grille, lights and sometimes the DLO.
;Droptop: A convertible.
F
;Fairing: An external structure added to increase streamlining, deflect wind, and reduce drag.
;Fascia: The body-skin panel at the front of the car.
;
Fastback
A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail. The kammback is a type of fastback style.
Some models, such as the Ford Mustang, have been specifically marketed as ...
: A car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back found on cars with a single convex curve from the top to the rear bumper.
;
Fender (wings, UK): Term for cowl covering the wheels of the vehicles. In more modern automobiles, this refers generally to the body panel or panels starting at the front "bumper" to the first door line excluding the engine hood. The opposite of the fender is the "
quarter panel".
;Fishtail Exhaust: A car or motorcycle exhaust tip with the sides forming a tapering design- either horizontal or vertically aligned - often made to look like the tail of a fish . "
Koenigsegg Regera" uses a modern example of this design. These were made popular in the 1920's by their implementation in the Brooklands silencer which were necessitated by the noise regulations at the Brooklands race track.
;Frame-on-rail: A design used in older (pre-unibody) cars, trucks, and SUVs. The power train and body are mounted to a rigid structural framework called a rail.
G
;Gill: A vent on the side of the fender that can be used as hot-air outlet, but usually decorative.
;Greenhouse: The glassed-in upper section of the car's body. Daylight Opening (DLO) in turn describes the actual window areas only.
;
Gull-wing door
In the automotive industry, a gull-wing door, also known as a falcon-wing door or an up-door, is a car door that is hinged at the roof rather than the side, as pioneered by Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, first as a race car in 1952 ( W194), and then a ...
: Car doors that are hinged at the roof rather than the side, as pioneered by the 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300SL race car. Opening upwards, the doors evoke the image of a seagull's wings.
H
;Hardtop: A coupe or sedan lacking a center window post between the front windshield post and the rearmost window post or body section.
;Header: The structural roof beam above the windshield. (2) The section of exhaust piping attached to the
cylinder head
In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head (often abbreviated to simply "head") sits above the cylinders and forms the roof of the combustion chamber.
In sidevalve engines, the head is a simple sheet of metal; whereas in more modern ov ...
.
;
Hofmeister kink
The Hofmeister kink (German: Hofmeister-Knick) is an automotive design feature consisting of a rearward/forward angle near the base of the rearmost pillar. It is named for Wilhelm Hofmeister, who was BMW's design chief from 1955 to 1970, though ...
:
BMW's trademark reverse-sweep kick at the bottom of last roof pillar.
;
H-point
The H-point (or hip-point) is the theoretical, relative location of an occupant's hip: specifically the pivot point between the torso and upper leg portions of the body — as used in vehicle design, automotive design and vehicle regulation a ...
(or HP (Hip Point)): The pivot point between the torso and upper leg portions of the body, either relative to the floor of the vehicle
or relative to the height above pavement level, as used in vehicle design.
;Hood (Bonnet in English speaking countries outside
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
with the exception of the Canadian Maritimes): The engine cover on vehicles when the engine is located forward or aft of the passenger compartment.
;HVAC: Heater, ventilation and air condition. A major package constraint both technically as well in interior design.
I
;IP: Instrument Panel. The dashboard is termed the instrument panel in the automotive industry. Sometimes this term is confused with the instrument cluster, the group of speedometer, odometer and similar devices generally behind the steering wheel.
K
;
Kammback: A car body style that calls for a body with smooth contours that continues to a tail that is abruptly cut.
L
;Leafscreen: Plastic clips onto the base of the windscreen under the bonnet to protect from leaves and flowers.
;Leafscreen retainer: Bonded to the base of the windscreen to provide a mounting surface for the leafscreen
N
;
NACA duct: A distinctively shaped inlet that is flush and begins with a narrow, shallow inset and becomes progressively wider and deeper. The duct was developed to introduce cooling air into aircraft engine nacelles, while increasing the drag of the nacelle only minimally. The duct was developed at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
O
;
Overhang: The distance the car's body extends beyond the wheelbase at the front (front overhang) and rear (rear overhang). In car style design terms, this is the amount of body that is beyond the wheels or wheel arches.
;Obscuration band: Black graphite printed onto the glass to hide unsightly areas and improve aesthetics.
P
;Phaeton: An open vehicle, usually with 4 doors, with a removable and/or retractable cloth top and a windshield characterized by the lack of integrated glass side windows. Contemporary uses of this name do not always follow this original description or apply to an open vehicle.
;
Pillar: A structural member that connects the roof to the body of the car. Pillars are usually notated from front to back alphabetically (e.g. the A-pillar joins the windshield to the frontmost side windows, the B-pillar is next to the front occupants' heads, etc.).
:
US DOT Term: Means any structure, excluding glazing and the vertical portion of door window frames, but including accompanying molding, attached components such as safety belt anchorages and coat hooks, that (1) supports either a roof or any other structure (such as a roll-bar) above the driver's head or (2) is located along a side edge of a window.
;Plenum: The area at the base of the windshield where the wipers are parked. Also refers to the main chamber in an
intake manifold.
;
Ponton styling: A 1930s–1960s design genre when distinct
running boards and fully articulated
fenders became less common and bodywork began to enclose the full width and uninterrupted length of a car in a markedly bulbous, slab-sided fashion.
;
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid electric vehicle whose battery pack can be recharged by plugging a charging cable into an external electric power source, in addition to internally by its on-board internal combustion engine ...
: A
hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle is one that uses two or more distinct types of power, such as submarines that use diesel when surfaced and batteries when submerged. Other means to store energy include pressurized fluid in hydraulic hybrids.
The basic princip ...
that can be plugged into the electric grid to recharge its battery to reduce gasoline usage.
[See als]
"Hybrid Vehicles Gain Traction"
/ref>
; Powertrain: All the components that generate power and deliver it to the tyres.
Q
;Quarter-panel: (or rear quarter panel) refers to the panel at the back sides starting at the rear edge of the rearmost doors, bordered by at top by the trunk (boot) lid and at bottom by the rear wheel arches ending at the rear bumper. This is the opposite of the fender.
:*Literally, the term originally referred to the rear quarter or the car's length.
R
;Rake: The first application of the term ''rake'' in vehicles was probably the tilting back of the windshield's top. Nowadays ''rake'' refers to the angle between the overall vehicle and the horizontal axis of the ground. If the back is higher than the front, the vehicle is said to have positive rake; if the front is higher than the back, this is negative rake. In early hot rod and custom cars, positive rake was created by varying tire size, and/or by suspension modification. In today's body design, positive rake is integral in some vehicles' styling, e.g. Mercedes E350 sedan, circa 2012/13.
;Roadster: An open vehicle, usually with 2 doors, with a removable and/or retractable cloth top and a windshield characterized by the lack of integrated glass side windows. Contemporary uses of this name do not always follow this original description. A classical roadster is a two-seater with a long hood and a short back, which means the driver is sitting in the rear of the vehicle (close to the rear axle). Usually it is a rear-wheel-driven car.
;Rocker: The body section below the base of the door openings sometimes called the "rocker panels", or "sills".
;Rocker rail: Body armor protecting the Rocker, found mostly in off-road vehicles. Term coined by engineers at MetalCloak.
;Rubbing strip: Plastic/rubber line or moulding to prevent side-swiping along the doors.
S
;Saab hockey stick
The hockey stick is an automotive design feature seen on nearly all Saab automobiles. It is a C-pillar curve from the base of the rear passenger window that resembles the shape of an ice hockey stick or the Nike swoosh symbol.
The distinctive desi ...
: The hockey stick is an automotive design feature seen on nearly all Saab automobiles. It is a C-pillar curve from the base of the rear passenger window that resembles the shape of an ice hockey stick or the Nike swoosh symbol.
; Scissor doors: (Lamborghini doors) are automobile doors that rotate vertically at a fixed hinge at the front of the door, rather than outward as with a conventional door.
; Scoop: Inset or protrusion that implies the intake of air. May be functional for cooling/ventilation or purely ornamental. Also Shaker scoop A shaker scoop (sometimes called a shaker hood scoop or a shaker hood) is an automobile term for an air intake for combustion air that is mounted directly on top of the engine's air cleaner and protrudes through a hole in the hood. Since it is fas ...
.
;Scowling headlamps: Headlamps styled along a V-shape as viewed from the front, giving the impression of a scowl.
;Scuttle: The part of the body on a convertible or roadster where the windscreen is mounted. The term is used primarily in the UK.
; Shooting-brake: Once a vehicle designed to carry hunters and sportsmen; now a station wagon
A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
or vehicle combining features of a station wagon
A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
and a coupe.
;Shoulder line: The line or "shoulder" formed by the meeting of top and side surfaces extending from hood/fender shoulder to boot-lid/quarter-panel shoulder. The strongest example of this feature can be found on more modern of Volvo Cars.
;Sill: The body section below the base of the door openings sometimes called the "rocker panels", or "rockers".
;Sill line: Imaginary line drawn following the bottom edge of the greenhouse glass.
;Six line: A line extending from the C-pillar down and around the rear wheel well.
;Sixthlight: Also called ''quarter glass''; fixed glass located in between the side-door and boot.
;Softtop: A convertible top which is made out of flexible materials like PVC or textile
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
.
; Spats: Side covers for wheel arches, hiding the wheel—usually rear only. Also called fender skirts.
;Spoiler
Spoiler is a security vulnerability on modern computer central processing units that use speculative execution. It exploits side-effects of speculative execution to improve the efficiency of Rowhammer and other related memory and cache attacks. Ac ...
: A raised lip or wing which is used to "spoil" unfavorable air movement across the body. Some designs are more functional than others.
;Staggered wheel fitment: The front and rear wheels are different widths. On sporty rear-wheel-drive cars, the rear tires are usually wider than the front.
;Strake: Crease in the sheet metal intended as a "speed line" styling feature. Exemplified in the doors of the Ferrari Testarossa.
; Suicide door: Hinged doors, opening from the front of the car. If accidentally opened while driving at a high speed, such doors would be blown backward.
; Swage line: Crease or curvature in the side of the body used to create visual distinction. Sometimes the crease is functional and improves rigidity of the outer body (interchangeable with character line).
; Swan doors: Swan doors operate in a similar way to conventional car doors but unlike regular doors, they open at an upward angle. These help in keeping th doors on low cars from being damaged by curbs. Common on Aston Martin cars.
;Swedish kiss: A negative flick-out to a flat surface which frames trim sections or venting.
T
;Track: The distance across the car between the base of the left and right wheels (like wheelbase, but side-to-side).
;Truck: A typically large vehicle built using frame-on-rail construction consisting of a cab and a separate bed for cargo.
;Trunk: (Boot ''in UK'') Compartment for storage of cargo which is separate from the cab.
; Tube Fender: Replacement fenders found on off-road vehicles designed as part of body armor for off-road vehicles. Used to protect the thin sheet metal bodies from damage while off-roading.
;Tumblehome
Tumblehome is a term describing a hull which grows narrower above the waterline than its beam. The opposite of tumblehome is flare.
A small amount of tumblehome is normal in many naval architecture designs in order to allow any small projection ...
: Generally refers to the way the sides of a car rounds inward toward the roof, specifically of the greenhouse above the beltline. This term is borrowed from nautical description of naval vessels.
;Turn under: The shape of the rocker panel as it curves inward at the lower edge.
W
;Wedge: Shape of the car as seen in the side profile. May be positive, negative or neutral. If the front is lower than the rear, then it is wedge-positive. If the rear is lower it is wedge-negative. If the car appears level from front to rear, then it is wedge neutral.
;Wheel arch: The visible opening in the side of a car allowing access to the wheel.
;Wheel arch gap: The space between the tire and the wheel well. Currently there is a trend towards smaller wheel arch gaps. Sometimes referred to as Dead Cat Space due to the fact that, in winter, many domestic cats try to seek shelter in wheel wells of recently parked cars in an attempt to stay warm.
;Wheelbase: The distance front to back measured from where the front and rear wheels meet the ground.
;Wheel well (also wheelhouse, wheelhousing, or bucket): The enclosure or space for the wheel.
;Windshield trim: US DOT Term: Molding of any material between the windshield glazing and the exterior roof surface, including material that covers a part of either the windshield glazing or exterior roof surface.
;Wings: See Fender.
See also
* Car body style
There are many types of car body styles. They vary depending on intended use, market position, location, and the era they were made in.
Current styles
;Buggy (automobile), Buggy: Lightweight off-road vehicle with sparse bodywork.
;Converti ...
* Car classification
Governments and private organizations have developed car classification schemes that are used for various purposes including regulation, description, and categorization of cars.
The International Standard ISO 3833-1977 ''Road vehicles – Types ...
* Glossary of mechanical engineering
''Most of the terms listed in Wikipedia glossaries are already defined and explained within Wikipedia itself. However, glossaries like this one are useful for looking up, comparing and reviewing large numbers of terms together. You can help enhan ...
References
{{reflist
Automotive industry
Automotive design
design
A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design'' ...