by Wallace Wyss –
I just caught an interview of Franz von Holzhausen, Teslas chief designer, on YouTube and he briefly touched on the Model S originally having a grille. I missed the part where he talked about taking it away but I think it was a key moment in car design around the world.
Why? Because Teslas don’t have radiators. They don’t need to take in air. When they first designed it, I am sure he felt the pressure of a grille in most cars defining the shape of the front, such as RR, Mercedes, etc. But since the Model S would represent a new era in cars, an American electric car, kowtowing to having a grille was like selling a bald man a hairbrush.
No grille on this 2023 Tesla Model S
I just saw two Teslas today and think the body is more refined than ever. He claims no new body panels but somehow they look better. By getting rid of the grille and surround, he saved the company money and more boldly said “We are Tesla owners. We don’t need a grille if there’s no use for it.”
In fact some other brands, in their ridiculous loyalty to the grille, have re-shaped their identity grille so badly that good looking cars are ugly. Like BMW.
von Holzhausen seemed proud that Musk and he didn’t succumb to the temptation to re-shape the body in more than 10 years. A far cry from when GM’s Harley Earl tweaked each model’s design in an average 3 years and you were ashamed to drive “last year’s model.”
I got a kick out of the part where von Holzhausen explains how he was hired by Musk. He came from Mazda but had previously worked in Detroit for GM doing the Saturn Sky and a few other cars and prototypes. The move was convenient, Tesla’s design studio was also in So Cal.
No grille on the Tesla Cybertruck
I am glad to see he has prospered so much (probably paid partly in Tesla stock when it was cheap) that he and his wife, Vicki, have bought some houses designed by world class famous architects, evidence of his good taste. She also has made a name for herself with her own business. She was a car designer herself. She decided to make a vegan leather that could rival animal leather. She researched materials and developed a sustainable leather alternative and tested it out on a handbag. You go, girl!
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR Wallace Wyss is a co-host of Autotalk, broadcast on KUCR FM weekly.
Photos compliments of Tesla.
Karman Ghia’s small front grills were primarily an aesthetic element, providing a visual design feature for the car’s front end. While it might offer a small amount of airflow, its main purpose is to complement the car’s sporty style.
Nicely done and a somewhat timeless look.
356 Porsche’s — no grill at all but arguably a beautiful design overall.
My thought –It depends on the what the overall design of the car is intended to do, kind of a form versus function.
If you like it, buy it if not, kick it to the curb. There’s certainly enough variety out there.