Thread: Monocoque for new Defender?

Originally Posted by MrLandy

So you guys reckon one of THE design classics of all time wasn't designed? ...You really think it is all just pragmatic aluminium re-cycling?

The history is well documented.

One of the best accounts is "Landrover, the formative years 1947-1967", John Smith, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9561708-0-4.

It was designed, but not styled. And the aluminium was new, not recycled, and was used primarily because sheet steel was rationed to car manufacturers in proportion to their exports; and Rover, who exported few cars, were essentially forced to use aluminium.

In 1947 styling was not generally considered to be a design consideration in making functional devices. The idea was that the appearance would be dictated by the function.

John

Partly true, however there was a Rover Styling Studio. I humbly suggest that the successful convergence of form and function = good design and that 'styling' is simply an integral part of that, whether formally acknowledged or not. ...The rounded edges, the rake of the windscreen, the curve of the latch ports, the curve of the grill, etc is all styling whether it's called that or not.

"It hardly seems possible, in hindsight, that very little "styling" was ever carried out, other than fine tuning of certain features by the Rover styling studio, headed by David Bache. ...the design "sort of evolved naturally - the shape just came as we worked out what was needed in terms of space." Nevertheless, the natural shape which evolved was to one day be displayed at the Louvre in recognition of its design excellence, the only vehicle ever to be so honored."

The best design/style is usually that which occurs naturally / intuitively.