Even in Poland, attempts were made to create their car. The LS (Lux-Sport) model was created at the National Engineering Plant in Warsaw by Stanislaw Panczakewicz. He also designed the body of the first Polish car CWS T1 in 1921-1923. After the war, Pankiakevic together with other Polish designers built a prototype of the first Polish truck Stara 20. The designer also took part in the design of the Sokol motorcycle, and under his leadership, the body of the Fiat 666 RN bus was also developed.
5. Modern - from 1948 to 1980
During this period, buyers began to actively complain about the appearance of scars, which, in their opinion, have become too archaic. The designers had to react somehow to the claims. They decided to hide the wings and headlights in the body of the car. This type of bodywork was called a "pontoon", but in practice, it is not used.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the demand for small motorcycle-powered cars increased. The sales leader in this segment was BMW Isetta, produced since 1955. An amazing solution was a door that was located in front of the car, not on the side, as in the case of traditional bodies.
At the same time, Italy produced miniature Fiat 500 and 600. Also worth noting is another model of the Italian brand - Fiat Multipla. It could accommodate three rows of seats. The bodies of these cars were very convex, which created a visual illusion of space in the cabin. Designers removed sharp changes in body lines. All this meant that the "Italians" simply couldn't help but like the buyers.
Across the ocean, cars grew in length and width. No one was surprised by the 6-meter "animals" with V8 engines, the volume of which often exceeded 6.0 liters. In the early 1960s, the use of aviation trends became very fashionable. Tailings of the vehicles became large - as well as bumpers with air intakes. They resembled jet engine components. Unlike Italian cars, American cars were remembered for sharp and angular bodies.
Along with changes in the shape of the body was improved technology of production of body shell elements, their stamping. Manufacturers began to use plastics - initially for the manufacture of small parts, such as the body of rear lights. But some companies already used polymers more widely.
In 1953, the American concern Chevrolet presented a sports model C1. It was the first car, the body of which was made of fiberglass, it was installed on a steel frame. The car quickly became popular. The model is still in production, now it is the seventh generation.
In 1965, Renault introduced the 16th model. It is considered the first serial hatchback. Thanks to technical innovations in 1966, the 16th won in the category "Car of the Year".
6. Universal - from 1980 to the present day
In 1986, Audi's 100th model began using galvanized steel sheets for bodywork production. This led to a rise in vehicle price but increased its corrosion resistance. Even today, most manufacturers use galvanized steel for bodywork.
Opel Calibra is another excellent car made by the Germans. It differed by the sports form of the body, for which it received awards even before the beginning of production. Opel engineers took care of the aerodynamic performance. The resistance coefficient for this vehicle was 0.26 - a great result even by modern standards. In comparison, other sports cars - the Nissan GTR or BMW i8 - show the same values in wind tunnel tests. Unfortunately, due to the rapid drop in prices and rapid development of the global automotive industry, it is now difficult to find the Opel Calibra in good condition.
Today, the main task of the designers is to reduce the coefficient of resistance. It is very important, because the lower the coefficient, the lower the fuel consumption. The second goal of the designers is to assemble several materials for bodywork production, such as steel, aluminum, and plastic.
Functions of a modern car body
The functionality of the vehicle depends largely on the body itself - it must be designed to make the operation of the vehicle as easy as possible. Aesthetics plays an important role - sometimes it comes to the fore when choosing a car.
The basic function is safety. It is divided into active and passive. The first is the systems that ensure the simplicity and comfort of driving. Electronics helps prevent collisions. But if this has not been avoided, passive safety comes into play - these are structural solutions that absorb the energy of the impact.
As we can see, the requirements for car bodies have increased significantly over more than a century of history.
