The Main Principles of Retrospective Approach in Automotive Design

Abstract

In this thesis, the meaning of retrospective design is studied in automotive industry from the industrial design point of view. The main purpose of this study is to find out the main principles of the retrospective approach in automotive design. In order to do this, many examples from a variety of different design disciplines are used and examples from automotive industry are deeply analyzed. After giving general information about the meaning of the word .retro. and what it means in design for different design areas, it will be focused on the use of retrospective approach in automotive design with reviewing the current examples of the retro vehicles. In the next chapter, two current examples of the retro vehicle, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Volkswagen New Beetle, are going to be considered and they are compared to each other according to their retrospective designs. This will help us to understand how retrospective approach differs from one design to another in automotive industry although they are put in the same category in general. In addition to that, there wick be a case study of making a retrospective vehicle of an existed Turkish car from the past, Anadol Böcek (1975), to practice to show how a retrospective approach can be applied in automotive design. Finally, it will conclude the summary of the retrospective automotive design and what it contains in its deep meaning.