Kinetic Energy is the energy of moving objects. Similarly, Ford employs the same for its automobile designs - the notion of fast pace and speed in the exterior and interior look of their vehicles.
More information is available here : ford.dk/Personbiler/KineticDesign
Martin Smith:
Kinetic design is the name of the design language we have
developed over the last few years to create more emotion in the Ford brand,
really to try to design leadership with our products. And what it does ... it's ...
we're trying to visualize the driving dynamic characteristics of the Ford cars through design.
So it's a very very expressive, very emotive design language,
which I think , as you can see them in the ad, really makes the cars look like they're moving
when they're standing still.
Erika Tsubaki:
My team and myself have been partly responsible in the communication of this Kinetic Design
philosophy and what we did is basically vizualize it with images but also
non-automotive images, taking references from architecture, and bridges, and product design
and also with images from the Iosis concept car to higlight and explain
design elements with these images.
Martin Smith:
Well the first iteration .. we think was the S-MAX
not only a very innovative product, a transitional product
taking the design language into different direction,
where we have been actually with the C-MAX
You can actually break down
Kinetic Design into three main areas, the first is the
proportions, architecture and on top of this architecture
we then lay the own language of the vehicle
and Kinetic design is described best by , I think,
dynamic lines and full surfacing.
In the front we have the trapezoidal grill
the sled-back headlamps,we have the three dimensional plan view of the vehicle
On the side we have a rising, usually rising belt line
and a kickup in the seat pillar, in the DLO
which is short for Daylight Opening, or the sidewindow graphic.
Another graphic element on the side of the vehicle
are the wheel arches,which are very strongly pronounced.
As you move then, to the rear of the vehicle, defining elements are the high-mounted tail lamps
and the license plate box which is linked by the tail lamps
These are all
graphic elements, which enable the customer ,to identify the latest Ford product
as a Ford vehicle, through these very strong elements.
Erika Tsubaki:
I would say that
this next one is a very good example where you can see
how the exterior and interior come together and become one.
You can see how the three-dimensional shapes of the interior
are visible, on the exterior.
Good example how the instrument panel,
actually the wings of the instrument panel,
reach out through the window and become part of the
rearview mirrors and it really looks like
the interior is floating around
in the cabin.A lot of glass surfaces who have a really good look
on the interior.The dynamic shapes are still visible from the outside.