May 28: A history lesson - the Hofmeister Kink

A bit of history  -  the Hofmeister Kink. The what??? The Hofmeister Kink. Whether you like cars or not, you can't help but see this design feature many times every day. Named after its originator, BMW designer Wilhelm Hofmeister, the kink was first shown in 1961 on the BMW 1500. So what is it? Take a look.........

Originally it was a mild little forward slanting feature at the front base of the C pillar, but it gave the car a unique look. So distinctive was Wilhelm's little design, that BMW incorporated it into all their cars.

This composite shows the feature on 3 series models over the years, up to the present day convertible. Over 50 years later, you won't find a BMW model without the Hofmeister Kink. But just not on BMW's, this neat little feature has become ubiquitous and is featured on many other manufacturer's cars, for example......


 Honda Accord

Infinti G37X

Hyundai Genesis

The kink is so distinctive that cars with it, start to look the same. For example this Acura TL........

A great looking design element, but don't you think all the world's designers could come up with a new feature with which to adorn their new models? But hey, it really does look good and creates a tension in the design that is hard to get without the kink. Even this mid 1990's "bathtub" Chevy benefitted from the Hofmeister Kink.........

But on the other hand, check out any Mercedes, Cadillac or Audi  -  not a kink to be found. So obviously, it is not the only way to design a car, just one of the most popular and distinctive.

So ends today's design feature history lesson. What other blog has stuff like this? Stay tuned.

Until next time.......