Okay, maybe it doesn't look that bad. But the blunt and almost vertical "face" of the concept car is a departure from the low-profile and aerodynamic hoodlines that have long characterized cars in the Honda family. While the change in styling direction may simply be a way for Honda to incorporate consistent styling cues to all its cars, the way in which it is being done is just another example of how new European safety regulations are having a dramatic effect on the design of the latest generation of cars.
Because the regulations are aimed at reducing the number of pedestrians killed by automobiles every year, they have had a direct impact on the styling of hoods and fascias - the parts of a car most recognizable to observers. Lessening the force of impact between pedestrians and cars can only be achieved by adding more crush space behind the bumper, grille, and hood. However, because space under the hood is already at a premium, the only way automakers have been able to achieve this is by making deeper bumpers, bigger deformable grills, and taller hoodlines.
The effect of the new standards can already be seen in European-market cars. Audi, for instance, dramatically changed its corporate face when it started incorporating a supersized grill (first seen in the Nuvolari concept) to all its cars. Although the new "Nuvolari-nose" was conceived as a new styling direction for Audi, its wider surface area also makes for a safer car in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.
Other cars have also been redesigned with the new pedestrian safety standards in mind. The latest BMW 7-series, the Mini, and Mercedes C-class all feature blunt front ends and bulbous hoodlines that are taller than those from the previous versions.
The stylists have for the most part done a respectable job of designing good-looking cars within the constraints of the regulations. But aesthetics will take a step behind safety once the pedestrian safety standards take full effect. The Pontiac Solstice is not sold in Europe because it does not meet the stringent requirements. To make it eligible for sale in the EU, the next generation Solstice will have to be reconfigured with a higher hood, which will surely spoil the roadster's low-slung design.
