A historical perspective on the evolution of the car form can often yield clues to the future. New technology, lifestyle and culture have often shaped automobile design since manufacturing began. Beginning with the early days of the horseless carriage, it has always been an endeavor to create an emotional expression of speed in the development of the car form. It is seen to have reached an apex with the adoption of missile designs of the 1950’s. Over time, changes in lifestyle and culture have altered the semantic meaning of the frame. This study based on a historical time line helps automobile designers comprehend the maker’s ideas that influenced the evolution of the automobile, and acts as a reference tool to predict the future of car designs.

In this study, attempt has been made to collate visuals of the car form of selected well-known automakers starting from 1885 till the present day. Attempt has been made to map the influence of new technology; lifestyle and culture on automobile design. The study particularly focuses on factors that influenced the styling and external development of the automobile form to help identify those socio-cultural factors that may have been responsible for establishing the emotional relationship between a vehicle and their users. These have been categorized into seven eras.