This era began at around 1968 and continues till date. Designers today take into account not only the functionality, but also consumer’s emotional reactions to their automobiles. Designers today are well aware of how to create the feeling of speed. But the feeling of speed is not the sole expression the consumer looks for. Designers have recognized ways in which all areas of an automobile can be used to appeal to the consumer’s personal desires and tastes. The semantic frame of the car is changing once again.

Automobile designers no longer only borrow semantic meaning from planes and missiles. Today, they venture out to portray more organic and bionic forms. Car Designers study the bio mimicry of animals and insects and indirectly insert the animal’s emotional expression into the look and feel of the car. It’s not necessary to use the animal’s literal form. The meaning is implied (Benyus1997).


Figure 9: The Modern era

One of the greatest influences on form in the modern world, in this sense, has been GiorgettoGiugiaro. He started out as an automobile stylist, working for FIAT, CarrozzeriaBertone and Ghia, before establishing Italdesign with two other colleagues in 1968. No one could ever come closer to Giugiaro in terms of influencing the direction of automobile styling around the world. His concept of the Volkswagen Golf of 1974 set the pattern for subsequent generations of small, hatchback cars (Heskett 2002). That he designed hatchback because of the culture of traveling is very important in personal car design, more so, as quantity of luggage always differs in various cultures.

In this era, technology gave synthetic material, which can be molded and with less limitation, designer could use different forms for car (Noblet 1993).

Body styles have changed in the modern era. Three types dominate today's market:  the hatchback, the minivan, and the sport utility vehicle. All are relatively recent concepts, spurred by an aging, active generation who love to be on the road (Beazley1991).

References:
http://www.netcarshow.com/