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My Scion xA has a slight crease but not as pronounced as the first 3 cars above. My little 3 hamster engine needs all the aerodynamics it can get!

Don’t forget about the Chrysler 300

http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/7/0/T/2007_Chrysler300_LW.jpg

or the Acura TL!!

http://www.corsportusa.com/store/catalog/images/AcuraTL.JPG.jpg

I think BMW ’s 3 series coupe is the most aesthetically pleasing out of their current range.

damn! that last one looks like it’s straight out of a james bond movie. I’d love to open that up on the highway.

Not a big fan of this look. Actually I think the current crop of BMWs are ugly as sin.

But then again I think car styling peaked around 1958 (example: 1958 DeSoto).

Nice catch.

Looks incredible when it on the same horizontal line as the door handles. It tucks away and looks great.

Wouldn’t surprise me if these guys stole the idea from Apple’s website…specifically the line they have through all their product shots. Though Apple’ uses to show light and some depth, these guys probably just ripped it from them.

At least you didn’t post a picture of an Audi! :-)

Not that I’d mind an R8. Rrrowww…

Stole the idea from Apple? That is hilarious. The “side crease” is at least 50 years old. Want proof? Take a look at a 1954 Austin-Healey 100-4. Nice little crease there. Note that the designers specifically avoided an exterior door handle. Messes up the lines.

There are very few new automotive ideas.

I think there’s a little precedent for this one:

1988 bmw m5: http://www.bmwmregistry.com/exteriors/E28_M5_Early_Exterior.jpg

1973 BMW 3 .0cs: http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j81/scudinferno/P3070120.jpg

1963 Corvette: http://www.calcarcollection.com/files/auto_images/MVC-378S.JPG

it makes them go faster.

obviously.

the crease on my BMW 328i is great for collecting door dings in parking lots.

$200 to fix a 1/4” scratch/ding on that damn crease

Isn’t it really just the old school painted on pin stripe? Now that the manufacturing techniques have evolved it allows for more forming of the metal and less painting/stickering (In some cases).

On all of those, the crease is a particularly ugly feature on an otherwise completely bland design – except the Smart Car, which may be a sticker and not an actual crease.

It’s sad that automotive design (at least in the average consumer’s price range) has gotten so boring.

Next up: Pleats

I’ve been told this is a visual aid to break the flank on the side of the car and thus trick the eye into perceiving the car as smaller than it is in reality. seems to make sense for european cars, especially as they really have grown through the past couple of iterations

clearly this doesn’t apply so much for the smart…

Well the BMW looks almost suit-like. The crease supports that nicely.

Generally though, I’m not convince big flat pieces of metal are the way to go as often as they are used—kitchen appliances are a great example. Adding a few creases, curves elements and support elements makes wear and tear more acceptable from the majority of angles.

The crease actually helps make the sides stronger and more resilient as well. Like some of my friends, metal like to get bent.

On last years Acura models, the TL sported the crease (more like a trench) and the TSX did not. The TSX definitely looked better, IMO .

As Jeff said creases make the sides stronger, while at the same time not add extra weight. Not to mention that in my opinion it adds a touch of aesthetics.

How about the older Jetta? http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rossvw.com/vw/pics/96jetta3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rossvw.com/vw/96jetta.html&h=480&w=640&sz=136&hl=en&start=92&sig2=G-rkhVzuRHZ8O7JazFdUhg&um=1&tbnid=XB4Fm4ZslylJwM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=lmzhR4rhGJWIiwGyj-ydBg&prev=/images%3Fq%3D1996%252Bvolkswagen%252Bjetta%26start%3D80%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN

The door creases in some cases would hold a business card very well. A business card dispenser. How cool.

As Jeff said creases make the sides stronger

Well, yeah, kinda. Added strength/support depends on the implementation (for one, these are not flat pieces to begin with). And on what you mean by stronger I guess.

They’re like pinstripes… without the pinstripe.

I’m surprised how much Bangle’s reviled new BMW designs have been influencing the other manufacturers.

At least for BMW , this bit has been a defining element on their cars for years … only recently they edited out the extreme version of this crease on their larger cars. All the others are copy-cats.

Long live the 02!

Better than the old trim that falls off. My old Buick is losing its trim.

The Honda is hilarious. 5 series BMW without the punch. Couple of years later.

I’m with pwb. Bangle’s created the most influential style in car design since the tailfins.

It does look a little out of place on the Honda. It has a rounded feel everywhere else on the car but then a very sharp side profile. I prefer the how the TL uses it more.

each of these things is by definition a bad design (i.e. self-centered, non-scalable, doesn’t play well with others, inflicts damage to user and environment)

It’s called a chine.

There has never been, there is not presently, and I hope there never will be a crease, on a jeep.

Creases on cars are like chartjunk on charts.

No surprises about the smart, since it’s designed and made by Mercedes.

Many cars have had this for a while now, so not sure how “in” or new this is – perhaps the 37Signals car allowances have gone up hence it being noticed with these lux brands coming on the radar?

The idea, or so I understand, is to seemingly lower the visual profile for the car – creating a sense of a lower centre of gravity – thereby giving the impression of faster, sleeker, more desirable model.

A bit like…rounded corners/ wet floor effect/ starbucks launching a social network/ WMDs in Iraq/ WonderBras etc etc

It’s definitely done to reduce the visual height a car’s side… in the past, you’d more likely see plastic strips or plastic lower panels to break up the expanse of metal. While the creases are a newer look and I think attractive when done correctly - reminds me of creases in a pair of dress pants or suit - they offer none of the protection from parking lot door dings that the plastic strips offered…

I’ve noticed that a lot more seem to have the shark fin antenna. Of course its the biggest on the BMW ’s, but its not more sharky on Audi’s, Mercs, and even the newest impala. And at least cars today look better than they have the last 20 years. The average sedan’s in the 80’s and 90’s are sooooo boring.

I’m not sure that this is a particularly insightful observation.

An informal survey of the cars on the highway during my morning commute revealed that there were just as many cars with this design element as there were without. Many of the cars I spotted were a decade old and they tend to run the gamut of manufacturers: Dodge/Chrysler, Subaru, Volkswagen, Nissan, Acura, etc..

Perhaps the makers of high-end German sports sedans are taking design cues from the 2001 Dodge Caravan? http://images.automotive.com/reviews/images/01grandcaravan.jpg

This is new? Been going on for quite some time I think….