Pleasure is all mine Sheryar Bhai..
Wow.. this is amazing, I read every word with keen interest. Very inspiring and moving because of so much passion and love of auto industry is present here.
I had to stop and think about what you said about the importance of culture in the defining who we are. How and why Europeans value there culture so much, to serve their nation in best possible way, is like religous duty to them.
The words about how Volvo designer, eventhough he was a Brit, felt the need to study swedish culture so much, he took inspiration from their furniture, their surroundings, their OWN identity to design the new Volvo car. Their is definately a lesson for us. And look how true it is...
Swedes were not on auto scene, when they were TRYING to follow the JAPANESE more than the Japanese themselves in early 1980s, not a single classic car is remembered as being ORIGINAL SWEDISH car, but now look at Volvo, Saab, etc. how elegant, beautiful and SAFE those cars are. The best in SAFETY among all the cars, rated in 1990s and to this day.
This is due to their FOCUS and appreciation of their own culture and defining a niche for themselves.
Similarly, we Pakistanis need to look at our strengths. We have alot of PLUSES on our side if we look deeply. The most elegant and beautiful building that were designed by Muslims in India, like TAJ MAHAL, the Red Forst, those classis building define a very important time in our culture, other things to look at are how distinct and respectable our Pakistan culture is, with modestly, privacy and elegance.
There are million things to take inspiration from, when looking through a designers eye. The clothes, for instance, have so much brightness and floral design are just amazing, and in West, particularly in colder climates, everyone just wears, dark, grey simple clothes. Yes for Formal occasions, it looks elegant, but everyday casual wear, you need to have more diversity in dressing, but here you see same old same dark grey or Khaaki pants, everyone wears to work.
But in Pakistan, you see literally millions of colors. We can take this inspiration in apply in Vehicle Design, have an elegant and attractive interior with beautiful colors, not just dull Grey interior like we mostly see in all the cars now a days, Japanese also follow what is in trend in US and Europe, so Grey is very much dominant color in Japan too.
I dont want to add too much, without a point. Point is just like Sheriar Bhai said, take inspiration from Islamic Style, Architecture, Caligraphy, Dress colors, Food, Furniture, Music, Language, Religion, etc. There is so much to explore and transpose this into Auto design.
Look at how a very low educated Truck Driver spends so much time in decorating his Bus or Truck, that is his true passion, and I would give him a high five for being original.
Same can be done, I am not talking about painting the cars like traditional buses and trucks, but look at the control knobs inside the car, the color of the dash panel.
I think Deep electric Blue of the knobs, or other intriguing colors, like light or white speedometer a with METALIC GOLDEN RIMS around the edges of the speedometer, would look nice and highlight the importance of GOLD in our culture.
The dome light, with rectangular cover outside but interior reflector in the shape of 8 Sided Islamic Star......
The Seats with Beautiful Floral patterns, instead of dull grey color like in US, Europe you see. The overall exterior shape with emphasis on sharp Headlamps and taillamps.
I personally think the headlights of car as EYES.. The eyes are very important feature of a face. In Eastern Culture the Dark, Doe like (Hiraan) type eyes in females are preferred, to the edges of the Cars Headlamps should be made with Pakistani Deep beautiful FEMale Eyes.
See how Japanese cars have Slanted headlamps, they look like the Japanese people with Slit Slanted eyes... Not joking, I read it somewhere, people have streotypes about what they think is beautiful.
See this is why you see AMERICANS cars being so Heavy and Big. Because Americans love everything Big and Fat, even their average person weights about 220 plus pounds or about 100+Kgs. So they like Fat looking cars, like Pontiac Grand Am, I hate that car, I think it has Fat potatoe chip Butt.. The tail lamps are awefull on that car..
Somebody stop me.. or I will continue to type.. as this is my favorite topic.
LoL
Take Care all
