For a single brand, Chevrolet has an exceptionally wide portfolio of vehicles. There are Chevy trucks (including pickups and SUVs), sedans, crossovers and sports cars, many of them entirely different from any of the others – for example, nobody is going to have trouble distinguishing a Silverado from a Corvette. The challenge for the designers is to maintain some form of design consistency – otherwise known as a family design language – across the range.
Chevy has done this in several ways. The one we’re looking at today concerns the tail lights. At first glance, the Bow Tie brand’s lights differ greatly from one model to another, but there is one common element: a horizontal line becoming vertical as it reaches the edge of the body. Although there may be more than one line, and the process may be repeated within a single line, the general feature is always present on modern Chevy vehicles.
Take, for instance, the 2019 Chevy Malibu and 2019 Chevy Blazer: both feature very similar tail light designs. The horizontal-to-vertical transition occurs twice in each case – once on the tail light within the trunk (Malibu) or liftgate (Blazer), and then again on the tail light insert on the main body structure.
The 2021 Chevy Equinox has a different treatment, where the horizontal line is more obviously split in two, and each part does not become vertical until after it had left the liftgate.
The 2020 Chevy Corvette has a more complex tail light design. The division occurs twice within the tail light, and in every transition there are two horizontal lines, one of which stops while the one below it rises up and almost doubles back on itself. This does not occur on the Malibu, Blazer or Equinox, but all four models use the same transition from horizontal to vertical.
More variations on the theme can be found in Chevy trucks. The tail lights of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe SUV and the 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup – both built on the same body-on-frame T1 platform – do not at first seem related, but the principle remains the same. On the Silverado, the horizontal lines are very short and very widely spaced. They then become vertical (and much longer) after making two 45-degree turns.
By comparison, the change of direction on the 2021 Tahoe is much more abrupt. Chevrolet designers have also acted almost playfully here by mounting the vertical sections inboard, in contrast to the other models. It’s as if they have emphasized the brand’s characteristic styling feature by presenting its exact opposite.
This may seem trivial, but there is a parallel in music: for more than a century, composers have presented a theme and then re-presented it backwards, or upside-down, or both. The material seems different to a casual listener, but unity is preserved. And if it works in a piece of music, why should it not work on Chevy trucks?
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Comments
I like how the new Suburban and Tahoe have a unique 3D modeling of their tail lamp designs. As you look at their tail lamps from a different angle, it flows from the vehicle’s character lines into their headlamp designs.
Enough already, fix the crappy interior in the trucks!
What is wrong with it? They are extremely useful and have great ergonomics, exactly what one wants in a truck. Just because you are a luxury car guy and want that interior in a pick up doesn’t mean everyone else has to follow suit. Pretty easy, the fancier the interior the less likely it is to be durable and stand up to abuse. Ram interiors aren’t wearing very well even though they are dolled up car interiors, if that is what you want then go buy a Ram, heck buy a car which you most likely are needing. So many buyers buy a truck after coming from their German luxury sedan then complain about the interior and ride, handling, etc. It is a truck, it needs to do truck work. The interior needs to be well designed for truck duty and durable which is exactly what these trucks are. Stop complaining, unfortunately it is guys like you that whine as to why we are getting a redesign, and I bet it won’t be as truck friendly as we have now. Materials will probably be fancier but not last as long. it will be prettier but not as intuitive or easy to use. Stop buying these things and buy what you actually need. Over half of them buy the off road package, throw on a leveling kit, big aggressive black wheels and aggressive tires then run around star bucks and the kids soccer complex trying to flex on other dads while complaining about the ride or lack of some features (and the price), please for the love of god stop and leave them for people who actually need them and use them; you people are just pricing out of the people of even the regular versions, like contractors, pool guys and lawn maintenance workers as all the bells and whistles being put in them have to be passed on to the cost along the entire lineup, it is sad….
Yeah exactly, as Commonsense said-stop buying GM trucks! Especially stop buying them if you want crazy things like competitive features, attractive materials, and options! It’s not like they make a work truck trim for the pool guys and maintenance workers to buy. Those poor pool guys get stuck buying your fancy pants trucks with outlandish 8 inch infotainment screens which nobody needs or wants, and all these useless and unwanted things that pool guys and truck owners really don’t want. GM truck should only come in white paint, WT trim, vinyl floor covering, roll-up window, long wheelbase, 2WD. That’s all GM wants to sell and all they should make. I’m glad Commonsense finally brought out the truth. The market has clearly spoken–NOBODY wants anything but a basic truck!
1. Most like the interiors of the current GM trucks just fine. There are complainers here and there, like yourself… but they’re a minority.
2. Your updated interiors are coming for 2022. Haven’t you heard?
I am a child of the 80’s and I never ever thought that people would be complaining about truck interiors. I mean don’t get me wrong rich corinthian leather in a truck looks great…but not for work, when you’ve got work keys that can puncture leather, a tablet in the dash that you can’t use with work gloves on, a carpet floor that gets full of dirt and grease…and yes work vehicles sell…one of GM’s best sellers is the Express WORK van…I am waiting to see one of those with a lift and 20 inch wheels and leather interior.
The 80s have left the room,with the price and the reliance of the oem’s for a good majority of profits now people should get a decent interior when plopping down Mercedes money for a p/u.
Agreed budlar…but if they can offer leather and a better interior, then why not a base bare bones work truck…I bet my house contractors, landscapers, handymen would love a truck like that. I am not saying get rid of the Cadillac interior just offer more choices it would not probably be cheap to make to.
Yada,yada,yada, fix the crappy interior already!
I am shocked that the price will go up with the better interior…and in awe of why no work truck!?
The price will be close to what the competition is going for,business owners are not going to buy 2 trucks they buy 1 and write off there personal use also. Quality floormats and seat covers keep the interior from getting trashed,work trucks can be had with vinyl seats.
A problem with GM is they don’t differentiate enough. Seems like it’s the same car either small, medium or large. The only thing that needs to be the same is the bowtie. Saw an Escalade and at first chance I thought it was a Suburban. Remember when Pontiac had their logo as a side marker light? Be more original GM
Give us the Escalade instrument panel and different colors for interior instead of boring black in trucks NOW!
That sounds good or the materials from the Corvette sound good as well…but the Slade is closer to a truck. I miss wood fake or real in an interior and plush seats, soft touch dash…my Maze 6 had an soft touch vinyl I love it I only had to wipe down every now and then and my current Equinox has vinyl, leather, and plastic it’s easy to clean this also doesn’t seem to catch dust which is great and the color chocolate brown, black and tan roof…there is no reason why this can’t go in the trucks.
I’ll take mechanical controls, that I can locate, operate and get some haptic feedback from without ever taking my eyes off the road, thank you.
The rear of the C8 is just soooo poorly executed. Give me a C7 any day!
That’s rear end is pretty sloppy…at least give us round or oval tail lights. I don’t know why the Camaro and vette have to have almost the same taillights.
Pot and hemp are good for you…and besides some of the greatest minds in the world smoke pot…hmmm the Camaro and Corvette tail lights look square I did not say they had anything in common people need to read before commenting this is the second time I had to correct someone today. My my pot is bad for me keep drinking your angry kool aid! 😂