to mess with your argument, which I agree with, I would say that even in the thirties, cars were a relatively new thing existing just since 40 years but really available in a worth scale since I would say 20 years. therefore, not only the market but even the design behind it, and so the styling too, were still to being developed and to move forward from the classic engined horse carriages' idea.Originally Posted by Ferrer
Well you have a point and there certainly are exceptions, but I think that there could be a correlation between conservadurism, technically and stylistically (in general) and bad economic conditions. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find graphics or empirical evidence to support my claims.
Nevertheless I'd say that one of the reasons for cars from the 20's and early 30's looking the same is because the bad economic conditions due to WWI first and then the Great Depression made car manufacturers stay with similar styling. However by the mid 30's things had improved and car makers started to experiment and innovate again. This may only apply to European cars, though.
To illustrate this you can see those three Lancias. The first two (a Lambda from 1923 and an Artena from 1930) follow the same styling trends, but by 1937 the Aprilia had changed radically. In a way that's what happened too in the mid 70's with the oil crisis, when car manufacturers soldiered on with oldish cars for several years before actually changing them.
Or maybe, it's none of that...
also, in those 40 years between the thirties and the first "cars" a lot of happenings were happening, from WWI to the economy recessions, so yes and definitely, social periods, happenings and situation are factors that are strongly involved in what 's going on behind the development of a certain product.
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