Sedans (or saloons) have always played a part in the automotive landscape. They are a practical and dependable vehicle format. But where did the name sedan come from? What is its history? And is there any life left in the three-box vehicle typology in the future? To answer these questions (and more), Form Trends contributor Pierre-Paul Andriani (who also happens to be Senior Manager for Digital Modeling at Tata Motors’ European Design Center) invited his longtime friend Brian Baker, VP of Education and Principal Historian at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan, on the FORMCAST podcast. Hope you enjoy the episode!
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*TIMECODES*
00:00 – Intro
00:37 – Pierre-Paul Andriani
01:04 – Brian Baker
02:09 – Pierre and Brian history
02:38 – The Sedan – Where Does it Come From?
03:04 – Going Back in Time
05:27 – Illegal Car Design
07:00 – Post-War First to Market
08:00 – Upper Class and Elite
09:14 – 1948 and Perceived Value
10:20 – 1973 Oil Embargo
11:00 – 1980s Smaller Sedans
12:00 – Ford Taurus SHO and 4DSC
13:00 – Logic of a Four-Door
13:52 – Ultimate Driving Machine
15:00 – Collector Car Market
16:50 – Future of the Sedan
17:50 – Escalade Carnival
18:35 – Roman Road System
19:30 – Farmers and Royalty
20:15 – Long Hoods
20:25 – Human Psychology
21:10 – Prestige of the Sedan
21:51 – Bill Mitchell
22:50 – Rolls-Royce Inspiration
22:56 – Cadillac and the Bustle Back
24:15 – Ahead of Public Taste
24:30 – Age of Electrification
25:19 – Three-Box Typology
26:00 – More Design Freedom
26:40 – Range of Proportions
27:00 – Different Sizes and Shapes
28:00 – Glass Box with Wheels
28:44 – Ed Welburn
29:00 – Ingress-Egress
30:00 – Taxis
30:30 – Return of the Sedan
31:50 – Travels in India
33:20 – Developing Your Own Aesthetic
33:50 – Celebration of Culture
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