Anti-Template considerations
 

Here are some considerations which designers included in the calculus of vehicle specifications listed in Hucho's 2nd-Edition, December, 1986:
* 'risk to sale'
* 'commercial success'
* 'stylist'
* 'more expensive'
* 'add to product cost'
* 'customer-oriented cost benefit calculation'
* 'economically viable in the eye of the customer'
* 'look-alike'
* 'individuality'
* 'practical'
* 'styling'
* 'light diffusion'
* 'convenience'
* 'conform to current styles'
* 'the design of a vehicle is not dictated wholly by aerodynamics'
* 'production success'
* 'readily accepted by the public'
* 'too revolutionary'
* 'utility'
* 'ergonomic limit'
* 'practical requirements of automotive engineering'
* 'fuel prices'
* 'unwillingness to interact with the stylists'
* 'technical constraints'
* 'legal requirements'
* 'trends'
* 'fashion'
* 'uniformity'
* 'the buying public'
* 'marque identity'
* 'production engineering'
* 'A series of formally different solutions was worked, in order to allow the stylist ( Giorgio Giugiaro ) the possibility of selecting the one best suited to his design.' Re: first-gen Golf/Rabbit
* 'The mass-produced Scirocco-I was equipped with a rear spoiler...which had no negative effect upon the external appearance and simultaneously contributed to a high buckling strength to the rear lid.'

The first 31 seem to restate the same few things with varied words; the last two are particular rather than hand-waving generalizations.

Interestingly the Lotus Elite was designed aerodynamically, and then "styled". The aero-team said where they could put things that would make no difference to aerodynamic drag. 0.30Cd.
Attachment 30060

Not really practical with a "template" car, most styling tweaks will cause detachment.