Fascination: secret easter eggs
attention to detail
Opel astra
© press-inform – the press office
They are usually tiny, hidden in the car, behind panels, in shelves or on the window frame. More and more vehicle manufacturers are all too happy to play with the Easter eggs / Easter eggs, as the hidden visual allusions and gadgets are only called in automotive jargon.
The fact that small, hidden messages are often placed in and on cars by means of signets is not new. But in times when image, individuality and details are more and more important, the so-called Easter eggs (Easter eggs) are becoming increasingly important in communication. A distinction must be made between those Easter eggs that alone are a funny message and those small details that also have a practical meaning. For years, Skoda has installed a hidden ice scraper in the tank cap, a screen in the door panel, or even an aging model like the VW Golf V had a double cup holder in the center console, the middle bar of which was a metal bottle opener.
The two Volkswagen brands VW and Skoda in particular have had small hidden messages for years. These are also finding their way back into the new ID Buzz. Since Volkswagen largely lacks emotional products in its model portfolio, the Wolfsburg-based company is stepping on the gas with an image model like the electric Buzz. The electric transporter not only offers variable luggage volume from 1,100 to 3,900 liters, but also ambient lighting with up to 30 colors and a number of atmospheric symbols in the interior. Many can only be recognized at second or fourth glance and point out practical helpers such as a bottle opener and an ice scraper in the new ID Buzz.
There are small messages on the rear window frame of the new Smart #1. Jeep doesn’t want to let it rest on that, because the trained eye has been able to see small Jeep silhouettes in the window frames for years. If you look closely, you will see a number of Jeep signets and lettering on the front and rear headlights, on running boards, in panels or applications, which Jeep fans are crazy about on models like the Wrangler or especially the lifestyle crossover Renegade. The supposed off-road version of the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk has more than 25 little Easter eggs on its countless plastic elements inside and out, which are supposed to put you in a good mood – and are otherwise of no great importance. Even in the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, several previous generations are parked in the rear right side window, while here and there the louvered grille or other symbolic icons peek out.
Secretly, quietly and quietly, Opel has also got the hidden Easter eggs in the vehicles. Small shark signs can be found in numerous current Opel models, which are just as pointless as they are entertaining. The miniature predatory fish have been delighting Opel fans for almost 20 years now – including in the current Astra Sports Tourer. While a single shark swims somewhere in the interior of most Opel models such as the Mokka or Corsanur, the Astra station wagon offers a whole range of sea creatures “, says Design Director Karim Giordimaina, “that should also be fun for our customers. Our sharks have now become a cult Opel identifier. That also shows how approachable we are as a brand.”
The Opel Sharks originated in 2004 when designer Dietmar Finger was working at home on a design for the new Generation D Corsa that was to appear two years later. It was about the stylistically rather insignificant outer wall of the glove compartment, which is hidden most of the time by the closed passenger door. When opening the compartment, however, this wall should provide stability, which is achieved with transverse ribs integrated into the plastic surface. The designer ended up decorating these ribs with a small shark. The next day, Dietmar Finger shows the shark profile to Niels Loeb, who was then chief designer of the Corsa. He is also enthusiastic about the idea – and the shark in the glove compartment goes into series production. Later, Karim Giordimaina, who was responsible for the interior design of the Zafira, also tucked away three small sharks in the cockpit of the variable compact van. More sharks pop up in models like the Adam, Astra, Crossland, and Grandland.