Proportions of Different Types of Cars: Side View Analysis

Proportion is one of the most fundamental factors when you draw or design a car. No matter what design you make, these certain basic proportions have to be promised and followed. Proportion is basically defined as a relationship of shapes concerned with scale and size in a design. Knowing how to use proportions in car design is useful as it helps to make steps to draw with ease and concrete the concept of the vehicle you are designing. When you find the harmonious proportions, you are able to deliver the concept of your design effectively and create something which we call beautiful design.

Depending on the type of vehicle, proportions vary. For example, the length of the wheel base of off-road vehicles like a Mercedes G-Wagon is clearly shorter than a luxury sedan such as a Rolls Royce Phantom. On this post, I will use side view drawings of cars to compare proportions and differentiate characteristics of different types of cars including cars such as sedan, sports car and city car.

Sedan: Audi A6 1997 (top) and Audi A8 2018 (bottom)

 A sedan is defined as an automobile in a three-box configuration with A, B and C pillars and 4 doors. Additionally, it generally has clearly separated compartments for passengers, cargo and front located engine. Audi’s flagship sedan A8 was drawn to analyse the proportions of typical luxury sedans. The first things we should start with when drawing a car are wheels because we can use them as basic reference points. Once the wheels are positioned with equal size, we can define the relevant height of the vehicle. For example, a typical sedan has a length of 3.5 wheels which fit in the wheelbase and a wheel in each overhang. From this reference we can set up the height of the shoulders and pillars connected to the roof.

City car and Sports car: Smart Fortwo (top) and Audi TT (bottom)

This time, I will compare two completely different types of cars: sports car and small city car. Audi TT is a typical sports car with relatively lower height and seat position than the other sort of cars. On the other hand, a small city car the Smart Fortwo has extremely short wheelbase as it has only two seats. Overhangs are also short to match the size of the vehicle.

Even though cars are designed for non-identical purposes with different characteristics, there are certain similar proportions they promise and generalise.

Quick analysis of the basic side view proportions of general cars.
1.   Wheel base includes at least 2.5 ~3 wheels. + Each Overhang includes at least 0.5 wheel.
2.   Rear shoulder must be located higher than the front shoulder.
3.   A pillar starts from behind the front wheel. + C pillar finishes behind the rear wheel or the same location (unless it is a truck).

In conclusion, despite what vehicle you are drawing, this rule of proportions has to be followed from the beginning. I have seen a lot of people struggle with drawing cars since they do not possess the sense of basic proportions. To gain this sense, it is important to observe various types of cars and practice to differentiate them. Moreover, constant sketching practice is essential.