We Need To Put Words On Cars Again

In the automotive industry, trends come and go. Something gets established as cool, then it goes mainstream, and then before you know it, it’s old hat. There’s one important trend, though, that I think is due to rise again. I’m calling it—we need to start putting words on cars again.

Jump back to the 1980s, and you could get cars with all kinds of nonsense written on the side. Automakers realized that the doors and fenders were open space that was begging for more than simple badging. They employed them as billboards, where decals would shout about your 16-valve engine, dual overhead cams, or, if you were so lucky, the mighty turbocharger under the hood that was boosting your engine to the moon.

Today, our cars get by with little more than discreet badging. We’re driving around, and nobody even knows how many pistons we have, let alone how many valves! It doesn’t need to be this way—I think we can bring it back. Let’s take a look at some of the best examples from automotive history, and then riff on a few new designs for today.

The Bold

When it comes to words on cars, I love ’em big and bold. Normally, automakers will go this route for a headline model with a standout feature. For example, the Toyota Corolla FX-16 featured a hotter 16-valve four-cylinder engine good for 108 horsepower. That earned it the eye-catching “TWIN CAM 16” decal that was so instantly memorable.

In the 1980s, forced induction was the new hotness, and turbo engines topped the range of many models. The Renault 5 Turbo II naturally wore a massive “TURBO 2” decal to highlight the inclusion of forced induction. And so many other models did besides. The Honda City Turbo II was much the same, as was the Toyota Hilux Surf.

The 1983 Nissan Skyline 2000 Turbo RS decided to rock a decal explaining all the virtues of its engine. The turbo, the dual overhead cams, and the four-valve-per-cylinder head all got a mention in the decal, which elevated this model above the rest.

4WD was a big deal, too, way back when. Mitsubishi was certain to highlight this on the Delica. Combined with the ride-height, chunky tires, and “TURBO DIESEL” branding, it made it easy to spot a top-tier Delica at a glance. A  model that might have otherwise looked awkward and strange was instead telling you why it mattered, right in your face.

Japanese automakers loved decals more than most. They were typically used to highlight their high-tech features as a point of difference, hence the focus on engines with many valves and electronic fuel injection.

Mitsubishi also went ham on later models of the Delica, with the Chamonix trim. Named after a mountain, it featured a full paragraph of inspirational prose.

With that said, American automakers dabbled with slapping words on cars, too. The Ford Mustang II got a great sticker pack in the late 1970s. It said “COBRA II” on the side, so everyone knew you bought the cool one. Plus, you got an angry snake as a bonus to really drive the point home. Hssssss!

Around the same time, Plymouth also went hard with the Arrow Jet sticker pack. Riffing on the jet theme, you could add a bunch of aircraft-inspired decals, too, marking the fuel door, door handles, and indicating the correct tire pressure.

The Subtle

Big decals are rad, but some might find them a bit much. You might prefer smaller words on the side of your car, that still nonetheless tell everyone how great it is.

Nissan did this in a classy way with the Skyline GTS-X towards the end of R31 production in 1987. The door text indicated that it rocked a 24-valve engine with ceramic turbo and the HICAS four-wheel-steering system. Unfortunately, it’s so subtle that the best image of it I could find was the box for this model kit for sale on eBay.

Toyota similarly went l0w-key when it built the first-generation MR2, giving it a “SUPERCHARGED” decal to let everyone know you were driving the quicker one. Mitsubishi did the same with the Starion, clearly denoting the turbo models without using the doors as a massive billboard.

Similarly, Plymouth offered more relaxed versions of the Arrow. In 1979, the Fire Arrow had a rad set of stripes, but it wasn’t so shouty with its own name. Back then, hood decals were still cool, too.

The Future

I couldn’t whine about a dire lack of factory sticker packs without suggesting some ideas of my own. I’m not a graphic designer, nor a talented artist, so my work is eBay-spec at best. Still, I think I’ve whipped up some perfectly cromulent concepts on how we can make rad decals work on modern vehicles. Roast me if you must. I’m just trying to communicate an idea here with limited skills and a legitimate copy of Photoshop.

We can have new cars with awesome stickers, it doesn’t have to be hard. Automakers simply need to task the right designers with implementing these ideas to a professional standard. Any design grad could do 100% better than me without even trying. If you’re an auto executive, hire a sticker group and have them make everything in your range 30% radder. You won’t regret it. Plus, none of your competitors are doing it! You’ll be setting the trend!

I started with the contemporary Nissan Z, seen here in Proto spec. I think my subtle TURBO decal isn’t too bad. The wordier TWIN TURBO version doesn’t quite work, in my opinion, but I think the simpler one has promise.

I think I can identify the issue, though. Older 1980s cars tended to have trims or body lines breaking up the side panels, or two-tone elements that served as a good anchor for text. Modern cars tend to have smooth curves and minimal accouterments, so it’s hard to find a spot for the text to live comfortably.

I also turned my hand to the current Toyota GR86. I think my Twin Cam effort is a bit gaudy, and the blocky font choice was not the right one. I kind of enjoy the 16-valve decal I whipped up for the Trueno edition, however.

I’ll be honest. I think my design skills are letting down my argument. Words on cars are fun, and they let you share nerdy details about your vehicle with everybody around you. We lost them somewhere in the mid-1990s, but I think it’d be really fun if they made their way back.

Perhaps you have better examples of classic decals, or better ideas on how they can work on today’s product. Share them below, and who knows? Maybe someone out there is listening…

Image credits: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Renault, Plymouth, Nissan, Lewin Day