When it comes to selling new cars, automakers are increasingly finding that while a vehicle's exterior design is "the bait, the interior is the hook."

That was the common sentiment at a media breakfast held yesterday to preview the Automotive Interiors Show which takes place this week at the Cobo Center in Detroit. At the briefing, a panel of interior design executives from vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers shared their views on the importance of the interior to the new car purchaser.

Lorene Boettcher, Manager of Global Design at the automotive leather specialist Seton that BMW's mission, for example, was to have customers not only satisfied with their purchase, but to be so enthusiastic they buy again in the future and recommend the vehicle to their friends. "This means putting money where it belongs - inside the car where the driver spends most of his time. Car buyers are making the choice to purchase vehicles with more design elements. Interiors that don't match up to the level of the exterior design fail the mark."

The theme was reinforced by Jeffrey Godshall, Senior Design Manager-Product Design Office for DaimlerChrysler Corp. "The exterior is the bait. The interior is the hook," asserted Godshall. "The interior is something you live with and hopefully grow to appreciate - depending upon your experience."

With so many different vehicles on the market, OEMs must ensure their vehicles stand out from the competition. Interior styling and design plays a key role in not only differentiating a brand but also providing features that meet customer needs within the various vehicle segments.

Current and future materials and coatings technology are allowing designers to better incorporate what they term "tactile honesty." For instance, if a button or switch looks like metal, it should feel like metal; if an interior door panel looks like wood, it should feel like wood.

OEMs are looking to more and more integration, thus modules play an increasing role in cost and parts savings, and add design flexibility, as in the case of Lear's Common Architecture Strategy (CAS), introduced in concept form at the 2001 SAE Congress & Exhibition. "The exterior is the segue to the interior, and for all sales, this is where value will be increased," says John Phillips, Director-Industrial Design and Advanced Product Development, Lear Corp. "CAS can help bring a degree of commonality between models within a brand to reduce cost while still providing differentiation and high consumer appeal."

The Automotive Interiors Show opened today and runs through Thursday (May 16).