Nice Ass: An Appreciation of Automotive Rear Ends

Rear-view of a Porsche 911.

Some cars look good coming. The really special ones look even better leaving.

At the INNESS gathering this weekend, we found ourselves paying an unusual amount of attention to the backs of cars. Not the engines. Not the wheels. Not even the front ends. The asses.

And once you start looking, you realize how much automotive personality lives back there.

A Porsche 911 carries its weight and its history behind the driver. The rear fenders swell around the wheels, the roofline falls toward the engine lid, and the whole thing has a distinctive stance that’s survived generations of redesigns.

Other cars take a completely different approach. Some have broad, squared-off shoulders. Some are narrow and delicate. Others wear enormous bumpers, awkward taillights, or spoilers that look like they were designed after a very long night. We appreciate all of them.

Kronberg 911 which was inspired by legendary designer Dieter Rams and classic Braun industrial design, it was born from an idea from filmmaker Gary Hustwit

Because the rear of a car isn’t just a design exercise. It’s a collection of decisions about engineering, aerodynamics, fashion, regulations, and occasionally somebody’s questionable taste.

It’s also where owners tend to leave messages. Badges get removed. Stickers get added. Exhausts get changed. License plate frames announce loyalties. A car’s rear end becomes a little billboard for its owner’s personality.

Another Porsche rear-view from the INNESS weekend.

More Porsche rear-end details with grill badges.

And then there’s the photography. From directly behind, you see symmetry and width. From low down, you get stance and attitude. From a rear three-quarter angle, you see how the fenders, roof, and bodywork fit together. The same car can look completely different depending on where you’re standing.

That’s why we’re starting Nice Ass, an ongoing appreciation of automotive rear ends. Not just the expensive ones. Not just the famous ones. And definitely not just the perfect ones.

Big, small, round, square, elegant, ridiculous—we’re equal-opportunity admirers. After all, a good rear end deserves a second look.

SMUG TOOLS — Runnin’ Hot Forever.