I love cars. I am in awe of great typography. Put these two together, and you will often find me straining my head as an old car drives by, trying to catch a glimpse of the name plate.

Today’s cars have lost some of the character that they embodied in the 50s, 60s, and 70s—in more ways than one. But I’m a fan of the details, and today, that’s my focus. The type treatments that were crafted in past decades felt so much more individual, more thought out and expressive. Every BMW that drives by today is badged with the same typeface, same type style. That is not bad, it is a strong typeface, it is recognizable and plays to the solid, agelessness of the brand. You couldn’t mistake that “M” for anything but a high performance BMW, but they do not have the individuality they had 40 years ago.

I don’t know if the individuality of vintage designs could be sustained today; with higher volumes and shorter model cycles details get lost. But I will always appreciate the beauty of this hidden art.