The Chinese Hate 'New-Car-Smell' So Much That Ford Is Eliminating It

Feedback from Chinese buyers suggests that they hate ‘new-car-smell’ enough to be put off buying a car altogether, so Ford is responding
The Chinese Hate 'New-Car-Smell' So Much That Ford Is Eliminating It

Ford is reportedly developing a process to eliminate the wonderful, marvellous aroma that comes only from a brand new car.

The combination of freshly-stamped leathers, resins and plastics all joined amid the lingering whiff of industry helps make a brand-new car one of the best-smelling things in the world. Unless you live in China, that is.

A leather-clad Volvo interior is a fine-smelling thing
A leather-clad Volvo interior is a fine-smelling thing

Analysts at JD Power say that the smell of a new car’s interior is actually the most frequently-reported problem in the Chinese automotive market, at more than double the frequency of the next-biggest frustration – cars not meeting their official fuel economy figures.

Chinese noses are said to be so offended by new-car-smell that many buyers will refuse to buy an overly pungent one. The market there is so large that Ford is taking no chances, choosing to develop a ‘baking’ process that effectively neutralises the smell we westerners love before it even gets to the showroom.

Fiesta interior
Fiesta interior

Ford has a team of 18 people whose job – bear with us – is to sniff every part of a new model’s interior and pick out the exact smells that risk the nasal ire of the Chinese. Most of these odours come from organic compounds in upholstery, plastics and soundproofing material just behind the cabin trim.

The current solution is not high-tech. It involves parking the car in direct sunlight, opening the windows a little, running the engine and putting the heater up high to ‘burn off’ the smells. Must do wonders for the environment…

Source: Detroit Free Press

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Comments

Anonymous

you could also poison the interior

You cant breathe if your unconscious

11/20/2018 - 15:14 |
98 | 2
K Chaitanya Rao

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

I think there are worse consequences when it comes to poison than just unconsciousness, after all its a car and not cosby

11/20/2018 - 15:26 |
22 | 2
llP VeIoclty

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Hahahahhah that was brilliant

11/20/2018 - 20:52 |
2 | 0
K Chaitanya Rao

First Ford stopped selling sedans and hatchbacks in the US, now they are going to stop the new car smell in China.
10 years from now I’m going to walk by a Ford showroom only to be charged just for passing by it.

11/20/2018 - 15:15 |
44 | 0

Screenshotting this just in case

11/20/2018 - 15:23 |
24 | 0
German Perfectionist

Ford already eliminated the “new car smell”…

…by deciding not to build cars anymore.

11/20/2018 - 15:19 |
340 | 2

Or by inventing a new anti new car smell spray or, u know…

11/20/2018 - 23:06 |
2 | 20

OMG perfect

11/21/2018 - 02:34 |
0 | 0
Anonymous
11/20/2018 - 15:30 |
30 | 4
Anonymous

In 10 years ford will stop car production and start produce electric crossover shoes

11/20/2018 - 15:34 |
16 | 0
Anonymous

China is weird

11/20/2018 - 15:56 |
64 | 0
Martin Burns

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

My question is if they don’t like “new car smell” what DO they want a new car to smell like?

11/20/2018 - 16:10 |
28 | 0
Alex Joe Mills

A new mustang does actually smell of cheap plastics however other cars like Audi’s smell lovely

11/20/2018 - 16:16 |
0 | 0

cheap plastics smell good too. ferrari has the best smelling interior to me, but i haven’t smelled many supercar interiors

11/20/2018 - 16:45 |
0 | 0
DL🏁

Any idea why they dont like it?

11/20/2018 - 16:41 |
2 | 0

I guess smell is just like taste. some chinese food would be inedible to westerners

11/20/2018 - 18:24 |
8 | 0
Ray Sloan

SAVAGES

11/20/2018 - 16:42 |
0 | 0
V-22 Osprey

Whyyyyy?

11/20/2018 - 16:54 |
0 | 0