Munich, Germany - Slip into the driver's seat and feel at home: comfortable seats and handsome bodywork lure buyers into the showroom - but if a new car doesn't smell right, the sale may never happen.
All carmakers employ olfactory experts called aroma chemists to create complex mixtures of chemicals that, when combined, give a recognisable and attractive interior smell that ensures potential customers feel at ease, without being able to say exactly why.
Vincenzo Luca of Germany's Tuv type approval body explained: “The smell of a new car must not be penetrating and it must be appropriate for the car.”
Luca said the smell of a new car used to be associated with a “pungent plasticky aroma” that was something to be endured until it wore off. The emissions from some plastic compounds used to be so intense that the windows fogged over, although that seldom happens today.
A flowery fragrance can deter buyers as much as the smell associated with various plastics such as polyurethane. Strips of fragrant textile can be placed under a seat or aroma dispensers discreetly installed.
ANALYTICAL PROCEDURE
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class flagship limousine comes with a perfume atomiser that can be programmed to infuse the cabin with scent. If a would-be buyer finds the smell of a new car unattractive, the salesman will have an uphill battle to close the deal.
An off-putting aroma is far more likely to be picked up quickly by the buyer than a subtle, pleasant scent, so manufacturers make sure that “smelly” interior materials are not used in the first place.
Mercedes-Benz employs a “nose team” which is responsible for making decisions about which materials are to be used in cars - ranging from textiles, wood and rubber to the synthetics.
In 1992 the company developed a standardized analytical procedure that's been steadily developed since. Samples of the materials to be used for a new vehicle are placed in sealed glass jars and heated to 80 degrees, to simulate the effect of a vehicle that's been standing for a while in hot sunshine.
After letting them cool down, the olfactory experts smell the result in the jars and score them from 1, the best, to 6, the worst - an average of from 1 to 3 across the panel will pass the test.
Claudia Schempp, a trained chemical-technical assistant who has been part of the olfactory team for more than 25 years, said: “The aim is to create a pleasant aroma that is as neutral as possible.”
There is no standard smell for the interior of a Mercedes car, since their material mix varies throughout the range.
“The only smell that is allowed to make a conscious impression in a Mercedes-Benz is that of leather,” said Schempp. Strangely, while American and European drivers find the smell of leather luxurious, Indian and Japanese drivers are not so keen on it.
AROMATIC IMPRESSION
Audi goes to equal lengths in order to ensure a sweetly scented experience. Staff at its olfactory department analyse around 500 components per model to gauge the aromatic impression they create.
Neutrality is the aim here too; Team boss Heiko Luessmann-Geiger said: “There never will be a car which smells of nothing at all. People don't want that.”
Spokesman Josef Schlossmacher added: “In aroma terms, Audi doesn't distinguish between the entry-level A1 and the ultra-luxury A8 limousine.”
Ford also maintains an aromatic department, but not a dedicated design studio for scents.
Volkswagen's Michael Franke said: “First impressions can actually play a key role, especially if the smell is perceived as being unpleasant.
“Until the beginning of the 1990s, little attention was paid to the aroma of a new car interior; in some cases people actually liked what they smelled.”
Some new cars are still “stinkers” in olfactory terms, especially when low-grade plastics are used. Buyers who are put off by this should air the car extensively, since fumes from some materials can make the driver drowsy or cause headaches.
Motorists keen to neutralise unpleasant smells in a used car can buy air fresheners and scent dispensers at auto parts shops and garages. These can often dangle from the rear-view mirror or adorn dashboard ventilation outlets. The aromas on offer range from bubble gum to daffodils.
For used car dealers, the smell of a car's interior is also a key selling point. Car-valeting services put a lot of effort into banishing the cocktails of smells left behind by previous owners - often a combination of cigarette smoke and chemical compounds, because a used car sells quickest if it smells like new - even if it has seen years of use.
Sapa-dpa