Fascia (car)
Encyclopedia
Confusingly, fascia is used for several different things in the automotive world. Many of these meanings are related to the appearance of the car.
In British English
, a car's fascia or facia is its instrument panel and dashboard
area which lies in front of the driver and front-seat passenger. It is used primarily in enthusiast and specialist circles.
In recent American English
usage, a car's fascia is its front-end "look" - grille
, headlamp
s, front bumper, and other details. This area is possibly the most critical in defining a car's identifiable look, and is also the easiest to restyle when a car's styling needs to be refreshed. Again, this word is mostly used by the auto trade and automotive journalist
s.
Furthermore, the fascia is used to describe the single panel that conceals the bumper, front or rear, and ties the bumper element visually with the sides of the vehicle—often including an inlet for cooling. 93% of fascias are made of TPO
(thermoplastic olefin elastomer). This material is high gloss, has thin wall capability, improved paintability, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
In British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
, a car's fascia or facia is its instrument panel and dashboard
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
area which lies in front of the driver and front-seat passenger. It is used primarily in enthusiast and specialist circles.
In recent American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
usage, a car's fascia is its front-end "look" - grille
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
, headlamp
Headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s, front bumper, and other details. This area is possibly the most critical in defining a car's identifiable look, and is also the easiest to restyle when a car's styling needs to be refreshed. Again, this word is mostly used by the auto trade and automotive journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s.
Furthermore, the fascia is used to describe the single panel that conceals the bumper, front or rear, and ties the bumper element visually with the sides of the vehicle—often including an inlet for cooling. 93% of fascias are made of TPO
ThermoPlastic Olefin
Thermoplastic PolyOlefin is a trade name that refers to polymer/filler blends usually consisting of some fraction of PP , PE , BCPP , rubber, and a reinforcing filler. Common fillers include, though are not restricted to talc, fiberglass, carbon fiber, wollastonite, and MOS...
(thermoplastic olefin elastomer). This material is high gloss, has thin wall capability, improved paintability, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion.