Hofmeister kink

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The Hofmeister kink (sometimes also translated Hofmeister kick, German: Hofmeisterknick) is an automobile design feature seen on modern BMWs. It is a bend in the C-pillar of the car, which is the piece of metal that separates the rear side windows from the rear glass. The kink first appeared on the 1961 BMW 1500 at the 1961 Frankfurt auto show and was named after then-BMW director of design, Wilhelm Hofmeister. Aside from its pleasing visual effect, the Hofmeister kink subtly highlights a BMW trademark: rear-wheel drive.

Note that this design feature is not unique to BMW models. Similar C-pillar kinks have appeared on cars of other brands both before 1961 and since. For example, the 1951 Kaiser shows a considerable "Hofmeister kink" in its greenhouse design. However, the term "Hofmeister kink" is usually only applied to BMW automobiles.