Upgrading the looks of your wheels can be done in dozens of ways, but it’s grilles that are the easiest place to start. This is one of the defining features of any car and speaks volumes of brand identity. Car enthusiasts and everyday drivers alike can make out the BMW kidneys, from the vertical bars in any Jeep model, or the mesh designs in Ford trucks and high-end European luxury cars. 

Grille Basics 

Aesthetics is a big part of vehicle grilles. The parts meld with other design elements, like the headlights and bumpers, to configure the vehicle’s front, essentially it’s “face”. But there’s more to grilles than appearance. Located above the bumpers, the protective car grille serves multiple tasks, from shielding radiators and engine parts from road debris, to directing cool air into the engine bay. Damaged or disfigured grilles not only put stain on the look of your car, but can cause major issues, from overheating to engine parts damaged from flying rocks, gravel and other road debris. 

Functions of Auto Grilles 

Protecting Vital Vehicle Parts 

Well-built grilles play a key protective role. Reinforced plastics or metals do a great job in limiting damage from rocks, dirt and insects hitting engine parts at speed. Grilles are primarily designed to keep the radiators just behind them in top condition, but also components like hoses, fans, fluid tanks and other fragile parts located at the front of the engine. 

Cooling and Airflow 

Grilles double as air-intakes redirecting oncoming directly onto the radiator. This is one way to keep engines cool and maintain proper coolant temperatures. Different designs also direct swathes of cool air onto other parts that generate a lot of heat, particularly brake and suspension components. The parts also work with bumpers, splitters, scoops and bodywork elements to ensure safety, performance and vehicle longevity by regulating temperatures and airflow. 

Aerodynamics 

An often overlooked component in car grille design is how vehicles deal with drag created by incoming air. Grilles in performance cars tailor the amount of air they let in and where it’s directed depending on specifics like vehicle speed or temperatures. Newer cars have active grille designs that open or close to ensure proper cooling, or limit drag coefficients as speeds rise.  

Appearance 

These are parts most recognizable in brand identity. Grilles not only have specific designs, shapes or sizing, but also speak about model and make history. Subtle changes throughout the years are evidence of where car brands are going in shaping brand identity and the direction their products are taking. A fine example are the oversized kidney grilles in current BMW cars, marking a shift from conservative performance and luxury design language to more aggressive and boxy body shapes. 

Why Change the Grille on Your Car?

There are more than a few reasons to change your vehicle grille: 

• Cracks and damage – cracked, fading or chipped plastics or dented metals can be from collisions or larger objects hitting the grille. This compromises the main purpose of the part in protecting your car from flying debris. 
• Rust – longer exposure to salt spray, mud and rain can lead to rust buildup in subpar metals, spoiling the overall look and becoming a potential safety trap. 
• Limited airflow – tuners change grilles to increase airflow into the engine. This balances the higher temperatures that come with engines that produce more power. 
• Looseness and misalignment – replace grilles that have damaged or loosened hardware causing alignment issues. The parts should sit straight with the rest of the car to direct air as needed. 
• Aesthetics – changing to different designs, finishes or colours is testament to personal identity and what you want in a car. Custom grilles are an easy way to stand out. 

Common Designs and Styles 

Mesh and billet grilles are the two commons types seen across multiple car brands. The fine, woven design in mesh grilles blends well with luxury and performance car makes like Bentley, Audi and Lexus, emphasizing speed, style and meticulous engineering. Most are made of coated stainless steel or chromed aluminum. Billet designs were made famous by Rolls Royce. 

These are arranged vertically, often in the thicker billet bars, or in thinner, and more subtle horizontal bars seen in a range of SUVs where they showcase robustness and durability. Car owners can also have custom-designed parts, produced with advanced techniques like CNC machining and laser cutting. Names, logos and graphics can all be etched in or added to the materials to suit personal tastes. 

Buying Replacement Grilles 

To get a grille compatible with your car, consider materials, sizes, easy fit and pricing. There’s a wider selection of quality materials in direct replacement or aftermarket grilles, with an emphasis on build, durability and style. Opt for metals where possible, or if you’re reworking the bodywork, matching carbon fibre or reinforced plastics for lower weight and higher strength. 

Correct sizing ensures a clean fit and shorter installation times. Also look for matching hardware, such as moulding and fasteners. Lastly, consider getting an OE grille to restore the factory looks, or go aftermarket for different design cues and personalized grilles at lower prices.