The primary horizontal line on a vehicle exterior that runs along the bottom edge of the side windows. It visually divides the solid lower body panels from the upper greenhouse section. Designers manipulate the height and angle of this line to give a car a specific stance, with higher lines creating a sense of safety and mass.
Heard on the job
The collision repair requires blending the clearcoat right below the waistline so the transition is invisible.
Insider tip
A rising waistline toward the rear of the car gives it an aggressive, forward-leaning posture.
Also heard as
- beltline