What is the best workflow for dealing with modifiers and complex objects? I'm coming from Cinema 4D and a new user. I'm trying to figure out the Blender version of this kind of workflow:


Download car (for example) model from Turbosquid (made of hundreds of objects in a complex hierarchy)
Apply subdivision (or bevel) to the entire hierarchy non-destructively (in C4D this would be putting the entire Car hierarchy under a Subdivision Surface.
Apply effects to the entire hierarchy: For example, 'bending' the entire car using a single bend deformer.


I initially tried to use modifiers in Blender like this, but I'm confused by how they seem to only affect single objects and don't flow through the object hierarchy. Again I'm new to Blender so I'm probably missing something basic.
For bending an object (yeah, it's simpler if you combine all into one), you can use Mesh Deform modifier.


Make the cage around the car, simple box with subdivisions. Make it wire viewport visibility
Add the Mesh Deform modifier to the car and select the box and bind
Put Simple Deform modifier to the Cage object, or some other modifier