View Full Version : Are car makers churning out more aesthetically challenged vehicles?
evildrneil 13-10-2004, 11:14 Is it just me or are car makers churning out more and more aesthetically challenged vehicles? BMW have topped off its awfall looking 5 series and hideous 7 series with the crowning turd of the 1 series. I saw a Mercedes Vaneo today which could only possibly be improved by crushing it. And then there is the Porsche Cayenne - a car so ugly it looks like it was congealed rather than designed. Whats happening? Is it a conspiracy to eradicate all sense of beauty from the world of design??
Maldonado 13-10-2004, 11:18 not to mention the fiat multipla and any kia...
The fiat multipla has been given a facelift so it looks like a normal car now :D
I agree about the BMW's (add the X3 to that list) and the Porsche Cayenne, but let's not forget the Citroen C3, Renault Megane/Scenic and the hideously DULL VW Touran as well.
I don't think Kia's are too bad, the new Picanto is nice.
evildrneil 13-10-2004, 11:39 I have to admit I actually have a bit of a soft spot for the Multipla - its a triumph of function over form, whereas the others mentioned are just wontonly ugly!
Callassa 13-10-2004, 13:48 I have a DODGE MAGNUM 5.7 liters of throbbing ecstasy. 350 horses just panting away and ready to fly. All BLACK BABY, including window tints and iodized alloys. There's also an INVERTED PENTAGRAM on the rear window. Subtly so, of course. CALLASSA.
Originally posted by Callassa
I have a DODGE MAGNUM 5.7 liters of throbbing ecstasy. 350 horses just panting away and ready to fly. All BLACK BABY, including window tints and iodized alloys. There's also an INVERTED PENTAGRAM on the rear window. Subtly so, of course. CALLASSA.
Reading this after having read your rant about Tony Blair taking us into Iraq really made me giggle. Your mode of transport is one of the reasons that Bush invited Blair into his little jaunt to obtain a guaranteed oil supply. Ironic or what?
Skatiechik 13-10-2004, 14:24 Well pointed out max :);)
Personally I think MG-Rovers current range is nice, MG ZT or the Rover 75 V8 would be nice :)
Can't say much for the megane tho', what is it doing with that ass? I see the new Astra is following the Meganes looks with the fat ass too.
Innovative design shapes have been legislated out. Designers are now so restricted that cars are going to look more and more alike in order to meet all the new regulations.
Originally posted by max
Reading this after having read your rant about Tony Blair taking us into Iraq really made me giggle. Your mode of transport is one of the reasons that Bush invited Blair into his little jaunt to obtain a guaranteed oil supply. Ironic or what?
I agree with that, and think SUV's and the like are so wasteful... but i just love the look of the big old trucks like the Ford Bronco and f150 and the Jeep Wagoneer. If only they used less fuel...
Noticed a pattern in car design trends. (European)
Up to 1950 they all looked the same. Tin box with a bonnet!
1950 to late 70's, individual character was the order of the day. (Vauxhall Cresta, Mini, Hillman Minx, Ford Zephyr/Zodiac/Consul, Austin Cambridge and so on), all very different shapes.
1980 to mid 1990's, all same blandideal shape. Had to look at badgeing to identify make.
Mid 90's to present, back to radical, sometimes horrendous shapes.:gag:
Originally posted by max
Reading this after having read your rant about Tony Blair taking us into Iraq really made me giggle. Your mode of transport is one of the reasons that Bush invited Blair into his little jaunt to obtain a guaranteed oil supply. Ironic or what?
Says he with the 25mpg Mercedes CLK coupé. Ironic or what?
carcrash 13-10-2004, 18:55 http://www.fiat-auto.co.jp/showroom/multipla/a40.html
Multipla = gruesome.
Stare at it for long enough, and it begins to resemble Alan Titchmarsh!
Originally posted by t020
Says he with the 25mpg Mercedes CLK coupé. Ironic or what? I've forgotten what 25 mpg is like! :|
Originally posted by t020
Says he with the 25mpg Mercedes CLK coupé. Ironic or what?
Where's the irony in that? I haven't criticised anyone for going to war for protecting my petrol supply.
Originally posted by max
Where's the irony in that? I haven't criticised anyone for going to war for protecting my petrol supply.
You've criticised people for critcising the war that (supposedly) protects your petrol supply.
Originally posted by t020
You've criticised people for critcising the war that (supposedly) protects your petrol supply.
No, it would have been ironic if I had criticised the war that was fought to protect my petrol supply. See the difference?
Originally posted by max
No, it would have been ironic if I had criticised the war that was fought to protect my petrol supply. See the difference?
No, it's still ironic and a tad hypocritical. You can't really criticise people for driving gas-guzzlers when you do so yourself, and the fact that you have such a cynical view of the motivation for the war implies that you also criticise the war.
Originally posted by t020
No, it's still ironic and a tad hypocritical. You can't really criticise people for driving gas-guzzlers when you do so yourself, and the fact that you have such a cynical view of the motivation for the war implies that you also criticise the war.
I drive a 2.3 litre merc, not exactly a gas guzzler is it? I may have a cynical view of the motivation for the war but I have never criticised Tony Blair for taking us into the war.
Your envy of my means of transportation is coming through yet again, please give it a rest.
Originally posted by max
I drive a 2.3 litre merc, not exactly a gas guzzler is it? I may have a cynical view of the motivation for the war but I have never criticised Tony Blair for taking us into the war.
Your envy of my means of transportation is coming through yet again, please give it a rest.
It's hardly the car of choice for the environmentally concious, and as such you're not really in a position to criticise other people for choosing gas-guzzlers. I'm not envious at all of your car, I just dislike the hypocrisy involved.
Phanerothyme 14-10-2004, 15:21 I dont care what it looks like so long as it does 45 mpg on diesel or better.
If form really does follow function and the function is fuel efficiency, then all cars would look the same. This is why there is a tendency to blobby shapes - aerodynamics.
The field of computational fluid dynamics is responding very well to constantly improving technology by producing unheard of drag coefficients on production vehicles. (0.27 Cd - Porsche)
1Man&hisBMW 15-10-2004, 19:03 give it a rest t020. Who cares what car anybody else drives, whats this about protecting oil supply, do you see the prices coming down here??
If anything this is just a US Govt beneficial raid on iraq, thats about the end of it. The UK may benefit in terms of some side contracts, but will the general populace experience the eutopia of lower fuel prices, no chance.
Max can drive a 2.3 if he wants, thats the benefit of freedom. Whatever your other positions on environment etc, maybe you should look in your own avatar of the sub 20mpg urban beast sat there.
Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
give it a rest t020. Who cares what car anybody else drives, whats this about protecting oil supply, do you see the prices coming down here??
If anything this is just a US Govt beneficial raid on iraq, thats about the end of it. The UK may benefit in terms of some side contracts, but will the general populace experience the eutopia of lower fuel prices, no chance.
Max can drive a 2.3 if he wants, thats the benefit of freedom. Whatever your other positions on environment etc, maybe you should look in your own avatar of the sub 20mpg urban beast sat there.
:lol: you're missing my point. I don't give a damn what someone else drives, I just don't like the hypocrisy that was on display from max who criticised someone for driving a gas-guzzler when he drives one himself. Read back over the thread properly if you don't believe me. As far as I'm concerned it's a good thing to use up all the oil ASAP so we have to switch to new technologies (e.g. hydrogen power) and have no reason to be in any way dependent on the middle-east.
mega_monty 15-10-2004, 23:57 Originally posted by Phanerothyme
I dont care what it looks like so long as it does 45 mpg on diesel or better.
Why is diesel more expensive than petrol these days, I seem to remember that diesel used to be cheaper than petrol once upon a time.
I think it has always been more expensive, but the MPG being better made it cheaper in the long run.
back on thread of car design I would say yes in the most part they are getting worse. But as has been previously mentioned legislation on safetey does limit them a little. My car would not be allowed in this day and I sometimes wonder why it isn't banned all together for being bereft of safety features and like a lot of old cars has no cat so emissions are higher (205gti).
But...there is an alternative to buying a new car. Pick up practical classics magazine and there is a world of stunning transport out there for much cheaper than new. Was going to spend £20k on a new BMW sir? Why not take this Jaguar E-Type in A1 condition with full history instead?!
The ugliest car on the road today is the Mercedes CLS (http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,291272,00.jpg) .
With the pouting front end and drooping rear, it looks like it's melted in the heat.
With a rear end this (http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/naias_2005/0502_mercedes_cls55_2.jpg) boring, I can imagine drivers of other cars will do all they can to prevent it overtaking so they're not treated to that view.
Quite simply, if it was made by some Far East manufacturer, it was be heavily criticised and taken off the market pretty sharpish.
But no... it's built by Mercedes, it goes fast and costs a fortune, so it's the best looking car in the world :loopy:
Edit - Those pictures don't it justice. I've seen a couple driving round Sheffield, and it's even uglier in the flesh.
1Man&hisBMW 14-07-2005, 19:42 What a thread revival Abdul! You looking for a new car?
Now a friend tell me that the CLS....... lol :D
Not looking to revive the thread as much as I need to point out that the CLS is such an ugly car.
It's like a whale with four tyres.
Phew, glad I got that off my chest :rant:
Hey 1man, look at this:
Originally posted by evildrneil
And then there is the Porsche Cayenne - a car so ugly it looks like it was congealed rather than designed.
You're outvoted 2 to 1 :D
evildrneil 14-07-2005, 20:21 Originally posted by saxon51
I think it has always been more expensive, but the MPG being better made it cheaper in the long run.
Nope - it used to be cheaper (it's less refined so should be!) but as the number of oil burners on the road have increased (including my own!) the price of diesel has steadily increased so the oil companies can make more money :o
1Man&hisBMW 14-07-2005, 20:41 Originally posted by Abdul
Hey 1man, look at this:
You're outvoted 2 to 1 :D
Grr!! But this is a Gemballa, not just a basic ugly Cayenne :)
lizzmobile 14-07-2005, 20:56 Just to demonstrate that cars like people have diversity, Renault built the Twingo, the world's first Down's Syndrome car.
Best looking cars:
VW Golf Mk2 & Mk3
VW Polo (very latest shape)
The old Mini:D new mini is nice too
MG TF
Aston martin db9
Originally posted by Sony
Best looking cars:
VW Golf Mk2 & Mk3
Golf GTI Mk 2, yes, was a lovely looking car.
As for the Mk 3, no no no! I suppose you know that popular opinion tells us that overweight parents have overweight children? Well, the Mk 3 Golf must be the lovechild of the previously mentioned Mercedes CLS and a walrus.
evildrneil 14-07-2005, 21:45 Originally posted by Sony
The old Mini:D new mini is nice too
The old mini was an icon - the new one on the other hand is a cynical exercise in retro-marketing and a definate member of the ugly garage!
Originally posted by evildrneil
- the new one on the other hand is a cynical exercise in retro-marketing and a definate member of the ugly garage!
Do you think? It has been doing ever so well though!
Originally posted by Callassa
I have a DODGE MAGNUM 5.7 liters of throbbing ecstasy. 350 horses just panting away and ready to fly. All BLACK BABY, including window tints and iodized alloys. There's also an INVERTED PENTAGRAM on the rear window. Subtly so, of course. CALLASSA.
Pity you need 5.7 liters and a V8 to get 350 horses. I get that with a 2.5 liters. :P ;)
...but I am jealous of your V8 rumble. Hawt.
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