Walking round the show at Graves Park, it was great seeing all the old cars such as Ford Capris, old style Escorts, Cortina's Chevettes.

To me they all had an identity.

Does anyone think that most most cars look the same - I don't mean comparing a Jag with a mini, but, for example, the Ford Focus and Citroen C4 - they look the same also Fiat Stilos and Suzukis etc.

There's only a handful of cars with an identity of their own such as the Ford Ka and the Mini.

Who makes the Micro car by the way?

Any comments?

Agree 100%:D Most modern cars are soulless metal boxes-but hey-mediocrity sells,unfortunatly:rolleyes:

ooooo baby! thats where i come in :clap: and make cars look good!
Nissan make micras btw

Totally agree modern cars do often look very similar. I much prefer the shapes of twenty years ago and wandering around the show I recognised many of the old classics.
I still remember on Top Gear when they had five small hatchbacks and they took the badges off and then got people to give their opinions. The idea was that one of them was the then new Skoda but I noticed that several of the people were admitting they couldn't tell what a particular car was. They liked the Skoda by the way until the badges were replaced and then they went off it which I found quite amusing.
At the show I lost count of the number of parents pointing out to their little kids 'that's like the car we used to have' and the kiddies seemed fascinated with some of the more unusual ones.

It seems strange to me that the worst culprit for the bland cars are the Japanese-but when you look back 20/30 years they made some of the nicest looking motors around,in my opinion.

Funny that's what we did! I kept pointing out my parents had this and that and a blue skoda. I was only 3 when they got rid of it and mum told me it had gone to a new owner - until we drove passed the scrapyard and I saw it there!:)

There are not as many car manufacturers these days, when you take into account who actually owns the companies. Ford also produce Mazda,Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Volvo and more. Fiat own Ferrari and nearly all italian manufacturers except Lamborgini, which is owned by Audi, who are part of the VW/Seat/Bentley conglomereate. BMW own Rolls Royce and the Mini brand. General Motors own Vauxhall/Opel/Saab.

I was working in the new Aston Martin plant last year and you wouldn't beleive the number of parts ready to be fitted on the production lines from Volvo and Ford.

The blandness of similar cars is down to cost, one floor pan for more than one car. Add to this different companies using very similar CAD packages, with the computer working out the most efficient ways to produce the cars and hey presto the same solutions come out as a very similar shaped vehicle.

The other issue is fashion. People like cars which look the same. They want their friends and neighbours to like their car, not think that it looks awful.

Some people want cars which do stand out from the crowd, but they usually only do so for a short time.

Look at the Ford range. 7 or 8 years ago they made a strong, distinct image for the brand with cars like the new Ka and Focus. Very unique looking, mass built and popular cars. Now they look like nearly every other car. All makers follow each other.

Also, as their are more cars on the roads it is harder to see a car as being 'rare' or 'unique'. Cars like the Audi TT made quite a stir when they came out, but now every Thomas, Richard and Harold has one.

If a maker comes up with a popular design that is 'unique' it will soon be copied. If it's not popular it will fall into line quickly to cut losses.

Volkswagen cars have aged very well in my opinion. I look at a mk2 golf or mk3 and to me they are the best looking cars to date. A mk5 golf is a great drive but my god it's hideous. The back of it is like a fat ar**!!
Modern cars are safe, generally very confortable and ful of gadgets. But I'd rather a 10 year old car, which often is better built, and lasts longer ( too many electric components in modern cars).

When you read road tests on cars these days, the decisions on what car they prefer comes down to how well the ashtray opens, and how big the mirror on the passanger sun visor is.

New cars do have some benefits though, mainly they dont go wrong!

For those of us old enough to remember cars with metal bumper bars (I can but only just) think back to the Cortina.

Of the three Cortinas I had only one of them would start on a wet morning without the aid of a can of WD and some Easystart.

Then there was the Capri I had which was a pig to start the whole year round. The trick was to turn the key but not to touch the throtle untill the car had fired or else it would flood and take a week to start.

Old Fords of this vintage needed a new cam shaft every 30'000 miles and very rarely made past 100'000miles.

What about the Marina's. At the time they were about British Leyland advertized them as having "Front Torsion bar suspension as in the new E Type" but neglected to tell us they had rear leaf spring suspension...as in horse and cart.

No, on balance I like my modern car....not for its looks or who made it, just for the fact it starts every morning,has air con and moreover dosn't need towing home by the AA once a fortnight.

ttfn.

Originally posted by hj dary
New cars do have some benefits though, mainly they dont go wrong!

For those of us old enough to remember cars with metal bumper bars (I can but only just) think back to the Cortina.

Of the three Cortinas I had only one of them would start on a wet morning without the aid of a can of WD and some Easystart.

Then there was the Capri I had which was a pig to start the whole year round. The trick was to turn the key but not to touch the throtle untill the car had fired or else it would flood and take a week to start.

Old Fords of this vintage needed a new cam shaft every 30'000 miles and very rarely made past 100'000miles.

What about the Marina's. At the time they were about British Leyland advertized them as having "Front Torsion bar suspension as in the new E Type" but neglected to tell us they had rear leaf spring suspension...as in horse and cart.

No, on balance I like my modern car....not for its looks or who made it, just for the fact it starts every morning,has air con and moreover dosn't need towing home by the AA once a fortnight.

ttfn.
That's just character:D
I love my spitfire,the smell (musty carpet and petrol) and love the way they are so involving to drive,no driver aids means you have to concentrate alot more.
Most of all i love the way it looks,parked it at the side of a very nice porsche,everybody looked at the spitfire and commented (favourably),nobody mentioned the porsche.
Can see your point about reliability,a modern car is miles better,but for weekends and sunny days a classic is much more fun,and looks a million times better:)

Originally posted by Joanna
Who makes the Micro car by the way?

Originally posted by adaline
Nissan make micras btw

www.micro-car.co.uk (http://www.micro-car.co.uk/aboutmicrocar.html)
Microcar is part of the Bénéteau Group, one of the leading names in the leisure sector and a world leader in sailing equipment.

The reasons for success are its high-level presence and outstanding products in all the areas it covers: yachting with Bénéteau and Jeanneau; boat-building and large yachts with CNB, Lagoon, Wauquiez, Voyager and Bénéteau Pêche; open-air catering with O’Hara and, of course, Microcar vehicles.

Originally posted by deano
I love my spitfire

As well you should! 'Tis a most Triumphant car indeed!:thumbsup:



Originally posted by deano
Can see your point about reliability,a modern is miles better

The number of new cars I've seen on the back of recovery vehicles from non-accidents recently is quite astounding!

Which makes me take comments such as this with a pinch of salt. A car is/will be as reliable as the owner (ie. if you look after a car, it could last a lifetime)!

See left - the most stylish car in production today!!!

Yes when Mr Ford said you can have any colour you want but it has to be black. But at least it had character. Now it is you can have any car that you want so long as it is Silver and like every other that's boring.