Successful facelifts

[J8 SVG]

Clio V6 Phase 1 to Phase 2 - Same across the range

[ralphrj]

Japveesix said:

Didn't realise quite how many models are 'facelifted' until i read this thread. The subtle differences (usually obvious when the pictures are there for direct comparison) have obviously passed me by most of the time.

Virtually all cars are facelifted at some. There are 2 main reasons for doing this:

1. Designers/Marketing want to avoid the design becoming stale.
2. Engineers want to address flaws that have been discovered since the model was launched.

Generally speaking car manufacturers produce models with 7 year lifecycles and the model is given a facelift around year 3 or 4.

Most facelifts are visually, relatively minor. When I worked at MB it was rare for a facelift to involve changes to the sheet metal presumably due to the cost of new tooling for the presses. Most were new lights, bumpers, side skirts, wheels, trim and lots of stuff under the skin that you don't see. The 203 series C-Class did not look massively different after the facelift but had hundreds (if not thousands) of components changed to address problems with quality.


As the other thread shows not all facelifts are deemed successful but I always try to buy post-facelift cars as I think that they benefit from having design faults corrected.

[trashbat]

Mk I Landau:



Mk II:



I really like how they've refreshed the look whilst remaining faithful to the whole 'four wheels' ethos.

[ambuletz]

The pre-facelift looks so boring in comparison.

[cjb1]

Rickyy said:

Axionknight said:

Is that a face lift Rickyy, is it?

Yes. This one is better though...

you're missing the point and the meaning of facelift. Taking into account the various marks of Cortina, Sierra and previous Mondeo's at a quick count I'd say you have skipped at least ten generations of Ford rep-mobiles. No doubt some clever person will research this and correct me.

[trashbat]

cjb1 said:

you're missing the point and the meaning of facelift. Taking into account the various marks of Cortina, Sierra and previous Mondeo's at a quick count I'd say you have skipped at least ten generations of Ford rep-mobiles. No doubt some clever person will research this and correct me.

[zeppelin101]

Original UK 200SX (S13)




Facelift



Japanese "Kouki" 180SX




Fell down a bit in the middle, but the last facelift was a corker imo.

Gratuitous photo whoring of two of mine because finding photos of nice ones without too many mods is proving difficult!

[graham22]

Agree that the facelifted 200SX the UK got was not an improvement - that's with me having owned the facelift model.

Still think they're a lovely shape car.

[Hairbrakes]

You only realise just how foul-looking the original Aero 8 looked:




When you see one made after Morgan switched from using VW beetle to Mini headlights:

[trashbat]

Those are both hideous. Who ever allowed that? The first looks like a cartoon 911 that's just been punched in the face.

[VeeDub Geezer]

Rickyy said:

Jazzer77 said:

To this:

That's not a facelift, it's a different model!

Technically the cars you've posted are different models too.

The second is a facelift of this:

[Rickyy]

VeeDub Geezer said:

Technically the cars you've posted are different models too.

The second is a facelift of this:

They are revisions of the same model. Known as Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3.

The 307 was a new model.

[J8 SVG]

VeeDub Geezer said:

Technically the cars you've posted are different models too.

The second is a facelift of this:

Nope, they're just different specs! Meridian vs XL I think?

[llyrowenjones]

J8 SVG said:

Clio V6 Phase 1 to Phase 2 - Same across the range

That phase 2 is just loooovely

[llyrowenjones]

J8 SVG said:

VeeDub Geezer said:

Technically the cars you've posted are different models too.

The second is a facelift of this:

Nope, they're just different specs! Meridian vs XL I think?

No that red one is a phase 2, phase 2 had a Meridian spec that turned into the phase 3, or something like that.

[Alfa numeric]

CR6ZZ said:

Falcon XR AU and AU II

To my eyes the next facelift made it into a really handsome car:

[VeeDub Geezer]

llyrowenjones said:

J8 SVG said:

VeeDub Geezer said:

Technically the cars you've posted are different models too.

The second is a facelift of this:

Nope, they're just different specs! Meridian vs XL I think?

No that red one is a phase 2, phase 2 had a Meridian spec that turned into the phase 3, or something like that.

Correct.

The phase 2 adopted the GTI-6 crystal headlights and different bumper with round fog lights in 99-00.

Base model showing the facelift front on base spec wheel trims.



I feel old as I remember it being released like it was yesterday.

Edited by VeeDub Geezer on Friday 24th January 11:46

[llyrowenjones]

The Mk2 ZS looks much better.

[VeeDub Geezer]

llyrowenjones said:

The Mk2 ZS looks much better.

That's slightly unfair as the Mk2 shown is the 180 with bolt on arches and grilles in the wings.

I agree totally but the original ZS wasn't a bad looker though.

[cianha]