Awkward design details on production cars
Discussion
BlackWidow13 said:
I can offer some background on that bit of design. At Geneve 2009, where the Evora was launched. I was there on press days, with CAR Magazine. A few of us got chatting to Lotus's Technical Director, his name escapes me. I asked him about that very design feature, the pinch point I called it. He said that a problem with certain 2+2's is that they can look like extended cut and shut coupes, think like the Ferrari Mondial. He stated that the up and down pinch has the same effect as a corset on a lady, taking the eye off the length of the car, visually taking away the stretched look. I get it.
jamesbilluk said:
carl_w said:
Very true! Rushed through Google images too fast I think. 
I’ve never been a fan of the Evora’s weird lower slash - it’s unnecessary and feel it makes the cad look more downmarket gimmicky. As a designer (architecture and interiors) I’ve always subscribed to the view that “form follows function”, so the current trend for extra slashes and fake vents seems unnecessary decoration. The Evora side profile is quite elegant though unlike the Lotus tech director, the car seems a bit stubby to me rather than too long. The Emira too has the same issue - I know I’m in the minority as most seem to love it.
Fermit said:
BlackWidow13 said:
I can offer some background on that bit of design. At Geneve 2009, where the Evora was launched. I was there on press days, with CAR Magazine. A few of us got chatting to Lotus's Technical Director, his name escapes me. I asked him about that very design feature, the pinch point I called it. He said that a problem with certain 2+2's is that they can look like extended cut and shut coupes, think like the Ferrari Mondial. He stated that the up and down pinch has the same effect as a corset on a lady, taking the eye off the length of the car, visually taking away the stretched look. I get it.Nickbrapp said:
I’ve seen loads of these MG HS as the estate, that all have this weird thing under the numberplate, what is it? I don’t think it’s a holder as the ones I’ve seen have screws in the plates?
Found a picture of the rear of one with no plate and there are holes in the rear panel
Buzzfan said:
I’ve never been a fan of the Evora’s weird lower slash - it’s unnecessary and feel it makes the cad look more downmarket gimmicky. As a designer (architecture and interiors) I’ve always subscribed to the view that “form follows function”, so the current trend for extra slashes and fake vents seems unnecessary decoration. The Evora side profile is quite elegant though unlike the Lotus tech director, the car seems a bit stubby to me rather than too long. The Emira too has the same issue - I know I’m in the minority as most seem to love it.
Frank Stephenson on the Emira is interesting https://youtu.be/YTYYfG3FdDA
FA57REN said:
Thats a neccessity because the boot is a clam. When the boot is up no rear lights are visible, so that is the solution without impacting boot space.Audi A1s are similar. I prefer it to Mini clubmans or Audi Q cars where they have a naff set of extra lights in the bumper
carl_w said:
Buzzfan said:
I’ve never been a fan of the Evora’s weird lower slash - it’s unnecessary and feel it makes the cad look more downmarket gimmicky. As a designer (architecture and interiors) I’ve always subscribed to the view that “form follows function”, so the current trend for extra slashes and fake vents seems unnecessary decoration. The Evora side profile is quite elegant though unlike the Lotus tech director, the car seems a bit stubby to me rather than too long. The Emira too has the same issue - I know I’m in the minority as most seem to love it.
Frank Stephenson on the Emira is interesting https://youtu.be/YTYYfG3FdDAI saw a Mergane CC this weekend, a facelifted one like this
A sensible person would think the clear parts of the lights would have the indicator and reverse lights in, and the red parts for the reflector, brake, fog etc.
No.
It braked, the inside sections of the clear lights (which I thought would be reverse lights) lit up red. Then I saw the separate lower bumper lights for reverse, fog and reflectors. Why? The pre facelift car had all the lights and reflectors in the main clusters, so I don't know why they would split up and screw up the lights on the facelift.
So I found pictures of the rear lights, and on the facelift the clusters are split into the bootlid the bootlid parts look like they are just trim and don't do anything.
Whyyyy?!?!?
A sensible person would think the clear parts of the lights would have the indicator and reverse lights in, and the red parts for the reflector, brake, fog etc.
No.
It braked, the inside sections of the clear lights (which I thought would be reverse lights) lit up red. Then I saw the separate lower bumper lights for reverse, fog and reflectors. Why? The pre facelift car had all the lights and reflectors in the main clusters, so I don't know why they would split up and screw up the lights on the facelift.
So I found pictures of the rear lights, and on the facelift the clusters are split into the bootlid the bootlid parts look like they are just trim and don't do anything.
Whyyyy?!?!?
KTF said:
ajprice said:
Whyyyy?!?!?
Styling otherwise there would be a lot of metal and very small lights.I suspect the working part of the 'lights' would need to be seen whilst the roof is being opened/closed to meet the regulations as well.
ajprice said:
KTF said:
ajprice said:
Whyyyy?!?!?
Styling otherwise there would be a lot of metal and very small lights.I suspect the working part of the 'lights' would need to be seen whilst the roof is being opened/closed to meet the regulations as well.
dxg said:
In the past haven't Rovers/MGs used oversize plates anyway?
saaby93 said:
The 75/ZT did, but they had an aperture designed specifically to take a 75/ZT-specific oversize British plate.These new MG cars are re-hashed Chinese cars, originally never destined for over here. It seems the holes in the tailgate are designed for Chinese-spec plates, which Euro-spec plates don't fit. Instead of introducing a Euro-spec tailgate with holes in different positions, they just have these odd-looking plastic plinths to hide the holes. Cheap solution for a cheap car.
Muddle238 said:
saaby93 said:
The 75/ZT did, but they had an aperture designed specifically to take a 75/ZT-specific oversize British plate.These new MG cars are re-hashed Chinese cars, originally never destined for over here. It seems the holes in the tailgate are designed for Chinese-spec plates, which Euro-spec plates don't fit. Instead of introducing a Euro-spec tailgate with holes in different positions, they just have these odd-looking plastic plinths to hide the holes. Cheap solution for a cheap car.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff