Idiosyncratic features to be savoured
Discussion
KaraK said:
The mk 1 Impreza's "Bright" switch.. A massive switch that just changed the brightness of the the clock, so pointless but it always made me smile.
I'm happy to report they carried this trend on at least until the blobeye (2005) Impreza that I had. I experimented with the switch (it's a binary rotary switch on the indicator stalk IIRC) on a sunny day and thought it was a night feature only. I remember being quite excited as I assumed it was the equivalent of Saab's night panel mode, so I'm sure you can imagine my disappointment late on a Friday evening, driving home from work and looking forward to my night panel all day, and upon flicking the switch being met with absolutely nothing apart from a slightly dimmed clock. 
A strange one with my C63 is that the electric boot is infinitely adjustable from the driver's seat. If you press the button on the fob or on the boot itself, it'll open or close fully as necessary. There's a switch next to the driver's seat that allows you to adjust the boot opening level as necessary - so if you're parked under a low roof, you can just open the boot until it gets close to the roof, and the motors will hold it in place.
The Citroen DS could drive on three wheels... a trick of the suspension combined with the centre of gravity. That car also did not require a jack for changing a wheel, the rear indicators were mounted on the corners of the roof for visibility, the entire rear wing was held on with a single bolt. What else, the mushroom-button brake pedal, the manual transmission gear stick protruding from the steering column, talking of steering the famous Citroen one-prong steering wheel...
Jay Leno owns a car, can't remember the exact model but the door handles are integrated into the door mirrors, provides an ultimate clean look along the door.
DS5 has three sunroofs as opposed to just one or two.
Tesla X has power assisted doors all round, enabling you to close them each literally at the touch of a button.
Discovery 5 lost the split tailgate but instead has a power-assisted flap that drops down from inside the boot to act like the lower tailgate/bench.
Avantime had double hinged doors for tight spaces.
2cv windows folded upwards as opposed to sliding down inside the door.
The original Range Rover had its rear number plate on a hinged mechanism, allowing it to still be visible should you drive along with the tailgate down.
The DS/ID estate had twin rear number plates, so that it was always possible to read the plate whether the lower portion of the tailgate was open or closed.
Jay Leno owns a car, can't remember the exact model but the door handles are integrated into the door mirrors, provides an ultimate clean look along the door.
DS5 has three sunroofs as opposed to just one or two.
Tesla X has power assisted doors all round, enabling you to close them each literally at the touch of a button.
Discovery 5 lost the split tailgate but instead has a power-assisted flap that drops down from inside the boot to act like the lower tailgate/bench.
Avantime had double hinged doors for tight spaces.
2cv windows folded upwards as opposed to sliding down inside the door.
The original Range Rover had its rear number plate on a hinged mechanism, allowing it to still be visible should you drive along with the tailgate down.
The DS/ID estate had twin rear number plates, so that it was always possible to read the plate whether the lower portion of the tailgate was open or closed.
The BMW E34 (5 series) estate had the freakishly complex sunroof which could open at the front, or the back.
Also still used today, I believe, is Honda's insistence on having the MPH/KPH change as a button on the dash. For all of the features which are commonly used and therefore need their own button, that is not one. I often take my cars to Europe but I still don't see the point in having that as a button.
Also still used today, I believe, is Honda's insistence on having the MPH/KPH change as a button on the dash. For all of the features which are commonly used and therefore need their own button, that is not one. I often take my cars to Europe but I still don't see the point in having that as a button.
morgrp said:
always thought it a bit mean in my 190 cosworth to have a single electric mirror on the passenger side operated from the centre console near the gearstick and manual on the drivers - thinking about it its logical really - Also love the little VDO lap timer in situ instead of another dial
Dads W124 was the same. One less thing to go wrong, one less expense, wasn't needed so they didn't fit it. Merc used to be intelligent like that. sebhaque said:
KaraK said:
The mk 1 Impreza's "Bright" switch.. A massive switch that just changed the brightness of the the clock, so pointless but it always made me smile.
I'm happy to report they carried this trend on at least until the blobeye (2005) Impreza that I had. I experimented with the switch (it's a binary rotary switch on the indicator stalk IIRC) on a sunny day and thought it was a night feature only. I remember being quite excited as I assumed it was the equivalent of Saab's night panel mode, so I'm sure you can imagine my disappointment late on a Friday evening, driving home from work and looking forward to my night panel all day, and upon flicking the switch being met with absolutely nothing apart from a slightly dimmed clock. Had it on an outback until at least 2007, not present on our 2010 though...
rodericb said:
MitchT said:
Idiosyncracies you say? Watch this from 3m00s to 5m31s!
I don't know if he shows it in the video sometime but the seatbelts look a little strange too.Rather than make it a legal requirement to WEAR belts - hell, no, that'd be an assault on freedom, dammit! - they insisted that new cars waved the belt at you.
http://jalopnik.com/5835426/this-is-why-we-dont-mi...
rodericb said:
I don't know if he shows it in the video sometime but the seatbelts look a little strange too.
Yes, just before the point where I'd set the clip to start he demonstrates the seatbelts, though as TooMany2cvs points out, they're more a product of US rulemakers than quirks of the car manufacturer.Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:
morgrp said:
always thought it a bit mean in my 190 cosworth to have a single electric mirror on the passenger side operated from the centre console near the gearstick and manual on the drivers - thinking about it its logical really - Also love the little VDO lap timer in situ instead of another dial
Dads W124 was the same. One less thing to go wrong, one less expense, wasn't needed so they didn't fit it. Merc used to be intelligent like that. The tape player in my brother's old Renault 5 had an eject mechanism so strong that with a bit of practice you could make the tape hit near the top of the back seat. This was handy as you could just let ejected tapes collect between the two back seats and then round them up periodically. Plus it was fun firing them at the middle-seat-dweller on the rare occasion we were travelling fives-up.
66mpg said:
Alfasud column stalks: left did indicators, turn it for lights, pull to flash, button in end for main beam. Right did heater fan, turn for wipers, button in end for washers, pull for horn. Quite odd but it did mean that in an emergency you could pull both stalks simultaneously and get horn and headlamp flash together which is just what you want as you tighten your grip on the wheel.
Made me chuckle - thanks
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