Give it ten years and we'll see what happens
Discussion
Pooh said:
I think it is down to true beauty rather than trendy styling.
IMO this has true beauty and will not date
In true PH mode, can I be totally contrary? IMO this has true beauty and will not date
In a magazine I saw this week (possibly Autocar, not sure) there were some photos of the 8C in action. Shots taken from a real world standpoint rather than ones with all the tweaks and photoshoppery. Somehow it just didn't work. when not seen from the low 'beauty shot' angles or from the high up 3/4 shot, the arse looks too big and flat, and from the front it looked too high and narrow. Remove the Alfa rad and intakes and it looks somewhat like an American version of a Tuscan. The elegance of the static studio shots just wasn't there. Still a nice car, but not the heart-stoppingly gorgeous machine I was expecting from the static photos.
Just like when the real Brera appeared, the first reaction was 'oh, it looks a bit dumpy' but nobody liked to say it, at risk of being lynch mobbed. Like some girl who was absolutely gorgeous when you knew her at school, but has now had 4 kids and too many holidays in the sun, it is a bit disappointing.
One car that has already stood the test of time is the Focus (although I still don't like the high rear lights and big blank space on the hatch). As cars get blobbier with increasing amounts of safety regs, the original Focus is looking just as crisp and sharp as it did on day 1.
Bangle BMWs? No thanks.
mat205125 said:
jayzee said:
Current BMW 5 series IMO hasn't dated, and will still look fresh in years to come. My first impressions at launch were "yuck", but over the last few years I have grown to like it, so much so, I now have one myself.
I think that all of the Bangle BMW's will come to define the era, but maybe not date too well. I think that the E39 will be remembered better, and become timeless.I hope that in 10 years time we will look back and laugh at the current M cars, RS Audis and AMG mercs. "Why were they soooo big and heavy" "Why did we pack all that computer crap into them when a machanical diff or e-dif makes for a purer drivers car"
Zad said:
One car that has already stood the test of time is the Focus (although I still don't like the high rear lights and big blank space on the hatch). As cars get blobbier with increasing amounts of safety regs, the original Focus is looking just as crisp and sharp as it did on day 1.
Have to disagree - the Focus looked odd on the day it was launched and still looks odd now. Only now it also looks too tall and narrow.Never got the hype over the Focus - they're not actually that good to drive, the seating position is weird, the interior looks like it was designed by a child and was a badly assembled mix of shite quality materials.
Good to see that Ford still hadn't managed to sort out their rust protection properly, too.
75_Steve said:
Zad said:
One car that has already stood the test of time is the Focus (although I still don't like the high rear lights and big blank space on the hatch). As cars get blobbier with increasing amounts of safety regs, the original Focus is looking just as crisp and sharp as it did on day 1.
Have to disagree - the Focus looked odd on the day it was launched and still looks odd now. Only now it also looks too tall and narrow.Never got the hype over the Focus - they're not actually that good to drive, the seating position is weird, the interior looks like it was designed by a child and was a badly assembled mix of shite quality materials.
Good to see that Ford still hadn't managed to sort out their rust protection properly, too.
This i think actually reflects our boredome threshold rather than car styling.
For example i still think a 1920's le mans bentley 4.5 litre defines the marque better than anything that came after it, just as a lamborghini miura really shouts lamborghini much louder than anything later - some of the most beautiful ferraris every built were done in the 60's before the windtunnel defined what must be done.
But the reality is these days most consumers have the attention span of a puppy. they just get bored within months of a new design - often before it even gets realeased. Im often surprised how many owners of high end cars like RS's and M cars and porsches et al are expressing an interest in changing car even 3-4 months after they bought the last one - often something they sat on a waiting list for months to get.
It seems strange, that when i learnt to drive the trophy car was simply an upgrade from your current car, for example Xr3i owners craved an RS turbo, RS turbo owners wanted a RS cosworth, GTE 8V owners wanted a 6V and 205 Gti 1.6 owners usually wanted a 1.8 - i.e a simply improved version of what you already had and thought was great - yet these days we have RS4 owners jumping ship after 3 months into the latest M3, M5 owners jumping into RS6's or 997's, F430 owners diving into Gallarods and back again - it seems we get utterly bored within minutes even with cars that are supposed to be exceptional.
The styling issue is interesting because that feeds that obsession of "the next big thing". there was nothing wrong with the old mini, but the market demanded a freshen up just so people could easily recognise you had a 2007 mini not a 2005 despite the fact they look almost identical.
Whats the point of the new A8 or A4? most people can hardly tell the difference, all it does is serve to wreck residuals on older models and make everyone feel dissatisfied they don't have the latest thing.
Perhaps we have to much money now, perhaps its the easy credit cycle of lease chop and change and the fact a lot of people are just "renting" their cars these days on the never never, but i think what is aceelerating the dating factor of car style is the obsession with the latest new thing.
I agree, i think the 550 and 575 are already dated against the 599, the 360 looks awful and flabby now compared to the geometric 430 and the new 3 series makes the old (much more attractive imho) 3 series look a decade older than it is - but then look at house styles from the 80's, 90's, and 00's - as consumers we seem to get bored and demand change in everything even when its change for change's sake.
all imho.
For example i still think a 1920's le mans bentley 4.5 litre defines the marque better than anything that came after it, just as a lamborghini miura really shouts lamborghini much louder than anything later - some of the most beautiful ferraris every built were done in the 60's before the windtunnel defined what must be done.
But the reality is these days most consumers have the attention span of a puppy. they just get bored within months of a new design - often before it even gets realeased. Im often surprised how many owners of high end cars like RS's and M cars and porsches et al are expressing an interest in changing car even 3-4 months after they bought the last one - often something they sat on a waiting list for months to get.
It seems strange, that when i learnt to drive the trophy car was simply an upgrade from your current car, for example Xr3i owners craved an RS turbo, RS turbo owners wanted a RS cosworth, GTE 8V owners wanted a 6V and 205 Gti 1.6 owners usually wanted a 1.8 - i.e a simply improved version of what you already had and thought was great - yet these days we have RS4 owners jumping ship after 3 months into the latest M3, M5 owners jumping into RS6's or 997's, F430 owners diving into Gallarods and back again - it seems we get utterly bored within minutes even with cars that are supposed to be exceptional.
The styling issue is interesting because that feeds that obsession of "the next big thing". there was nothing wrong with the old mini, but the market demanded a freshen up just so people could easily recognise you had a 2007 mini not a 2005 despite the fact they look almost identical.
Whats the point of the new A8 or A4? most people can hardly tell the difference, all it does is serve to wreck residuals on older models and make everyone feel dissatisfied they don't have the latest thing.
Perhaps we have to much money now, perhaps its the easy credit cycle of lease chop and change and the fact a lot of people are just "renting" their cars these days on the never never, but i think what is aceelerating the dating factor of car style is the obsession with the latest new thing.
I agree, i think the 550 and 575 are already dated against the 599, the 360 looks awful and flabby now compared to the geometric 430 and the new 3 series makes the old (much more attractive imho) 3 series look a decade older than it is - but then look at house styles from the 80's, 90's, and 00's - as consumers we seem to get bored and demand change in everything even when its change for change's sake.
all imho.
bangle bimmers will look as dated as wedge tvrs and tr7s in the future, but they do define and era of car design...i just dont like the audi r8..it looks like the bastard offspring of a bottle nosed dolphin and a smart roadster......and, im with the alfa critique.....it seems to me that people are scared to speak their mind about designs everyone raves about..the coupe and brera are stumpy and pig nosed in the metal.....i actually like em, but they acertainly arent beautiful, or timeless in teh accepted way...
frazer guest said:
mat205125 said:
A completely standard 1.9 205 GTi. Gotta be the really late cars with the nice dash, nicer seats, clear front indicators, facelift rear lights. God I want another one 
You and me both. If only I had a double garage. I've got a J plate in Sorrento but its only a 1.6. As much as the pepper pots have grown on me, they do look a bit more dated than the 1.9's.
For me, the third gen RX7 is still fresh. Don't see them too often, but I lust after one everytime i see one!
frazer guest said:
mat205125 said:
A completely standard 1.9 205 GTi. Gotta be the really late cars with the nice dash, nicer seats, clear front indicators, facelift rear lights. God I want another one
You and me both. If only I had a double garage. 
mat205125 said:
frazer guest said:
mat205125 said:
A completely standard 1.9 205 GTi. Gotta be the really late cars with the nice dash, nicer seats, clear front indicators, facelift rear lights. God I want another one
You and me both. If only I had a double garage. Running one as a cheap hack hasn't been as successful this time around as it was a couple of years ago - although this car is definately quicker.
groomi said:
mat205125 said:
frazer guest said:
mat205125 said:
A completely standard 1.9 205 GTi. Gotta be the really late cars with the nice dash, nicer seats, clear front indicators, facelift rear lights. God I want another one
You and me both. If only I had a double garage. Running one as a cheap hack hasn't been as successful this time around as it was a couple of years ago - although this car is definately quicker.
Zad said:
Arguably the best looking cars are not timeless classics, but cars which are very much of their time.
E-Type, DB5
Countach
Ur-Quattro, Integrale
etc.
some of the best looking cars arent even good looking..they are just perfect proprtions and beautiful design or engineering..im thinking range rover 2 door, ww2 willys jeep, original fiat panda or 500, even 2cv.....there is nothing you could add or take away from these utilitarian classics to improve their looks..these cars show waht we dont need in a car, not waht we do.....E-Type, DB5
Countach
Ur-Quattro, Integrale
etc.
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