Is this where Kit Car designs should be heading
Discussion
or is it a Transformer that hasn't quite finished changing into a car?qdos said:
Personally I think it's hideous. But I have to say that of recent there's been a whole raft of hideous new cars been launched so maybe I'm just out of touch an old these days.
One of the other cars that ranks alongside this in the ugly stakes is this new Lexus....
Anyone actually like these new vehicle designs? I just don't get them at all
The lexus new design language is quite challenging for me too, but I guess they've done their research on the typical potential buyer or hope they have....One of the other cars that ranks alongside this in the ugly stakes is this new Lexus....
Anyone actually like these new vehicle designs? I just don't get them at all
With reference to the new Caterham Aeroseven Concept , in my opinion they working on a potential new design language for a younger and trendier crowd.....this might be the preview of other Caterhams to come.
Well I'm glad to find it's not just me that's loosing the plot then.
Seems it is actually the manufacturers after all. I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before. (pun not intended) Anyone recall the Ssanyong Rodius?
Seems it is actually the manufacturers after all. I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before. (pun not intended) Anyone recall the Ssanyong Rodius?
qdos said:
Well I'm glad to find it's not just me that's loosing the plot then.
Seems it is actually the manufacturers after all. I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before. (pun not intended) Anyone recall the Ssanyong Rodius?
Designer of the Rodius was Ken Greenley :Seems it is actually the manufacturers after all. I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before. (pun not intended) Anyone recall the Ssanyong Rodius?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SsangYong_Rodius
Prior to the Rodius and partnering with designer Hefferman, they designed the Aston Martin Virage, Bentley Continental R and the Panther Solo.
qdos said:
I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before.
I suspect that is the reason. When Tony Fernandes bought Caterham he stated his intention was to increase sales and that he would be looking primarily at the far eastern markets. There they have no concept of the great legacy of the Caterham, nee Lotus, Seven and will look at it as an old design. Whereas this Aeroseven provides them with a "modern" car based on the good old Caterham proven mechanicals.How about this from Lambo?
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/frankfurt-motor-...
Is that adventurous, or just a bit too Star Wars?
agcmidas said:
qdos said:
I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before.
I suspect that is the reason. When Tony Fernandes bought Caterham he stated his intention was to increase sales and that he would be looking primarily at the far eastern markets. There they have no concept of the great legacy of the Caterham, nee Lotus, Seven and will look at it as an old design. Whereas this Aeroseven provides them with a "modern" car based on the good old Caterham proven mechanicals.In my opinion Lamborghini lost the plot quite some time ago The Egoista proves it beyond any reasonable doubt. Mind you Lexus might be a bit worried by the competition in the styling.
Re K cars. I do think there's a gap in the market for Europe too as everything's just gotten gradually bigger and bigger. I think there might be an opportunity for a return to the Midget. I've recently been very much drawn to the likes of the Midget and the original Elan primarily because of their size. I know I'm not the only one who thinks the BMW Minis are another example of manufacturers losing the plot even BMW have realised they've made some errors there.
Re K cars. I do think there's a gap in the market for Europe too as everything's just gotten gradually bigger and bigger. I think there might be an opportunity for a return to the Midget. I've recently been very much drawn to the likes of the Midget and the original Elan primarily because of their size. I know I'm not the only one who thinks the BMW Minis are another example of manufacturers losing the plot even BMW have realised they've made some errors there.
qdos said:
Well I'm glad to find it's not just me that's loosing the plot then.
Seems it is actually the manufacturers after all. I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before. (pun not intended) Anyone recall the Ssanyong Rodius?
Evening qdos the Rhodius was pretty desperate was it not?? Singularly ugly, badly built, badly designed, badly specified car. I find these childish doodles singularly boring. My natural tendency (being VV old) is to hark back to the flowing lines of the 1950's sports cars culminating in the glory of the E type. How to achieve that in a modern svelte lightweight car seems to be beyond most of the KC manufacturers. Chassis design and engine output has improved beyond belief in that period. But quite honestly I do not think that styling has done so. The old Cord models from 60 years ago still make a better statement to my mind. Tells me progess in styling has been somewhat suspect.Seems it is actually the manufacturers after all. I think that possibly one of the reasons is that they are going more for the Far Eastern markets which have thrown up some pretty hideous designs before. (pun not intended) Anyone recall the Ssanyong Rodius?
Stuart Mills said:
I believe it is still about kit cars, the car Qdos mentioned could be sold in flat pack form!
Picking up on Stuart's comment, could we ever see the return of a flat pack kit car or have tastes now moved on?
Something like the Hustler might still appeal to some, but I would think the market for utilitarian kit cars is now too small to justify anyone developing anything along these lines.
agcmidas said:
Stuart Mills said:
I believe it is still about kit cars, the car Qdos mentioned could be sold in flat pack form!
Picking up on Stuart's comment, could we ever see the return of a flat pack kit car or have tastes now moved on?Something like the Hustler might still appeal to some, but I would think the market for utilitarian kit cars is now too small to justify anyone developing anything along these lines.
All enclosed svelt stylish bodywork requires a much higher quality design and moulding process which is difficult to achieve in any car. Softops or designing intentionally for track use requires much less precise panel fit and for this reason I think that we are going to need a really good Kit car builder to come up with an achievable yet affordable shape. I am looking forward to seeing some realistic beautiful affordable designs.
The point about styling vs. engineering has been well made, very few people seem to be able to do both. Jeremy Phillips, the brothers that ran Quantum, Stuart Mills.
Utility vehicles - no. I lived my Rickman, but I bought it 2nd hand after I realised it was going to cost £7k to turn a MkII Escort into - effectively a MkII Escort.
If people are going to part with money & time, then driving the result has got to be "an occasion", special, not something they could just buy second hand. For most that means performance & no roof. for the rest it means style.
To my mind - I'm an engineer, but have no experience running a company - the only way to stay in the kit business is to be modular. Develop a good chassis & offer a range of bodies like RAW & to a lesser extent MEV do. Make maximum use of the tooling you have to create a range of possibilities for the buyer.
Another well made point is that kit manufacturers will never keep up with "current" styling, but all the retro styled cars (replicas or not) are either '30s or '50s style - I include my Fury here. I'm guessing that if you want blokes in their 20s to buy into the nostalgia, you need to be making something that looks '80s or '90s?
One final point - customer service. As a member of the Southern Kit Car Club, our cars see a LOT of miles, significant parts of some of the cars (one manufacturer in particular) break. True we often have more power & do more miles than the original designer perhaps intended, but it would be good if the manufacturers took an interest in the breakage & used the feedback to improve their design (some of which is simply atrocious) rather than a blanket denial & "it must be the way you built it".
Utility vehicles - no. I lived my Rickman, but I bought it 2nd hand after I realised it was going to cost £7k to turn a MkII Escort into - effectively a MkII Escort.
If people are going to part with money & time, then driving the result has got to be "an occasion", special, not something they could just buy second hand. For most that means performance & no roof. for the rest it means style.
To my mind - I'm an engineer, but have no experience running a company - the only way to stay in the kit business is to be modular. Develop a good chassis & offer a range of bodies like RAW & to a lesser extent MEV do. Make maximum use of the tooling you have to create a range of possibilities for the buyer.
Another well made point is that kit manufacturers will never keep up with "current" styling, but all the retro styled cars (replicas or not) are either '30s or '50s style - I include my Fury here. I'm guessing that if you want blokes in their 20s to buy into the nostalgia, you need to be making something that looks '80s or '90s?
One final point - customer service. As a member of the Southern Kit Car Club, our cars see a LOT of miles, significant parts of some of the cars (one manufacturer in particular) break. True we often have more power & do more miles than the original designer perhaps intended, but it would be good if the manufacturers took an interest in the breakage & used the feedback to improve their design (some of which is simply atrocious) rather than a blanket denial & "it must be the way you built it".
Very good comments and considerations by all....
I think it would be interesting for most kitcar manufacturers and alike, to have an up to date Survey on the modern Kicar Industry, as I think the last that I've seen and read is of the mid-90's....
I believe that this info could really give us all an insight and a better understanding of what kitcar enthusiast want today, who is currently buying kitcars? what new kitcar concepts might seduce current and future buyers? new niches? why others are not buying? and so on....
Just an idea, but it could be done at a future kitcar show, maybe Stoneleigh as it's currently the biggest show and with the largest turn out of people.
Maybe everyone involved in the kitcar industry, the media and others, could fund this survey as I'm sure all would gain from it.
Just a thought...
I think it would be interesting for most kitcar manufacturers and alike, to have an up to date Survey on the modern Kicar Industry, as I think the last that I've seen and read is of the mid-90's....
I believe that this info could really give us all an insight and a better understanding of what kitcar enthusiast want today, who is currently buying kitcars? what new kitcar concepts might seduce current and future buyers? new niches? why others are not buying? and so on....
Just an idea, but it could be done at a future kitcar show, maybe Stoneleigh as it's currently the biggest show and with the largest turn out of people.
Maybe everyone involved in the kitcar industry, the media and others, could fund this survey as I'm sure all would gain from it.
Just a thought...
dmulally said:
Mistrale said:
Just a thought - what do people think of an MX5 PPF, some sort of simple chassis topped with a Burlington/Midge type DIY body? Has this sort of thing had its day?
What is a PPF? Google says power plant frame. Gassing Station | Kit Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff