Do petrolheads really give a toss what a car looks like?
Discussion
Kinda following on from the 997 GT2RS oooooh it's dull, it just looks like a Porsche thread.
I for one appreciate the aesthetics of good car design and recognise that some models in history (Miura, 365, F40 Zonda etc) are automotive artwork, but for me how a car looks really comes second to how it performs or drives.
For example, I've been obsessing over Fisher Fury's lately, simply on the basis that they cost pocket money and would give give most things on the road a damn good thrashing on a B road, despite looking like something I made at home after a few two many pints
Likewise I've been trying to beat into a friend of mine recently that MX5s and Boxters are very good cars, but he won't have any of it "cos they don't look very nice"
I'm not alone in this opinion, am I?
I for one appreciate the aesthetics of good car design and recognise that some models in history (Miura, 365, F40 Zonda etc) are automotive artwork, but for me how a car looks really comes second to how it performs or drives.
For example, I've been obsessing over Fisher Fury's lately, simply on the basis that they cost pocket money and would give give most things on the road a damn good thrashing on a B road, despite looking like something I made at home after a few two many pints
Likewise I've been trying to beat into a friend of mine recently that MX5s and Boxters are very good cars, but he won't have any of it "cos they don't look very nice"
I'm not alone in this opinion, am I?
Our perception of a good looking car comes as much from what works well functionally as anything! The fashion for big wheels came from touring cars etc needing to fit massive brakes under them, huge grills from needing large amounts of cooling, sleek bodywork from aerodynamics, flared arches from fitting wider grippier tyres etc etc
Therefore a 'good looking' car tends to be good looking because of it's function!
Therefore a 'good looking' car tends to be good looking because of it's function!
Most people would call me a petrolhead. I care what cars look like - I grew up with interesting cars on my walls as a kid, I think it's an importnat part of car-ness. Many of the legend cars I used to lust after (esp as I'm an 80's child) were wild looking exotics, like the countash, TR, F40, Griffith 500, that sort of thing. I also love the 930 era 911 turbos, with their immence rear ends and general 80's shoulderpad look.
Some pople are soley bothered about speed etc, but given the same handling, speed or whatnot, 90% of poeople on here would choose the car with the better looks.
oh, and sound. Sound is more important than looks. I learned tat when I was about 8, years after I fell in love with the posters on my walls.
Some pople are soley bothered about speed etc, but given the same handling, speed or whatnot, 90% of poeople on here would choose the car with the better looks.
oh, and sound. Sound is more important than looks. I learned tat when I was about 8, years after I fell in love with the posters on my walls.
Ozzie Osmond said:
MGB Boy said:
I'm not fussed how a car drives if it looks like a Fiat Multipla I'm not gonna touch it with a fookin barge pole!
Quite right IMO.
My all time favourite car is the F40 yet plenty of people say that it looks s
t.
It could be that because of the cars capabilities I ignore the looks or perhaps I find beauty in the fact that the car is styled for speed rather than just to make it look pretty. It could also be that I have no taste or my love of cars is stuck in the 80s.
I don't know but I bloody want one!
t.It could be that because of the cars capabilities I ignore the looks or perhaps I find beauty in the fact that the car is styled for speed rather than just to make it look pretty. It could also be that I have no taste or my love of cars is stuck in the 80s.
I don't know but I bloody want one!
MGB Boy said:
I'm not fussed how a car drives if it looks like a Fiat Multipla I'm not gonna touch it with a fookin barge pole!
I agree, right until I find a Multipla with an F1 engine and then sod the looks.Similarly the best car I saw at the recent Kitcar show was a std looking Moggie with a V8 in it
The look of the 'engineering part' of the car matter more to me, a friend of mine's dad has a Fisher Fury and the chassis looks like it's been constructed out of some old ladders.
Square cut and welded steel tube... speaks volumes about the overall effort and passion that has gone into making the car I think.
I'm a massive fan of the gumpert Apollo, simply because it looks functional, everything on the car is on it for a practical purpose and, IMO, that's the way a serious hypercar should be.
Square cut and welded steel tube... speaks volumes about the overall effort and passion that has gone into making the car I think.
I'm a massive fan of the gumpert Apollo, simply because it looks functional, everything on the car is on it for a practical purpose and, IMO, that's the way a serious hypercar should be.
rockandrollmark said:
For example, I've been obsessing over Fisher Fury's lately, simply on the basis that they cost pocket money and would give give most things on the road a damn good thrashing on a B road, despite looking like something I made at home after a few two many pints
Bad example IMO. Furys are great lookers I reckon:
I think, for petrolheads like us, looks are important, but not the most important of all.
Anecdotally, we had a courtesy Alfa Brera last year while the MX-5 was being repaired after some dozy bint in a Corsa smacked it pulling out of a parking space. Anyway. Bloody lovely looking thing, in pearlescent black, 19" rims, 3.2V6. Automotive porn, and everyone bar none who saw it, loved it.
Awful to drive.
Direct yet lifeless steering, slack gearchange, and it rooooollllllled in the corners like the Jahre Viking (google it) in a force 10. Looked like Cameron Diaz, drove like Jo Brand.
It's like Sir Stirling. He's gone on record as stating that his favourite road car of all time was a Facel Vega HK500. Now, that's a challenging looking car and not to everyone's taste. But would you argue with him on its handling traits
Anecdotally, we had a courtesy Alfa Brera last year while the MX-5 was being repaired after some dozy bint in a Corsa smacked it pulling out of a parking space. Anyway. Bloody lovely looking thing, in pearlescent black, 19" rims, 3.2V6. Automotive porn, and everyone bar none who saw it, loved it.
Awful to drive.
Direct yet lifeless steering, slack gearchange, and it rooooollllllled in the corners like the Jahre Viking (google it) in a force 10. Looked like Cameron Diaz, drove like Jo Brand.
It's like Sir Stirling. He's gone on record as stating that his favourite road car of all time was a Facel Vega HK500. Now, that's a challenging looking car and not to everyone's taste. But would you argue with him on its handling traits
It depends.
I don't think I'd buy an ugly car, for example a BMW X6 could drive like an elise and I still wouldn't like it. Having said that there aren't many cars I think are offensively ugly. My mind can be changed, I hated how the last shape 'big bum' meganes looked, and it was even worse after I drove one (it was truly horrible) but then an R.26 blatted past me on a track day and suddenly it didn't look so bad at all...and actually out on a track day looks don't matter at all...faster = better.
I don't think I'd buy an ugly car, for example a BMW X6 could drive like an elise and I still wouldn't like it. Having said that there aren't many cars I think are offensively ugly. My mind can be changed, I hated how the last shape 'big bum' meganes looked, and it was even worse after I drove one (it was truly horrible) but then an R.26 blatted past me on a track day and suddenly it didn't look so bad at all...and actually out on a track day looks don't matter at all...faster = better.
rockandrollmark said:
Kinda following on from the 997 GT2RS oooooh it's dull, it just looks like a Porsche thread.
Given the fascinating history of Porsche, and the utter petrolheadism that has percolated through the company along the decades, even if it's been diluted in recent years - can you say that you don't like Porsches and still claim to be a petrolhead - doesn't a dislike of Porsches make you a hairdresser (unless you're a biker)? Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff