What has happened to elegance in car design?
Discussion
In my opinion, there are very few examples of elegant design amongst new cars today, where brash and vulgar styling seem to rule. Why is this? Safety legislation? Or are all the manufacturers trying to appeal to the Max Power Nova generation?
Let me give a few examples to demonstrate my point. Of course some cars shouldn't look elegant: I'm thinking GTRs, Evos, WRXs, Lamborghinis and the like but how about other "luxury" cars.
When I was growing up, BMWs, Mercedes, Audis and Jaguars were comparatively more expensive and not as ubiquitous as they are now but in my opinion were much more elegant.
Compare for instance the E46 3-Series, E39 5-Series or the E38 7-Series to their modern equivalents. Likewise the B5 A4, C5 A6 and D2 A8 and the W203 C-Class and the W211 E-Class. Even the old Range Rover (L322?) seemed to possess a lot more elegance than the new one. Jaguars to be fair are pretty good in this respect as far as new cars go and I appreciate the "retro" design language wasn't going to work forever and they had to find a new direction but I still think the "classic" XJ and even the S-Type possess a certain elegance that their modern counterparts do not. The first time I saw a new XF, I did think that's quite a good-looking, elegant car but I actually thought it was a Lexus!
New Mercedes in particular seem very heavy-handed and brash in their styling. Massive grilles with huge Mercedes badges and a centre of gravity somewhere in their arse seem to be a common design feature and most "luxury" cars only look good with the biggest wheel option now. For instance, an E60 5-Series without the M-Sport wheels looks pretty ridiculous, whereas the E39 5-Series was quite a handsome car even in fairly basic spec.
This phenomenon it seems isn't just restricted to "luxury" cars. Look at a modern 911 compared to a 964 or 993, it's really not that good looking a car and has become a bit of a caricature of itself (I do think the rear treatment on the 991 is an improvement on the 997 though). The original MINI was quite a clean piece of design (if a bit marmite) but has just been stretched and got uglier in each of its two successive generations.
I have also always admired the simplicity of the VW Golf design. Granted, it's not the most exciting design out there but each new generation looks unmistakeably like a Golf and has been an improvement on the last. The mk4 was a big improvement on the mk3 and indeed the styling helped the mk4 to become more popular than it probably deserved to be and the mk5 (although it was not universally well-liked at launch) has brought in a more modern look that I think has aged quite well and the mk6 improved on this again. I have to say though that I had a mk7 Golf as a hire car recently and thought it looked a bit weird. Like a stretched mk5/6 in every direction but to the detriment of its styling. At least you get more space each generation though. A mk3 Focus was top of my list as a replacement family car last year but I was baffled to find that it was less spacious (particularly in the boot) than the mk2 Focus!
You would think then that the Italians would be able to save the day (although they by no means have the monopoly on elegant styling - remember when Peugeots were good-looking)? The Alfa 159 was probably the best-looking and most elegant saloon/estate of its time and also the 147 in its class (it is possible to make a small car elegant) but look at the dog's dinners that are the Mito and Giulietta.
Even Ferrari are not immune. The 458, F12 and FF are all fantastic cars and believe me I wouldn't say no but elegant? Compared to most of the classics (Dino, Daytona, California and one of my personal favourites, the 456 GT, no way)!
So, with the exception of Aston Martins (which are still elegant by virtue of tweaking the same design for the last 10 years) and arguably Jaguar, what has happened to all the other elegant car designs and why is this the case?
Let me give a few examples to demonstrate my point. Of course some cars shouldn't look elegant: I'm thinking GTRs, Evos, WRXs, Lamborghinis and the like but how about other "luxury" cars.
When I was growing up, BMWs, Mercedes, Audis and Jaguars were comparatively more expensive and not as ubiquitous as they are now but in my opinion were much more elegant.
Compare for instance the E46 3-Series, E39 5-Series or the E38 7-Series to their modern equivalents. Likewise the B5 A4, C5 A6 and D2 A8 and the W203 C-Class and the W211 E-Class. Even the old Range Rover (L322?) seemed to possess a lot more elegance than the new one. Jaguars to be fair are pretty good in this respect as far as new cars go and I appreciate the "retro" design language wasn't going to work forever and they had to find a new direction but I still think the "classic" XJ and even the S-Type possess a certain elegance that their modern counterparts do not. The first time I saw a new XF, I did think that's quite a good-looking, elegant car but I actually thought it was a Lexus!
New Mercedes in particular seem very heavy-handed and brash in their styling. Massive grilles with huge Mercedes badges and a centre of gravity somewhere in their arse seem to be a common design feature and most "luxury" cars only look good with the biggest wheel option now. For instance, an E60 5-Series without the M-Sport wheels looks pretty ridiculous, whereas the E39 5-Series was quite a handsome car even in fairly basic spec.
This phenomenon it seems isn't just restricted to "luxury" cars. Look at a modern 911 compared to a 964 or 993, it's really not that good looking a car and has become a bit of a caricature of itself (I do think the rear treatment on the 991 is an improvement on the 997 though). The original MINI was quite a clean piece of design (if a bit marmite) but has just been stretched and got uglier in each of its two successive generations.
I have also always admired the simplicity of the VW Golf design. Granted, it's not the most exciting design out there but each new generation looks unmistakeably like a Golf and has been an improvement on the last. The mk4 was a big improvement on the mk3 and indeed the styling helped the mk4 to become more popular than it probably deserved to be and the mk5 (although it was not universally well-liked at launch) has brought in a more modern look that I think has aged quite well and the mk6 improved on this again. I have to say though that I had a mk7 Golf as a hire car recently and thought it looked a bit weird. Like a stretched mk5/6 in every direction but to the detriment of its styling. At least you get more space each generation though. A mk3 Focus was top of my list as a replacement family car last year but I was baffled to find that it was less spacious (particularly in the boot) than the mk2 Focus!
You would think then that the Italians would be able to save the day (although they by no means have the monopoly on elegant styling - remember when Peugeots were good-looking)? The Alfa 159 was probably the best-looking and most elegant saloon/estate of its time and also the 147 in its class (it is possible to make a small car elegant) but look at the dog's dinners that are the Mito and Giulietta.
Even Ferrari are not immune. The 458, F12 and FF are all fantastic cars and believe me I wouldn't say no but elegant? Compared to most of the classics (Dino, Daytona, California and one of my personal favourites, the 456 GT, no way)!
So, with the exception of Aston Martins (which are still elegant by virtue of tweaking the same design for the last 10 years) and arguably Jaguar, what has happened to all the other elegant car designs and why is this the case?
Three reasons:
One: The demand for passive safety means everything is too big and heavy, especially screen pillars, dashboards and B-posts which means designers rely on "surfacing" to disguise the bulk.
Two: The demand for pedestrian safety means bonnets have be higher than they were, bumpers have to be big and smooth and that results in the "melted in the sun" look
Three: The Chinese like their bling. And they're the ones buying millions of Mercs, Audis, Range Rovers and Jags.
One: The demand for passive safety means everything is too big and heavy, especially screen pillars, dashboards and B-posts which means designers rely on "surfacing" to disguise the bulk.
Two: The demand for pedestrian safety means bonnets have be higher than they were, bumpers have to be big and smooth and that results in the "melted in the sun" look
Three: The Chinese like their bling. And they're the ones buying millions of Mercs, Audis, Range Rovers and Jags.
You're right, not many manufacturers consistently manufacture cars with elegant lines; the only others apart from the ones you mention are possibly Maserati and Rolls-Royce.
Merc have really lost it.
Maybe manufacturers want to appear, 'modern, current, cutting-edge', out with the old and in with the new.
I'm sure that their marketing departments and designers carry out lots of research and workshops to determine what their customers want - it depends of course where they perform that research and with whom.
Safety legislation will affect design too.
Mainstream cars that have a touch of elegance about them are the Vauxhall Insignia and some of the Mazda range.
YMMV
Merc have really lost it.
Maybe manufacturers want to appear, 'modern, current, cutting-edge', out with the old and in with the new.
I'm sure that their marketing departments and designers carry out lots of research and workshops to determine what their customers want - it depends of course where they perform that research and with whom.
Safety legislation will affect design too.
Mainstream cars that have a touch of elegance about them are the Vauxhall Insignia and some of the Mazda range.
YMMV
Me and a few friends in work discussed this a couple of weeks ago. We were trying to find a car we all found elegant. I don't think we actually managed it in the end. Tesla model S got a few nods, but it has a vulgar ipad on the dash.
Personally think the F-type is quite elegant, but a few design elements are too brash.
Personally think the F-type is quite elegant, but a few design elements are too brash.
Personally I think it is the enforced high bonnet line that has ruined a lot of cars lines.
A fair few just end up looking awkward around the A pillar / door area as well as the huge frontal area.
Does nothing for style although Audi / VW seem to have maintained clean lines pretty well
A fair few just end up looking awkward around the A pillar / door area as well as the huge frontal area.
Does nothing for style although Audi / VW seem to have maintained clean lines pretty well
There are very few modern cars I like the look of, but that could be because I'm not 20/30 something. Technology makes it easier to change designs more regularly now so perhaps there isn't the same amount of agonising over styling as there used to be, and more pressure to constantly refresh.
swisstoni said:
There are very few modern cars I like the look of, but that could be because I'm not 20/30 something. Technology makes it easier to change designs more regularly now so perhaps there isn't the same amount of agonising over styling as there used to be, and more pressure to constantly refresh.
Well, I agree with you and I;m 30 something! 
white_goodman said:
swisstoni said:
There are very few modern cars I like the look of, but that could be because I'm not 20/30 something. Technology makes it easier to change designs more regularly now so perhaps there isn't the same amount of agonising over styling as there used to be, and more pressure to constantly refresh.
Well, I agree with you and I;m 30 something! jhonn said:
You're right, not many manufacturers consistently manufacture cars with elegant lines; the only others apart from the ones you mention are possibly Maserati and Rolls-Royce.
Merc have really lost it.
Maybe manufacturers want to appear, 'modern, current, cutting-edge', out with the old and in with the new.
I'm sure that their marketing departments and designers carry out lots of research and workshops to determine what their customers want - it depends of course where they perform that research and with whom.
Safety legislation will affect design too.
Mainstream cars that have a touch of elegance about them are the Vauxhall Insignia and some of the Mazda range.
YMMV
I'll give you Mazda. The new 3 and 6 are very good-looking cars. Not sure about Rolls Royce and I would have agreed with you on Maserati but the new Quattroporte seems like a backwards step to me and it's only going to get worse when the new SUV comes out!Merc have really lost it.
Maybe manufacturers want to appear, 'modern, current, cutting-edge', out with the old and in with the new.
I'm sure that their marketing departments and designers carry out lots of research and workshops to determine what their customers want - it depends of course where they perform that research and with whom.
Safety legislation will affect design too.
Mainstream cars that have a touch of elegance about them are the Vauxhall Insignia and some of the Mazda range.
YMMV
It's a shame because in my late teens/early 20s, I really aspired (don't laugh, they used to be quite aspirational) to owning a BMW/Merc/Audi/Jaguar one day and now that I can probably afford one, I don't really like the look of any of them (6-Series Gran Coupe and F-Type Coupe excepted)!
You can't just blame the safety regulations. Tkae four cars of similar size that all have to meet the same requirements. The front of the new Passat looks cool and elegant with elements of grille, bumper, lights and lower grille nicely balanced and well integrated. The new Mondeo and Mazda 6 have larger grilles, but they seem to sit well with the rest of the front ends in both cases.
But turn to the new Mercedes C class and it all falls to bits (design-wise) What on earth made them make such a mess of the front end, none of the different elements relate to each other and whoever thought of destroying the grille with a dinner-plate size Mercedes badge should have that badge forcibly inserted into which orifice is most painful.
But turn to the new Mercedes C class and it all falls to bits (design-wise
) What on earth made them make such a mess of the front end, none of the different elements relate to each other and whoever thought of destroying the grille with a dinner-plate size Mercedes badge should have that badge forcibly inserted into which orifice is most painful.The comment about Merc having lost it made me smile...
In the car with a friend the other evening, I spotted a badgeless car that at the time I described as looking like a "Chinese knock off Mercedes". Expected it to be something new and Korean... Turned out to be a CLS*
Re the styling of aforementioned cars (current BMWs/Audis vs 90s/early 00s equivalents), I'm sure there's some drive to make cars look "angrier" and give them road presence for the willy waving types (not just limited to these manufacturers, they all seem to be at it!). Give me an E46 M3 over an F82 any day
In the car with a friend the other evening, I spotted a badgeless car that at the time I described as looking like a "Chinese knock off Mercedes". Expected it to be something new and Korean... Turned out to be a CLS*
Re the styling of aforementioned cars (current BMWs/Audis vs 90s/early 00s equivalents), I'm sure there's some drive to make cars look "angrier" and give them road presence for the willy waving types (not just limited to these manufacturers, they all seem to be at it!). Give me an E46 M3 over an F82 any day
- I have since had a look at the CLS in daylight, and it's not as bad as I first thought
Unfortunately everyone seems to prefer lumpen, aggressively overstyled cars festooned with fairy lights and other blingy tat and fitted out with interiors that resemble a Transformers toy having a migrane.
I often think cars tend to reflect the personality of the people that choose them, and that's probably why there are very few elegant, understated cars around anymore.
I often think cars tend to reflect the personality of the people that choose them, and that's probably why there are very few elegant, understated cars around anymore.
Justin Case said:
You can't just blame the safety regulations. Tkae four cars of similar size that all have to meet the same requirements. The front of the new Passat looks cool and elegant with elements of grille, bumper, lights and lower grille nicely balanced and well integrated. The new Mondeo and Mazda 6 have larger grilles, but they seem to sit well with the rest of the front ends in both cases.
But turn to the new Mercedes C class and it all falls to bits (design-wise) What on earth made them make such a mess of the front end, none of the different elements relate to each other and whoever thought of destroying the grille with a dinner-plate size Mercedes badge should have that badge forcibly inserted into which orifice is most painful.
Merc has unfortunately gone down the road of having the same front end across it's entire range of cars, like Audi, and it clearly suits some models better than others. The Passat, Mondeo and Mazda you mention are individual designs and look all the better for it.But turn to the new Mercedes C class and it all falls to bits (design-wise
) What on earth made them make such a mess of the front end, none of the different elements relate to each other and whoever thought of destroying the grille with a dinner-plate size Mercedes badge should have that badge forcibly inserted into which orifice is most painful.Im sure every new generation of cars is criticised for not looking as good as the last generation.
For balance, I always HATED seeing sills curve away under the car punctuated by a spot-welded flange to the inner sill and floor panels on 80s and 90s cars.
Like this:
That is a distinct feature of old cars I absolutely do not miss. Neither are all the afterthought bits like door handles etc stuck on all over the place and protruding out.
For balance, I always HATED seeing sills curve away under the car punctuated by a spot-welded flange to the inner sill and floor panels on 80s and 90s cars.
Like this:
That is a distinct feature of old cars I absolutely do not miss. Neither are all the afterthought bits like door handles etc stuck on all over the place and protruding out.
I think it must be a generational thing
I was right with you until i read to the bit revealing you're comparing e46s and e39s to their modern equivalent, not their previous generations. So an e46 being the old fashioned elegant car, for me it's the other way round, the modern ones look far elegant than anything between from after the e34 to before the e65.
I was right with you until i read to the bit revealing you're comparing e46s and e39s to their modern equivalent, not their previous generations. So an e46 being the old fashioned elegant car, for me it's the other way round, the modern ones look far elegant than anything between from after the e34 to before the e65.
The insignia in Pre-facelift guise had a fair degree of flair and elegance. I agree too that new Mazdas work too.
It's is not also a trend perhaps started by cars like the Mercedes GL and the big Audi SUV about a decade ago to look heavy and Teutonic?
I know safety legislation plays its part, but to companies think customers want great big heavy safe looking features? Pycologically an Audi Q7 looks like the sort of car you would survive a crash in. With SUV cars dominating and being bought with family transportation in mind, could this be a reason?
We live in a risk averse world of fear in the west. Maybe designs reflect this?
PW said:
Developing modern cars requires massive levels of investment, manufacturers desperately need to sell the end product in large numbers to make a profit, so I would argue there is more pressure to get the styling correct.
I see what you are saying, but in the past, if you made a styling faux pas, that would be out there for years with little you could do about it.Now at least, the facelift is always just around the corner and the new shape isn't far behind.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff