Some small car features I would love to have...
Discussion
Over the years I have come across some cool features on cars I have owned or driven , and wish I could have them on all current cars. I am not talking about the power/handling/ performance but more humble things that I would actually use often unlike nonsense (for me) like launch control for instance.
A few that I have really liked include:
-Wheels that automatically straighten when you park like on the Citroën SM.
-Doors with no detente like the Panamera. If you open the door it stays exactly where you place it instead of looking for the detente position.
-articulated front seatbacks that were available on the old E39 5 series- you could bend the top half a forward bit so it was closer to your shoulders. I loved those seats.
- the ultra clear HUD in current BMWs.. I tried an X6M recently and was impressed.
-foldable LWBs on the 997. The current fixed ones are a pain as you can get nothing much in the back of the car.
A few that I have really liked include:
-Wheels that automatically straighten when you park like on the Citroën SM.
-Doors with no detente like the Panamera. If you open the door it stays exactly where you place it instead of looking for the detente position.
-articulated front seatbacks that were available on the old E39 5 series- you could bend the top half a forward bit so it was closer to your shoulders. I loved those seats.
- the ultra clear HUD in current BMWs.. I tried an X6M recently and was impressed.
-foldable LWBs on the 997. The current fixed ones are a pain as you can get nothing much in the back of the car.
Front passenger seats that can fold forward completely to make a flat extended load area (seen in Volvo's S60/V70, the Vauxhall Vectra too).
Extremely handy when load lugging.
I'd also settle for a passenger seat that can be reclined fully without landing on the rear seat base to make a similar flat load area (once headrest removed and seat slid all the way forward).
Extremely handy when load lugging.
I'd also settle for a passenger seat that can be reclined fully without landing on the rear seat base to make a similar flat load area (once headrest removed and seat slid all the way forward).
riskyj said:
RDMcG said:
-Doors with no detente like the Panamera. If you open the door it stays exactly where you place it instead of looking for the detente position.
I did not know this was a thing. Sounds brilliant. RDMcG said:
Over the years I have come across some cool features on cars I have owned or driven , and wish I could have them on all current cars. I am not talking about the power/handling/ performance but more humble things that I would actually use often unlike nonsense (for me) like launch control for instance.
A few that I have really liked include:
-Wheels that automatically straighten when you park like on the Citroën SM.
-Doors with no detente like the Panamera. If you open the door it stays exactly where you place it instead of looking for the detente position.
-articulated front seatbacks that were available on the old E39 5 series- you could bend the top half a forward bit so it was closer to your shoulders. I loved those seats.
- the ultra clear HUD in current BMWs.. I tried an X6M recently and was impressed.
-foldable LWBs on the 997. The current fixed ones are a pain as you can get nothing much in the back of the car.
I think most premium cars with heavy doors have really strong door struts that maintain the door in its position.A few that I have really liked include:
-Wheels that automatically straighten when you park like on the Citroën SM.
-Doors with no detente like the Panamera. If you open the door it stays exactly where you place it instead of looking for the detente position.
-articulated front seatbacks that were available on the old E39 5 series- you could bend the top half a forward bit so it was closer to your shoulders. I loved those seats.
- the ultra clear HUD in current BMWs.. I tried an X6M recently and was impressed.
-foldable LWBs on the 997. The current fixed ones are a pain as you can get nothing much in the back of the car.
RDMcG said:
-articulated front seatbacks that were available on the old E39 5 series- you could bend the top half a forward bit so it was closer to your shoulders. I loved those seats.
They are great seats available right through to the larger G chassis cars as well, I have them, not sure about the new models though. In a 5-door hatch - that everything folds *flat*, closely, like the original Saab 900: which was designed around 'also being suitable for a fishing/camping trip for two':
Result - a perfectly-flat 7 x4'8 ' ' bed'. (- and a beautiful view of the stars through overnight.)
Oh - and a ride: handling balance, like a Renault 16. Deep joy.
Result - a perfectly-flat 7 x4'8 ' ' bed'. (- and a beautiful view of the stars through overnight.)
Oh - and a ride: handling balance, like a Renault 16. Deep joy.
Edited by Huff on Thursday 9th November 23:15
Lots of silly little things.
Had an old Saab and it had a button that turned off all the dashboard lights apart from the speedo. Really lovely for night driving.
Also the volume on the stereo went louder the faster you drove. It worked rather well.
Also had an Audi A2 - you could remove the rear seats completely for a mega sized boot space. Oh, and the drop down front flap on the grill to easily fill up your windscreen washers. This car was just sooo good.
R56 Mini has a side sun visor in addition to the usual ones. Very useful, after you’ve hit your head when deploying it.
My dads Renault 25 was a joy as a kid. The rear glass started forwards of the rear seat headrest so I’d look straight up at the stars on the journey home in the dark. It was also the first car I’d experience that spoke to you!
The much copied heater vents in the first MX5. Just perfect. (And pop up headlamps, bring them back!)
And finally, it was always a nice event to pull the external bonnet catches on a Morgan and flip over the bonnet.
Had an old Saab and it had a button that turned off all the dashboard lights apart from the speedo. Really lovely for night driving.
Also the volume on the stereo went louder the faster you drove. It worked rather well.
Also had an Audi A2 - you could remove the rear seats completely for a mega sized boot space. Oh, and the drop down front flap on the grill to easily fill up your windscreen washers. This car was just sooo good.
R56 Mini has a side sun visor in addition to the usual ones. Very useful, after you’ve hit your head when deploying it.
My dads Renault 25 was a joy as a kid. The rear glass started forwards of the rear seat headrest so I’d look straight up at the stars on the journey home in the dark. It was also the first car I’d experience that spoke to you!
The much copied heater vents in the first MX5. Just perfect. (And pop up headlamps, bring them back!)
And finally, it was always a nice event to pull the external bonnet catches on a Morgan and flip over the bonnet.
Citroen DS5 - roof mounted controls. Just felt more special than having everything in the "normal" place or through a touchscreen for example.
Peugeot 108 Top/Citroen C1 Airscape - electric fabric full-length sunroof. They're only designed as little city cars but the opening roof is a joy on warm, dry days. Much nicer than sitting inside a sealed tin box.
X350 Jaguar XJ8 - J Gate automatic transmission lever. Just a wonderful, light, smooth and clicky unit to use, best auto selector I've had.
Volvo V70 - rear seats that fold flat, combined with a proper tailgate, creates an absolutely cavernous load space which is properly usable. Unlike many pseudo-estates under the "shooting brake" marketing term with awkward tailgate openings, a raised load lip, slopihg roof lines or seats that either fold to leave a ridge or don't fold flat at all.
In general terms -
- wooden steering wheel. I just much prefer gloss lacquered wood to leather or plastic.
- directional Xenon headlights.
- light interiors. Don't like black interiors, feels like you're inside a coffin. Blonde/cream interiors all the way.
Peugeot 108 Top/Citroen C1 Airscape - electric fabric full-length sunroof. They're only designed as little city cars but the opening roof is a joy on warm, dry days. Much nicer than sitting inside a sealed tin box.
X350 Jaguar XJ8 - J Gate automatic transmission lever. Just a wonderful, light, smooth and clicky unit to use, best auto selector I've had.
Volvo V70 - rear seats that fold flat, combined with a proper tailgate, creates an absolutely cavernous load space which is properly usable. Unlike many pseudo-estates under the "shooting brake" marketing term with awkward tailgate openings, a raised load lip, slopihg roof lines or seats that either fold to leave a ridge or don't fold flat at all.
In general terms -
- wooden steering wheel. I just much prefer gloss lacquered wood to leather or plastic.
- directional Xenon headlights.
- light interiors. Don't like black interiors, feels like you're inside a coffin. Blonde/cream interiors all the way.
underwhelmist said:
I used to have a Civic (mid 90s vintage) which had a small third sun visor that folded down to block the gap above the rear view mirror. Really useful, the sun always finds the gap!
I've seen that too but in a Volvo I think, from memory it also had slide-out extensions in the main sunvisors.The folding sun visors in early MX5's were clever, you could fold half down or the whole thing, and when folded up they weren't obstructing the roof catches like the one-piece visors in later MX5's.
RDMcG said:
-articulated front seatbacks that were available on the old E39 5 series- you could bend the top half a forward bit so it was closer to your shoulders. I loved those seats.
Those would be the comfort seats, I concur.Still available as an option through the later generations.
Volvo's 'dashboard spotlight' - a hidden in the roof LED which gently illuminates the centre of the dash, so requiring a lot less backlighting of buttons and being easier on your eyes at night.
+1 on flat rear loading with back seat down.
The Audi A2's wee flap to check and fill up the engine fluids.
+1 on flat rear loading with back seat down.
The Audi A2's wee flap to check and fill up the engine fluids.
My old 1 series BMW had adaptive volume based on speed. 99% of the time you'd never know it was there until you came to a stop and it hadn't caught up just yet. Fantastic system that I wish more cars had.
I used one of those sun visor CD holders that was on 2 bits of elastic as an extension of the sun visor when the sun managed to creep through a crack that wasn't covered. I think it was £3 and worked fantastically. Just left it on the sun visor and slid it left or right as needed.
Cars with easily adjustable clocks. Good heavens. Trying to change the one in my better half's Astra makes full use of my computer qualifications. Fancy installing a stereo with only left and right buttons then making the clock menu nearly impossible to find and then the UI tells you to press up and down to change the time.. By stark contrast, my Mazda has a button for minutes, a button for hours and a button to change it between 24h and 12h.
I used one of those sun visor CD holders that was on 2 bits of elastic as an extension of the sun visor when the sun managed to creep through a crack that wasn't covered. I think it was £3 and worked fantastically. Just left it on the sun visor and slid it left or right as needed.
Cars with easily adjustable clocks. Good heavens. Trying to change the one in my better half's Astra makes full use of my computer qualifications. Fancy installing a stereo with only left and right buttons then making the clock menu nearly impossible to find and then the UI tells you to press up and down to change the time.. By stark contrast, my Mazda has a button for minutes, a button for hours and a button to change it between 24h and 12h.
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