Do Alfa Romeo have the best looking range??
Discussion
DamienB said:
No fan of the Mito, too bug eyed, but the Guilietta is much better looking and it's the little details that set it aside from other similarly styled cars - e.g. the 156-style hidden rear door handles (why on earth didn't the 159 keep those?), floating grille, etc. What I don't get is why so much photography of the G has been done with wide angle lenses which just makes it look like the Mito, i.e. fat and ugly.
I actually quite like the MiTo in the metal, but when I tried to find a decent picture of it, I couldn't. Not one.To my mind, current 'practical' ranges' looks are:
Alfa Romeo - as far as practical hatchbacks and saloons go, stunning.
Audi - sleep-inducingly dull, the boredom lifted only occasionally by little details, such as the A7's fastback rear, or the straked gills on the R8.
BMW - very hit-and-miss. Up to 5-series size they're good-looking cars, but from the 5GT upwards they're grotesque.
Cadillac - getting a lot better. Ignore the SUVS and the current range really looks great.
Chevrolet - another surprise. They're rather good-looking.
Chrysler - Losing the plot following Fiat takeover. Might as well just admit they're Lancias.
Citroen - Bit messy here and there, but overall brilliantly different pieces of French avant-garde.
Dodge - I have a sneaking liking for these. Practical family cars with US road-movie appeal.
Fiat - I can't actually think of a period when Fiat have made bad-looking cars. They've done cutesy, no-nonsense, industrial modernism, quirkily bizarre and retro and somehow managed to pull it off every time.
Ford - Blandly acceptable apart from the latest Fiesta, which is pretty, and the latest Focus, which is a right gurner.
Honda - Sharply futuristic, just like they should be.
Jaguar - best-looking range of cars on sale today (although the grille on the XJ is a mite too big).
Jeep - carrying on regardless, although it's interesting that they, like Land-Rover, have managed to retain a very distinctive style.
Land-Rover - so far as 4x4s go, probably the best at disguising bulk.
Mazda - Love it. A kind of Japanese Peugeot-before-they-lost-the-plot. Hints of Pininfarina.
Mercedes - Veering wildly between ultra-tasteful and ultra-garish.
MG - Hopefully they'll end up as a kind of British Mazda.
Nissan - pass the sick bag (albeit exceptions will be made for GTR and Z).
Peugeot - rediscovering mojo after a decade in the doldrums. Looks like they're ditching the 'basking shark' look at last.
Porsche Panamera and Cayman - stop it. Stop it now.
Proton - They may be cheap but they're some of the best-looking cars in their class. Put aside badge prejudice for a minute, they're actually really good-looking.
Renault - Great until you get up to Laguna size, and then... Oh God, is there any room left in the Nissan bag...
Saab - typical paragon of tastefulness. Not adventurous-looking, but hopefully there's more room for that in the future.
Subaru - can't decide whether I like the styling or not. I definitely like the cars but the looks leave me cold, but not completely Audi-sterile.
Toyota - Leave me feeling queasy. WTF happened circa 2007-onwards?
Vauxhall - I much prefer them to Ford these days.
Volvo - Nice looks, shame about the nannying.
Alfa Romeo - as far as practical hatchbacks and saloons go, stunning.
Audi - sleep-inducingly dull, the boredom lifted only occasionally by little details, such as the A7's fastback rear, or the straked gills on the R8.
BMW - very hit-and-miss. Up to 5-series size they're good-looking cars, but from the 5GT upwards they're grotesque.
Cadillac - getting a lot better. Ignore the SUVS and the current range really looks great.
Chevrolet - another surprise. They're rather good-looking.
Chrysler - Losing the plot following Fiat takeover. Might as well just admit they're Lancias.
Citroen - Bit messy here and there, but overall brilliantly different pieces of French avant-garde.
Dodge - I have a sneaking liking for these. Practical family cars with US road-movie appeal.
Fiat - I can't actually think of a period when Fiat have made bad-looking cars. They've done cutesy, no-nonsense, industrial modernism, quirkily bizarre and retro and somehow managed to pull it off every time.
Ford - Blandly acceptable apart from the latest Fiesta, which is pretty, and the latest Focus, which is a right gurner.
Honda - Sharply futuristic, just like they should be.
Jaguar - best-looking range of cars on sale today (although the grille on the XJ is a mite too big).
Jeep - carrying on regardless, although it's interesting that they, like Land-Rover, have managed to retain a very distinctive style.
Land-Rover - so far as 4x4s go, probably the best at disguising bulk.
Mazda - Love it. A kind of Japanese Peugeot-before-they-lost-the-plot. Hints of Pininfarina.
Mercedes - Veering wildly between ultra-tasteful and ultra-garish.
MG - Hopefully they'll end up as a kind of British Mazda.
Nissan - pass the sick bag (albeit exceptions will be made for GTR and Z).
Peugeot - rediscovering mojo after a decade in the doldrums. Looks like they're ditching the 'basking shark' look at last.
Porsche Panamera and Cayman - stop it. Stop it now.
Proton - They may be cheap but they're some of the best-looking cars in their class. Put aside badge prejudice for a minute, they're actually really good-looking.
Renault - Great until you get up to Laguna size, and then... Oh God, is there any room left in the Nissan bag...
Saab - typical paragon of tastefulness. Not adventurous-looking, but hopefully there's more room for that in the future.
Subaru - can't decide whether I like the styling or not. I definitely like the cars but the looks leave me cold, but not completely Audi-sterile.
Toyota - Leave me feeling queasy. WTF happened circa 2007-onwards?
Vauxhall - I much prefer them to Ford these days.
Volvo - Nice looks, shame about the nannying.
Twincam16 said:
To my mind, current 'practical' ranges' looks are:
Alfa Romeo - as far as practical hatchbacks and saloons go, stunning.
Audi - sleep-inducingly dull, the boredom lifted only occasionally by little details, such as the A7's fastback rear, or the straked gills on the R8.
BMW - very hit-and-miss. Up to 5-series size they're good-looking cars, but from the 5GT upwards they're grotesque.
Cadillac - getting a lot better. Ignore the SUVS and the current range really looks great.
Chevrolet - another surprise. They're rather good-looking.
Chrysler - Losing the plot following Fiat takeover. Might as well just admit they're Lancias.
Citroen - Bit messy here and there, but overall brilliantly different pieces of French avant-garde.
Dodge - I have a sneaking liking for these. Practical family cars with US road-movie appeal.
Fiat - I can't actually think of a period when Fiat have made bad-looking cars. They've done cutesy, no-nonsense, industrial modernism, quirkily bizarre and retro and somehow managed to pull it off every time.
Ford - Blandly acceptable apart from the latest Fiesta, which is pretty, and the latest Focus, which is a right gurner.
Honda - Sharply futuristic, just like they should be.
Jaguar - best-looking range of cars on sale today (although the grille on the XJ is a mite too big).
Jeep - carrying on regardless, although it's interesting that they, like Land-Rover, have managed to retain a very distinctive style.
Land-Rover - so far as 4x4s go, probably the best at disguising bulk.
Mazda - Love it. A kind of Japanese Peugeot-before-they-lost-the-plot. Hints of Pininfarina.
Mercedes - Veering wildly between ultra-tasteful and ultra-garish.
MG - Hopefully they'll end up as a kind of British Mazda.
Nissan - pass the sick bag (albeit exceptions will be made for GTR and Z).
Peugeot - rediscovering mojo after a decade in the doldrums. Looks like they're ditching the 'basking shark' look at last.
Porsche Panamera and Cayman - stop it. Stop it now.
Proton - They may be cheap but they're some of the best-looking cars in their class. Put aside badge prejudice for a minute, they're actually really good-looking.
Renault - Great until you get up to Laguna size, and then... Oh God, is there any room left in the Nissan bag...
Saab - typical paragon of tastefulness. Not adventurous-looking, but hopefully there's more room for that in the future.
Subaru - can't decide whether I like the styling or not. I definitely like the cars but the looks leave me cold, but not completely Audi-sterile.
Toyota - Leave me feeling queasy. WTF happened circa 2007-onwards?
Vauxhall - I much prefer them to Ford these days.
Volvo - Nice looks, shame about the nannying.
Fiat did make the Stilo though.....Alfa Romeo - as far as practical hatchbacks and saloons go, stunning.
Audi - sleep-inducingly dull, the boredom lifted only occasionally by little details, such as the A7's fastback rear, or the straked gills on the R8.
BMW - very hit-and-miss. Up to 5-series size they're good-looking cars, but from the 5GT upwards they're grotesque.
Cadillac - getting a lot better. Ignore the SUVS and the current range really looks great.
Chevrolet - another surprise. They're rather good-looking.
Chrysler - Losing the plot following Fiat takeover. Might as well just admit they're Lancias.
Citroen - Bit messy here and there, but overall brilliantly different pieces of French avant-garde.
Dodge - I have a sneaking liking for these. Practical family cars with US road-movie appeal.
Fiat - I can't actually think of a period when Fiat have made bad-looking cars. They've done cutesy, no-nonsense, industrial modernism, quirkily bizarre and retro and somehow managed to pull it off every time.
Ford - Blandly acceptable apart from the latest Fiesta, which is pretty, and the latest Focus, which is a right gurner.
Honda - Sharply futuristic, just like they should be.
Jaguar - best-looking range of cars on sale today (although the grille on the XJ is a mite too big).
Jeep - carrying on regardless, although it's interesting that they, like Land-Rover, have managed to retain a very distinctive style.
Land-Rover - so far as 4x4s go, probably the best at disguising bulk.
Mazda - Love it. A kind of Japanese Peugeot-before-they-lost-the-plot. Hints of Pininfarina.
Mercedes - Veering wildly between ultra-tasteful and ultra-garish.
MG - Hopefully they'll end up as a kind of British Mazda.
Nissan - pass the sick bag (albeit exceptions will be made for GTR and Z).
Peugeot - rediscovering mojo after a decade in the doldrums. Looks like they're ditching the 'basking shark' look at last.
Porsche Panamera and Cayman - stop it. Stop it now.
Proton - They may be cheap but they're some of the best-looking cars in their class. Put aside badge prejudice for a minute, they're actually really good-looking.
Renault - Great until you get up to Laguna size, and then... Oh God, is there any room left in the Nissan bag...
Saab - typical paragon of tastefulness. Not adventurous-looking, but hopefully there's more room for that in the future.
Subaru - can't decide whether I like the styling or not. I definitely like the cars but the looks leave me cold, but not completely Audi-sterile.
Toyota - Leave me feeling queasy. WTF happened circa 2007-onwards?
Vauxhall - I much prefer them to Ford these days.
Volvo - Nice looks, shame about the nannying.
& I didn't think Proton were still on the go in the UK !
What's your thoughts on Kia & Hyundai ?
CO2000 said:
Fiat did make the Stilo though.....
& I didn't think Proton were still on the go in the UK !
What's your thoughts on Kia & Hyundai ?
And I realise I've missed most of VAG off that list. So:& I didn't think Proton were still on the go in the UK !
What's your thoughts on Kia & Hyundai ?
Volkswagen - Scirocco aside they seem to be in the midst of a 'dull-off' with Audi. Oh wait, they are Audi...
Seat - Well at least they appear to be injecting a bit of design flair into an otherwise dull range, but they're clearly constrained by underpinnings.
Skoda - Wierdly, they look more 'luxurious' and 'respectable' (in colours other than white at least) than Audi. The Superb is a car you can imagine in black with diplomatic flags on its front wings.
Kia/Hyundai - Stylish, but lacking identity. As with many car makes relatively new to the party and with their origins in licence-built cars from other manufacturers, they don't have a recognisable set of design cues like, say, Mercedes, or Porsche, or Jaguar, that make people go 'yeah, that's a Hyundai, make no mistake.'
Twincam16 said:
Kia/Hyundai - Stylish, but lacking identity. As with many car makes relatively new to the party and with their origins in licence-built cars from other manufacturers, they don't have a recognisable set of design cues like, say, Mercedes, or Porsche, or Jaguar, that make people go 'yeah, that's a Hyundai, make no mistake.'
It's a good thing, though - until the current generation of cars their identity was extreme ugliness, rooted in early 90s bubble styling!Beware the good-looking Alfa - always see what's under the bonnet.
http://funsverylimited.blogspot.com/2011/08/big-ca...
http://funsverylimited.blogspot.com/2011/08/big-ca...
braddo said:
Twincam16 said:
Kia/Hyundai - Stylish, but lacking identity. As with many car makes relatively new to the party and with their origins in licence-built cars from other manufacturers, they don't have a recognisable set of design cues like, say, Mercedes, or Porsche, or Jaguar, that make people go 'yeah, that's a Hyundai, make no mistake.'
It's a good thing, though - until the current generation of cars their identity was extreme ugliness, rooted in early 90s bubble styling!trashbat said:
Good as it looked, the 159/Brera nose was expensive (look how many lines converge), poor for pedestrian safety, and I think poor for aerodynamics - that and the massive weight means poor fuel economy for both.
Disagree. My 159 JTDM easily averaged 48 mpg on motorway runs. Post re-map I was adding 10mpg to that figure at regular 65/70 mph. The 159 is a thing of beauty, the purists hate it because it had a diesel lump, bits didn't fall off and it was reliable - the car came top in a German JD power survey if I recall.
I did 20,000 miles in mine without a hitch - the specialist where I had mine serviced said that Alfa had pretty much nailed it in terms of producing a very good car.
It is an old car now, but the design is still fantastic when compared to the plethora of euro boxes. Depreciation aside, it is still a good car (even if there is no storage space for anything in the cabin)
tonym911 said:
Beware the good-looking Alfa - always see what's under the bonnet.
http://funsverylimited.blogspot.com/2011/08/big-ca...
With the greatest of respect to the writer, that article is a load of nonsense. If mainstream manufacturers didn't put smaller engines in cars, then they'd go bust and fast.http://funsverylimited.blogspot.com/2011/08/big-ca...
In regards to the Alfa element - they are normal cars which look good. Never have they been marketed or sold under the impression that they are supercars, or even high performance vehicles. Some of them at the top end of the range might be fast or fitted with relatively high output engines, but like most car manufacturers the range is a broad spread of engines from small and economical to large & thirsty. Alfa are a premium sector car designed to look nice and be good to drive.
There's more to life than outright speed.
LuS1fer said:
braddo said:
Twincam16 said:
Kia/Hyundai - Stylish, but lacking identity. As with many car makes relatively new to the party and with their origins in licence-built cars from other manufacturers, they don't have a recognisable set of design cues like, say, Mercedes, or Porsche, or Jaguar, that make people go 'yeah, that's a Hyundai, make no mistake.'
It's a good thing, though - until the current generation of cars their identity was extreme ugliness, rooted in early 90s bubble styling!
When Dizzy Gillespie plays the trumpet, the change in his face is akin to looking first at a 8C, then a Mito.A lex said:
Not sure if it has been mentioned in the thread already but the 159 is now pretty much dead.
The factory in Italy arent making them anymore and have already re-tooled for a different model. They have quite a lot of stock in the system but you cant do a factory order at the dealer anymore. With the replacement being a significant way off Alfa are effectively down to a 2 model range - the Mito and Giulietta.
The factory in Italy arent making them anymore and have already re-tooled for a different model. They have quite a lot of stock in the system but you cant do a factory order at the dealer anymore. With the replacement being a significant way off Alfa are effectively down to a 2 model range - the Mito and Giulietta.
The problem Alfa had was with too many platforms with too few cars produced from them. It wasn't that they weren't selling well, but rather that they were so expensive to build they'd have to be selling crazy amounts to justify it all. The 159, Brera and Spider were built on a bespoke platform developed in conjunction with Saab (but only used by Alfa) and built in more than one factory. Alongside that they were still using the 156 platform to build the 147 and GT, and then they used the Grande Punto as the basis for the Mito (although contrary to popular opinion there's very little Fiat left).
The Giulietta floorplan is apparently designed to be highly adaptable, and will underpin a compact saloon and 'sportwagon' estate in future. I wouldn't rule out a coupe either as I can see the 4C whetting appetites that wallets can't quite meet, and just as the 4C ends its run, a 2+2 stunner based on the Giulietta appears in the mould of the 916 GTV. One great-handling platform and set of cracking engines, potentially spawning four models - the exact opposite of the situation they were in a few years ago.
Also, the Mito has really turned Alfa's fortunes around quite dramatically. Behind the scenes, drastic things were being said about Alfa's future before Mito sales started properly rivalling the MINI.
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