RE: New Lexus IS unveiled
Discussion
Just what is the deal with sticking massively oversized grills on EVERY SINGLE CAR these days? No really I want to know?
Also with only a 2 engine line up, I don't think the Germans will be too worried to be honest. I used to love Lexus but with each iteration it seems they seem to loose the plot a bit more.
Interesting to hear the previous gen IS-F can be had for £20k now though, that's A LOT of car for the money. However that exhaust arrangement! Oh dear oh dear. I assume something can be done to excise that hideousness?
Also with only a 2 engine line up, I don't think the Germans will be too worried to be honest. I used to love Lexus but with each iteration it seems they seem to loose the plot a bit more.
Interesting to hear the previous gen IS-F can be had for £20k now though, that's A LOT of car for the money. However that exhaust arrangement! Oh dear oh dear. I assume something can be done to excise that hideousness?
dibblecorse said:
And does the market really care about an IS-F being in the pipe ? no one bought the last one !!!!
They did buy them. They didn't produce it in huge numbers. Big difference.And to the person who wondered how to stop thinking about the exhausts.. Easy. Get in the driver seat, turn the key and press the loud pedal!
Ali_T said:
Looks better than the German competition and also worth noting that these are all F-Sports so have silly extra lower intakes. Standard cars will be more subtle, but now would be the ideal time for a small Jag, ideally looking like Car magazine's rendering:
Yup, IMO that (niche) market is there. SAAB is dead, Lancia almost, Alfa in a deep coma, Volvo stodgy as ever. The french have given up on that marekt and the Gernans have all opted for over agressive kitschy styling to wow the new money across the globe. And the Japanese, as ever, just lack the confidence to do their own thing. Depressing.So there is, IMO, currently *nothing* new out there for anyone wanting sublte, classy and understated looking mid range car. Big opportunity there. Go, JLR, go!
Edit: Ercole Spada (Mr. E34 among a long list of gems) is still in business, would love to see his 2013 take on a compact saloon. Not that there's anything with wrong with Callum or Thomson. But that fine Italian gent just embodies style, 100%, pure, genuine class. Couldn't force him to pen something ugly. Give him a ring Mr. Toyota before it is to late for the next IF.
Edited by Kolbenkopp on Wednesday 16th January 01:15
Ali_T said:
Looks better than the German competition and also worth noting that these are all F-Sports so have silly extra lower intakes. Standard cars will be more subtle, but now would be the ideal time for a small Jag, ideally looking like Car magazine's rendering:
That is a fine looking rendering. Small Jag looks great.New Lexus looks ugly. Anyone else think their front bumper is bulbous in all the wrong places ?
A3tdi said:
I take it they either have sponsorship from Nike for the 'Nike Tick' logo that the LED DRL looks like or they are going to getting a phone call from them very soon about it? 
vintageracer01 said:
herebebeasties said:
Alex Robbins said:
...rather a handsome thing...
Gosh, really? We really are in trouble if this is classed as relatively handsome.Why do all new cars like this: (a) Look exactly the same? (b) Look totally hideous?
Why can't people actually put something pretty into production? Jag XF and Tesla Model S are the only vaguely recent saloons that don't look like an overstyled dog's dinner, IMO.
Perhaps there is still some hope...
I just do not understand how a design team comes up with all this awful crap they try to sell us as "NEW".
It is not new!!! It is shamefully UGLY !!! Did you visit design schools for that???
You better get your money back than!
Even the new little BMWs and Mercedes' are just 'decorated' and full of bizarre details.
I absolutely agree! There are the Jaguar XF, the TESLA S and perhaps the new little Cadillac ATS but all the rest in the market is just a sore in the eye. What sad, sad people buy this crap???
1. The current popular sketching techniques used by most automotive designers (specially the younger ones) do push the design language towards these kind of flaming surface, over the top lines... It's very hard to explain it in words alone.
2. Use of CAD between initial design and initial engineering stage has also encouraged/made it possible for these kind of surfaces and lines to be made into production.
3. The latest BIW manufacturing techniques allow the design and engineering come true in the end. The fact is some of the body panels on most recent 'cheap' A-Segment productions cars cannot be produced by the best automotive manufacture 10 years ago.
loveice said:
I'm with you two. Believe it or not, it has a lot to do with the following three things:
1. The current popular sketching techniques used by most automotive designers (specially the younger ones) do push the design language towards these kind of flaming surface, over the top lines... It's very hard to explain it in words alone.
2. Use of CAD between initial design and initial engineering stage has also encouraged/made it possible for these kind of surfaces and lines to be made into production.
3. The latest BIW manufacturing techniques allow the design and engineering come true in the end. The fact is some of the body panels on most recent 'cheap' A-Segment productions cars cannot be produced by the best automotive manufacture 10 years ago.
I'll add a 4th to this. It's the kind of styling that the new emerging markets want and they don't really do subtle. Unfortunately this means that the rather more subdued tastes of the UK and even Europe aren't a factor as we aren't the main market anymore.1. The current popular sketching techniques used by most automotive designers (specially the younger ones) do push the design language towards these kind of flaming surface, over the top lines... It's very hard to explain it in words alone.
2. Use of CAD between initial design and initial engineering stage has also encouraged/made it possible for these kind of surfaces and lines to be made into production.
3. The latest BIW manufacturing techniques allow the design and engineering come true in the end. The fact is some of the body panels on most recent 'cheap' A-Segment productions cars cannot be produced by the best automotive manufacture 10 years ago.
Guvernator said:
I'll add a 4th to this. It's the kind of styling that the new emerging markets want and they don't really do subtle. Unfortunately this means that the rather more subdued tastes of the UK and even Europe aren't a factor as we aren't the main market anymore.
You are quite right. The points I was talking about were 'internal reasons' if you like. I'm sure there're more 'external reasons'. IMO, we also contributed some of those 'over styling' over the past 15 or so years. Doesn't this front end remind you some of the body kits we used to see in magazines like Maxpower or Fastcars before? I agree this kind of styling trend did come from the east initially. But, we also accepted and adopted to our 'taste'. I guess it's just like music. I'm sure the good old E39 style three-box car will make a comeback in our life time... 
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