Worst design mis-steps
Discussion
l354uge said:
Just seen the new polo, and boy, what an overdesigned, flabby mess vw have created.
Compared to the old one, it's a huge step back:
Clean and smart.
I agree it is a step back, but it isn't an unrecoverable disaster. I'm not understanding why they went for the artificially low front grille line. BMW did the same with the 3/4 series and it gives the car a 'broken nose' look because the necessary bonnet hump to meet the NCAP stipulations for how far the bonnet has to be away from the top of the engine appears more pronounced.Compared to the old one, it's a huge step back:
Clean and smart.
I agree that the latest Fiesta iteration is a huge step back and looks like a (more conservateive) rejected styling prototype of the previous model.
Edited by r11co on Saturday 17th February 12:51
LuS1fer said:
Characterful, front and rear - bought one. Designer needs an award.
Blander than a piece of white paper with nothing on it - would never buy one. Designer needs a hard punch in the face.
I get the impression that entry level hatchbacks like the polo and the fiesta are designed to visually appeal to baby boomers.Blander than a piece of white paper with nothing on it - would never buy one. Designer needs a hard punch in the face.
I think criticising the Mk 2 Focus for being boring is a little unfair. Chris Bird was clearly instructed to make very rational, restrained designs to the point I think the overriding order was "Make it like a VW". He succeeded completely as the Mk2 Focus, Mk3 Mondeo, and whatever the similar Fiesta was are all more VW than a VW,
More than anything it was some of the Ford standard cheap detailing and the obvious low quality of the materials that let the car down. Compared to the overstyled and bloated crap rolling around everywhere now they look very clean though. All these chintzy tasteless details, random creases and slashes, and fussy design are all an attempt to make Morlocks think a car looks more interesting.
My vote would be the current A4. It looks oddly over-inflated, like someone should have stopped with the footpump just 30 seconds earlier.
More than anything it was some of the Ford standard cheap detailing and the obvious low quality of the materials that let the car down. Compared to the overstyled and bloated crap rolling around everywhere now they look very clean though. All these chintzy tasteless details, random creases and slashes, and fussy design are all an attempt to make Morlocks think a car looks more interesting.
My vote would be the current A4. It looks oddly over-inflated, like someone should have stopped with the footpump just 30 seconds earlier.
Torcars said:
Original Range Rover to the P38A.
From something that was an automotive style icon to something that looked like Chrysler Europe would have designed in the late 1970s. Front grille, headlights indicators and tail lights always remind me of a Horizon.
Agreed. The P38 Rangie was unkindly (but fairly) nicknamed the "Metrocab", on account of it looking like the taxi of the same name. LTI, like Land Rover, appeared to take the criticism on the chin, and replaced both the P38 and the Metrocab with much better looking vehicles.From something that was an automotive style icon to something that looked like Chrysler Europe would have designed in the late 1970s. Front grille, headlights indicators and tail lights always remind me of a Horizon.
LTI
From FX4
To Metrocab
To TX1
Land Rover
From Range Rover Classic
To P38
To L322
MorganP104 said:
Agreed. The P38 Rangie was unkindly (but fairly) nicknamed the "Metrocab", on account of it looking like the taxi of the same name. LTI, like Land Rover, appeared to take the criticism on the chin, and replaced both the P38 and the Metrocab with much better looking vehicles.
LTI
From FX4
To Metrocab
To TX1
LTI didn't make the Metrocab though - it was an unrelated Metro Cammell Weymann product. LTI switched straight from the FX4 to the TX1LTI
From FX4
To Metrocab
To TX1
dme123 said:
I think criticising the Mk 2 Focus for being boring is a little unfair. Chris Bird was clearly instructed to make very rational, restrained designs to the point I think the overriding order was "Make it like a VW". He succeeded completely as the Mk2 Focus, Mk3 Mondeo, and whatever the similar Fiesta was are all more VW than a VW,
More than anything it was some of the Ford standard cheap detailing and the obvious low quality of the materials that let the car down. Compared to the overstyled and bloated crap rolling around everywhere now they look very clean though. All these chintzy tasteless details, random creases and slashes, and fussy design are all an attempt to make Morlocks think a car looks more interesting.
My vote would be the current A4. It looks oddly over-inflated, like someone should have stopped with the footpump just 30 seconds earlier.
Fair enough, the designer did what he was told to do. If he was told to make it dull, and unexciting, he fulfilled his brief masterfully.More than anything it was some of the Ford standard cheap detailing and the obvious low quality of the materials that let the car down. Compared to the overstyled and bloated crap rolling around everywhere now they look very clean though. All these chintzy tasteless details, random creases and slashes, and fussy design are all an attempt to make Morlocks think a car looks more interesting.
My vote would be the current A4. It looks oddly over-inflated, like someone should have stopped with the footpump just 30 seconds earlier.
I sold Fords at the time that the MK2 was launched, I was genuinely excited to see the next quantum leap forward in mid-size family hatchbacks, as were most of my colleagues.
The disappointment in the showroom when that was revealed was palpable. Fortunately because it was a mid-range Ford it still sold well enough, but f
k me, it stands in my memory as one of the greatest automotive disappointments I've ever had.Mind, a facelift MK2 FRS is not a bad looking thing, but even that is still eclipsed by the MK1 FRS.
LuS1fer said:
Characterful, front and rear - bought one. Designer needs an award.
Blander than a piece of white paper with nothing on it - would never buy one. Designer needs a hard punch in the face.
Are you serious? The new one is very similar to the last one, and the interior is a massive upgrade.Blander than a piece of white paper with nothing on it - would never buy one. Designer needs a hard punch in the face.
It's one of the only small cars that I'd consider at the moment, when the ST version is out anyway.
Agree with some of the comments here that the Mk 1 Focus was a design classic compared to the over designed versions that have arrived afterwards.
How about the Ford Ka? Although I never particularly liked the Mk 1, it was at least clean and crisp, while the new one is an utter mess...
(Oh, and I like the new Polo!)
How about the Ford Ka? Although I never particularly liked the Mk 1, it was at least clean and crisp, while the new one is an utter mess...
(Oh, and I like the new Polo!)
ChevronB19 said:
Agree with some of the comments here that the Mk 1 Focus was a design classic compared to the over designed versions that have arrived afterwards.
How about the Ford Ka? Although I never particularly liked the Mk 1, it was at least clean and crisp, while the new one is an utter mess...
(Oh, and I like the new Polo!)
Agreed, new Ka is dull, dull, dull. The MK1 used to sell itself, and I still think it looks fresh even today.How about the Ford Ka? Although I never particularly liked the Mk 1, it was at least clean and crisp, while the new one is an utter mess...
(Oh, and I like the new Polo!)
ChevronB19 said:
How about the Ford Ka? Although I never particularly liked the Mk 1, it was at least clean and crisp, while the new one is an utter mess...
Yep, the original Ka was great, the shrink-wrapped melted Fiesta that was the replacement wasn't. To make it worse, after the mk2, they show the Start concept car, which is absolutely a modernised original Ka, and don't build it. bds 
Mushroom12 said:
One of the best car designs ever. If it was in left hand drive, and had an engine that was fairly common instead of an in-house timebomb, I'd have one in a heartbeat.
There’s only 4 Typhon’s full stop I think so chances of seeing one at all are slim nevermind getting hold of one. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff