Car manufacturers that did something wild

[Filibuster]

Studebaker Avanti

One of the best car design ever by the fabulous Raymond Loewy.
(fun fact, the car has been designed in only 40 days)

[Fast Bug]

Studebaker have had some great designs over the years, I'd love a bullet nose coupe!

[white_goodman]

crankedup said:

What is wild about them! Boring everyday space wagons design, unless I’m missing something. Where is the design flair and imagination?

You've taken me a bit out of context there. There's nothing wild about the Dodge but I was merely saying that I thought the Dodge Caravan slightly beat the Espace to market, as someone posted that the Espace was first of its kind. Not so sure about the Previa though. I don't think that anyone else made a RWD, mid-engined MPV and it was pretty futuristic-looking coming out in 1990 and sharing showroom space with stuff like this.

[jamesbilluk]

Not a very unusual car to start with, but VAG deciding to put a V12 TDI in a Q7....



Also, Subaru SVX?



isuzu vehicross, concept car looks

Edited by jamesbilluk on Tuesday 27th August 19:36

[jamoor]

Come to think of the Ford Focus was a piece of design when it came out.

[Some Gump]

jamoor said:

Come to think of the Ford Focus was a piece of design when it came out.

Very much so. Mk1 focus still looks passable today. It's peers? Urgh!

[jamoor]

Some Gump said:

Very much so. Mk1 focus still looks passable today. It's peers? Urgh!

Honda civic.

[Jazzy Jag]

I'll leave this here.
If legend is to be believed, Preston Tucker had the establishment rattled.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucker_48

Edited by Jazzy Jag on Tuesday 27th August 19:52

[Ali_T]

jamoor said:

Honda civic.

EF and EG Civics were way ahead of their time for design. The EK kind of dropped the ball. Most Japanese manufacturers in the late 80s and early 90s were supremely brave. Some had more coupes in their showrooms than hatches and saloons. Sad to see where we are now, surrounded by sea of anonymous, ugly SUVs.

[Some Gump]

jamoor said:

Honda civic.

This is a 1998 focus and 1999 civic. IMO an entire styling generation apart...

[LuS1fer]

The Focus Mk I was indeed a great piece of design but unfortunately, the Mk II and III were retrograde in terms of inspiration and the Mk I RS is still far and away the best looker..

let's also not forget the original Golf GTI rewrote the history books in terms of square design and performance engine - the Euro equivalent of the American invention of muscle cars. Sadly, the Gold design, along with all VAG products has "played it safe" ever since that day.

[Masiv]

surveyor said:

First of it's kind.

The number one selling car for serial killers and rapists apparently. It was found out that Fred West and a couple of other dodgy types drove one. IIRC, one of those others was Shipman.

[Masiv]

[white_goodman]

I think a commercial flop but Peugeot did try and do something very different in the small car sector.




Admittedly not available over here but the Toyota FJ Cruiser was also pretty mad and perhaps didn't do as well as it could have done because it was a few years ahead of its time.

[Defconluke]

R63 AMG. A large, four wheel drive people carrier with a 6.2L V8 engine.

[fooby]

Renault Twingo? Rear engined small hot hatch. Certainly something different in today's market.



Loads of mad JDM cars and vans although probably quite normal in Japan. Nissan Cube, Mazda Autozam, Nissan Elgrand etc.

VWs latest ID range also looks to be quite insane.

Edited by fooby on Thursday 29th August 22:34

[jamoor]

fooby said:

Renault Twingo? Rear engined small hot hatch. Certainly something different in today's market.



Loads of mad JDM cars and vans although probably quite normal in Japan. Nissan Cube, Mazda Autozam, Nissan Elgrand etc.

Edited by fooby on Thursday 29th August 22:30

This has to be surely?

[rockandrollmark]

When their current line-up was mostly made up of economical runabouts:

[LuS1fer]

I hardly think a rear-engined car is radical or wild when the Hillman Imp did it in the 60s, opening rear window and all

Renault also made rear-engined cars in the 60s but the Twingo doesn't even have a radical front, to compensate.

[FlammableTulip]

do concepts count?