Poor example of the corporate face

[if in doubt]

I watched a new Mercedes SLK drive past the other day. It struck me that the design elements just don't fit the car. It's all out of proportion. Another example in my opinion is the Alfa Mito, it never quite captured the style of the 8C.

What other examples are there where the manufacturer has tried to add the current house style to a car and it hasn't worked?

[CraigyMc]

[ajprice]

Recent Renault updates are looking worse for having the giant diamond badge in the black grille treatment, but the Twingo facelift is really nasty. It was a decent looking car before.

[forzaminardi]

I agree with the SLK comment; whenever I'm behind one, I think "wow, looks stunning" but then side-on and from the front, it looks ming. Just like a few women I used to know. I'd say it's not so much a poor attempt to graft the Merc corporate 'face' onto it though, it's just that the Merc corporate 'face' is ugly as sin, beaky and bulky.

The Mito is a similar case, although I think the Guilietta is not quite right either. You sort of want to like it but there's something just not right about it.

[David87]

ajprice said:

That's the one that always gets me. It's just awful.

[if in doubt]

CraigyMc said:

Porsche are the masters of this.

[iva cosworth]

1st version of SLK.Neat small convertible.

2nd version.SLR type bonnet,didn't work.

3rd version.Fat bloater.

[davepoth]

[ChasW]

I agree. I think the Mercedes look is at a low point at the moment and one design cycle behind BMW who, to my eye, are back to a better balanced look these days with the exception of the awful grand coupe versions, particularly the 5 series.

[jimmy156]

davepoth said:

I think it looks great from that angle, its only the full side view that you see the snouty front that doesn't look right

[Troubleatmill]

Edited by Troubleatmill on Saturday 12th April 11:40

[davepoth]

jimmy156 said:

davepoth said:

I think it looks great from that angle, its only the full side view that you see the snouty front that doesn't look right

You like it from the front? Really?

The side view shows how lazy the engineering is. The platform they've used is for a much bigger car that's supposed to look like a BMW - and one of their design cues is a big gap between the front of the front door and the back of the front wheel, as it makes a car look "sporty" (you put length there to accommodate a long engine (like a straight six) within the wheelbase).

They've tried to hide it with a big "scallop" at the front of the door but the A-pillar gives it away. If I was any good at photoshop I'd take three inches or so out of the wheelbase at that point and it would look much better.

[Brigand]

ajprice said:

Recent Renault updates are looking worse for having the giant diamond badge in the black grille treatment, but the Twingo facelift is really nasty. It was a decent looking car before.

It looks like a baby Nissan Juke. I hated those when they first came out, but I have to admit they are growing on me now, my neighbour has a Nismo version, it looks quite smart!

[TooMany2cvs]

Troubleatmill said:

<snort of laughter>
Oh, so true...