Older models still seem new to me

[SkinnyPete]

I’m not sure why but a lot of older cars still seem new to me

For example if I see an E39 M5 I’ll think to myself “that’s a nice new M5, oh wait that’s the old model, the E60 is the new one, fk no they don’t make the E60 any more, it’s the F10 that’s the new one!”.

Followed by “geez is that car really 15 years old now? Why did they bother bringing out the new one, what was wrong with the old one?”

Same goes if I’m flicking through Top Gear on Dave and their reviewing the new Focus ST, hang on a minute isn’t this episode from 2005?

Anyone else?

[gforceg]

Welcome to my world.

[bristolracer]

I'll get flamed for this but AUDI aeem to be making the same A4 they ever did

You have to be serious enthusiast to know the difference between land rovers

[MikeO996]

Me too.
Either a sign of advanced age, or cars have stopped getting more desirable by generation

[Eighteeteewhy]

Yep, new model used to mean new. Usually designed from the ground up, and 5-10 years after the previous model.

Now...some new rear lights and different door handles...that'll do. The new xxxxxx Mk23.5!

[Speed_Demon]

I don't think they're new, but I usually prefer them to their younger editions. I saw an e39 5 series yesterday, and couldn't get over how it looked better than everything around it.

[sebhaque]

Peugeot are the most confusing for me. They seem to offer endless combinations of numbers with a varying quantity of 0s in the middle. I saw a newish 107 yesterday and noticed how the interior's not really changed much from the older 107 - but then remembered that the 107 is the old model and it's the 108 that's the new one.

I got even more confused when in the works car park there was a brand new 2008 parked next to a brand new 5008 - I didn't even know they did those.

[Sir Fergie]

It seems odd that the Mk 4 Mondeo is not longer in production - to my mind it only feels like last week that it came out as a new model.

Same with the 2008 Citroen C5.

And then theres MINIs - its ridiculous to think the BMW MINI came out as long ago as 2001 - mind you - I regarded them as an overpriced car shaped handbag for the first few years after they came out

Then I started to respect them for being different to a lot of the other cars on the road.

[-crookedtail-]

Sir Fergie said:

And then theres MINIs - its ridiculous to think the BMW MINI came out as long ago as 2001 - mind you - I regarded them as an overpriced car shaped handbag for the first few years after they came out

I saw a few early ones parked up on the street yesterday, 02 plates and the like. They still looked new to me, stick a 14/64 plate on and I wouldn't be able to tell really.

Then again I might notice, as the newest one is fugly

[HTP99]

sebhaque said:

Peugeot are the most confusing for me. They seem to offer endless combinations of numbers with a varying quantity of 0s in the middle. I saw a newish 107 yesterday and noticed how the interior's not really changed much from the older 107 - but then remembered that the 107 is the old model and it's the 108 that's the new one.

I got even more confused when in the works car park there was a brand new 2008 parked next to a brand new 5008 - I didn't even know they did those.

"0" denotes the normal; for want of a better expression, mainstream model, "00" denotes the alternative version, crossover; 2008 and 3008, 5008; a people carrier.

[iva cosworth]

It's an age thing.

I look at say an O2 reg car in poor condition and think that's not very good for a newish car.

It's 13 years old now,i scrapped my first car younger than that.

[Hub]

Probably a combination of time passing more quickly as you get older, and cars not looking completely shagged at 10 years old like they used to - rust, faded paint, different colour panels etc.

[Rawwr]

I like to think that a part of the problem, specifically with the E39 and E46, is that the designs were just perfect. Perfectly proportioned, not shouty enough to become dated too quickly and not subtle enough to not be noticed. BMW really did get it right with those two.

[PhilGT2008]

Main thing I think is cars are simply built much better now and last longer. My Elise is now 11 years old, people cant believe it when I tell them 'it looks, new, only 2/3 years old. I also have an E60 535d MSport, 2006 model year but still looks great as I have looked after it well. It does not at all feel like a 9 year old car to me, nor does it look 9 years old.

[andyalan10]

Yes but what about the opposite:-

By the time I get around to seeing a Volvo XC90 or Discovery Sport or Jaguar XE on the road they are going to seem like quite old models. It's months, or even years since the official launch began, and there is still some months until they actually go on sale.

Andy

[HTP99]

A lot of manufacturers have evolutionary design changes, rather than evolutionary; BMW, Audi, VW and Porsche, in particular, this is why they don't seem to age, with each new model yhe previous one just morphs into the new one as they look so similar, when I look at a Golf from the V onwards I struggle to work out which one it is, the same with most moden Audi's; I even struggle with working out if it's an A4 or an A8.

Edited by HTP99 on Sunday 18th January 15:10

[GetCarter]

bristolracer said:

I'll get flamed for this but AUDI aeem to be making the same A4 they ever did

You have to be serious enthusiast to know the difference between land rovers

They may look the same, they dive very differently.

From experience.

[Sir Fergie]

andyalan10 said:

Yes but what about the opposite:-

By the time I get around to seeing a Volvo XC90 or Discovery Sport or Jaguar XE on the road they are going to seem like quite old models. It's months, or even years since the official launch began, and there is still some months until they actually go on sale.

Andy

The Mondeo funnily enough is a key example of a model that's late coming to market - yet the new one still looks NEW to my eyes - I haven't even seen a Mk 5 in the flesh.

Given that the Cortina bowed out after Mk 5 - I wonder incidentally if the Mondeo will do the same.

btw - am I the only one that thinks Land Rover made a bit of a dogs dinner of the Disco Sports styling - from front and rear it looks well - but to me the side profile looks like it could have come from Ford, Vauxhall or Hyundai.

[SkinnyPete]

The Mk4 Mondeo is a good example, released in 2007 but still brand new to my eyes.

But generally speaking I think the problem comes from too many new models (a niche within a niche) too quickly and too uninteresting.

And of course as said older cars can look like new with some care and polish.

[HTP99]

Funny as I think the MKIV Mondeo is an absolute dogs dinner of a car in the looks department, it looked dated when it was released and hasn't aged well at all, it is just too fussy a design.